Disclaimer: - I am a bass head and prefer a wide sound with natural timbre, excellent imaging and thumpy mid-bass with moderate decay and clinical precision regarding instrument separation. I am highly averse to bright-sounding transducers and sibilance in my music.
I would like to thank AudioGeeks India and Penon for this opportunity to listen and review the Pyramid 8W cable.
Also, I recently added a D16+PB5 stack to my sources and am still getting acquainted with them. It would often be hard to infer if what I am listening to is imparted by iem, cable, tips, and source as I had plenty of these on my hands, thanks to AudioGeek for providing additional cables for reviewing purposes. So I type this review with a little less conviction than I usually do.
Do cables even make a difference? I feel yes. They do. I feel quite a bit different when I roll cables. I know I am not immune to placebo and might just parroting the stereotypical perceptions of various metals, used in a cable. So, take this as my subjective take. Not based on any scientific reasoning, just what I feel.
Do cables make enough difference to warrant additional spending? Yes. I do invest in cables separately with my iems.
Introduction:
The official specs, taken from the Penon website are:
Pyramid : 4 shares, 147 cores per share, 588 cores in total
Pyramid VI : 6 shares, 147 cores per share, 882 cores in total
Pyramid VIII : 8 shares, 147 cores per share, 1176 cores in total
Litz type 9
Copper-gold alloy + pure silver
+ Copper-silver alloy silver-plated
+ Single crystal copper silver-plated
+ Furukawa high-purity copper winding
2Pin 0.78mm OFC pin
Vintage Egyptian pattern brass accessory
3.5mm audio/4.4mm balanced OFC plug
Cable is 1.2M
I don’t know how the topology and the materials affect the sound of the cable but would share my subjective listening experience with you.
Build Quality: Hands down the best cable I have held in my hands. I like to use thicker cables for the way they feel and sound and Pyramid 8W is just what I would imagine to be my endgame when it comes to looks. It has a lacquered copper finish with matching plugs that feel robust.
It’s definitely on the heavier side and I will not pair it with iems where the nozzle sits on the ear canal. It can seem heavy with iems like Canpur 622b as it has a very unique fit on my ears. The iem sits on my ear canal and the cable adds a little weight as well. So, not a great long listening session combo. Might look at 2W/4W options if using something like the Canpur.
The cable feels like it's out of a ‘Luxe’ collection from a fashion brand. It reeks of opulence and royalty. The thick lacquered wire looks and feels incredible.
Although looks I believe are subjective but this one I did fancy it more than any other cable.
Sound:
Lows: I feel that Pyramid brings more impact to the sub-bass and cleans the distortion around the impact area. This is the most obvious thing I noticed when I plugged it in. Any iem I put on it, I know now that I am going to get better mid-bass. It won’t catapult a neutral iem to bass-head levels but will surely add prominence to the mid-bass
Mids: For Mids, I felt I get a sense of clarity with this cable. I feel they have more ‘Heft’. Mids feel clear and accurate with the pyramid.
Highs: I loved how it blunts the highs and offers that warm tweak to the iem. If an iem feels sibilant post connecting with pyramid I concur that the tonality isn’t to my liking. It does what I expect it to do. Tilt the sound towards the warmer side.
Technicalities: Along with mid-bass I also noticed an improvement in simulating a darker background, better imaging and wider soundstage. I was very pleased with how dark the background is with this cable.
Pairings:
Thieaudio Monarch MK3 – This is my personal unit and I am familiar with this iem the most. If I keep Monarch MK3 with me then this cable is a must. Improves bass texture and delivers cleaner bass. The mids pop and highs get blunted. The perfect treatment for MK3. “Just take it and go” kinda combo.
Canpur 622B – Sound-wise again I felt this was a great pairing with Canpur. Especially the mid-bass punch provided by this cable and the blunting of highs work great with Canpur. However, during walks that lasted for like an hour, I felt that my ears did get tired with the weight. Amazing for stationary listening.
