Living Athmos cable test: what are they like?

We've all been in a situation where our headphones start to crackle or one earpiece suddenly stops working. Most often, the root of the problem lies in the cable itself: it's worn out, broken, or simply reached the end of its life. For true music lovers and those who simply appreciate high-quality sound, this is a real tragedy.

Living Athmos offers its solution—durable replacement cables for headphones. But what are they really? Are they just a piece of wire in a nice braid, or are they a worthwhile upgrade? We picked up a few models, connected them to different headphones, and started listening.

In this article, we won't be throwing around complicated technical terms. We'll just tell you what these cables look like, how convenient they are for everyday use, and, most importantly, what they do to the sound. Let's figure out if it's worth the effort.

Cable split

First, it is worth saying a few words about the state of affairs in the cable industry in general. Yes, the market is overheated, but audiophiles continue to search for something new, or rather, something that will suit a particular listener in combination with their system and components (often, however, this search is chaotic and lacks a systematic basis).

In my opinion, the growth in the number of small manufacturers is not only due to the demand for the product, but also to the impact of Chinese counterfeits on the market. Buying something on the secondary market is often an unwise and risky decision, especially when it comes to leading manufacturers.

Standart Line Power Cable

However, disappointments that are not related to counterfeits also happen. For example, because manufacturers, wanting to saturate the market, sometimes release an indistinct, unremarkable line and price it higher than the previous one. Or they suddenly start making an additional range, but in reality, the quality of a number of cable types suffers. After all, not everything and not everyone can do everything equally well.

I divide the manufacturers themselves into two groups: “techies” and “esoterics.” To understand what this looks like, it is enough to “break down” Acrolink or Atlas cables with their understandable production, materials, and technologies in a technical and substantive sense on the one hand, and on the other hand, imagine, for example, NBS or Skogrand.

However, most are somewhere between these two extremes. More importantly, in practice, both can work perfectly. Or not work. Or work strangely. It cannot be said unequivocally that in-house high-tech production is a 100% guarantee.

Similarly, a semi-artisan twist made from who knows what can perform unexpectedly well. Sometimes, manufacturers of “esoteric” products do not particularly hide what is inside and what it is made of. You can find information, take a well-known Belden cable, and try to replicate it. The result (despite its apparent simplicity and obviousness) will be something completely different from the original.

Standart Line Interconnect Analog Cable RCA

Personally, I prefer the “techie” approach, even if a number of similar manufacturers have very high price tags. Although in reality, my system has both types of cables. The high-tech Acrolink coexists easily with XLO and the “esoteric” Heavens Gate. The final choice and adaptation of the set to the system is exclusively the result of experimentation.

However, I plan any experiments carefully. And here, again, I often choose predictable “techies” — especially because I really dislike cables that clearly interfere with the sound of the path. Their task (ideally) is not to interfere with anything and in no case to act as an equalizer.

Fixing something crooked with something crooked is not my method, and in my approach to building a system, I prefer to start from the properties and qualities of the components, rather than from the desire to listen to dozens of cable sets and hope that one of them will suddenly give some wonderful result. No, it won't and shouldn't, because it's just the finishing touch to the picture, a necessary addition, but by no means the basis of the sound.

Living Athmos cables are marketed as high-quality audio cables, but testing shows that there is almost no difference in sound quality—especially when compared to conventional cables at a more reasonable price. Yes, they look stylish, the insulation is durable, and the connectors fit snugly, but in terms of pure sound, honestly, it's difficult to detect any advantage. If reliability and appearance are important to you, you can consider them, but it's not worth overpaying for a “breakthrough in detail.”

Cable price

The price of cable is probably the most controversial issue. Yes, I will insist that this is the case. Why? Because if cable prices were limited to modest figures, most of those who are hostile to cable in general would have almost no emotions about it—just a high-quality conductor, connectors, and that's it. And it is precisely the price tags, rather than debates about theory and practice, that fuel the controversy, from arguments to the market for counterfeits.

Official website:

The device can be hidden behind the TV, and the Android OS allows you to install any software player with the required functionality. Overall, the Quad ERA-1 test left a very pleasant impression. Quad's debut in the planar magnetic headphone segment can truly be considered a success. The ERA-1 does not try to surprise with extravagant design or chase trends, but focuses on the main thing — high-quality and balanced sound. Quad ERA-1

A newcomer has arrived in the ranks of the “planars.” Welcome, newcomer!

Disadvantages:

In the world of audiophiles, there are products that achieve legendary status from the moment they are announced. The JVC HA-FW10000 is one of them. These in-ear headphones are not just another flagship model, but the culmination of decades of engineering research by the company. They are not designed for the mass market, but for those who believe that the true magic of sound lies in the details.

As I familiarized myself with music of different genres, I was very impressed by the focus and dynamism of the sound. Each note is clearly defined in time, with no blurring. The headphones respond lightning fast to fast music, and it doesn't matter whether you're listening to Wagner or Slayer — rapid-fire and power are guaranteed. This sound is ideal for rock, blues, dance, electronic, and popular music. Some musical compositions sounded a bit dull, mainly due to a lack of “air.” However, no music caused fatigue; everything played quite comfortably and was conducive to long listening sessions.

