LAPP POWERCABLES
They may all look alike and have comparable specs, but they sure all sound different
Pictured here are Lapp as well as Belden powercables, in various configurations, ready for extensive testing. We compared both the cables themself as well as connectors.
All cables were tested in the same length, in combination with the same connectors and each cable was manufactured in the same way, plugged in for same phase and burned in the same duration. During testing only one cable at a time was connected, each time in the same position of the extensionblock.
Many shapes, sizes and prices
Most audiophiles have experimented with one Lapp type or another. Lapp cables come in many types and are offered at varying prices. Because they look largely alike from the outside, you may think that the sound couldn't be that much different across the line and you could just buy the cheapest one on offer. But you couldn't be more wrong. Soundwise they actually differ quite a bit. For starters, the amount of copper used makes a large difference as does the amount of conductors. For example, a cable carrying 3 conductors of 3mm each sounds different from a cable that has 6 conductors of 1,5mm. Even when you effectively use the same amount of copper for both cables. And, believe it or not: even the jacket itself has an effect on the sound. A rubbery material sounds different from PVC and transparent pvc sounds different from grey pvc.
All of these variables make for large differences in sound. There are Lapp cables that sound extremely dry, and cables that sound thin and emphasized and grainy in the treble and of course there are cables that combine these aspects.
That's why I have meticulously tested all Lapp cable I could lay hands on and experimented with the configuration of the separate conductors. After a lot of testing with these cables in several setups and with a variety of connectors I finally settled on two types of Lapp cable that work best. Due to my interaction with the CP-audio brand though, I cannot name the exact types here, but do know that I selected them for their full bass, full-colour presentation as well as their creamy yet solidly detailed midrange and their liquid treble.
Some Hints
I couldn't close this article without giving at least a few hints with respect to cable parameters in relation to their sound.
IN GENERAL:
-More copper = fuller sound (subjectively fatter bass)
-Less copper = tighter sound (subjectively more control)
-Finer stranding = smoother sound and airier treble, but also less solid bass
-Thicker stranding = more solid bass and more drive, but also drier treble
-Solid core = better for bass (solid, controlled, fast)
-Litze = better for treble (refined, fluid, non-agressive)
-A given amount of conductors divided in individually insulated groups = more control and tightness
-A given amount of conductors put together in the same insulator = less control but creamier sound
Of cource, there are exceptions, but generally, this is what it comes down to most of the time. Now, go and buy yourself some cable and start experimenting!
MORE INFO:
Servo-FD781 and Robust 215C
Some newer Lapp cables sound very different from what I consider the Lapp house sound. The Servo-FD 781 is one such cable. It looks nice, with its bright orange jacket but I didn't like its sound. Like the latest rubbery black cable introduced, the Robust 215C, this orange cable sounds very controlled and dry. It has excellent bass definition and articulation and overall detailling is very good, but the highs are too damped for my tastes. By that I don't mean that the cable sounds dull, but that the highs appear "blocky", much like digital signals. When there is a peak signal, you hear it, but it is switched off too soon, not slowly decaying into the black background. The treble just isn't fluid or airy, but rather too precise. A cable suited for some extreme systems, but not a universal cable.
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