CatEar Tuxedo IEM Upgrade Cable
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Introduction:
CatEar Tuxedo is a premium audio upgrade cable for your IEMs. The cable consists of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure. It has a DuPont-PVC insulated sheathing keeping the wires safe and flexible. The cable features high-quality rhodium-plated copper termination plugs and anti-loose shrapnel around the precisely developed connector points. And to top it all, all these components including the connectors, cable, and termination plugs undergo a deep cryogenic treatment for about 72 hours.
Disclaimer:
I have received the cable as part of review circle from brand itself in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with cables of similar hardware configurations and price range.
Sources:
For this review the cable has been paired to ISN H40, BGVP NS9, NiceHck EBX21 and tested on Shanling M6 (AK4495EQ)
Build Quality
The build quality of tuxedo cable is top notch, it looks and feel quite premium and equally comfortable. Lack of memory hooks makes this cable very versatile to use with IEMs or earbuds. The overall aesthetics and quality feels greatly satisfying.
Sound Impressions
Tuxedo is definitely a good upgrade to any conventional SPC stock cable. It has very good conductivity that brings very distinctive improvements in terms of airiness and treble extensions and improves the micro-dynamics.
It also brings out the sparkle in the mid-range. Both upper and lower mids become more energetic and engaging. Vocals become more lively. Coming to the lows, the bass get bit more control throughout the spectrum
Doing a quick comparison with ISN S4 cable, the tuxedo excels in every aspect, be it terms on sonic performance or the aesthetics
Final Verdict:
Cat Ear Tuxedo is a very nice cable with very good build quality. The design is very light weight and is quite comfortable to wear. If one is having a bit of dark IEM then it’s a no brainer as it will induce more airiness and improve the treble response along with giving bit of a control to the bass.
CatEar Tuxedo is a premium audio upgrade cable for your IEMs. The cable consists of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure. It has a DuPont-PVC insulated sheathing keeping the wires safe and flexible. The cable features high-quality rhodium-plated copper termination plugs and anti-loose shrapnel around the precisely developed connector points. And to top it all, all these components including the connectors, cable, and termination plugs undergo a deep cryogenic treatment for about 72 hours.
Disclaimer:
I have received the cable as part of review circle from brand itself in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with cables of similar hardware configurations and price range.
Sources:
For this review the cable has been paired to ISN H40, BGVP NS9, NiceHck EBX21 and tested on Shanling M6 (AK4495EQ)
Build Quality
The build quality of tuxedo cable is top notch, it looks and feel quite premium and equally comfortable. Lack of memory hooks makes this cable very versatile to use with IEMs or earbuds. The overall aesthetics and quality feels greatly satisfying.
Sound Impressions
Tuxedo is definitely a good upgrade to any conventional SPC stock cable. It has very good conductivity that brings very distinctive improvements in terms of airiness and treble extensions and improves the micro-dynamics.
It also brings out the sparkle in the mid-range. Both upper and lower mids become more energetic and engaging. Vocals become more lively. Coming to the lows, the bass get bit more control throughout the spectrum
Doing a quick comparison with ISN S4 cable, the tuxedo excels in every aspect, be it terms on sonic performance or the aesthetics
Final Verdict:
Cat Ear Tuxedo is a very nice cable with very good build quality. The design is very light weight and is quite comfortable to wear. If one is having a bit of dark IEM then it’s a no brainer as it will induce more airiness and improve the treble response along with giving bit of a control to the bass.
INTRODUCTION:
Cat Ear Audio is a newly established brand and they have launched an earbud and an in ear earphone namely MIMI and MIA. Both the products got good response from the community and to continue that amazing response they have launched this amazing cable that gives the lost sparkle to the earphones. In this review lets see how the sparkle is delivered and is it worth spending the money on this cable
DISCLAIMER:
This unit has been provided to me by my friend for the review purpose and I have not been influenced by any means to manipulate this review and all the statements I made here are my personal views and it is very subjective. The views differ from person to person and take this review as a grain of salt in your purchase decision. The view also depends on the gears and sources we use to test out the product.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Connector : 2 Pin/MMCX
Adapter : 2.5mm/ 2.5mm /4.4mm
Total Cores: 252 Cores.
Plating-Purity: 99.996%.
Coating Thickness ≈ 60mil.
Conductor Thickness: 26AWGx4.
Insulation Material: DuPont-PVC.
Cable Length: 1.2m±5cm.
>-196℃ Cryogenic Treatment For Components.
>Multi-strand Litz Structure.
>Premium Silver-Plated OCC Wires.
>Rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plugs.
>German WBT 4% Pure-Silver Soldering Material.
>Available Termination Plug Options:- 4.4mm Bal, 2.5mm Bal, 3.5mm SE.
>Available Connector Type:- MMCX and 2-Pin 0.78mm.
DESIGN AND BUILD:
The cable is very lightweight and supple enough to touch. I have used this cable in the BGVP NS9 and the stock cable of it is very heavy and thick. This one is pretty light yet durable with a nice supple texture. The cable has no microphonics during my usage and the termination plug and the y splitter are made of metal which gives the premium touch to the cable. The best part about this cable is that there are no memory hooks or the ear guides which increases the comfort overall hence easy to wear and can be used in a variety of earphones without any issues.
SOUND:
IEM USED: BGVP NS9
Since this cable came along with the NS9 to me for the review purpose I have used the NS9 to test out the cable.
Initially I disliked the NS9 honestly since the low end overpowered the midrange and the treble. The treble lacked airiness in the NS9 and the midrange is very shallow and veiled. The sound overall was very darker and warm which just removed the sparkle out of the equation.
Then I just saw this cable that came to me along with the box and thought of trying it in the NS9 to check whether they can make some difference although I don't believe in the cable swap for sonic difference. In my initial listening I just wondered whether I connected some other earphones lying in my table so I checked it twice and confirmed that it is NS9! Now they sound muchopen and airiness in the top end can be felt evidently
The lower mids now got the sparkle and engaging factor in the NS9. Now the lower mids don't get overpowered by the mid bass and the treble got that nice sparkle and airiness which just made me reconsider my thoughts on the cable swapping. This also made me realise that why didn't the BGVP did not provided this cable instead of the stock one’s?!
The cable overall improved the sound quality drastically and the main difference that you can identify is that the overpowering bass is now tamed down and the airiness and openness in the treble end is made clear.
VERDICT:
The Tuxedo is the SPC cable from the brand Cat Ear and this one really blew my mind. This cable thing just made me reconsider my thoughts on cable swapping! An IEM which sounded very dark got some light and sparkle in it after the introduction of the Tuxedo. It really made me think that this might be a must but an accessory for me since this can help clear the cons out of the darker sounding earphones.
Buy this one, pair it with any darker and lackluster earphones..BOOM! You yourself made a big change in sound and you will start to love it! This is definitely a light giver for all the darker sounding ones out there!