Rhapsodio V3 Supreme – Didn’t have the weight problem with V3 as the fit was deeper in the ear canal. Although V3 is heavier than Canpur, I believe that using it with V3 was like a blessing. The already endgame iem improved on tonality for me. The highs get tamed and the overall pairing tilts it towards my preference.
Symphonium Crimson – Not a great combination for most I believe as it delivers a warmer tonality alongside the already warm and articulate Crimson. I didn’t feel that the pyramid created a lot of synergy with crimson but just enhanced the warmth and technicalities in the same vector it already performs well in. Asos – x Cable was the one that gave this iem ‘synergy’.
Penon Voltage – The vertical soundstage takes a boost. It makes the presentation more engaging and complete with the voltage. I used the voltage with the bass-heavy configuration and still wanted more warmth as it sounded balanced to me. Improved technicalities and the added note weight make this a great pair.
Penon Fan3 – An iem that makes me feel – ‘clarity’ in its essence. A balanced tuning that focuses on delivering a clear distortion-free sound. Add a pyramid to the equation and the denser note weight and added vertical soundstage make it a synergetic combo.
ISN EST50 – One of my favourite iems but unfortunately it gets too warm as its already a warm iem. Silver cables work better with this iem. Although still leaps and bounds ahead of the stock cable I would prefer Asos – X with this one.
Conclusion: At 500USD for the 8W configuration I think it hits above its price mark. Looks pristine and deserves a place in one’s collection purely based on looks I believe.
Soundwise, it has that Copper Midas touch which warms everything it makes contact with.
Better technicalities and improved note weight are easily evident while using this cable in my chain.
Pros: Extra wide density approaching found in all IEMs and DAPs
Superior note-weight and thickness known only to the VI and VIII
Superior resolution and detail
A smoother idea of midrange and treble than your typical silver based cables
Deep extra dark low-end basement
Great separation and transients
Noticeable and clear reverberations
Big stage in all directions, wide, front to back and top to bottom
All this happens with the add of an extra 4 wires over the original Pyramid
Amazingly ergonomic and quiet
Fluid and smoothly provocative like only the very best TOTL cables could do
Cons: Big and slightly heavy at 86 grams
The Penon Pyramid VIII Cable: Redcarmoose Labs December 28th, 2024
So after a solid 7 day week of burn-in I feel the Penon Pyramid VIII is ready for review. This story started with Dsnuts having the idea to add more shares to the original 4 share Pyramid cable. If I remember right he asked if an 8 share model was possible. Now the wild part was sure the original was a nice cable, and had many of the same tonal characteristics we are going to talk about today. Only for this listener the romance didn’t start until the (6 share) VI arrived on my door-step. Personally these extra 2 shares made all the difference in the world. Yep, it was like trying out a 4 cylinder car then going for the exact same model upgraded to 6 cylinders! This for me was mostly VI added stage, but once you opened up the stage, new avenues of information and texture became found and enjoyed.
Truth to be told, the Pyramid VI became my second favorite cable ever, only surpassed by the Penon TOTEM cable. Now I would have been fine living my life out with me and the VI doing our thing. Our thing you ask? The Pyramid VI goes and makes a few IEMs in my collection the best ever; just the right amount of stage, a clarity found in the lows by cleaning house and adding lower transparency. A focus into vocals, yet without the energy that comes along with pure silver. So the stage is just slightly wider with a cable like the Penon ASOS+ or ASOS+X. That extra energy is nice if you want a duller IEM to get a shot of espresso. But what if you are looking for realism, truth……so to speak? That naturalness is what Penon brought to the table with the VI, and now the VIII. I never thought I would get the chance to hear the VIII, but here I am, and here we are………..a V8 motor now in our car! Yep, 8 shares of wire.
