Eletech Ode to Laura Review: The Copper Artisan
There are many custom cable brands out there with different price tags and sound signatures. For me, one of my favorite premium cable brands is Eletech from Singapore. Since their debut several years ago their products have been gaining great attention and impressions, and I’ve been one of their fans since hearing “Illiad”, Eletech’s first flagship cable.
We’ve recently reviewed Sonnet of Adam, the most recent flagship cable from Eletech. However, Sonnet of Adam is a co-flagship along with another great cable, called the “Ode to Laura”. Let’s talk about the details of Ode to Laura, and compare and contrast with various IEMs and cables, including the Sonnet of Adam.
The Artistic Packaging
Ode to Laura comes in a gorgeously designed packaging box that reminds me of the design concept of the Renaissance or the victoria age. Once opened reveals beautiful antique drawings and the included accessories.
Other than the cable itself, Laura comes with a premium leather carrying case, a leather cable tie, a metal serial plate, a detachable Pentaconn Y-split slider, and a nice ancient collector’s coin. Laura has one of the most elegant and beautiful packaging I’ve seen from a product. Very well aligns with the concept of the cable.
Three Different Copper-blends
The Ode to Laura is comprised of three different copper-blended wires that are produced and tuned proprietarily. Eletech cables are well known for their beautifully designed metal components and their co-flagships have gone the next step for the designs.
The meticulous pattern art for the plug as well as the geometric Y-split design completes the elegant looks of the Laura. As for the cable itself, the wires are quite light and soft, not causing any microphonics or trouble wearing. Coaxial-shielded cables tend to be rather chonky or even springy yet Laura is relatively very pliable and easy to handle.
Detailed specifications of the cable are as follows:
- 22 AWG, 4-Braided
- Triple Bespoke Premium OCC Copper Blend
- Quadruple Stranding Design
- 9 Interior Core Litz, Kevlar Infused
- OFC Shielding / Cryogenically Treated
- Eletech Bespoke Solder
- Eletech Customized Y-split and Connectors
- FlexiMax Insulation
The Sound of Laura: Tight and Rich
When we play and match with custom cables, we usually have to choose between a fuller and relaxed-sounding cable or a thinner and tighter-sounding cable. Though Laura achieves the best of both worlds, providing a sound that is tight yet also full-bodied.
The mid-range gets mildly thicker, though it is just the right amount to create a fuller and richer body for the vocals. Unlike the thickness that only boosts mildly, what significantly increases is the vocal’s density. Being further tighter in control, vocals are packed with much more details and these fine grains of particle details shine individually. This triggers the vocals to sound clearer, cleaner, and better highlighted although Laura doesn’t artificially push the mid-range forward. These vocal particles shine with great detail and resolution that give an immediate feel of an upgrade in the sound quality of my IEMs.
The Sound of Laura: Soul-Ringing Musicality
So far I’ve been mostly mentioning the analytical improvements, though when it comes to the timbre and texture feel, Laura has a very emo, nostalgic nuance. The tone is musical with a slight addition of warmth, yet oddly enough the mids and highs also have great airiness and shine. The thick warmth and refreshing airiness are mysteriously well-blended, which is what I appreciate the most. Laura pays attention to the micro details yet the refined texture allows the texture to remain velvet-smooth.
The last major sound characteristic of Laura is that it adds depth and weight to the sound. Unlike the stereotype that general copper cables blunt the bass or drag the sound behind, Laura keeps the sound just as delicate and agile. The bass portions are enhanced blissfully. The bass dynamics get much more meatier without bloating the thickness.
The bass presence gets stronger not by boosting the quantity but by revealing the hidden details. The ultra-low extensions are deeper and clearer in color. The bass stays tightly controlled while providing higher resolution and fullness. The elastic, continuous damping of the bass gets even livelier, especially paired with IEMs that use dynamic drivers. Of course, these details also happen to non-DD IEMs as this is a relative matter. The soundstage gets more dynamic, grand, and expansive. It doesn’t exaggerate the initial headroom but seamlessly stretches further three-dimensionally. The ultra-low depth extension and fullness are the main changes for the soundstage.
Next Page: Pairing with Flagship IEMs