Tzigane - Larsen Spotlight Review

Besides having a Larsen A on my viola I have not had any prior experience with Larsen Strings.  I received a package of Tzigane and have had them on for about a month now.  The strings come in an airtight plastic package to prevent oxidation while they sit on the shelf.  That is then placed in a paper envelope and closed with a wax seal.  The set is then packaged in a clear box.  I have to say that this is the fanciest packaging of any string I have seen before.

The silk winding itself is very lovely.  All Larsen violin strings have the same gold/dark blue wrapping at the tail end.  The peg end is a light blue with either a yellow, red, or blue peg rings to designate tension.  The strings in the attached video are medium tensioned.

Manufacture Notes:

• Larsen Tzigane® strings provide a rich and saturated sound with a sensual warmth. They are remarkably easy to play and give fantastic focus and projection. Their mellow character delivers a perfect balance with bright and brilliant sounding instruments, for players seeking a warmer timbre. 
  

Feel
Larsen Tzigane strings are very polished.  I can hardly hear any string sound when I shift.  They have a very low tension but do not feel too loose.  because of the lower tension the solid wire E is still very playable in higher positions.  

Projection
These strings are quite loud.  I was expecting a softer sound because of the lower tension.  They do not seem to be loud because of pure volume but instead because of the strings resonance.  I rarely get as much sympathetic vibrations as I do with these strings.  I am adjusting pieces that I have played in the past to accommodate the new resonance/tones I am getting.

Tone
My violin has always been a bit dull on the lower end.  The G-string in this set definitely does not have the punch of a metal string, but it speaks clearly and happens to be cleaner than most of the low tension strings I have tried int he past.

The D, A, and E strings are very brilliant sounding.  I would not compare these to a gut string at all.  I would say they have the richness of a Dominant but a clarity of Evah Pirazzi.

Conclusion
If I did not have to sample new strings so often Larsen Tzigane might become my regular go-to set on my violin.  They resonate extremely well.  The lower tension allows for larger range of tone but somehow keeps a brilliance and projection that is usually reserved for high tension strings.  

Neutral (Tone)

Very Rich (Complexity)

Loud (Projection)