History of the Penon Pyramid VIII:
Available versions:
Pyramid : 4 shares, 147 cores per share, 588 cores in total cost $349.00 Pyramid VI : 6 shares, 147 cores per share, 882 cores in total cost $419.00 Pyramid VIII : 8 shares, 147 cores per share, 1176 cores in total cost $499.00
VIII first impressions:
Look, I get it that there are probably half the members (here) that don't believe in cable changes. And out of courtesy I will not be upset by your conclusions, and accept that is where the cable non-believers live.............as this is a subjective hobby and all of us are climbing upon a slightly different area of the mountain top. Yet just keep in mind that since the 1960's fidelity increase in audio gear, 50% of people do notice dramatic charges from adding an audiophile cable into the audio chain.
In fact, every little additive or subtraction does create its own style of tone/technicalities for the perceiving.
Cables are probably my favorite thing..........yep I like them even more than sources or IEMs. While each is important as you can't have playback without all three. There just seems to be found longevity in cable use. Meaning once you buy a cable it can be used with past IEMs and future IEMs, it can be used to actualize the value of past sources and future sources.................do you see where I'm going with this? Yes?
In comes the Pyramid, then the Pyramid VI and the Pyramid VIII. And just by chance I got them and learned about them in that order. And while I have spent countless hours, days, weeks and months..........adding up to recent years listening and trying to get my head around cables......it has been a slow process. The process even offers surprises as you can't possibly try every cable with every IEM and every source. But what happens is after a review is written (being the sum total of your cable experience at that point)...............that experience lives on. Meaning the more time you have with a cable (after the review is over) the more additional information and character becomes noticed. This new perspective can be more dramatic or less dramatic, but becomes known at a future date no matter which cable you are using.
As you know much of this depends on side-by-sides. Going back to a few pure copper cables I purchased in 2018......I was surprised at how the "just" copper cables failed to procure the additive of brightness that I had become addicted to with many newer cables I used. This enlightenment is just how realizations work, that pulling out an older cable then put face-to-face with newer inventions to bring about a new understanding. Now keep in mind those older pure copper cables were still a little pricey at $170.00, and still have their uses with overly bright IEMs, but the continued daily use has been compromised by the new cable blood acquired.
The Pyramid VI and VIII:
Look, I never thought I would get a chance to hear the VIII. The way this hobby goes, it is always looking up, and never actually looking back. So when I heard I was getting the new Dsnuts invention of adding more wires to the Pyramid, I thought they had taken 4 wires to make 8 wires and that was the end of the story. Then I noted the Penon site, listing three Pyramids of choice.
So it may be a bewildering task to try and figure-out which of the 3 cables would be best for you to get. With the physical size and 86 gram weight of the VIII, ergonomics are very different from any cable you have probably had a relationship with. I mean this whole adding (extra) wire thing is simply getting used to the bigger wires. Meaning once acquainted, going back to cables even from a year ago that seems thick and beefy, is a surprise and those older cables just seem drastically small.
The main thing is ergonomics and the Pyramid VIII or VI and original Pyramid cables are fairly flexible, which makes them a joy. Though I will say, putting them into action is a little of an event. Meaning you look down and the size psychology takes a little of an effect, maybe a lot of effect?
At this point I am really stuck on the differences between the $349.00 Pyramid and the $419.00 Pyramid VI. What I mean is if you read my Pyramid VI review, I am totally surprised at what two extra wires did to the sound. At still at this point with the VIII first impressions………….I have to say the biggest jump would still be considered the VI, if you were going from the original Pyramid version one.
What is it?
Extra wide density approaching found in all IEMs and DAPs
Superior note-weight and thickness known only to the VI and VIII
Superior resolution and detail
A smoother idea of midrange and treble than your typical silver based cables
Deep extra dark low-end basement
Great separation and transients
Noticeable and clear reverberations
Big stage in all directions, wide, front to back and top to bottom
All this happens with the add of an extra 2 wires over the original Pyramid
Amazingly ergonomic and quiet
Fluid and smoothly provocative like only the very best TOTL cables could do
VIII first impressions:
The Pyramid III adds effortless detail and better separation into a bigger stage. It has to be explained that this is what % of extra qualities are found inside of the diminishing returns for your dollar spent. I’m guessing out there that there will be two styles of buyers here, one that gets the Pyramid and one that goes all out to get the VIII. While I never want to downplay the ability with the Pyramid VI, as that seemed to me to offer the most change from the Pyramid version one? To where in reality the VI is more ergonomic and still offers 90% of the upgrade into how sonically the VIII is heard. At least this is how I perceive it on my first day?