Living Athmos cables are handmade, not cut from a coil and soldered, but assembled from a complex structure of conductors, dielectrics, and screens. The manufacturer's ideology is not esoteric: the pursuit of the most accurate and honest sound, effective shielding, and UHF filtering.

Perhaps the claim about the positive psychoacoustic and emotional impact on the listener may seem unusual. However, the latter is exactly what many cable manufacturers talk about but rarely write about on websites and in brochures.

Reference Line Speaker Cable

I would like to highlight the following three design features of Living Athmos.

First, all conductors are made of high-purity copper, and Russian copper at that. Which type and where it comes from — no manufacturer will tell you. But the fact remains. The cross-section of signal conductors in cables, depending on the type and line, can reach up to 34 sq. mm. That's quite a lot.

Second, the main dielectric is “special paper,” the layers of which are wound by hand, followed by polymer insulation. The cables are shielded, the shields are made of copper tape, and there are two to four shields in different models. According to the developers, it can take several months to manufacture the cables.

22. Hunter Hunter (2025)

If you remove the aluminum part (this part reminded me of Kimber cables, although there is nothing special about such a knob) covering the transition from the thick part of the cable to the cable terminals, you can see only the joint filled with black polymer compound. After disassembling the connectors, I saw the cable terminals themselves — they look like simple insulated conductors, nothing specific can be determined here. The soldering and screw terminals on the power cables are all quite neat, but they don't clarify the details much. By the way, regarding the power cables, I asked whether they would pass the required certification. I received a reply that they would.

Reference Line Interconnect Analog Cable XLR

In addition, one point in the description caught my attention: the cables can be equipped with connectors from any manufacturer. And it is precisely this point that I find controversial, because all connectors have different designs. I think that only the cable manufacturer should decide what to install, and the buyer should only have a choice between banana plugs and spade connectors.

However, the developers at Living Atmos have their own preferences. RCA connectors are made by WBT, XLR connectors are made by Neutrik, acoustic connectors are massive copper blades, and power connectors, as you can see in the photo, vary for different product lines. Although one correction should be made — the set that was brought to me for testing consists of demo cables. These are the ones that are taken to potential customers and exhibitions.

And to complete the picture, there is the price. My opinion here is this: if Siltech, MIT, Tara Labs, and some others are calmly making acoustic cables with a price tag of $50,000 per set, then why shouldn't someone try to set the bar at $10,000? After all, all manufacturers in this segment started somewhere, some in a garage workshop, and some continue to work there. Let the market and the buyer regulate all this — everyone decides for themselves whether they need it or not, according to their needs and capabilities.

Reference Line Power Cable

The Living Athmos catalog features three cable lines: Standart Line, Reference Line, and Ultimate Line. The difference lies in their design, conductor cross-section, number of shields, and sometimes connectors. I will not provide a full description of the lines from the manufacturer here, but will refer to them as junior, middle, and senior. I will say more: it is better to put aside the design and prices for the duration of the test, label the cables as A, B, and C, and impartially study their properties.

I will give a descriptive characteristic to the lines rather than to specific examples. Yes, I am also leaving out of the test the phono cables and digital cables of various types available in the manufacturer's catalog. They probably deserve a separate discussion, but for this first acquaintance, I focused only on acoustic, analog interconnect and power cables.

The junior Standart Line

My main impressions of the Standart Line are that it is not harsh, but also not overly softened, unhurried and thorough, with very decent but unobtrusive detail. The tonal balance is slightly shifted towards the mid-high range, although this is very subtle, and I cannot call the sound accentuated. The bass is fast, accurate, rounded and full, with a certain lower limit in its character, a foundation that gives the sound stability, but it does not try to dominate or draw excessive attention to itself.

I did not notice any obvious coloring, at most a slight softening and a kind of warmth. An interesting effect — if you don't listen closely, the sound is simply there. If you pay attention, you notice that there are a lot of details, but there is no feeling of exaggerated detail. However, the effect is noticeable, especially when replacing Living Athmos cables with others and back. The sound is comfortable and pleasant, but it doesn't make you sleepy.

Reference Line Interconnect Analog Cable RCA

Dutch detective story by Elbert van Strijen – the story of psychotherapist Marian, who began working with a strange ten-year-old boy. The child's drawings, frightening and eerie, tend to come true in reality — now the doctor must try to unravel this puzzle. Or believe in the impossible… The film is shot with a “heavy hand,” but its quality is beyond doubt. 25. Happiest Season (2025)

Clea DuVall has mixed genres thickly, but the center of the narrative remains an atypical melodrama, the confrontation in which, however, acquires Hitchcockian intensity by the finale. As a result, Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis look spectacular in their roles, and the Christmas story of two friends is captivating and mesmerizing.

