LFD Cables (phono and I.C.) from the UK, cables as components
- Thread starter Mike Lavigne
- Start date
from new it does take considerable time for break-in. and neither of my LFD phono cables are yet fully run in.
Mik used this cable in his own system. don't know exactly for how many hours. it had to wake/warm up from the 8000 mile travel. the first couple of hours it seemed to open up and since then a slight continual up-tick still going on.
my other LFD phono only had 5 or so hours on it when i got it. so it was not as run-in as this newer one. and it's still burning in to some degree.
I've often heard that the micovolt signal of LOMC - for example the 0.3mV of your Etsuro Gold - can never fully burn-in a phono cable. I don't claim to understand the burn-in process but have experienced the small positive result of doing so to the new Kondo wire in my 4Point and other wires. What are your thoughts on this wrt to your LFD phono cable?
i own a phono cable specific break-in do-dad (which i might have lent out at some point.....have not looked for it), as well as an Audiodharma Cable Cooker which can be used for phono cable break-in.
but really; these cables, even though they are still breaking in, just sound so good that i'm just riding along enjoying the process. i guess i'm just not enough of a scientist right now to do that. and Mik did not mention that i should. for a regular interconnect, or speaker cable, or power cord, in the past i have used the Audiodharma mostly. but it's been years since i added a cable.
you've got me thinking about this; maybe i will get off my arse and do it.
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Do they make the LFD cables with rca connecters at both ends? I would use them from my STU to the EMIA phono and then phono to my preamp. Would this make a difference? My tonearm wire is direct from head shell to the other end terminated rca's.
Mike, Wonderful to follow you in your analogue journey. I’m a big fan of giving a power cord or even a phono cable/tonearm cable some burn-in with the Audiodharma. I have the tonearm do-dad as well and feel it was money well spent. Have employed it on my SME V with silver Kondo wire and the Reed P3-12 with its single run lead. Though checking that with the manufacturer wouldn’t be a bad idea as some believe it can go too far. It has taken significant wear and tear out of cutting to the chase when reliable folks start quoting hundreds of hours to final settling in.
Yes Jeffy they do
I have the diamond viper running from my reed tonearm to phono stage , great cable .
Im in the Uk sourced all my LFD cables from Peter Downs at Alternative Audio
I can appreciate that. If you play the 'table with the LFD often enough - and it sounds like you are - it can be fun to notice small incremental changes. The other side of the coin, maybe not your situation, is why use a great cartridge to break-in a cable? Given your commentary on the LFD thus far, maybe it just doesn't warrant concern.
In my case Tim, the LFD is just so much better than what I had before I am happy to deal with the (less and less frequent) bouts of harshness. There are occasional moments of glare, usually on brass, and as I notice often associated with recordings already a little “tipped up” as it were. I don’t remember the LP, but it was a MOFI “gain2” (silver label) that made me cringe the other night, but then a night later I played the MOFI Ricky Lee Jones debut LP (45rpm double LP box set) and both my wife and I smiled as we heard the album again for the first time. Where the Etsuro and CS Port work together, I believe it is the tether, the LFD cable, that allows the two to deliver the magic.
I don’t expect every listening session to be perfect, so I can easily live with these components running in together. That there are continual improvements is a bonus and it is great fun to notice them as they come along, even if there remain the rare instance of harshness.
I don’t expect every listening session to be perfect, so I can easily live with these components running in together. That there are continual improvements is a bonus and it is great fun to notice them as they come along, even if there remain the rare instance of harshness.
Hi everyone
I have joined the LFD club and thought I'd post here. I have ordered a custom build LFD arm cable for my Verdier Platine and Graham Phantom. I was using a 10 year old Kondo vZ which although not exactly a slouch hasn't IMO really kept pace with the rest of my system. I wanted smoothness with dynamics and less grain and improved soundstaging. Something that would stand me for the rest of my life through whatever upgrades I wanted later.
Mik tells me this is modelled on the Raptor which Mike L has, and should be broadly similar in sound but obviously doesn't achieve those lofty heights. Although HORRIBLY spendy for me it was nothing like the retail on the Raptor.
This cable is still very much running in and probably only has about 25 hours on the clock with signal going through it. It had no run in at Mik's. As such I'll post no conclusions yet - some days it is jaw droppingly good and some days significantly less so. But I can hear it is better than the Kondo, much smoother and more extended, and is getting better.
Physically its miles away from the Kondo. As you can see from the photo its mostly a single cable construction which splits into two at each end. Mik tells me this is to keep the cost down (!) relative to the "similar" Raptor. This is the thickness of your thumb! So not really that flexible, which is counteracted by the flexible ends where it splits into left and right phonos. Would appreciate any perspectives on when people would expect this to settle down.