Cat Ear Audio is a newly established brand and they have launched an earbud and an in ear earphone namely MIMI and MIA. Both the products got good response from the community and to continue that amazing response they have launched this amazing cable that gives the lost sparkle to the earphones. In this review lets see how the sparkle is delivered and is it worth spending the money on this cable
DISCLAIMER:
This unit has been provided to me by my friend for the review purpose and I have not been influenced by any means to manipulate this review and all the statements I made here are my personal views and it is very subjective. The views differ from person to person and take this review as a grain of salt in your purchase decision. The view also depends on the gears and sources we use to test out the product.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Connector : 2 Pin/MMCX
Adapter : 2.5mm/ 2.5mm /4.4mm
Total Cores: 252 Cores.
Plating-Purity: 99.996%.
Coating Thickness ≈ 60mil.
Conductor Thickness: 26AWGx4.
Insulation Material: DuPont-PVC.
Cable Length: 1.2m±5cm.
>-196℃ Cryogenic Treatment For Components.
>Multi-strand Litz Structure.
>Premium Silver-Plated OCC Wires.
>Rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plugs.
>German WBT 4% Pure-Silver Soldering Material.
>Available Termination Plug Options:- 4.4mm Bal, 2.5mm Bal, 3.5mm SE.
>Available Connector Type:- MMCX and 2-Pin 0.78mm.
DESIGN AND BUILD:
The cable is very lightweight and supple enough to touch. I have used this cable in the BGVP NS9 and the stock cable of it is very heavy and thick. This one is pretty light yet durable with a nice supple texture. The cable has no microphonics during my usage and the termination plug and the y splitter are made of metal which gives the premium touch to the cable. The best part about this cable is that there are no memory hooks or the ear guides which increases the comfort overall hence easy to wear and can be used in a variety of earphones without any issues.
SOUND:
IEM USED: BGVP NS9
Since this cable came along with the NS9 to me for the review purpose I have used the NS9 to test out the cable.
Initially I disliked the NS9 honestly since the low end overpowered the midrange and the treble. The treble lacked airiness in the NS9 and the midrange is very shallow and veiled. The sound overall was very darker and warm which just removed the sparkle out of the equation.
Then I just saw this cable that came to me along with the box and thought of trying it in the NS9 to check whether they can make some difference although I don't believe in the cable swap for sonic difference. In my initial listening I just wondered whether I connected some other earphones lying in my table so I checked it twice and confirmed that it is NS9! Now they sound muchopen and airiness in the top end can be felt evidently
The lower mids now got the sparkle and engaging factor in the NS9. Now the lower mids don't get overpowered by the mid bass and the treble got that nice sparkle and airiness which just made me reconsider my thoughts on the cable swapping. This also made me realise that why didn't the BGVP did not provided this cable instead of the stock one’s?!
The cable overall improved the sound quality drastically and the main difference that you can identify is that the overpowering bass is now tamed down and the airiness and openness in the treble end is made clear.
VERDICT:
The Tuxedo is the SPC cable from the brand Cat Ear and this one really blew my mind. This cable thing just made me reconsider my thoughts on cable swapping! An IEM which sounded very dark got some light and sparkle in it after the introduction of the Tuxedo. It really made me think that this might be a must but an accessory for me since this can help clear the cons out of the darker sounding earphones.
Buy this one, pair it with any darker and lackluster earphones..BOOM! You yourself made a big change in sound and you will start to love it! This is definitely a light giver for all the darker sounding ones out there!
Cat Ear Tuxedo Review
Disclaimer
Cat Ear Tuxedo has been provided to me for review purposes as part of a review tour. I am in no way related to nor work for Cat Ear. All my impressions are subjective to my listening and the gears used. You can find more details about Tuxedo cable from the link below:
https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
About
CatEar Tuxedo is a premium IEM upgrade cable made of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated OCC copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure. It features premium rhodium-plated copper termination plugs available in different termination options including 5-pole 4.4mm Bal, 4-pole 2.5mm Bal, and 3-pole 3.5mm SE. It is available in both universal MMCX and 0.78mm 2-Pin connector types. Users can choose the termination and connector option while ordering. Just like the Mia IEMs from CatEar, the components including the cable, connectors, and termination plugs undergo -196℃ Cryogenic Treatment. Price starts at 79$ for the 3.5mm variant and goes up to 85$ for the 4.4mm variant.
I got the cable with MMCX connectors and 3.5mm termination, with an additional MMCX to 2-pin convertor. I used my only IEM with MMCX connector, JVC HA-FDX1 for this review purpose. My IEM comes with three filters. I am using the green one.
Build Quality
Tuxedo cable is nicely made, feels soft and soft. There’s no microphonics. There are no memory hooks provided. Though it was never a problem with the IEM I tried this cable with. It’s very well-made cable for its price. And definitely an upgrade over the stock cables that come with many budget IEMs. Neatly braided all through.
Sound Impressions
My IEM, FDX1, sounds very neutral with its stock cable. Connecting Tuxedo to it, brought good improvements overall in airiness, treble extensions and clarity.
Bass didn’t get any change in quality or quantity, it stays as neutral as possible, which is FDX1’s trait. FDX1’s bass is very neutral with stock cable, which stays put with Tuxedo too.
Mids get more energetic, especially upper mids. Female vocals sound more energetic and just over borderline bright for me. In fact, this cable brings back some of the shrillness in upper mids of its default filter. Male vocals too feel more energetic.
FDX1 feels more airy overall, with increased extensions in upper mids and treble. Treble gets more sparkly and energetic, which may be a problem for many, as FDX1, by itself, sounds little bright. Even with green filter, Tuxedo makes this IEM even more sparkly.
Verdict
Cat Ear Tuxedo is a very good upgrade over any stock cable that come with most of the budget IEMs. It got nice build quality, feels soft and costs a decent 79$. Sonically, it makes an IEM sound more airy, and gives upper mids and treble better extensions. Which may not go well with bright IEMs, but with warm ones, this should pair well.
Disclaimer
Cat Ear Tuxedo has been provided to me for review purposes as part of a review tour. I am in no way related to nor work for Cat Ear. All my impressions are subjective to my listening and the gears used. You can find more details about Tuxedo cable from the link below:
https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
About
CatEar Tuxedo is a premium IEM upgrade cable made of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated OCC copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure. It features premium rhodium-plated copper termination plugs available in different termination options including 5-pole 4.4mm Bal, 4-pole 2.5mm Bal, and 3-pole 3.5mm SE. It is available in both universal MMCX and 0.78mm 2-Pin connector types. Users can choose the termination and connector option while ordering. Just like the Mia IEMs from CatEar, the components including the cable, connectors, and termination plugs undergo -196℃ Cryogenic Treatment. Price starts at 79$ for the 3.5mm variant and goes up to 85$ for the 4.4mm variant.
I got the cable with MMCX connectors and 3.5mm termination, with an additional MMCX to 2-pin convertor. I used my only IEM with MMCX connector, JVC HA-FDX1 for this review purpose. My IEM comes with three filters. I am using the green one.
Build Quality
Tuxedo cable is nicely made, feels soft and soft. There’s no microphonics. There are no memory hooks provided. Though it was never a problem with the IEM I tried this cable with. It’s very well-made cable for its price. And definitely an upgrade over the stock cables that come with many budget IEMs. Neatly braided all through.
