I have been a huge fan of DanaCables and their aftermarket cable upgrades since I first got to experience them at Rocky Mountain Audiofest way back in 2015. I was immediately impressed with just how well constructed these cables were manufactured. A lot of care and detail was put into their build quality and nothing was spared. To continue in that tradition, the new Lazuli Vocalise headphone cables were introduced to the marketplace to be ideally “voiced” for the specific headphone that they were intended to be paired with. When DanaCables reached out to me to review their latest cable specially designed to be used with the Abyss AB1266 Phi TC headphones, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to hear if my current favourite headphones on the planet could sound even better. The design intent of the Vocalise for the AB1266 Phi TC was to maintain the punchy/deep bass; along with the crystalline treble, but also accentuate the mid-range a bit more and in turn offer a more balanced presentation that would appeal to more genres of music.
Built with a proprietary mix of very fine strands of copper litz and silver wire bundles weaved from top to bottom for an expansive and precisely defined soundstage that helps your favourite recordings come alive. The folks at DanaCables came to the ideal mix of wires after extensive listening tests; in line with how a master chef would come up with a world-defining recipe by lovingly trying to optimize the spices to bring out the fullest and most desirable flavours. While certainly not an entry-level cable upgrade, the Vocalise MSRP comes in at $4,995 (USD) for a 2-meter length. There is an introductory price of $4,495 for early adopters (until October 31st, 2024) and if you really want to bring out the best of your AB1266 Phi TC, these cables are a must-try!
After approximately 150 hours of burn-in, I decided to settle on “Hotel California” by The Eagles. Recently my friends and family got to see them live at the Scotiabank Centre here in Toronto and everyone was absolutely floored with the concert. While we all missed Glenn Fry’s contributions, Vince Gill and Glenn’s son certainly knocked it out of the park in his absence. My main setup was listening to the FLAC version of this album using Qobuz via USB into my Chord DAVE and then amplified via my Enleum AMP-23R. I listened to this album several times using both the stock AB1266 Phi TC cable and the Lazuli Vocalise. I was immediately taken aback and just how well the Vocalise was able to add a little weight and emphasis to the midrange that seemed missing with the stock cable. Cables rarely transform a headphone into something completely different, but the improved vocals of Don Henley during the title track “Hotel California” were almost immediately apparent with my first listen. The added punch to the bass drum and control was also very much noticeable; while definitely not a night and day difference, it was one that was audible and welcomed by my ears. One final added bonus that I was able to experience was the improved soundstage. I’ve always said that the AB1266 Phi TC were the most “speaker-like” headphones I’ve come across. I’ve owned and experienced every top-of-the-line headphones since 2009 and none have come as close to giving me a true 2.1 speaker presentation as the Phi TC headphones. I thought this was as good as things could get in this regard. Well, I was wrong, when paired with the Lazuli Vocalise, a new summit appeared and the ability of these headphones to better portray a soundscape that placed each musician with laser-like focus in my mind’s eye was the final touch that to my ears, these headphones really needed!
A few days later I decided to play a long-time favourite of mine, “Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones. This has been a real standard in my musical Rolodex over the years and the 192kHz/24bit version on Qobuz is just brilliant, and if you haven’t heard this album, I strongly recommend you give it a listen. I promise you, it will stay with you for a very long time. Right from the first track “Don’t Know Why” I felt that Norah’s vocals were a bit more fleshed out and brought forward in the recording. Quite a bit more of an improvement actually than I’ve ever experienced with any headphone cable on any headphone. The timber and nuance of her breathing and voice were all improved with added detail and realness. I’ve heard less variation in these headphones changing amplifiers actually, so the Lazuli Vocalise really were doing something that I’ve never heard on an aftermarket cable upgrade. This cable helped Norah’s voice shine through like I’ve never experienced with the AB1266 Phi TC headphones. Bass was also very clear, taught, and punchy, and all without bleeding into the midrange. This cable seemed to offer a concrete fence between the bass and mid-range like no other. With cheaper cables, this area could be smeared a smidge, that the Lazuli Vocalise controlled the speaker-like bass of these headphones with such precision had me truly impressed. Finally, the sense of air and space with this cable was also a cut above both the stock cable and other after-market cables I have tried (all costing significantly less). The sound staging was literally the best I’ve ever experienced. So while not cheap, if you are looking for the “final piece to your Phi TC puzzle”, this cable might be exactly what you’re looking for!
For my final critical listening session, the album I settled on is from my avatar on Headfi.org: Rush’s classic “Fly by Night”. This was the first album that I experienced from Rush back in the 1980s as a teenager and I’ve been hooked ever since. After careful A-B analysis with the stock AB1266 Phi TC cable and the Lazuli Vocalise, it became almost immediately apparent that Geddy’s vocals were more pronounced within the soundscape of the recording. The details of his unique singing seemed also more apparent as a result. My one desire for these headphones over the years has been for a tad more of a vocal presence and with the Vocalise, these headphones now seem “just right” to my ears. Shimmer detail was also improved, but without a hint of harshness to the treble region; this was literally having your cake and eating it too. The world-class speaker-like bass of these headphones was unaffected and thankfully now these headphones fire on all cylinders!
Now let’s deal with the pink elephant in the room, this cable isn’t cheap coming in at $4995 and effectively doubles the price of these headphones. But (and this is a big but), if money is no object and you want the very best from one of the very best headphones on the planet, I have never experienced these headphones like I have through the Lazuli Vocalise. This cable is able to simply bring the best from these world-class headphones and if you simply want the best, then look no further than the Dana Cables Lazuli Vocalise for the Abyss AB1266 Phi TC! Everything across the board was improved, from a more forward and earthy mid-range to more treble detail without any sense of stridency and improved sound staging, you really can have it all. They are simply put, the most beautifully constructed aftermarket cables that I’ve ever come across. Nobody does it like Dana Cables in this regard. So if you want the very best and are willing to pay for it, look no further!
Manufacturer’s Website: https://danacables.com/
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