My personal Pyramid VI history:
Ever since I got the VI I have learned more. With future IEM reviews, the Timeless II had me roll-in the Pyramid VI (as I didn’t have the VIII yet) and found the VI to be the very best cable in my whole collection for that Planar IEM? The ASOS+X and Timeless II………you may ask? Well being the Timeless II Planar borders on wanting thickness, the added girth and physicality...............and that is what the VI brought to the table, over the more airy floating quality of the ASOS+X.
There was this air of the ASOS+X that somehow created a slight static in the midrange, to where the VI was still totally clear, but the sound was emitted from a quiet and darker, more defined background! A more down to earth sound, more real and of holding not quite the excited midrange stage as the ASOS+X!
VIII:
And that is a nutshell is the whole Pyramid VIII quality. That adding the VIII to the SHOCK, I was gaining a next level stage separation/expansion, then inside the very center of that stage vocals take-on a more finite replay....................showing a tiny effortless additive actualizes natural and smooth vocal tone!
Is the VIII the best cable for the SHOCK? Answer.............yes it is!
Increase of note-weight, that the SHOCK doesn’t need, but it is done in such a way that it simply adds realism in the end. Hearing simply extra details and those details provided into a slightly bigger stage was where the money is in my humble opinion? Farther out drum replay and a critical texture that was found as an addition. Because as you may know, textures are the added benefit of a cable, especially after the tone is found. That the VIII doesn’t really color the sound, maybe just slightly……..but any color is fully drowned-out by a window into the bottom-end. A blackness of background that fully beats-out any pure silver additive. Creating a black canvas to enrich any tone color your IEM puts forth.
Thank-you for reading my thoughts here!
Tests: Every once in a while I like to go back (just a little) a few years and learn what a new cable will do for an older IEM. Let’s face it, you may still have a few favorite (older) IEMs around, I mean they can’t all be from 2024, right? So just for fun we will see how the Pyramid VIII goes with both the older Penon Volt and TSMR-5. Then we will try the more recent Night Oblivion Butastur, then the up-to-date TSMR Armour and the TSMR SHOCK.
1) TSMR-5 All 5 name brand BA driver 1 22955 Knowles BA lows, 2 Sonon 33AJ071/9 mids, 2 Knowles 29689 highs $419.00
2) Penon Volt 4 Sonion EST, 2 Sonion BA and 1 10mm DD $799.00
3) Night Oblivion Butastur 10 BA, Sonion AcuPass Vented Woofer (2BA)-Knowles HODTEC (2BA)-Knowles GR31653 x 2 (4BA)-Knowles TWFK (2BA) $599.00
4) TSMR ARMOR 1 electrostatic, 2 8MM DD and 2 Knowles BAs $289.00
5) TSMR SHOCK 2 8mm DDs, 2 Knowles mids, 2 Sonion highs and 2 Sonion Bone Conduction Drivers $599.00
Test units:
TSMR-5:
So if you will take a moment to look back, no one knows how changes in the future will take place with new IEM tone and character. Meaning when an IEM was presented to market it was the best the company could do. Everyone who builds IEMs is balancing the cost to performance index, yet as time moves forward new ideas as to how an IEM should be tuned take effect, and often a slight shift in the sound designs are reached. Let’s not forget hindsight in 20/20. So I am revisiting the TSMR-5 to learn both what a new cable can do, and to reminisce about past sound ideas. Truth to be told this section of the review was written after my dramatic results found in listening to the Volt and Butastur. Yes, I heard the TSMR-5 then put it away, only to come back to it at this moment. Sure we will enjoy the present success of the TSMR SHOCK and ARMOR at the end, but for now it’s a TSMR IEM from the end of 2019. A build of quality ingredients, being all name brand BA drivers………..and you can look in and see them living inside the TSMR-5!