Sound Impressions
My IEM, FDX1, sounds very neutral with its stock cable. Connecting Tuxedo to it, brought good improvements overall in airiness, treble extensions and clarity.
Bass didn’t get any change in quality or quantity, it stays as neutral as possible, which is FDX1’s trait. FDX1’s bass is very neutral with stock cable, which stays put with Tuxedo too.
Mids get more energetic, especially upper mids. Female vocals sound more energetic and just over borderline bright for me. In fact, this cable brings back some of the shrillness in upper mids of its default filter. Male vocals too feel more energetic.
FDX1 feels more airy overall, with increased extensions in upper mids and treble. Treble gets more sparkly and energetic, which may be a problem for many, as FDX1, by itself, sounds little bright. Even with green filter, Tuxedo makes this IEM even more sparkly.
Verdict
Cat Ear Tuxedo is a very good upgrade over any stock cable that come with most of the budget IEMs. It got nice build quality, feels soft and costs a decent 79$. Sonically, it makes an IEM sound more airy, and gives upper mids and treble better extensions. Which may not go well with bright IEMs, but with warm ones, this should pair well.
Disclosure:
I have received this unit of CatEar Tuxedo IEM cable as part of a review circle. I am not working for CatEar nor am I being paid or influenced to say anything for or against. Following are my own opinions and impressions basis the gears I used and YMMV. You can check the product page for more details - https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
Introduction:
CatEar is a relatively new brand that made entry with some budget products starting with the MiMi, Mia, and Tuxedo. MiMi is a budget earbud & Mia is their Single DD IEM. The CatEar Tuxedo is a replacement cable that can be used with any Earbud or IEM with MMCX or 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. It is available in all the termination options - 3.5 Single Ended, 2.5 Balanced & 4.4 Pentaconn for price between $79 & $85 depending on termination option.
Features & Specifications:
Cable length: 1.2m
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Conductor thickness: 26awg x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
-196℃ Cryogenic Treatment For Components
Multi-strand Litz Structure
Premium Silver-Plated OCC Wires
Rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plugs
German WBT 4% Pure-Silver Soldering Material
Available Termination Plug Options:- 4.4mm Bal, 2.5mm Bal, 3.5mm SE
Available Connector Type:- MMCX and 2-Pin 0.78mm
For the purpose of this review, I received the 3.5 Single Ended variant with MMCX connectors alongwith an additional mmcx female to 2pin male connector, although I don't have any 2 pin IEMs.
Build Quality:
CatEar Tuxedo is a light weight cable which is soft and does not to get tangled easily. I personally liked the fact that this doesn't have any memory hook around the ears. Although on IEMs with heavier shells, memory hook does increase overall comfort by managing the weight of the IEM however absence of it makes the Tuxedo versatile enough to be used in different ways with a variety of IEMs and earbuds. The overall finish and quality of the cable as well the connectors look pretty good for the price. I am unable to comment how durable they are given my limited time with it, but given the specs and how it feels in the hand it should be good enough for day to use without much stress.
Sound:
I primarily used the cable on the BGVP NS9 (which is also a review unit received alongwith the cable) and I immediately noticed significant difference in sound as against the stock cable. The Tuxedo added good amount of energy and air to the treble region, with much better resolution.
I also tried the cable briefly with CA Andromeda (my personal unit) and I found the overall sound at par with the stock cable (which is a good thing). In case of Andromeda, people usually end up spending significantly into upgrade cables (I personally have a few, mostly balanced terminations) therefore in my opinion anyone looking for a balanced cable upgrade on a budget, can consider Tuxedo.
Final Remarks:
I think Tuxedo can be a good replacement cable for someone who is into portable gears and uses a wide range of IEMs & Earbuds. It is well built and looks nice, and offers significant improvement in sound depending on the IEM. Some of us (me included) may find it a tad pricier but that's a matter of personal opinion and has no reflection on price to performance ratio of the cable. Besides, one can keep their eyes & ears open for online deals and may get lucky with price
I would recommend Tuxedo to anyone looking for a replacement to the cheap stock cables for low or mid tier IEMs and variety of earbuds.
I have received this unit of CatEar Tuxedo IEM cable as part of a review circle. I am not working for CatEar nor am I being paid or influenced to say anything for or against. Following are my own opinions and impressions basis the gears I used and YMMV. You can check the product page for more details - https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
Introduction:
CatEar is a relatively new brand that made entry with some budget products starting with the MiMi, Mia, and Tuxedo. MiMi is a budget earbud & Mia is their Single DD IEM. The CatEar Tuxedo is a replacement cable that can be used with any Earbud or IEM with MMCX or 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. It is available in all the termination options - 3.5 Single Ended, 2.5 Balanced & 4.4 Pentaconn for price between $79 & $85 depending on termination option.
Features & Specifications:
Cable length: 1.2m
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Conductor thickness: 26awg x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
-196℃ Cryogenic Treatment For Components
Multi-strand Litz Structure
Premium Silver-Plated OCC Wires
Rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plugs
German WBT 4% Pure-Silver Soldering Material
Available Termination Plug Options:- 4.4mm Bal, 2.5mm Bal, 3.5mm SE
Available Connector Type:- MMCX and 2-Pin 0.78mm
For the purpose of this review, I received the 3.5 Single Ended variant with MMCX connectors alongwith an additional mmcx female to 2pin male connector, although I don't have any 2 pin IEMs.
Build Quality:
CatEar Tuxedo is a light weight cable which is soft and does not to get tangled easily. I personally liked the fact that this doesn't have any memory hook around the ears. Although on IEMs with heavier shells, memory hook does increase overall comfort by managing the weight of the IEM however absence of it makes the Tuxedo versatile enough to be used in different ways with a variety of IEMs and earbuds. The overall finish and quality of the cable as well the connectors look pretty good for the price. I am unable to comment how durable they are given my limited time with it, but given the specs and how it feels in the hand it should be good enough for day to use without much stress.
Sound:
I primarily used the cable on the BGVP NS9 (which is also a review unit received alongwith the cable) and I immediately noticed significant difference in sound as against the stock cable. The Tuxedo added good amount of energy and air to the treble region, with much better resolution.
I also tried the cable briefly with CA Andromeda (my personal unit) and I found the overall sound at par with the stock cable (which is a good thing). In case of Andromeda, people usually end up spending significantly into upgrade cables (I personally have a few, mostly balanced terminations) therefore in my opinion anyone looking for a balanced cable upgrade on a budget, can consider Tuxedo.
Final Remarks:
I think Tuxedo can be a good replacement cable for someone who is into portable gears and uses a wide range of IEMs & Earbuds. It is well built and looks nice, and offers significant improvement in sound depending on the IEM. Some of us (me included) may find it a tad pricier but that's a matter of personal opinion and has no reflection on price to performance ratio of the cable. Besides, one can keep their eyes & ears open for online deals and may get lucky with price
I would recommend Tuxedo to anyone looking for a replacement to the cheap stock cables for low or mid tier IEMs and variety of earbuds.