Thanks!
I have joined the LFD club and thought I'd post here. I have ordered a custom build LFD arm cable for my Verdier Platine and Graham Phantom. I was using a 10 year old Kondo vZ which although not exactly a slouch hasn't IMO really kept pace with the rest of my system. I wanted smoothness with dynamics and less grain and improved soundstaging. Something that would stand me for the rest of my life through whatever upgrades I wanted later.
Mik tells me this is modelled on the Raptor which Mike L has, and should be broadly similar in sound but obviously doesn't achieve those lofty heights. Although HORRIBLY spendy for me it was nothing like the retail on the Raptor.
This cable is still very much running in and probably only has about 25 hours on the clock with signal going through it. It had no run in at Mik's. As such I'll post no conclusions yet - some days it is jaw droppingly good and some days significantly less so. But I can hear it is better than the Kondo, much smoother and more extended, and is getting better.
Physically its miles away from the Kondo. As you can see from the photo its mostly a single cable construction which splits into two at each end. Mik tells me this is to keep the cost down (!) relative to the "similar" Raptor. This is the thickness of your thumb! So not really that flexible, which is counteracted by the flexible ends where it splits into left and right phonos. Would appreciate any perspectives on when people would expect this to settle down.
Thanks!
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Agh come-on Mik, you can’t just give a “like” to chop‘s post... inquiring minds want to know?
My own LFD seems to have settled down with around 100 hours, the occasional harshness when new seems to have mostly faded away. Have you tried a cable cooker on any of the LFDs?
My own LFD seems to have settled down with around 100 hours, the occasional harshness when new seems to have mostly faded away. Have you tried a cable cooker on any of the LFDs?
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I know... but its always nice to hear some reassuring words, particularly when you’ve dropped the cash for something so crazy as a fancy piece of wire!
Mik briefly said that some users prefer 'cooking', and some don't. Richard Bews, Mr. LFD, mostly prefers natural break in.
so season to taste.....your taste that is.
this is always how Cable Cooker talk has been...nothing absolute that we can hang our hat on.
so season to taste.....your taste that is.
this is always how Cable Cooker talk has been...nothing absolute that we can hang our hat on.
just FYI, Mik is a bit under the weather right now, which is keeping him occupied. his energies are directed toward getting better.
Just to echo what Mike said, I spoke to Mik in the week and he didn't sound great. Full of apologies for not having been in touch more after my purchases! A really nice attempt at customer service given his circumstances. I told him to leave me alone and get well then we can talk later...
BTW, cable opening out nicely last night. Absolutely beautiful tone and soundstaging without ANY harshness at incredible volume (far louder than I would normally play). Noticably more dynamic than I have had before but subtle, specific instrument dynamics within the soundstage. Thats not explained very well...maybe 50 hours max on the clock so there should be improvement to come. Very pleased so far.
BTW, cable opening out nicely last night. Absolutely beautiful tone and soundstaging without ANY harshness at incredible volume (far louder than I would normally play). Noticably more dynamic than I have had before but subtle, specific instrument dynamics within the soundstage. Thats not explained very well...maybe 50 hours max on the clock so there should be improvement to come. Very pleased so far.
I thought I’d post again with an update on my experiences with the new custom LFD cable I ordered from Mik in the UK and spoke about on post #71 & 77. I now have about 60 hours on it so its settled down a lot and continues to get better.
Cutting to the chase, this investment in the system has been a huge success and is a game changer for me. There is a huge sense of ease and naturalness, but still with greatly improved dynamics and sound staging without losing weight, which was totally unexpected. I think I understand why – there is far less grain to the sound, a problem I didn’t recognise and couldn’t articulate let alone see how to fix until Mik explained it
I have leaned on his advice here. When I was exploring the idea of a custom arm cable he spoke to me a lot about “grain” in systems holding them back. I’ll confess the idea of “Grain” in particular hasn't been on my horizon until now. I hadn’t come across this concept before and this confused the hell out of me. The new arm cable means I now think I get what he means, though it's hard to put into words what it means to me.
Reducing grain has brought a calmness and stillness to recordings, and instruments within recordings, which allows the attributes I like to shine through. It's not about dropping the back of the arm down to increase W, it's not about angling the speakers in a bit to improve X at the expense of Y, it's not about tweaking the azimuth to improve Z. It's about allowing us to hear the gestalt of what's on the record unimpeded by hash which allows realism to shine through. In fact, it's like a good ultrasonic cleaning regime on steroids. All that from “just” an arm cable”?? In my experience this cable is definitely performing as a component.