26. A Fall from Grace (2025)

I also liked one effect — without pronounced coloration, the emotions of the music are clearly legible, major and minor, joyful, sad, tragic — everything is clearly legible, but precisely from the music, from what is laid down by the composer and performers, and not due to the coloration of the sound by the system. This is clearly evident in good recordings of classical music.

Miranda July's crime comedy is a novel about a family of hippie con artists. The daughter, Old Dolio, decides to follow in her parents' footsteps, when suddenly an unexpected partner appears in the “circle of trust.” Perhaps the film did not quite measure up to the works of Wes Anderson, which it so wanted to resemble — but, as they say, thank you for your courage. At least you tried. Tyler Perry's thriller sometimes ventures into fantasy territory, sometimes appeals to the works of Alfred Hitchcock. Well, such a structure might not have held up, but thanks to Crystal R. Fox's performance, the film looks very enticing. So, public defender Jasmine Bryant takes on the defense of Grace, who is accused of murder…

The next general impression is about the Reference Line. Yes, here we can already talk about the user-specific characteristics of the cables themselves. If the Standard Line is just a little thicker than average and has medium stiffness, then the cables in the Reference line are unquestionably stiff and thick. Not so much that it becomes a significant problem, but I find it difficult to imagine connecting them in a rack pushed close to the wall.

Ultimate Line Interconnect Analog Cable RCA

As for the nature of its influence on sound, I would say that it is recognizable in a number of features: it is neither harsh nor soft, neither light nor dark, neither bright nor dull — everything is somewhere in the middle, without any bias. The first noticeable difference compared to the junior line is that the sound seems larger, more expansive.

There is no longer any chambered sound; the soundstage unfolds to its full height, with good width and depth. The planes are well separated, the images are neatly outlined, without any exaggerated sharpness, and the air and volume, together with the nuances, can be heard in such a way that it is easy to imagine and distinguish between a hall and a studio. Of course, this is only possible if the recording itself allows it.

In addition, there is good dynamics, detail, which in this case can already be called really high, and natural timbre. However, there are also features noticed in the junior line that have clearly been developed here. Taking the same detail as an example, you can hear a lot, but there is no pulling of every detail and every after-sound to the foreground; the music remains cohesive. I really liked this effect when listening to symphonic and choral music.

Ultimate Line Speaker Cable

Another thing to note is the different bass delivery in this line. While the Standard Line gave the impression of a defined foundation, here that boundary seems to be blurred, although formally the bass does not become deeper — there is as much of it as a particular speaker system in a particular room and in combination with a particular amplifier can produce. But the difference is still noticeable. In this version, the entire frequency range feels more cohesive and integrated.

The rest of the range is also seamless; I didn't notice any particular accents. Quite the opposite, in fact: everything is smooth and neat, with a clear emphasis on honesty and neutrality.

The effect of immersion is also present here, but in an even more calm and delicate form. I still couldn't figure out what formal characteristics contributed to this effect, but during the tests, I noticed many times that it was long past time to change the wiring, but I was distracted by this and just listened to the music and thought about something completely unrelated to cables and tests.

The senior Ultimate Line

All that remains is to talk about the Ultimate Line. These cables are very thick and stiff, and even with a fairly loose arrangement of components, switching is much more complicated than usual. Perhaps it would be better to arrange the system not on a rack, but on some kind of podium. And it will be difficult to connect lightweight components with such wiring. However, it is hard to imagine anyone connecting a small DAC or phono preamplifier with such a cable. Although, the Nagra VPS that happened to be at hand almost hung in the air with such wiring.

Ultimate Line Power Cable

I wasn't expecting anything specific from Ultimate Line — you're not supposed to make predictions during testing — but I already had a general idea of what Living Athmos cables were like, so the comparative listening test came as something of a surprise. This line has a different character. Everything is more imposing, slightly warmer, more velvety and textured. I would even say that it is soft, but only with the caveat of good detail and obviously unpolished dynamics. It's not that there is suddenly a pronounced coloration, but the character is still different, as if there is more tube-like quality and a feeling that the music is under a magnifying glass.

The bass is softer and more textured, and the same can be said about the midrange and high frequencies — as if a little more color and emotion had been added everywhere. This effect seemed rare and unusual to me. The soundstage is also larger and more airy, although the rendering of the components of the soundstage is correct and honest. In terms of dynamics and detail, everything is about as good as with the Reference Line, that is, simply good, but these characteristics themselves attract slightly less attention due to the rest of the sound's character. There is no genre bias here either, but the overall character is noticeably different.

Ultimately, the Living Athmos cable durability test shows that these are not just wires, but well-designed accessories. They really stand out from many others in terms of durability, thoughtful design, and attention to details such as convenient connectors.

If you are tired of constantly replacing worn-out or broken cables, these models are an excellent option. They are, of course, more expensive than simple Chinese counterparts, but for this money you get significantly higher reliability and durability.

When choosing a cable like this, you are paying for peace of mind. For the fact that it will not let you down at the most inopportune moment and will serve you for a really long time. As a result, Living Athmos is a sensible choice for those who value quality and do not want to skimp on the little things.