Catear is a fairly new name in the industry but they marked their presence with two of their very first products, the Catear Mia(IEMs), and the Catear MiMi(earbuds). The Mia is a single DD IEM with bullet-shaped earpieces while the MiMi is a budget pair of earbuds quite attractive for the price(Only around 10$). Along with the MiMi Catear also released an upgrade cable for IEMs, known as Catear Tuxedo. Today I am gonna share my impressions of this silver-plated OCC upgrade cable.
Disclaimer:-
The Catear Tuxedo was sent to me as a part of a review tour organized by Catear in my country. I got the cable for about 7-8 days after which I have to ship it out to the next guy in the chain. I am not asked or paid by anyone to write positive or negative about the Tuxedo cable here. You can buy it from Catear’s official selling partner, HiFiGo starting at 79$.
Technical Specifications of Tuxedo:-
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Material purity: 99.99997%
Plating Purity: 99.996%
Coating thickness: 60mil. (Approx)
Wire Structure: Multiple Stranded Litz Structure
Conductor thickness: 26AWG x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
Length: 1.2m.
Build Quality:-
I got a 3.5mm terminated MMCX connector cable for review.
Catear Tuxedo is a lightweight cable that doesn’t get tangled easily. The best part is it doesn’t have memory hooks near the connectors that make it flexible and comfortable with different earphones. While I don’t have any issues with memory hooks, I just find better comfort without them. Though I myself prefer them for heavy earphones. The connectors have a red and a blue ring on them to denote the Right and Left sides respectively(Red for Right and Blue for Left). There is no Chin Slider(I don’t want it either). The Y-Splitter and Termination plug have metallic covering with the Catear Branding logo printed on top of it. Overall the build quality of the cable is quite good, no complaints there. Also, I forgot to mention, there are no microphonic issues I noticed during my usage of the cable.
Sound Quality:-
I will be explaining the sound quality based on my usage of the Tuxedo cable with BGVP NS9 & Unique Melody Mirage. The comparison with NS9 will be against its stock cable and with Mirage with a pure copper cable that I use with it.
Catear Tuxedo & BGVP NS9:-
NS9’s stock cable is quite heavy and tight in comparison to the Tuxedo. Tuxedo brings definite improvements in the sound of NS9 with added airiness in the treble portion. Treble with the stock cable lacks airiness, Tuxedo helps rectify that. NS9 also has a boomy bass with its Red filter, Tuxedo also helps in taming that down. BGVP NS9 shows good improvements in its sound, during my review of NS9, I missed the sparkle in its treble portion. Looks like using the Tuxedo cable can easily solve that.
Catear Tuxedo & Unique Melody Mirage:-
Mirage I bought pre-loved from an audiophile friend in my country. He didn’t give me the stock cable, instead, he gave me a pure copper cable with it. Using the Catear Tuxedo, I feel the sound becomes slightly laid-back with more elevation in the lower and higher frequencies. Airiness here also feels increased, the sound gets a V-shape profile rather than the U-shape with the pure copper cable. While I liked the sparkle that Tuxedo adds to the Mirage’s treble, I feel the vocals got a bit dry. (I used a generic MMCX to 2-pin connector to connect the Tuxedo with my Mirage).
Overall I feel like the Tuxedo adds sparkle and airiness to the treble portion. It also brings better staging with the IEMs with a better sense of airiness. Coming at just 79$, the Tuxedo serves as a great upgrade cable for Hi-res IEMs. Coming to whether I recommend the Catear Tuxedo or not? Well if you own a BGVP NS9 or something like that, then definitely. Tuxedo even compares well with the pure-copper cable on my Unique Melody Mirage, which I am pretty sure should be double the price of Tuxedo. It is really hard to find any con with the Catear Tuxedo considering its price, but If I have to say some CON with it, then it would be that with the Tuxedo vocals get a bit dry. Other than that, it is an excellent cable coming at an attractive price.
Disclaimer:-
The Catear Tuxedo was sent to me as a part of a review tour organized by Catear in my country. I got the cable for about 7-8 days after which I have to ship it out to the next guy in the chain. I am not asked or paid by anyone to write positive or negative about the Tuxedo cable here. You can buy it from Catear’s official selling partner, HiFiGo starting at 79$.
Technical Specifications of Tuxedo:-
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Material purity: 99.99997%
Plating Purity: 99.996%
Coating thickness: 60mil. (Approx)
Wire Structure: Multiple Stranded Litz Structure
Conductor thickness: 26AWG x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
Length: 1.2m.
Build Quality:-
I got a 3.5mm terminated MMCX connector cable for review.
Catear Tuxedo is a lightweight cable that doesn’t get tangled easily. The best part is it doesn’t have memory hooks near the connectors that make it flexible and comfortable with different earphones. While I don’t have any issues with memory hooks, I just find better comfort without them. Though I myself prefer them for heavy earphones. The connectors have a red and a blue ring on them to denote the Right and Left sides respectively(Red for Right and Blue for Left). There is no Chin Slider(I don’t want it either). The Y-Splitter and Termination plug have metallic covering with the Catear Branding logo printed on top of it. Overall the build quality of the cable is quite good, no complaints there. Also, I forgot to mention, there are no microphonic issues I noticed during my usage of the cable.
Sound Quality:-
I will be explaining the sound quality based on my usage of the Tuxedo cable with BGVP NS9 & Unique Melody Mirage. The comparison with NS9 will be against its stock cable and with Mirage with a pure copper cable that I use with it.
Catear Tuxedo & BGVP NS9:-
NS9’s stock cable is quite heavy and tight in comparison to the Tuxedo. Tuxedo brings definite improvements in the sound of NS9 with added airiness in the treble portion. Treble with the stock cable lacks airiness, Tuxedo helps rectify that. NS9 also has a boomy bass with its Red filter, Tuxedo also helps in taming that down. BGVP NS9 shows good improvements in its sound, during my review of NS9, I missed the sparkle in its treble portion. Looks like using the Tuxedo cable can easily solve that.
Catear Tuxedo & Unique Melody Mirage:-
Mirage I bought pre-loved from an audiophile friend in my country. He didn’t give me the stock cable, instead, he gave me a pure copper cable with it. Using the Catear Tuxedo, I feel the sound becomes slightly laid-back with more elevation in the lower and higher frequencies. Airiness here also feels increased, the sound gets a V-shape profile rather than the U-shape with the pure copper cable. While I liked the sparkle that Tuxedo adds to the Mirage’s treble, I feel the vocals got a bit dry. (I used a generic MMCX to 2-pin connector to connect the Tuxedo with my Mirage).
Overall I feel like the Tuxedo adds sparkle and airiness to the treble portion. It also brings better staging with the IEMs with a better sense of airiness. Coming at just 79$, the Tuxedo serves as a great upgrade cable for Hi-res IEMs. Coming to whether I recommend the Catear Tuxedo or not? Well if you own a BGVP NS9 or something like that, then definitely. Tuxedo even compares well with the pure-copper cable on my Unique Melody Mirage, which I am pretty sure should be double the price of Tuxedo. It is really hard to find any con with the Catear Tuxedo considering its price, but If I have to say some CON with it, then it would be that with the Tuxedo vocals get a bit dry. Other than that, it is an excellent cable coming at an attractive price.