I’m interested in this topic now and have some further thoughts on it, but I might start a separate thread on grain and see what others think. Bottom line, LFD custom arm cable definitely worth every penny as a system upgrade.
Cutting to the chase, this investment in the system has been a huge success and is a game changer for me. There is a huge sense of ease and naturalness, but still with greatly improved dynamics and sound staging without losing weight, which was totally unexpected. I think I understand why – there is far less grain to the sound, a problem I didn’t recognise and couldn’t articulate let alone see how to fix until Mik explained it
I have leaned on his advice here. When I was exploring the idea of a custom arm cable he spoke to me a lot about “grain” in systems holding them back. I’ll confess the idea of “Grain” in particular hasn't been on my horizon until now. I hadn’t come across this concept before and this confused the hell out of me. The new arm cable means I now think I get what he means, though it's hard to put into words what it means to me.
Reducing grain has brought a calmness and stillness to recordings, and instruments within recordings, which allows the attributes I like to shine through. It's not about dropping the back of the arm down to increase W, it's not about angling the speakers in a bit to improve X at the expense of Y, it's not about tweaking the azimuth to improve Z. It's about allowing us to hear the gestalt of what's on the record unimpeded by hash which allows realism to shine through. In fact, it's like a good ultrasonic cleaning regime on steroids. All that from “just” an arm cable”?? In my experience this cable is definitely performing as a component.
I’m interested in this topic now and have some further thoughts on it, but I might start a separate thread on grain and see what others think. Bottom line, LFD custom arm cable definitely worth every penny as a system upgrade.
Chop,
nicely stated. the concept that a cable does things like a component regarding uncovering more musical information, and not just affecting the tonal balance, is a hard one to relate. the whole concept of 'grainless' and how it allows for the textures of music to be revealed has been an eye opener for me too. confusing grain (an effect that covers all the music) for musical content can get in the way of progress.
happy to hear that the cable is getting better. one of my LFD phono cables was fully run in, but the other was not. and i did notice the same thing.
"calmness and stillness" is a good way to put it. i say 'sure-footed'......where the music has a solid base to just go where it might. and not fight through a mess of cable design limitations. that's how i hear it. when the needle drops my shoulders relax and the music connects.
happy you are enjoying it.
Grain, hash, harsh... these words I have heard over the years but with the LFD cable in my system I am just beginning to have an understanding. Mike, I really liked your comment about your shoulders relaxing, and Chop your comment about “calmness and stillness;” there is definitely some quality of the sound that is changed that allows more ”music” to come through. I have said this before on other topics, but when a system isn’t quite working we can sometimes hear all the sound, but not the music. Wayne (Chop) you mention ”gestalt” (my wife teases me for using this word) but indeed with the LFD in my system (and oh yes I am looking for the new one to arrive!) I am drawn into the music in a way I have not quite experienced before, in many cases having a more intimate emotional experience.
A while back I had purchased the 45rpm reprinting of ”A Meeting by the River” (Ry Cooder, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt) and played it with my Benz LPS. Getting through the first song I thought “wonderful, great sound, technically superlative” but wasn’t drawn to play every side of the pressing. Just the other night I thought I’d give a listen with my current setup—same thoughts but so much deeper connection to the music. I dropped the needle on the second side without reading the song title and was struck by the emotion I immediately felt—a sense of longing and yearning, the song was named perfectly as “Longing”. Then on to the next side “Ganges Delta Blues”... those who know me know I love the blues, so hearing the blues rifs and influences were tremendous fun, but my-oh-my the percussion on this track just had me pinned to my chair.
My system has never been more enjoyable. I attribute no small percentage of that to the effect of the LFD cable. “Really, a cable you ask?” Mos’ def is my reply.
A while back I had purchased the 45rpm reprinting of ”A Meeting by the River” (Ry Cooder, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt) and played it with my Benz LPS. Getting through the first song I thought “wonderful, great sound, technically superlative” but wasn’t drawn to play every side of the pressing. Just the other night I thought I’d give a listen with my current setup—same thoughts but so much deeper connection to the music. I dropped the needle on the second side without reading the song title and was struck by the emotion I immediately felt—a sense of longing and yearning, the song was named perfectly as “Longing”. Then on to the next side “Ganges Delta Blues”... those who know me know I love the blues, so hearing the blues rifs and influences were tremendous fun, but my-oh-my the percussion on this track just had me pinned to my chair.
My system has never been more enjoyable. I attribute no small percentage of that to the effect of the LFD cable. “Really, a cable you ask?” Mos’ def is my reply.
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