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A Sonic Revelation: M101 LAN Cable Review

 

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Capital Audiofest, exploring countless rooms filled with remarkable audio equipment. One room, in particular, caught my attention: the M101 room. They were conducting a demo of their LAN cable. The comparison between the M101 LAN cable and a generic Cat8 cable left a lasting impression, and the difference in presentation was nothing short of stunning. Even my wife, who is not an audiophile, remarked on the significant improvements. She described the sound as noticeably less grainy. Several others in the room shared similar observations, making it a unanimous experience. Intrigued by this experience, I ordered an M101 LAN cable for my modest home audio setup, consisting of a PS Audio Stellar Strata and a pair of Paradigm Persona 3F speakers, the same speakers we had encountered in the M101 room. Up until this point, generic cables had been the standard in my system. The cable arrived on Friday and I wasted no time integrating it into my system. To my surprise, the transformation in sound quality was even more pronounced than I remembered from the Capital Audiofest. The moment I connected the M101 LAN cable between my Verizon router and Strata, the sonic landscape underwent a remarkable shift. I reached out to Lubomir, the designer of the cable, expressing my excitement and gratitude. In response, he asked if I would be willing to write a review and share my thoughts on forums.So here it is. In conclusion, the M101 LAN cable has proven to be a game-changer in my audio setup. Its impact on sound quality is undeniable, bringing a level of clarity and precision that exceeded my expectations. I believe this product deserves recognition, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to fellow audio enthusiasts seeking to elevate their listening experience. If you don't want to take my word for it, try it in your own system. You might be pleasantly surprised.

willsc
willsc OP
1 posts
 

@lalitk 

I absolutely agree that a true assessment should involve similarly priced cables. The difference during the demo was substantial enough to ask Lubomir for a trial. Once I experienced the cable in my own system, the decision not to return it was immediate.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,443 posts
 

@willsc 

No qualms about you settling with M101 LAN, just enjoy the cable and the elevated performance. Keeping an open mind and trying things for yourself usually leads to this type of pleasant surprises. Thanks again for your post.

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moneoone
19 posts
 

In many cases, reviewers tend to characterize the changes in Ethernet cables as marginal or small. Additionally, these subtle differences are notoriously challenging to showcase effectively in the demo rooms at audio shows. However, in the M101 show rooms at last year's CAF and this year's FLAX and CAF, attendees including “non-audiophiles” entering during LAN cable demonstrations immediately recognized a distinct difference, especially on songs chosen by the visitors themselves. At FLAX 2023, Alan Taffel from Absolute Sound conducted a comparison, pitting the $1499 M101 LAN cable against the $1995 Audioquest Diamond Ethernet, and shared his insights about the experience.

cd45123
195 posts
 

It was a very good room at CAF these last two years. One thing I can’t wrap my head around is the difference the LAN cable is still making even with $50k+ of his power cords all over the floor. I guess the LAN cord is the gateway drug.

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