DISCLAIMER:- The unit has been sent to me by CatEar as a part of a review circle. I am not working or affiliated to CatEar and I am not being paid or influenced otherwise to say anything positive or negative about this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Honoured to be a part of this tour and thanks to Cat ear and @machinegod for including me in this tour
CatEar is a slowly rising new brand with some really good earbuds like the Mimi and Mia. Having heard about the impressive reviews of Mimi, I was really excited to try their latest IEM upgrade cable, THE CATEAR TUXEDO.
The cable starts at 79 USD for the 3.5mm SE variant and about 85 USD for the 4.4mm pentaconn variant (Both rhodium plated connectors on the source end)
The tuxedo is available in both MMCX and 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. I was provided with the SE variant with 3.5mm rhodium connector, with MMCX connectors for review ,with an added mmcx female to 2pin male connector since I don’t have many mmcx connectors. You can find the link here .
SPECS-
PACKAGING- Now for this review I just received the cable along with BGVP NS9, so just gonna say ‘Hope its great as the cable sets a good standard !!’
BUILD- This is 4 core, beautiful pearly white cable made up of nylon and no ear hooks (I love it). It feels like a great nylon thread, supple, thin and still elegant. Its pretty thin but I wonder will it survive the occasional pull from my cat, idk but I am pretty sure it might. I love the supple nature but would love a little bit more sturdiness. The longevity only time can tell but given their reputation I have good hope!!
The mmcx connectors(in the below image- left is CatEar and right is BGVP NS9) are gold plated and precision milled (according to CATEAR). They are also housed in plastic shell and have red and blue rings for proper R and L side . They lock pretty nicely and sturdily with no gaps with my Tin T2, Penon Fan, BGVP NS9 and with mmcx to 2pin connectors I can use the POLA, BLON 03, Kanas pro and currently EVE 20.
The connector is 3.5mm with rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plug. It has a beautiful cat ear logo on it and seems sturdy enough. It is housed in a plastic shell with texture on top for proper grip (something that I miss in other connectors). The connector is neither too big nor small. At the beginning of wires, I would have loved to see a little more of that white plastic thing which protects the wires beginning. The practical attention to detail is really good.
The above image shows CAT EAR connector on right and BGVP NS9 on left
The cable has also a wonderful plastic splitter with also cat ear logo on it, has a finger holding grip texture on it and looks great. But it lacks the chin slider thingy, it is useful in certain case scenarios but for me it’s not that important.
COMFORT- This is a lot comfy that any other I have tried, no earhooks means you can just wound it round your ear easy peasy and no discomfort with the soft texture of this cable.
It has no microphonics and literally very little memory too.
NOW COMING ON TO THE SOUND CHANGES THAT I PERCIEVED.
WITH BGVP NS9- It’s a good enough improvement, that did elevate the sound quality of the iem for sure. The treble which felt dull, too much smooth for my taste with the stock cable, now it’s more energetic, airy and adds a good amount of dynamism to the notes of the treble. There is slightly improved resolution of the iem and the height of the notes did increase and I loved it
WITH PENON FAN- Now this is already a treble monster with good details with its stock mmcx cable. With cat ear tuxedo though, the midrange and treble has become less bright but more balanced with each other, the sharp hits are now smoother and have a decent timbre attached to them. The soundstage is nearly the same but the improvement in bass, is impressive, the added punch and texture is really good!!
WITH BLON 03- Everyone knows how the stock Blons cable are haha. So this is a definite improvement over that but I use blon (Slaters mod done) with TRN 16 core SPC cable which I found to be better than stock at cheap. This tuxedo cable though, is an definite upgrade – the midrange becomes more distinct, the bass is more tighter and not even little midbass bleed anymore with any of my tracks, soundstage is wider, taller, no changes in depth though, separation is more and ohh the treble is more airy and more balanced and more energetic, just lovely.
WITH SHOZY POLA- The stock cable is a Symphonym Tiburon UPOCC copper cable is of very good quality and is 4 core pure copper cable and costs a lot around 170 $. Using this cable, I would say its average against it, but what I like is the ability to provide nearly same number of details and more height in soundstage considering it is way cheaper than it. Comfort wise this is way better than the stock cable of POLA since that’s a thick guy even though its 4 cores This is definitely not an upgrade but I won’t consider it a downgrade either, it’s great at the price this is coming
SUMMARY- The Cat Ear tuxedo really lived up to its name, its as elegant as a tuxedo and practical like the small gun 007 uses , should be used in next 007 movie(Haha).
I would definitely get this at the given price and considering the improvement this is a really great deal. I would love to see a chin slider next time and a little more thickness for more confidence on the durability.
CatEar is a slowly rising new brand with some really good earbuds like the Mimi and Mia. Having heard about the impressive reviews of Mimi, I was really excited to try their latest IEM upgrade cable, THE CATEAR TUXEDO.
The cable starts at 79 USD for the 3.5mm SE variant and about 85 USD for the 4.4mm pentaconn variant (Both rhodium plated connectors on the source end)
The tuxedo is available in both MMCX and 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. I was provided with the SE variant with 3.5mm rhodium connector, with MMCX connectors for review ,with an added mmcx female to 2pin male connector since I don’t have many mmcx connectors. You can find the link here .
SPECS-
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
- Material purity: 99.99997%
- Plating Purity: 99.996%
- Coating thickness: 60mil. (approx)
- Wire Structure: Multiple Stranded Litz Structure
- Conductor thickness: 26awg x 4 strands
- Number of cores: 252
- Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
PACKAGING- Now for this review I just received the cable along with BGVP NS9, so just gonna say ‘Hope its great as the cable sets a good standard !!’
BUILD- This is 4 core, beautiful pearly white cable made up of nylon and no ear hooks (I love it). It feels like a great nylon thread, supple, thin and still elegant. Its pretty thin but I wonder will it survive the occasional pull from my cat, idk but I am pretty sure it might. I love the supple nature but would love a little bit more sturdiness. The longevity only time can tell but given their reputation I have good hope!!
The mmcx connectors(in the below image- left is CatEar and right is BGVP NS9) are gold plated and precision milled (according to CATEAR). They are also housed in plastic shell and have red and blue rings for proper R and L side . They lock pretty nicely and sturdily with no gaps with my Tin T2, Penon Fan, BGVP NS9 and with mmcx to 2pin connectors I can use the POLA, BLON 03, Kanas pro and currently EVE 20.
The connector is 3.5mm with rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plug. It has a beautiful cat ear logo on it and seems sturdy enough. It is housed in a plastic shell with texture on top for proper grip (something that I miss in other connectors). The connector is neither too big nor small. At the beginning of wires, I would have loved to see a little more of that white plastic thing which protects the wires beginning. The practical attention to detail is really good.
