Packaging and accessories
Before we get down to brass tacks, let’s get the formalities out the way. Both Nocturne and Vesper ship in almost identical packages: a neatly sleeved box containing a genuine leather zippered case, large enough to hold the cable and a set of IEMs.
A plush fabric insert lets you keep IEMs separated, but it’s also removable to allow you to fit even more gear inside the generously-sized case. An elasticated mesh compartment in the case lid holds an owner’s card and, if you ask for Versa connectors, also a small foam tray for the swappable Versa sockets.
What’s really nice is the small touches: a sliding mesh cover that protects the Y-splitter hardware, and a plastic cap for the 4.4mm plug. Jon has really thought through the packaging, presentation and care of his cables, which makes for a positive impression from the very first unboxing.
Design and fit
If you love thick, girthy, substantial looking and feeling cables, you’re in for a treat! I haven’t seen what Nightcraft’s unshielded cables look like, but the shielded versions I received take on similar dimensions to PW Audio’s Shielding cables (and if you’ve ever wrestled with one of those, you’ll know what I mean).
In fact, because Nightcraft uses even larger Y-splitters and chin sliders than PW Audio, both Nocturne and Vesper are actually bigger and heavier than the likes of Orpheus and First Times Shielding. They’re also slightly stiffer, although given the relative sizes of these large cables, it’s all much of a muchness.
Despite their heft, I absolutely love the look of these cables. Sleek and minimalist, they ooze classy sophistication, eschewing the brightly-coloured sleeving and ornate designs of some popular competitors – thankfully so. If Jon does end up changing his hardware, I hope he sticks to a similar design aesthetic, because in my opinion these cables are gorgeously understated.
Ergonomically I’ll admit they can be a bit more challenging. The heaviness of the cables below the Y-split, and the relative stiffness of the wire – especially Vesper’s hand-twisted copper wire – makes over ear comfort tricky. They’re also quite microphonic with all that Paracord rubbing against clothing, although using the chin slider mostly solves that problem.
Jon used a new type of clear ear guide for my cables, which I believe is an improvement on the thicker clear and black material he used for prototypes, and it still took some finessing with a hairdryer to get them shaped the way I wanted them.
If you’re sensitive to thicker ear guides, I suggest you speak to Jon about customising the experience for you before ordering.
Lastly, I’ve already mentioned the hardware a few times, but it bears repeating that I really, really like it. From the curvy moulded metal Y-splitter, perfectly-tensioned chin slider (useful if you find the cables pulling on your IEMs), and original Pentaconn connector, it’s pure quality throughout. Jon even engraved my logo onto each splitter, a really nice touch I hope he offers all his customers.
I’d be remiss not to mention the Versa connectors, personalised with Nightcraft’s distinctive owl logo, which are also my personal favourite connector type, even though they don’t offer 100% sonic transparency.
Just being able to switch between connectors for different IEMs makes the flexibility of using Versa far more significant than any miniscule loss in fidelity, and I have complete faith that Jon’s tuning overcomes any minor colourations these connectors introduce.
Continue to sound impressions…
