Eletech Sonnet of Adam Review – Pure Poetry

Comparisons –

Eletech Aeneid ($2399): The Aeneid is the progenitor of the Sonnet of Adam and assumes a simplified GPS conductor array. You can tell the Adam is the more mature offering yet the original still has its charms. The bass range is very similar on both. The Aeneid has a smidge more presence overall while the Adam offers a slightly improved sub-bass extension and greater dynamics. This lends the Adam greater structure while the Aeneid has a punchier but also rounder note presentation. The Adam offers a small jump in note control and definition. When it comes to the midrange, the Aeneid is one step more forward and has a slightly roomier and larger presentation. Meanwhile, the Adam is more transparent and neutrally orientated. It has a slightly wetter sound with a touch more contrast and greater definition. The Adam is more resolving of fine detail to boot.

Meanwhile, the Aeneid impresses with larger vocal size and greater presence. It sounds more full-bodied which sometimes lends the impression of a grander stage. The top-end is smoother on the Aeneid. While it has a good amount of sparkle and extension, the Adam opens up the top-end more with a more balanced presence especially in the foreground and a better sense of atmosphere. The Aeneid sounds a touch smoother while the Adam has a bit more clarity and resolving power. In particular, fine details are more defined on the Adam whilst the Aeneid offers a more refined and damped presentation. The Adam has a slightly more convincing sense of note body and texture. The Adam has a more spacious stage, the Aeneid impresses too but the Adam has made a good step forwards in separation. This emphasizes its larger sense of space and helps to discern directional cues with greater ease.  

Eletech Ode to Laura ($2399): TheOde to Laura remains Eletech’s co-flagship occupying the same product line and exact same asking price as the Sonnet of Adam.There are distinct and immediate differences in the two in terms of sound signature as the vastly different designs would suggest. Adam provides a cleaner tonality and a more engaging presentation altogether. Laura has a more present and affirmative bass range with a greater mid-focus above and a smoother, darker treble. It hits harder and offers greater dynamics. Adam has a swifter presentation with more defined notes and a quicker decay. The midrange is slightly more vocal-forward on the Laura. It offers a smoother, fuller voicing and to me, the timbre is more natural – as you would have read in my review, I am a big fan. Meanwhile, Adam has a bit more transparency and, though vocals are not as large and forward, they are slightly more articulate and vivid due to superior upper-midrange extension and greater treble presence.

The top-end is detailed on both, the Luara swings darker, the Adam slightly towards the energetic side. The background is immaculate on both, and it is impressive that the Adam is able to achieve this given that it has noticeably more sparkle. The soundstage performance is divine on both too, real standouts. Laura provides more depth while Adam is noticeably wider. Both layer immensely well, I perceive the Adam as providing a slightly sharper sense of direction and holography due to its superior speed, separation and resolving power being a tad higher in the top registers. Laura offers better foreground/background separation albeit less nuance overall. Ultimately, Laura remains a co-flagship for good reason as it offers the tonal/timbral package with Adam assuming a role as the more energetic and technical-based flagship.

Effect Audio Code 51 ($2388): The Code 51 offers a similar style of presentation albeit with enhanced contrast, making it a more engaging cable overall. This is notable within the bass where both cables offer excellent depth and dynamism. The Code 51 offers a bit more boldness and sub-bass power while the Adam is a bit more textured and controlled, offering a more balanced presentation. The midrange tells a similar story. The Code 51 has a higher contrast sound again, it sounds slightly more revealing and also a tad more articulate. By comparison, the Adam is a more reserved affair. It indeed serves to increase articulation and decrease roominess but has a more natural timbre altogether. Of course, preference plays a strong role here as both exhibit excellent technical performance. I did find myself discerning more information on the Adam, especially with regards to staging, it appears to layer better.

The treble is more obviously airy and open on the Code 51. The Adam has slightly more bite in the lower treble giving its notes a crisper character. In addition, it has a darked background yet without truncating treble details. The Code 51 sounds more artificial to my ear but it is also more vibrant. It is more top-end loaded with greater mid and upper-treble presence giving it a brighter but also more energetic character. I find the Adam offers a more textured, natural presentation once again. When it comes to soundstage, the Adam greatly impressed me with its dimensions. The Code 51 offers a bit more separation while the Adam has sharper imaging and improved layering.

Verdict –

Once again, I find myself returning to the descriptor of refined with Eric’s designs. I laud the team for providing an exotic high-end experience whilst upholding the natural character achieved with their copper flagship cable. This rings especially true with regards to the soundstage presentation which offers awe-inspiring dimensions in tandem with precise and stable imaging. The tonality is engaging yet subtly flavoured and thereby achieves wide synergy. That said, I can see how some may be disappointed by the retrained tonal changes. While the impact on overall presentation is sizable and immediately apparent, it does mean that the Adam has little ability to alter the tonality of any paired IEM. Rather, this cable suits those wanting to extract every iota of potential from these designs whilst staying true to their core intended character.

The Sonnet of Adam is available from Eletech (International) for $2799 USD at the time of writing. I am not affiliated with Eletech and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.