The above image shows CAT EAR connector on right and BGVP NS9 on left
The cable has also a wonderful plastic splitter with also cat ear logo on it, has a finger holding grip texture on it and looks great. But it lacks the chin slider thingy, it is useful in certain case scenarios but for me it’s not that important.
COMFORT- This is a lot comfy that any other I have tried, no earhooks means you can just wound it round your ear easy peasy and no discomfort with the soft texture of this cable.
It has no microphonics and literally very little memory too.
NOW COMING ON TO THE SOUND CHANGES THAT I PERCIEVED.
WITH BGVP NS9- It’s a good enough improvement, that did elevate the sound quality of the iem for sure. The treble which felt dull, too much smooth for my taste with the stock cable, now it’s more energetic, airy and adds a good amount of dynamism to the notes of the treble. There is slightly improved resolution of the iem and the height of the notes did increase and I loved it
WITH PENON FAN- Now this is already a treble monster with good details with its stock mmcx cable. With cat ear tuxedo though, the midrange and treble has become less bright but more balanced with each other, the sharp hits are now smoother and have a decent timbre attached to them. The soundstage is nearly the same but the improvement in bass, is impressive, the added punch and texture is really good!!
WITH BLON 03- Everyone knows how the stock Blons cable are haha. So this is a definite improvement over that but I use blon (Slaters mod done) with TRN 16 core SPC cable which I found to be better than stock at cheap. This tuxedo cable though, is an definite upgrade – the midrange becomes more distinct, the bass is more tighter and not even little midbass bleed anymore with any of my tracks, soundstage is wider, taller, no changes in depth though, separation is more and ohh the treble is more airy and more balanced and more energetic, just lovely.
WITH SHOZY POLA- The stock cable is a Symphonym Tiburon UPOCC copper cable is of very good quality and is 4 core pure copper cable and costs a lot around 170 $. Using this cable, I would say its average against it, but what I like is the ability to provide nearly same number of details and more height in soundstage considering it is way cheaper than it. Comfort wise this is way better than the stock cable of POLA since that’s a thick guy even though its 4 cores This is definitely not an upgrade but I won’t consider it a downgrade either, it’s great at the price this is coming
SUMMARY- The Cat Ear tuxedo really lived up to its name, its as elegant as a tuxedo and practical like the small gun 007 uses , should be used in next 007 movie(Haha).
I would definitely get this at the given price and considering the improvement this is a really great deal. I would love to see a chin slider next time and a little more thickness for more confidence on the durability.
Disclaimer:
This review is based on my usage of the tuxedo cable with different IEMs over a week. I was provided with a 3.5mm MMCX cable by CatEar as part of a review circle, in exchange of an honest review. I am not associated with the brand in any way and am merely reporting my observations, based on my usage of the cable.
CatEar is an emerging brand with some really good budget friendly products like the Mimi and Mia. Having tried the Mimi before, I was very excited to try their latest IEM upgrade cable, the Cat-ear Tuxedo. The cable starts at 79 USD for the 3.5mm SE variant and goes up to about 85 USD for the 4.4mm pentaconn variant. The tuxedo is available in both MMCX and 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. I was provided with the 3.5mm SE variant with MMCX connectors for the purpose of this review.
The CatEar Tuxedo is made of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated OCC copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure with a rhodium-plated copper termination plug. What’s interesting is that the cable, connectors, and terminations used, undergo a -196℃ cryogenic treatment. The cable looks and feels premium and has a good build quality. The cable is soft and is free of microphonics. The Tuxedo is lightweight and flexible yet seems to be durable enough for using it with my daily drivers.
I tried out the Tuxedo with a variety of IEMs:
I was able to appreciate the warmth and smooth texture of the Tuxedo especially with the Shure SE215 and FiiO FH7. In case of the FH7, which has a really wide stage and good dynamics, the layering felt slightly better when compared to the stock cable (FiiO LC-C). The lightweight and flexibility of the cable was a welcome change when compared to the stock cable of the SE215, which is rugged but is also very rigid.
In case of the BGVP NS9, the Tuxedo added a tinge of airiness that was lacking with the stock cable and definitely enhanced the experience of listening to the NS9. As mentioned in my review of the BGVP NS9, the IEM lacks in terms of treble quantity. Perhaps the most perceivable change in the case of BGVP Artmagic VG4 was in terms of dynamics. The dynamic range was clearly larger than the stock cable, and there was a significant improvement in terms of the thump in the lower end.
I couldn’t perceive any significant improvement in the case of the Shure SE846 when compared to the cable I use it with currently (Alo audio Silver Litz). As a matter of fact, I had to crank up the volume to a fair extent while using it with the SE846. This could probably be because the SE846 is a sensitive IEM with an impedance of 9 Ohms and a sensitivity of 114 dB/mW. Though, I will have to admit that I was impressed with how the Tuxedo (a 79 USD cable) was able to perform at par with the Alo audio Silver Litz (a 249 USD cable).
All in all, I would definitely recommend the Tuxedo as a replacement cable, especially considering the improvement in SQ given the cost of the cable.
This review is based on my usage of the tuxedo cable with different IEMs over a week. I was provided with a 3.5mm MMCX cable by CatEar as part of a review circle, in exchange of an honest review. I am not associated with the brand in any way and am merely reporting my observations, based on my usage of the cable.
CatEar is an emerging brand with some really good budget friendly products like the Mimi and Mia. Having tried the Mimi before, I was very excited to try their latest IEM upgrade cable, the Cat-ear Tuxedo. The cable starts at 79 USD for the 3.5mm SE variant and goes up to about 85 USD for the 4.4mm pentaconn variant. The tuxedo is available in both MMCX and 0.78mm 2 Pin connectors. I was provided with the 3.5mm SE variant with MMCX connectors for the purpose of this review.
The CatEar Tuxedo is made of 252 cores of high-purity silver-plated OCC copper wires stranded together in a multi-strand Litz structure with a rhodium-plated copper termination plug. What’s interesting is that the cable, connectors, and terminations used, undergo a -196℃ cryogenic treatment. The cable looks and feels premium and has a good build quality. The cable is soft and is free of microphonics. The Tuxedo is lightweight and flexible yet seems to be durable enough for using it with my daily drivers.
I tried out the Tuxedo with a variety of IEMs:
- BGVP NS9
- BGVP Artmagic VG4
- Shure SE846
- Shure SE215
- FiiO FH7
I was able to appreciate the warmth and smooth texture of the Tuxedo especially with the Shure SE215 and FiiO FH7. In case of the FH7, which has a really wide stage and good dynamics, the layering felt slightly better when compared to the stock cable (FiiO LC-C). The lightweight and flexibility of the cable was a welcome change when compared to the stock cable of the SE215, which is rugged but is also very rigid.
In case of the BGVP NS9, the Tuxedo added a tinge of airiness that was lacking with the stock cable and definitely enhanced the experience of listening to the NS9. As mentioned in my review of the BGVP NS9, the IEM lacks in terms of treble quantity. Perhaps the most perceivable change in the case of BGVP Artmagic VG4 was in terms of dynamics. The dynamic range was clearly larger than the stock cable, and there was a significant improvement in terms of the thump in the lower end.
