[nc8000]

And yet, @nc8000 was saying a few pages back that his silver cable tamed sharp trebles.

I'm a bit confused, especially given the fact you can't really return cables apparently, except Axios maybe.

Go either pure copper or pure silver, both will be an improvement over stock. I had the Axios CU for nearly 4 years before shifting to the first generation of Lavri Grand Silver and now the latest generation. Neither of these display any sharp treble peaks to me and all are great cables. For look and build I preferred the Axios but I like the silver sound more, it just seems to supercharge and open the Z1R while the Axios was so warm, musical and enveloping. Also be aware that the differences really are nowhere as large as those statements may sound, at least to me, but still very real and meaningfull

 

[gLer]

I also happily joined the club!

I have been going through this thread from the beginning, and not nearly halfway through, but I was wondering if there was some sort of consensus about cable upgrade?

I have seen some people swearing by all copper (whether axios or not), while quite some other seem to have silver ones.

Any advice or recommendation would be welcome, for a cable to push the Z1R a bit further without adulterating its signature. Thanks!

Edit: for now I am using it exclusively on a WM1Z but am considering a TA-ZH1ES in the near future

The original Sony Kimber Kable solved the treble spike issue for me and maintained the original signature perfectly. That's all I've tried personally since it solved the only 'issue' I had with the headphone. Also seriously considering a TA-ZH1ES to complete the 'system'. The two were apparently made for each other.

 

[grabrom]

Thanks, I guess I will let you guys know once I choose and actually give it a thorough listen!

 

[Redcarmoose]

You won’t be sorry. Make sure you have the last firmware update.

The original Sony Kimber Kable solved the treble spike issue for me and maintained the original signature perfectly. That's all I've tried personally since it solved the only 'issue' I had with the headphone. Also seriously considering a TA-ZH1ES to complete the 'system'. The two were apparently made for each other.

 

[Lookout57]

Do copper. All silver would accentuate the harsh treble in string instruments in orchestral music.

I strongly disagree, a pure OCC silver cable doesn't make the treble harsh. It actually smooths it out more than copper.

The stock silver plated cable makes the highs harsh.

 

[askeladden]

Being that i am not satisified with the dekoni velour pads and the stock pads just makes my skin irritated i just ordered 2 cheapo pads from aliexpress. One with faux leather on the rim and one with faux perforated leather in the channel. Will report back with my findings.

 

[aloki]

I strongly disagree, a pure OCC silver cable doesn't make the treble harsh. It actually smooths it out more than copper.

The stock silver plated cable makes the highs harsh.

It’s fine to disagree. I strongly disagree about silver smoothing anything more than copper.

And I wouldn’t take silver plated copper for this headphone over pure silver. The highs on orchestral music, especially with violins definitely get harsh using a pure silver cable, and the problem isn’t there with either kind of copper, for me.

 

[Lookout57]

It’s fine to disagree. I strongly disagree about silver smoothing anything more than copper.

And I wouldn’t take silver plated copper for this headphone over pure silver. The highs on orchestral music, especially with violins definitely get harsh using a pure silver cable, and the problem isn’t there with either kind of copper, for me.

What you you driving the Z1R with? What resolution is the music? And what silver cables had you listened too?

I'm using the TA-ZH1ES and with either my AXIOS Cu (OCC copper) or DHC Prion4 (OCC silver) balanced cables, there is zero harshness with either cable. Unlike the stock silver plated balanced cable. All my music is FLAC or DSD and the lowest resolution is CD Redbook (44.1/16).

Also, the DHC Prion4 made my LCD-X listenable. With the Moon Black Dragon (Copper) or Cards Light (copper) the highs were harsh and fatiguing. I was going to sell them until I got the adapter to convert the 3mm Sony connector to mini-XLR.

 

[nc8000]

It’s fine to disagree. I strongly disagree about silver smoothing anything more than copper.

And I wouldn’t take silver plated copper for this headphone over pure silver. The highs on orchestral music, especially with violins definitely get harsh using a pure silver cable, and the problem isn’t there with either kind of copper, for me.

I get zero harshness with either generation of Lavri Grand nor did I with Axios CU while it was there with the stock silver plated copper cable coming from the Sony TA playing flac and dsd, but there is more sparkle to the highs with silver and I listen to a lot of classical music

 

[gLer]

How's the bass with OCC copper vs silver?

 

[Slim1970]

How's the bass with OCC copper vs silver?

The all copper cable maintains the original tuning and cleans up the treble peaks like others have said. In case of the Axios Cu, it adds a bit of spaciousness to sound, the bass gets better defined while hitting a harder more taunt. The all silver cable improves the the technical aspects of the Z1R’s. The bass gets tighter, the sound is clearer with a bit more precision, and can add some air to the treble depending on which silver cable you get. The Axios Cu improves some technical aspects of the Z1R’s as well. To my ears, the difference between the Lavricables Grand and Axios Cu was small enough for me to choose the latter. I do like both cables with the Z1R’s. So it will come down to personal preferences.

 

[gLer]

The all copper cable maintains the original tuning and cleans up the treble peaks like others have said. In case of the Axios Cu, it adds a bit of spaciousness to sound, the bass gets better defined while hitting a harder more taunt. The all silver cable improves the the technical aspects of the Z1R’s. The bass gets tighter, the sound is clearer with a bit more precision, and can add some air to the treble depending on which silver cable you get. The Axios Cu improves some technical aspects of the Z1R’s as well. To my ears, the difference between the Lavricables Grand and Axios Cu was small enough for me to choose the latter. I do like both cables with the Z1R’s. So it will come down to personal preferences.

Thanks for that. As someone who enjoys natural and slower (sub)bass decay I don't always find tighter bass an improvement for my preferences, though I appreciate faster, tighter bass is preferred for genres like jazz and classical. That's why I tend to favour copper cables that hold or lift the lower frequencies ever so slightly.

 

[nc8000]

The all copper cable maintains the original tuning and cleans up the treble peaks like others have said. In case of the Axios Cu, it adds a bit of spaciousness to sound, the bass gets better defined while hitting a harder more taunt. The all silver cable improves the the technical aspects of the Z1R’s. The bass gets tighter, the sound is clearer with a bit more precision, and can add some air to the treble depending on which silver cable you get. The Axios Cu improves some technical aspects of the Z1R’s as well. To my ears, the difference between the Lavricables Grand and Axios Cu was small enough for me to choose the latter. I do like both cables with the Z1R’s. So it will come down to personal preferences.

Those were essentially also my findings but I kept the Lavri and sold the Axios as that was closer to my preference but then I also prefer the Bright tuning over the WM1Z tuning on the MrWalkman fw

 

[Slim1970]

Thanks for that. As someone who enjoys natural and slower (sub)bass decay I don't always find tighter bass an improvement for my preferences, though I appreciate faster, tighter bass is preferred for genres like jazz and classical. That's why I tend to favour copper cables that hold or lift the lower frequencies ever so slightly.

The Z1R's is one of the few headphone I preferr copper on. I have silver cables on majority of my other headphones. I just love the tone of the Z1R's with the Axios Cu cable attached to it. I can't say that the bass is slower with the Axios Cu cable attached to it. The Z1R's bass is amazing!

 

[Slim1970]

Those were essentially also my findings but I kept the Lavri and sold the Axios as that was closer to my preference but then I also prefer the Bright tuning over the WM1Z tuning on the MrWalkman fw

I can see infusing silver in this setup. I bet it sounds amazing! I have more neutral sounding gear where copper is doing the same thing silver is doing your setup, nice.