Here the 5 with the included cable
Using the Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s firmware installed, PAC LStips, and fresh for the day ears!
I can say this is by far the best I have heard the TSMR-5, all 3 DIP-Switchs ON. The reason this works is because we are not using pure silver to get the stage, and what is left out is any of the static silver energy. What we are left with is a down-to-earth factual replay, not colored or really even modified except for an increase in closeness, and a provocative big stage. The stage somehow sounds even bigger than yesterday? Any way to describe the TSMR-5 it is a technical marvel going about its day simply doing its activities right. What I mean by right, is if you were to study a response graph you would see (I’m guessing) a pretty close to correct idea of playback. Meaning Pinna Gain is totally correct, bass is there, but not the over-boosted presence so popular today with 2X DDs. This framework allows for vocals to come forward and cling-on to extra detail. Really the TSMR-5 is an audio microscope. Every little sss of the singers breath is heard, the smack of their lips. Yet at the same time it is blended to offer everything in the recording. The difference you ask from the modern day TSMR SHOCK and ARMOR? Here we are really less grounded, and ever so slightly floaty, yet there is value in this……….this is just what name brand BAs do when actualized into playback. Where yesterday I found this style of playback ever so slightly boring (after the Volt and Butastur)……..today it really is not boring at all. Though to be honest this TSMR-5 is maybe not as well rounded, in that modern ideas of bass replay hold a more sold framework of technicalities, that the modern sound is almost less detailed, offering DD madness, over the top warmth and textures, where here we are in a more polite dinner party, where everyone is wearing dresses and suits. Everyone is minding their table manners and speech……….and sure there are still ears for his style of replay, only we had to pass through 2019 waters to reach the shore of 2025 where we are now! Oh, the VIII, it makes this idea of replay just about as real and clear as I have ever heard it. As once you get over the VIII stage, which you really never quite get over, the imaging and tonal focus is left in what I would call pristine tone, meaning it is more real sounding than silver based cable creations. This effect can come-off at first like the VIII is warm……only after you listen for a while you realize it’s spot-on!
Penon Volt:
I’m going to spill the beans here. The Volt was one of the very best sounding I have ever heard it sound? It was so good I needed to put it aside for half a day and come back to it to make sure I was hearing the magic right. It is questionable how pertinent the Volt is today, as it probably sells less now after all these years. Surly people have more choices today……….only the Volt was released in October of 2020. I didn’t get a chance to hear it until May of 2023. But, it is by far one of my most favorite IEMs ever. So you could imagine if I had the possibility of bringing the Volt a new lease on life I would, and I would be excited for it.
Boom!
2nd time today! And yes it is all here so to speak. More vivid and even more perfect than I ever remember it to be. Common, this is what Head-Fi is about, tricks like what the Volt does never go out of style. So in case you don’t know, the Volt is about mids, but it also covers its treble and bass areas too. To where if you would ever question the seamless playback, sure bass is ever so slightly set back, to allow this giant midrange to flourish. When I did the Volt review I talked about how maybe there was a slight missing lower treble frequencies………but today sounds totally even, sincere, correct and complete?
Even the VIII has added vocal clarity, then the VIII went and cleaned-up the lower bass region, and if you know anything about IEM playback, if you clean house in the low-end, the resulting consequences appear as more bass. It is an audio illusion, where more clear bass becomes more bass! AHHH, I could ride-off into the sunset with this one, I really could…….I’m in love! And if you have the Volt, and you were wondering if a cable was out there that could maximize your Volt experience, yep…….this is it. I could write two or three more paragraphs about the VIII and the Volt, but I will leave this as proof……………OK, one last thing, the timbre is spot on, and the added effect of pure silver cables tend to exacerbate the issue of off-timbre, to where this warmer and more realistic stage comes about to dial the timbre in.
