A glimpse through the keyhole:
a test listener’s experiences with the LS-2404 AIR

Hendrik C. has given us exciting insights into his audiophile journey, in the course of which he compared in-akustik LS-2404 AIR speaker cables with Audioquest Rocket 44 cables. In this article, we share his findings with you and reveal how these cables have influenced his musical enjoyment. We take a closer look at the differences in sound he experienced while listening to various songs and genres. Learn how these cables have made listening to music a true pleasure for Hendrik and whether they can be recommended for you as well.

Brief interview

Hendrik, can you tell us how old you are and how long you have been involved in high-quality music reproduction?
I was born in 1970 and have been keenly interested in hi-fi for 7 years now

Which components do you have in your system?
Devialet Expert 440 pro (stereo) connected to B&W 803, Tidal Streaming, Arcam AVR550 (surround) connected to B&W including KEF R400b subwoofer, Bluesound Node 2, Gordian Lab12, Boaacoustic power cable, Gold cable Superline Rhodium MKII, Audioquest Rocket 44 Single Bi-Wire 2.5m, B&W center speakers,...

What were your reasons for choosing these components?n
A desire to experience goosebumps when consciously listening to music. My purchases were the result of trial listening, expert advice and tests.

What is particularly important to you in terms of the sound of your system?
Spatiality, sound detaching itself from the speakers, localization of singers and instruments, no "curtain" in front of the music, bands playing “in the middle of my living room".

Why did you decide to try out the LS-2404 AIR?
Although I think its price is close to the upper limit, I still wasn’t getting goosebumps often enough when listening to music, despite the high quality of my existing components. I wanted to know whether these cables would make a real difference. I am constantly on the lookout for enhancements of other kinds too (using other streamers, etc.).

Hendrik's listening report.

One thing needs to be clearly emphasized first: cables have a major influence on the sound quality of the music produced by an audio system. Whether mains, network, RCA or speaker cables, each cable in the music chain can filter out some of the music or, ideally, leave it unfiltered for a great listening experience. Six months ago, when I wanted to connect the new Devialet Expert 440 pro to my B&W 803 D3 speakers, I was curious to see what differences in sound there might be between my Oehlbach cables and three different Audioquest Rocket cables. To make a long story short: the Audioquest Rocket 44 joined my system on a permanent basis.

But one key experience of listening to music still remained largely absent: the feeling of not just listening to music, but being able to immerse yourself in it, having the musicians standing in your living room and clearly identifying their instruments spread out across the stage. Don't get me wrong! The music was detached from the speakers in my previous set-up too, and, if the songs allowed it, the bass resonated through the floor and into my innards. Nevertheless, that ultimate soupçon of emotion was often missing.

I was therefore all the more excited about being able to try out the Referenz LS-2404 AIR speaker cable that in-akustik had sent me for a week of testing. And I would like to take this opportunity say thank you to the company. How would these cables sound in comparison? After unpacking, I was surprised at the light weight and flexibility of the cables. The workmanship is of a high quality, which is to be expected at the price.

So I pressed the start button on my system, opened Tidal via the Bluesound Node and listened to the songs in the accustomed way using the Rocket 44. I then switched to the LS-2404 AIR and listened to the same songs again, later on together with my son.

Our listening impressions were not completely identical, but in many respects we perceived the same differences. The first impression: the LS-2404 AIR is somewhat more restrained in its performance; there is less "thump"...

Read the full listening report