The brand new Letshuoer Nebula cable, It is a cable that I personally define as premium and, of course, expensive, and I struggle to talk about it without a bit of skepticism. I am not one of the “skeptical cable users,” and I usually purchase a cable to improve functionality or aesthetics.
Seeing the declared strengths, it makes you think of a cable made with extreme care that has very high conductivity. Cable, connectors, and soldering are theoretically superior, but I certainly have no way of verifying this. In-depth laboratory tests are needed and as I had already informed myself, someone had tried to compare cheap cables with expensive cables and the result was not obvious. I usually go for copper cables that range from 20 to 30 dollars so reviewing one for 160 and recommending it to you without a shadow of a doubt is not for me.
Tech Specs/Strong points :
Packaging & Aesthetics:
It arrives at your house in a package that could contain an IEM; it comes in a rigid case similar to the Cadenza 4. At first glance, I can not say I was surprised by its construction. From a distance, it resembles a CCA or KZ cable. I admit it is not a compliment, but I challenge anyone who looks at them in passing not to notice a strikingly similar strain.
The difference is in the cable’s quality, which should be made of very pure 6N OCC Taiwanese copper, with gold-plated connectors and professional silver welding. All of this is based on trust, as I lack the technical skills to argue otherwise.
The earhooks, on the other hand, are a little unusual; instead of the standard shape, they wanted to make it customizable by inserting a soft steel core, which, in my opinion, should have been longer. It is difficult to shape it correctly, so it may feel more uncomfortable at first than the standard cable. Another thing that perplexes me is that it is not modular like the standard one, which would have been ideal for the requested price. You can choose between 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks.You can choose between 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks.
Honest premise:
I start with the premise that some measurements should be made, which I have no way of doing.
Talking about it freely is not the most correct method to demonstrate that the cable is worth the cost. Materially and aesthetically, you have already been able to see from the photos that it is not the thick cable that one would have expected. The thick cables ultimately serve no purpose other than adding weight but perhaps a little thicker wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
Since it came with Cadenza 4, I decided to try it with these.
Does it affect the sound?
Despite the fact that this is a copper cable, which usually boosts the bass, there is a surprising increase in brightness. It is like a sprinkling of stardust on the already excellent Lethshuoer Cadenza 4. This makes the high frequencies even more appealing.
On the Letshuoer S15, however, the differences are lower than expected. I don’t feel a huge change; perhaps the enthusiasm is dampened by the lost comfort due to the earhooks.
Considerations and costs:
160 USD of cable is not a small amount. Many people cannot spend that amount on a similar product. I am part of this category of people. There are even more expensive cables but this is already an important price for me. For the same price, I got the Redmi Note 7.
I was surprised to hear an improvement in the sound; I did not expect to hear anything different. The earhooks, in my opinion, are the biggest flaw; they are not exactly universal and plug-and-play.
They must be reshaped based on the IEMs used. The Letshuoers S15 lacks comfort, and even when they are reshaped, the positioning is not quick or easy.
Cables, like eartips, are not universal; some pairings work better than others.
The same rule applies to the Letshuoer Nebula, which is undoubtedly a good cable, but you cannot pair it with 40 USD IEMs. From my point of view, we need an IEM that costs at least as much as the Cadenza 4, and we are still at the limit in terms of the IEM/cable ratio. Another thing to consider is how many bends the earhooks can withstand and how many pins can be inserted. I usually avoid cable rolling for fear of loosening the IEM pins.
To summarize, if I had the money, I would definitely buy cables similar to or better than the Letshuoer Nebula, but for the time being, I am using my savings to purchase other IEMs or Dac/AMPs. Despite its thin and simple appearance, the Nebula is likely made of high-quality materials. I am hoping for a future modular version, perhaps even at a lower price.
P.S. The placebo effect on cables is a factor to take into consideration, our brain convinces itself of the improvement but the reality is that bench tests should be carried out with scientific and precise measurements to establish an actual improvement. Having said that, this is more of a presentation than a review.
Pros:
- Good looking
- High-quality 6N OCC cable
- Lighweight
- Hard case
- Better treble control and bass transient response (personal opinion)
Cons:
- Price (personal)
- Not modular
- Comfort depends on the IEM
- Ear-hooks comfort is questionable