Night Oblivion Butastur:
The Butastur is the perfect IEM for someone that wants TOTL sound at a mid-price cost. Hearing it after the Volt was a tough act to follow. And I have to confess, the Butastur became a new thrill months after my review was written here at Redcarmoose Labs, due to finding just how great the Butastur sounded with the ASOS+X cable in place………and the two DIP-Switches off. The VI was put into use and widely talked about on the Head-Fi forums by Redcarmoose too. Yet he VIII ups the stage level, it opens the details to express themselves more openly and profound. Sure this is better than the VI, but I was so surprised by the VI, that I’m still getting over how much better it was than the original Pyramid. Here we are gifted with more effortless sounds, bigger stage for vocals and instruments (to go and be) generated into. Then the lower decays extended, a missing character at times with an all BA set.
10 BAs:
Frankly I don’t even know how that is possible, but I guess when vocals and instruments go farther outside, you have the ability to notice smaller ideas of decay details, and that is what we have. Just again close to perfect, though I will say where the money is at is in how the Volt did a slightly smoother midrange, to where now with the Butastur we have a more forward area of living details presented (technically) a shade less sleepy than the Volt did. And due to this, I actually like the Volt a shade better………but love them both…….I really do! Even with the hundreds of IEMs I have heard, the Volt and the Butastur are two of my absolute favorites…….and that is not changing anytime soon, especially with the VIII in place!
TSMR ARMOR (DIP Switches are one down - two up - three down):
Look, I was saving this for now………that and I have decided to use the Armor for all the cable side-by-sides to follow. Why? Why not the SHOCK? The Armor is a little more reserved and offers a slightly more expounded upon vocal presence, but most of all I feel it is good for cable tests due to balance. Where our TSMR-5 is priced almost the same as the ARMOR, only the extra slight harmonically enriched warmth of the TSMR ARMOR makes it a win-win for cable tests. This is due partially to balance too.
Really the ARMOR would be that fruit of the moment on TikTok. Yep, everyone and their Mom giving it a go, now for the diehard Head-fi enthusiast, the SHOCK would up the effects, yet here we may just find the ARMOR again, just that much more well rounded.
The ARMOR almost has me in tears, actually a little tear just rolled-down my face here. I mean, all this time I just spent talking about the ARMOR in the preceding words…….failed to do it justice. This is a going away IEM, a realization that 2024 was probably the greatest year in IEM history. Why? Big stage, but more than that, the vocals are now clearly in our face, never searching for attention, they are not demanding it either, no this is a profound stately proud demeanor, like a race car sitting on the tarmac before a race. Only the volume is on, and we are not questioning price or stature in the TSMR hierarchy……no. What the VIII is doing is letting the ARMOR be itself yet making the best of it.
I suggest you spend the $499.00 for the VIII to go with the $289.00 ARMOR. There are some outreaches into the stage and treble filigrees that challenge the Volt and Butastur even! Balance, complete, even and correct with a touch of this double DD holding and cuddling the sound like a newborn baby. I’m sorry I just had to write that…………..Just that the bass is in another universe here. And tight still, yet leaving room for those glorious mids to take position into the light and into the stage. Really this is all I need, plus it goes with all music and source devices, and the VIII makes the most of those changes. I could write more, but this is it………for now! Remember the cable tests are coming!
