Larsen Il Cannone Medium Warm & Broad – Violin String Set

Larsen Il Cannone Medium with Warm & Broad A is a professional four-string set for 4/4 violin by Danish manufacturer Larsen Strings. It combines the powerful, colourful and projecting sound of the Il Cannone family with the warmer, broader tonal character of a specially developed Warm & Broad A string.

Compared with the standard Il Cannone Medium set, the regular A string has been replaced by the Warm & Broad A variant. The E, D and G strings remain standard Medium versions. This provides a ready-made option for violinists who enjoy the energy and projection of Il Cannone but prefer greater warmth and depth in the A-string register.

The Il Cannone Medium sound

The Il Cannone family takes its name from Niccolò Paganini's celebrated violin. Larsen developed the range with the aim of combining a powerful and expressive sound with a broad spectrum of tonal colours.

The Medium version has more moderate tension than Soloist and offers an open, rich and projecting tonal character. Larsen highlights the strings' quick bow response, articulate attack and wide dynamic possibilities.

The set is suitable for solo, chamber and orchestral playing. It supports a substantial sound while retaining a responsive playing feel. The precise tonal results depend on the individual violin, its setup and the musician's technique.

Warm & Broad A — added warmth and depth

The defining feature of this set is the specially designed Warm & Broad A. Larsen developed it as an alternative to the standard A string, which prioritises immediate, focused clarity.

Warm & Broad delivers a warmer and more expansive tonal character with additional depth and body in the middle register. It can be particularly interesting on violins where the standard A sounds too narrow, bright or penetrating.

It allows players to modify the tonal balance between E, A and D without changing the rest of the set. This is especially useful when the projection of Il Cannone is desirable but a rounder A-string sound is preferred.

Warm & Broad refers to tone, not increased string tension. Larsen's current specifications list both the standard A Medium and A Medium Warm & Broad at 5.23 kg, despite their different tonal designs.

Construction of the four strings

E Medium: an unwound carbon-steel string. Larsen describes its tonal character as sweet and expressive, with quick bow response. Its removable ball end allows use with compatible ball-end or loop-end fine tuners.

A Medium Warm & Broad: synthetic multi-filament core with precision-rolled aluminium flat-wire winding, developed for a warmer and broader response.

D Medium: synthetic multi-filament core with pure silver winding, designed to provide a rich middle-to-low register and a balanced transition to G.

G Medium: synthetic multi-filament core and pure silver winding, providing a resonant foundation for the violin's lowest register.

Individual string specifications

Tensions follow Larsen's current technical table for a reference vibrating length of 325 mm. Earlier published catalogues may show slightly different figures.

General specifications

Standard Medium or Warm & Broad?

The difference lies primarily in the A string.

Standard Il Cannone Medium features an A string with a direct, focused character. It is an excellent starting point when the instrument benefits from clear articulation and a concentrated tonal response.

Il Cannone Medium with Warm & Broad A is intended to provide a warmer, wider and fuller sound in the A register while retaining the same E, D and G.

The Warm & Broad option does not guarantee that an overly bright violin will become warm; the result also depends on the bridge, soundpost, instrument condition and overall setup.

Installation and care

Replace strings one at a time to help maintain the bridge's position. Check the nut and bridge grooves for roughness, particularly where wound strings make contact.

Use a suitable protective tube or bridge insert for the E string. After playing, remove rosin and residue using a soft, dry cloth.

Please note: this product is a complete four-string Il Cannone Medium set featuring the Warm & Broad A. It does not contain an additional standard A string and is not an Il Cannone Soloist, Silver or Gold set.