[oak3x]

Same question here... Curious if there is any sound difference with the Lektrik or 2K Copper. I have not found any reviews of the ZMF Lektrik cable

 

[johnnypaddock]

Same question here... Curious if there is any sound difference with the Lektrik or 2K Copper. I have not found any reviews of the ZMF Lektrik cable

I found a subtle improvement when I switched from the OFC cable to a 2k copper. Bass tightened up a little bit, and there was a little more resolution that gave instruments more space. It's not a huge jump in sound quality, but it was noticeable and appreciated. Just as appealing are the ergonomic benefits, because the cable is extremely easy to work with.

At the time my headphones were VO and VC, but I'm confident the same impressions would apply to the Auteur.

 

[oak3x]

I found a subtle improvement when I switched from the OFC cable to a 2k copper. Bass tightened up a little bit, and there was a little more resolution that gave instruments more space. It's not a huge jump in sound quality, but it was noticeable and appreciated. Just as appealing are the ergonomic benefits, because the cable is extremely easy to work with.

At the time my headphones were VO and VC, but I'm confident the same impressions would apply to the Auteur.

Thank you for the insight! Any change in the midrange? I have read in a few threads that the 2K Cable slightly elevates the midrange.

thx again!

 

[johnnypaddock]

Thank you for the insight! Any change in the midrange? I have read in a few threads that the 2K Cable slightly elevates the midrange.

thx again!

Sure, I hope it's helpful... I wouldn't say the midrange was elevated, relative to the OFC cable. The tonality was the same, with subtle differences. In my direct comparison the only differences I noticed were the bass tightening up and the overall resolution improving. I didn't spend all day going back and forth though, because it was such a clear improvement. The 2k is a really nice cable.

 

[phthora]

I also have the Audeze LCD-2Fs, which are still within return window. If anyone can compare them to that by any chance, I am also curious how it competes for clarity and resolution?

I've got both the Auteur and the LCD-2F's, and I must agree with @Barnstormer13 above. He nailed it. Classical music isn't really a strong suit of the 2F. Because of the upper mids dips and less present treble, strings in particular sound off. The fast transients help convey the texture that something like a violin has to its sound, but the overall timbre is odd and the trailing edge of the notes gets lost in the fairly muted treble. The Auteur is much more pleasing and real sounding in that regard. While the 2F has excellent sub-bass extension, that's a virtue that is relatively unimportant in classical music, I find. For the mids, both excel with vocals, despite having somewhat different deliveries, but the Auteur has the advantage in soundstage, imaging, and bite or impact to the sound, whereas the 2F lacks that dynamic punch and has a more relaxed quality to the sound. While the 2F does better at the separation and layering of instruments, I find that the comparative bit of blur to busier passages sounds a bit more natural and fuller. Especially coupled with the Auteur's greater physicality to the sound. The Auteur would easily be my pick for that genre.

 

[Vercingetirex]

I've got both the Auteur and the LCD-2F's, and I must agree with @Barnstormer13 above. He nailed it. Classical music isn't really a strong suit of the 2F. Because of the upper mids dips and less present treble, strings in particular sound off. The fast transients help convey the texture that something like a violin has to its sound, but the overall timbre is odd and the trailing edge of the notes gets lost in the fairly muted treble. The Auteur is much more pleasing and real sounding in that regard. While the 2F has excellent sub-bass extension, that's a virtue that is relatively unimportant in classical music, I find. For the mids, both excel with vocals, despite having somewhat different deliveries, but the Auteur has the advantage in soundstage, imaging, and bite or impact to the sound, whereas the 2F lacks that dynamic punch and has a more relaxed quality to the sound. While the 2F does better at the separation and layering of instruments, I find that the comparative bit of blur to busier passages sounds a bit more natural and fuller. Especially coupled with the Auteur's greater physicality to the sound. The Auteur would easily be my pick for that genre.

Thanks for the comparison. I enjoy classical, but it is not the only genre, I do listen to busier music like metal, so I guess I could see it having an advantage there as well. I just kind of hate having to lose the planar advantages. How close does this unique Auteur driver come to replicating planars. Some say very and others say it still more or less sounds like dynamics.

 

[phthora]

Thanks for the comparison. I enjoy classical, but it is not the only genre, I do listen to busier music like metal, so I guess I could see it having an advantage there as well. I just kind of hate having to lose the planar advantages. How close does this unique Auteur driver come to replicating planars. Some say very and others say it still more or less sounds like dynamics.

Not close at all, honestly. It doesn't have the bass extension and control that a good planar has, it doesn't have the speed in the transients, it also doesn't have the tendency of planars to make the treble thin (when they don't leave the treble overly polite), and it doesn't have the weaker impact that most planars have. There are dynamics that approach that good qualities that planars have, the detailed linear bass and the driver speed, like the Focal Clear/Utopia or the ZMF Verite. Likely others too. But they still don't quite get there and they lack that characteristic ethereal treble and light impact that planars very often have. There are dynamics that sound like planars, but that like really just means similar in one or two aspects.

 

[oak3x]

My Auteurs are in the Teak wood. Does anyone know if it is the Lacquer or Varnish finish? Thx

 

[erics75]

My Auteurs are in the Teak wood. Does anyone know if it is the Lacquer or Varnish finish? Thx

Those look like my first set of Auteurs! Man i miss them.... sorry no clue on the varnish. They do look nice though!

 

[Vercingetirex]

My Auteurs are in the Teak wood. Does anyone know if it is the Lacquer or Varnish finish? Thx

Lacquer would be way more shiny. Same with most varnish. I want to say they are just waxed by the looks of it.

 

[kid vic]

Not close at all, honestly. It doesn't have the bass extension and control that a good planar has, it doesn't have the speed in the transients, it also doesn't have the tendency of planars to make the treble thin (when they don't leave the treble overly polite), and it doesn't have the weaker impact that most planars have. There are dynamics that approach that good qualities that planars have, the detailed linear bass and the driver speed, like the Focal Clear/Utopia or the ZMF Verite. Likely others too. But they still don't quite get there and they lack that characteristic ethereal treble and light impact that planars very often have. There are dynamics that sound like planars, but that like really just means similar in one or two aspects.

Agreed, the Auteurs are great but they don't sound like planars. Though I agree that the planar treble is more ethereal, the Auteur treble is refined and more extended than the LCD2 treble; its an interesting tradeoff. The Auteurs are also a little more genre agnostic than the classic Audezes though so that might be beneficial to @Vercingetirex, plus, the pad rolling ability gives more choices easily with one headphone. I think if vercing is going to be constrained to one headphone only the Auteur would be the better choice but if keeping both is an option than that should be done!

 

[Vercingetirex]

As much as I would like to keep the LCDs, they are just too heavy.

 

[kid vic]

As much as I would like to keep the LCDs, they are just too heavy.

Consider the Focal Clear then, it'll be a bit closer to planar characteristics but will be lighter than both the ZMF and the Audeze.

 

[Pharmaboy]

My Auteurs are in the Teak wood. Does anyone know if it is the Lacquer or Varnish finish? Thx

Looks like varnish, which lets grain & figure come through (ie, comforms to grain & figure, rather than laying smoothly over them).

The lacquers I've seen have a glassy smooth surface, no matter what's beneath them...

 

[phthora]

Consider the Focal Clear then, it'll be a bit closer to planar characteristics but will be lighter than both the ZMF and the Audeze.

Good advice. I'd also recommend the Quad ERA-1, which is a planar with excellent impact (for a planar) and has a sound somewhere between the dark lush LCD-2F and the light, fast, thin Ananda. One of the best under 1k, IMO.