TSMR SHOCK:
You know the sequence of IEMs today was perfect. Really a ramp-up which has taken me two days to do, but none-the-less ended with a favorite here. And while the tone dials on the SHOCK are in the stock position, there is a magnificence found at this point in time. First off there have been rumors as to this combo of VIII and SHOCK. So when the VIII first arrived I jumped to try it, but while it was great, I was still on the fence about the prior VI ability. But after a full week of burn-in I see the light, and more than light it is a golden inviting sunset basking in Head-Fi romance and charm. Bigger than the ARMOR and showcasing where that extra jack went into included parts. People ask me, why don’t you try and change the dial settings to arrive at a set of mids more like the ARMOR? And crazy as it sounds, I feel the SHOCK is the best it can be out-of-the-box with burn-in. Meaning sure the ARMOR is a special kind of special, only the SHOCK goes ahead to proclaim a more vivid reality into a bigger stage and even more fleshed-out realizations of instruments and vocals. Truth to be told, those vocals are very much like the Sony house sound of the MDR-Z1R, the IER-ZIR etc…..etc. To where they are cradled and not as out-front into the stage, yet hold a concoction of balance that is still world class. The wild thing about the SHOCK is a reviewer can’t spend too little time with it, the SHOCK demands a day to slowly become indoctrinated into its charms and abilities. Where maybe the ARMOR is more quick access. The VIII is actually making the SHOCK more like the ARMOR in that this sonic world doorway is opened, the VIII is accelerating the perception of wider and thicker treble realizations coming about into the outskirts of the stage. Now where the money is here is how those tones are thick yet holding enough contrasts to become separated into life. Remember the VIII is simply down-to-earth real sounding. In use we are finding how the ASOS+X is my third favorite cable in-line next to the VIII and legendary TOTEM with the SHOCK. Only the thing is with the warmth of the SHOCK you would think the SHOCK would aspire to the extra air of the ASOS+X? When once you are inside this arena, nope……..the VIII is holding a naturalness that just never lets up!
Really this side-by-side should focus on the VI in comparison to the VIII. Why? Well if you have been reading up to this point you realize the VI and VIII are different from pretty much any cable I have ever heard, and I have heard one man’s share of cable so far. But in the quest of completeness I will compare the VIII to a few Penon cables.
The top down: The Penon ASOS+
The Penon Pyramid
The Penon Pyramid VI The Penon ASOS+X
But wait, where is the VIII, I don’t see the VIII in the picture and I want to compare sizes? I’ll get to that a little later. But to talk about size here, both the ASOS+X and the Penon VIII were the only two cables supplied to me with ear-hooks. Now I kind of agree that those two need them. Yet you can order the cables a few ways…………. And yes, while posting my results in the forums, there have been members who got back to me regarding their decision to go for the VI and not take it to the max with the VIII. Truth to be told the VI is miles different from the original Pyramid, therefore I commend their carefulness, only this hobby is about extremes. The biggest, the most expensive and the rarest of finds, makes the Head-Fi world go round. Still I would have been happy for the rest of my life with the VI, only I still would have been curious in the end, a slight curiosity. Why? Because the VI was so very different from the original Pyramid, and if two more shares made the VI what it was, what would two more shares do?
All the cable tests with the Sony WM1A, the ARMOR and PAC LStips.
ASOS+: 8 shares of 25 cores copper silver-plated + 99 cores single crystal copper copper mixed (Litz & SPC) with Purple 2Pins and plugs.
Here there is a vibrancy that had me loving the ASOS+ as an improvement to the ASOS. What Penon did was add Purple Palladium 2Pins and a Palladium plug to the party. Yep, this single thing went and added note density which while there was nothing wrong really with the original ASOS, the results of the Palladium were an added thickness, and with the style of cable the thickness is truly welcome 100% 24/7. Why? These ASOS line of cables use a different alloy of silver that expands the stage outward, bigger than the Pyramid line, but comes added on is a slight, ever so slight airiness, that will maybe welcome with many IEMs, is very different from the Pyramid line with the Pyramids more down-to-earth and a tad more honest about life. See, still that image size of the ASOS+ is dramatic and with the ARMOR probably better than the original Pyramid, in that size makes a huge difference, to this reviewer anyways. I could go on and on, as we know we are talking about my favorite subject……….but I have said enough.
Pyramid:
4 shares Litz Type 9 Copper-gold alloy and pure silver, copper-silver alloy silver-plated, single crystal copper silver-plated Furukawa high-purity copper winding.
HAHA, perception is funny because Dsnuts said the original Pyramid is like 80% of the sound of the next VI brother, or something like that? To where I now am starting to get where he is coming from, that yes, the whole Penon Pyramid sound got its genesis with the original. And now while I enjoy the original with the ARMOR, I am still fully on my mission to proclaim the VI and VIII as a better idea of what Penon first had in mind here. Why? Well the sound is the same, only this exact sound seems to come alive when it is opened up, but now more than ever I seem to note a slight thinness to the original, a thinner way that the VI and VIII totally do away with. Obviously this depends on your sources, your IEM and even your ear-tips. But I still feel the party doesn't get going here till the VI arrives, then the VIII are those friends that crash the party at 11:30 PM that have been to other parties beforehand that they are not talking about. So while yes, the original is great, it is just I never thought of the possibilities of these extra 2 or 4 shares?
