Eletech Raphael Review – Redefining Midrange

Comparisons –

Eletech Cassiel ($299): The Cassiel offers a slightly more tonally transparent sound combined with a snappier top-end. Overall, it is thinner and cleaner with better separation as a result. The Raphael is lusher and richer. It has better bass extension and dynamics combined with much better texture. Overall, the low-end feels snappier and more controlled. The midrange timbre is more natural on the Raphael while the Cassiel offers superior clarity and a slightly more forward upper-midrange. The Raphael has a more nuanced top-end while the Cassiel has more bite with greater overall treble presence and airiness. Despite this, the Raphael to my ears offers a more defined leading edge with greater fine deteail retrieval. Where the Raphael jumps ahead is with regards to the soundstage that is noticeably grander with more three-dimmensional imaging.

Plussound Tri-Copper ($549): The Tri-Copper offers a warmer and smoother sound but with a greater lower-treble bump. This gives it a more u-shaped character being more laid-back in the midrange. The Tri-Copper offers slightly better punch in the bass and a similar level of dynamics. Meanwhile, the Raphael is slightly cleaner and more defined, offering a more textured mid-bass. The midrange is more full-bodied and laid-back on the Tri-Copper. By comparison, Raphael offers greater definition and separation, its vocals are larger and more resolving. The Tri-Copper is smoother and the two simply offer a different tonality. The top-end is more forward on the Tri-Copper. It is noticeably crisper but also thinner. Raphael has a bit more fine detail retrieval and extends better at the top-end. The Tri-Copper offers a slightly greater sense of width while the Raphael has more depth. The Raphael sounds a bit more multi-dimensional while the Tri-Copper offers greater foreground/background separation.

Eletech Socrates ($699): The Socrates comes from Eletech’s more premium line but offers a different style of sound. This means it is not a direct upgrade despite doing some things better. The main area where this will be noticed is in the bass. The Socrates offers a thicker, bigger bass. Sub-bass especially is noticeably more dynamic and offers a more weighted slam. The Raphael has a slightly more balanced bass, and both are similarly very well textured. The midarnge is clearer on the Socrates and more contrasted. It’s a little thinner but also more tonally transparent. To my ears, the Socrates has a hair more resolving power of fine details too. The Raphael has a similar vocal size and presence but a smoother, warmer character. Socrates also has more presence in the top-end. The Socrates has slightly more air and shimmer while the Raphael has a darker background. The Socrates has a bit more treble detail retrieval. In terms of soundstage, the two cables are well matched. The Raphael has a bit more depth while the Socrates offers better separation and slightly better layering.

Effect Audio Cleopatra ($699): The Cleopatra strives for a similar style of sound albeit with a silver-based construction. The Raphael has a bit more bass overall, it offers a slightly more affirmative slam and a bit more mid-bass texture. The Cleopatra is sightly cleaner tonally and offers better separation. The midrange is a hair more forward on the Raphael and its vocals are warmer and offer a fuller body. The Cleopatra offers a more neutral tonality but also a denser upper-midrange and similar body and room. This gives the Cleopatra a smoother presentation while the Raphael offers a more extended, defined sound despite its greater warmth. The top-end is slightly more vibrant on the Cleopatra while the Raphael offers a smoother presentation with a darker background. The Cleopatra offers a bit more bite and clarity in addition to a touch more sparkle. The Raphael meanwhile offers a larger, deeper stage. The Cleopatra in return has sharper imaging with faster transients offering a more holographic sense of direction.

Verdict –

The Raphael is a fine creation as you may expect from the company that has delivered a consistently strong experience across various generations of products. The Raphael is no different for though it occupies the budget range in their line-up, its pricing and sonic performance suggest otherwise. Though visually homogenous, the Raphael carves out a distinct identity with its sound tuning, offering a lush, rich experience. It does so without the usual pit falls including a loss of definition and separation. In fact, the cable excels in these regards in addition to soundstage expansion and bass texture. Though the presentation is coloured, the Raphael strikes as a balanced package that will pair well with many IEMs. It never pushes too far in any direction though perhaps the smoother treble won’t suit all. For my ears, this cable is the perfect complement for high-end IEMs that tend to skew bright or reference monitors for those wanting a bit more fun factor. The Raphael is for the listener wanting much of the experience of an exotic high-end cable at a midrange price.

The Raphael is available from Eletech (International) for $499 USD at the time of writing. I am not affiliated with Eletech and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.