I couldn’t perceive any significant improvement in the case of the Shure SE846 when compared to the cable I use it with currently (Alo audio Silver Litz). As a matter of fact, I had to crank up the volume to a fair extent while using it with the SE846. This could probably be because the SE846 is a sensitive IEM with an impedance of 9 Ohms and a sensitivity of 114 dB/mW. Though, I will have to admit that I was impressed with how the Tuxedo (a 79 USD cable) was able to perform at par with the Alo audio Silver Litz (a 249 USD cable).
All in all, I would definitely recommend the Tuxedo as a replacement cable, especially considering the improvement in SQ given the cost of the cable.
Disclaimer:
The unit has been sent to me by Catear as a part of a review circle. I am not working or affiliated to Catear and I am not being paid or influenced otherwise to say anything positive or negative about this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Note: Please note that my opinions and ratings are based on price, category, market competition and personal expectations and are subjective in nature.
Specifications:
Cable length: 1.2m
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Material purity: 99.99997%
Plating Purity: 99.996%
Coating thickness: 60mil. (approx)
Wire Structure: Multiple Stranded Litz Structure
Conductor thickness: 26awg x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
Introduction:
Catear is a new brand that made its entry with budget friendly products like Mimi, Mia and Tuxedo cable. Mimi was a highlight as it was a brilliant earbud considering its price. I haven’t yet tried Mia but now I got the opportunity to try the Tuxedo cable. It retails for 79USD and available at various stores internationally. It is available in 2pin/mmcx connectors and 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm terminations. The cable specifications are already mentioned above. There are a few more information about its construction like 3-stage cryogenic treatment, Rhodium plated copper plugs, gold plated mmcx/2 pin connectors, German WBT silver solder used for welding etc. You can find the details here: https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
Build Quality and comfort:
I have the mmcx cable with 3.5mm termination for review, I didn’t receive the full retail packaging so I can’t really talk about the unboxing/packaging experience. The is lightweight and flexible, probable one of the best cable in terms of comfortability I have used. Its light on the ear, folds easily along the curve behind the ear. I didn’t notice any microphonics. The build quality is overall good however I cannot really speak about the longevity as I have it for just a week, I’m not sure how the cable will degrade with time. The comfortability comes at the cost of the sturdiness and I am not sure if it can sustain occasional stress and the usual wear and tear over time. Nevertheless considering the price its a home run.
Score: 9/10
Sound Impressions:
For sound impressions I will be using the Campfire Audio Andormeda 2019 as I feel Andromeda is a very sensitive IEM and tend to respond well to cable changes. I will compare it with Satin Audio Hyperion 8x cable whose technical description you can check from Satin Audio website.
I personally use Effect Audio Thor II Silver cable as I feel this is the best cable for Andromeda as per my preference.
Tuxedo vs Satin Audio Hyperion 8x:
Tuxedo with Andromeda is a good pairing, the sound is smooth with a tinge of warmth and is fairly dynamic. The tonality is natural and I didn't notice any peaks.
Hyperion 8x has similar characteristics as it is also a Silver plated OCC cable. The sound is smooth upto similar levels, the warmth is slightly less. The tonality is natural too but I felt the dynamic range to be slightly better. There’s more depth to the sound. I also felt the extension in the treble region to be slightly better than Tuxedo, but then this is me being extremely critical about it and maybe most people wont even find the difference. The soundstage seemed similar with good width and average depth.
I don’t like both the cable’s pairing with Andromeda as they are too smooth and lacks the punch. Thor II in this case is much better and brings the most out of the Andromeda but then it is 4 times the price so it is unfair to take this into consideration.
Score: 8.5/10
Conclusion:
The Hyperion 8x is an 8 strand cable so it feels more sturdy and looks like will survive through occasional stresses and usage wear and tear more than the Tuxedo. The Hyperion 8x is equally comfortable to use. But the 8-strand cable comes at a slightly higher price of around 100USD. There are other variations with 4 and 6 strands too at a lesser price. I am not sure if increase or decrease in strands can impact sound quality.
Tuxedo is a good cable for its price and can be a very good replacement to stock cable to low-mid tier IEMs. The stock cables in most IEMs aren’t of best quality and hence Tuxedo can be a great cable to bring the most out of the IEMs. Here I would also like to mention that it is characteristics of the Andromeda to sound overly smooth with SPC cables, and hence it needn’t be that Tuxedo will sound too smooth with other IEMs too. It will mostly bring out a refinement in sound quality compared to stock cables and hence I believe it will a good choice.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
The unit has been sent to me by Catear as a part of a review circle. I am not working or affiliated to Catear and I am not being paid or influenced otherwise to say anything positive or negative about this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Note: Please note that my opinions and ratings are based on price, category, market competition and personal expectations and are subjective in nature.
Specifications:
Cable length: 1.2m
Cable material: Silver Plated OCC copper
Material purity: 99.99997%
Plating Purity: 99.996%
Coating thickness: 60mil. (approx)
Wire Structure: Multiple Stranded Litz Structure
Conductor thickness: 26awg x 4 strands
Number of cores: 252
Insulation material: DuPont-PVC
Introduction:
Catear is a new brand that made its entry with budget friendly products like Mimi, Mia and Tuxedo cable. Mimi was a highlight as it was a brilliant earbud considering its price. I haven’t yet tried Mia but now I got the opportunity to try the Tuxedo cable. It retails for 79USD and available at various stores internationally. It is available in 2pin/mmcx connectors and 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm terminations. The cable specifications are already mentioned above. There are a few more information about its construction like 3-stage cryogenic treatment, Rhodium plated copper plugs, gold plated mmcx/2 pin connectors, German WBT silver solder used for welding etc. You can find the details here: https://www.catearaudio.com/product/catear-tuxedo
Build Quality and comfort:
I have the mmcx cable with 3.5mm termination for review, I didn’t receive the full retail packaging so I can’t really talk about the unboxing/packaging experience. The is lightweight and flexible, probable one of the best cable in terms of comfortability I have used. Its light on the ear, folds easily along the curve behind the ear. I didn’t notice any microphonics. The build quality is overall good however I cannot really speak about the longevity as I have it for just a week, I’m not sure how the cable will degrade with time. The comfortability comes at the cost of the sturdiness and I am not sure if it can sustain occasional stress and the usual wear and tear over time. Nevertheless considering the price its a home run.
Score: 9/10
Sound Impressions:
For sound impressions I will be using the Campfire Audio Andormeda 2019 as I feel Andromeda is a very sensitive IEM and tend to respond well to cable changes. I will compare it with Satin Audio Hyperion 8x cable whose technical description you can check from Satin Audio website.
I personally use Effect Audio Thor II Silver cable as I feel this is the best cable for Andromeda as per my preference.
Tuxedo vs Satin Audio Hyperion 8x:
Tuxedo with Andromeda is a good pairing, the sound is smooth with a tinge of warmth and is fairly dynamic. The tonality is natural and I didn't notice any peaks.
Hyperion 8x has similar characteristics as it is also a Silver plated OCC cable. The sound is smooth upto similar levels, the warmth is slightly less. The tonality is natural too but I felt the dynamic range to be slightly better. There’s more depth to the sound. I also felt the extension in the treble region to be slightly better than Tuxedo, but then this is me being extremely critical about it and maybe most people wont even find the difference. The soundstage seemed similar with good width and average depth.
I don’t like both the cable’s pairing with Andromeda as they are too smooth and lacks the punch. Thor II in this case is much better and brings the most out of the Andromeda but then it is 4 times the price so it is unfair to take this into consideration.
Score: 8.5/10
Conclusion:
The Hyperion 8x is an 8 strand cable so it feels more sturdy and looks like will survive through occasional stresses and usage wear and tear more than the Tuxedo. The Hyperion 8x is equally comfortable to use. But the 8-strand cable comes at a slightly higher price of around 100USD. There are other variations with 4 and 6 strands too at a lesser price. I am not sure if increase or decrease in strands can impact sound quality.
Tuxedo is a good cable for its price and can be a very good replacement to stock cable to low-mid tier IEMs. The stock cables in most IEMs aren’t of best quality and hence Tuxedo can be a great cable to bring the most out of the IEMs. Here I would also like to mention that it is characteristics of the Andromeda to sound overly smooth with SPC cables, and hence it needn’t be that Tuxedo will sound too smooth with other IEMs too. It will mostly bring out a refinement in sound quality compared to stock cables and hence I believe it will a good choice.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
Build Quality & Accessories :
I have with me the MMCX, 3.5mm SE variant of the Tuxedo. Firstly, the cable comes in a suave package with strong cat themes (as should be expected). You get a buttoned leather carry pouch and a buttoned clip to keep the cable organized. The overall build quality is very good and confidence inspiring. The MMCX plugs are nice and create a tight fit. You get a loud and reassuring click whenever you slot it in the female port, and by the gods, you get red and blue labelled rings for right and left respectively. CatEar knows just how convenient it is for the select few like me. You get a big fat chunky metal cable splitter and a big knurled termination plug, both branded. Termination is Rhodium Plated for better long term endurance and frankly it just looks more elegant and less chintzy than your measly gold plated ends. The material of the cable is not plain white, but has a snowy sheen to it, and the insulation adds to the overall elegance of the cable. The length is perfect for portable use, and it does not tangle or hold its shape after bending. The stylized and branded carry pouch shows clearly that CatEar does take aesthetics seriously.
Notes On Sound Changes :-
With BGVP DM8 : There is a clear increase in body in the midbass which has more control than with the stock cable of DM8. The second change is treble body which adds a better sense of tone in this region. Note : this does NOT add brightness to the sound; just adds depth and body in the treble region and gives a better sense of tone. There is an improved sense of open-ness in the sound. These three changes are pretty noticeable when coming from the stock cable.
With BGVP NS9 : This pairing actually improves the IEM considerably. The NS9 is not revealing and transparent; blurred in the top end. The Tuxedo helps open up the top end considerably and also improves the control of midbass which is already on the loose side on the NS9. It is a clear upgrade in terms of image clarity compared to the stock cable and makes the IEM much more palatable for me.
With the CA Andromeda 2019 w/ Effect Audio Thor Silver Cable :
In this case the sound change was the biggest, thanks to the high sensitivity of Andromeda. The stock cable of Andromeda is of very poor quality for the asking price not only from a build perspective but also from a sonic one. It is shouty and thin, negatively impacts the potential of the IEM. Moving over to the Tuxedo, the entire sound signature changed. Smoother, refined, no shoutiness, more bass body and depth and a better sense of timbre in the top end. It was the change the Andromeda needed, and pivoted by view of the IEM totally.
I then switched over to the Effect Thor Silver Cable which costs much more than the Tuxedo. The Thor cable added even more bass dynamics and punch and widened the soundstage further. But the change is little in reality, and honestly not worth paying the price difference in my opinion. This shows that Tuxedo really does perform well in the sound department and can compete with the top shelf stuff.
Closing Thoughts :
Coming in a complete package, the biggest selling point is the price to performance factor. In the world of snake-oil cables with a soul sucking price tag, the Tuxedo is not only affordable but also provides a consistent improvement in sound signature across a variety of IEMs. If you fancy an upgrade cable for your IEM, you should take a look at this.
I have with me the MMCX, 3.5mm SE variant of the Tuxedo. Firstly, the cable comes in a suave package with strong cat themes (as should be expected). You get a buttoned leather carry pouch and a buttoned clip to keep the cable organized. The overall build quality is very good and confidence inspiring. The MMCX plugs are nice and create a tight fit. You get a loud and reassuring click whenever you slot it in the female port, and by the gods, you get red and blue labelled rings for right and left respectively. CatEar knows just how convenient it is for the select few like me. You get a big fat chunky metal cable splitter and a big knurled termination plug, both branded. Termination is Rhodium Plated for better long term endurance and frankly it just looks more elegant and less chintzy than your measly gold plated ends. The material of the cable is not plain white, but has a snowy sheen to it, and the insulation adds to the overall elegance of the cable. The length is perfect for portable use, and it does not tangle or hold its shape after bending. The stylized and branded carry pouch shows clearly that CatEar does take aesthetics seriously.
Notes On Sound Changes :-
With BGVP DM8 : There is a clear increase in body in the midbass which has more control than with the stock cable of DM8. The second change is treble body which adds a better sense of tone in this region. Note : this does NOT add brightness to the sound; just adds depth and body in the treble region and gives a better sense of tone. There is an improved sense of open-ness in the sound. These three changes are pretty noticeable when coming from the stock cable.
With BGVP NS9 : This pairing actually improves the IEM considerably. The NS9 is not revealing and transparent; blurred in the top end. The Tuxedo helps open up the top end considerably and also improves the control of midbass which is already on the loose side on the NS9. It is a clear upgrade in terms of image clarity compared to the stock cable and makes the IEM much more palatable for me.
With the CA Andromeda 2019 w/ Effect Audio Thor Silver Cable :
In this case the sound change was the biggest, thanks to the high sensitivity of Andromeda. The stock cable of Andromeda is of very poor quality for the asking price not only from a build perspective but also from a sonic one. It is shouty and thin, negatively impacts the potential of the IEM. Moving over to the Tuxedo, the entire sound signature changed. Smoother, refined, no shoutiness, more bass body and depth and a better sense of timbre in the top end. It was the change the Andromeda needed, and pivoted by view of the IEM totally.
I then switched over to the Effect Thor Silver Cable which costs much more than the Tuxedo. The Thor cable added even more bass dynamics and punch and widened the soundstage further. But the change is little in reality, and honestly not worth paying the price difference in my opinion. This shows that Tuxedo really does perform well in the sound department and can compete with the top shelf stuff.
Closing Thoughts :
Coming in a complete package, the biggest selling point is the price to performance factor. In the world of snake-oil cables with a soul sucking price tag, the Tuxedo is not only affordable but also provides a consistent improvement in sound signature across a variety of IEMs. If you fancy an upgrade cable for your IEM, you should take a look at this.