Pyramid VI:
6 shares Litz Type 9 Copper-gold alloy and pure silver, copper-silver alloy silver-plated, single crystal copper silver-plated Furukawa high-purity copper winding.
Here is the deal, after hearing the ARMOR with the VIII so much I can easily pinpoint the difference here. Yes, the ARMOR was the perfect choice for my testing today. The VIII came through giving an elaborate extra thickness in image positioning, and it is not like the ARMOR is in any way bad, it is just this is the definition of the very conquest we are at in audiophile land………to maximize the sound, end of story. SO…….while still thick and great, the VIII is like adding extra cushions to the sound, more padding…....because if you're going to go over the top, don’t stop right before take-off. Where in reality the SHOCK kinda adds a luster and size that makes this difference less noticeable. Really that is how it is, that the SHOCK adds that size to the VI to make it more hardware driven……………like the VIII.
ASOS+X:
12 shares of 25 cores copper silver-plated + 99 cores single crystal copper copper mixed (Litz & SPC) with Purple 2Pins and plugs.
Wait, what? Before the VI arrived this was the top, and maybe for certain IEMs it still is. And I gave the ASOS+ and ASOS+X a small advantage by using the ARMOR today. You see the ARMOR has that range, in that there are never any fires to put out, instead we are simply going for it, all of it. This could be looked at as skiing down a slope of a mountain side, why do we ever want to trip-up a contestant? Especially with the ARMOR and ASOS+X involved. It is like exploring great ingredients here. To knock-off the frilly small talk, the ASOS+X is simply more airy and holds a huge stage compared to the Pyramid VI and VIII, though inside of that stage items are less dense, as there is no gold present and we can hear it. To take this DAP and cable additive to a darker IEM, maybe we would gain points for airiness and lower note-weight. But to me and today the Pyramid VI and VIII can take a small advantage, and even though the ASOS+X is great, there is a small dash (like salt) of realism provided by the Pyramid VI and VIII.
The VIII: The very bottom of the shot with a looser weave: 8 shares Litz Type 9 Copper-gold alloy and pure silver, copper-silver alloy silver-plated, single crystal copper silver-plated Furukawa high-purity copper winding.
Build: What else can be talked about with build? You read the specifics, though I will say the VI and VIII are very much the same. Where they took the weave to a looser braid, enabling an extra added amount of flexibility. Yet the VIII is still the heaviest and at 86 grams, a total of 36 more grams from the original 50 gram Pyramid cable. This talk about a looser weave with the VIII over the VI is almost nonsense, because the real difference is the VIII circumference, but for me being the VIII is only $150.00 more than the original Pyramid, the VIII is the obvious choice. And while VI is $70.00 more and nearly the same ergonomics, you really can’t lose. I’m just a little extreme in everything I do, so you could imagine, I want it all.
Conclusion: What fun. When you get down to it, adding a big cable is what Head-Fi is about. I mean everything is bigger now in 2024/2025. Bigger fruit to eat, bigger engines in custom cars…….it is all Science Fiction. Bigger trucks in tallness and length, more tires. You get the message, mankind is going to new extended places with technology and entertainment, bigger movie screens, more 7.1 Dolby Theater Sound. Yep, more is better. It is this authority that separates “OK” sound into fully involving……..to take your heart away sound experiences.
This is sincerely what I have found here.
The VIII is by far one of the nicest cables I have ever laid hands on. Sure it’s big, as that is what you're paying for, didn’t you read the review? Such material in excess means simply an easier and safer transfer of electrons into your IEM of choice. You are closer because the DAP is closer to you electronically. The sound is slightly larger…………and because of that things are slightly better separated for all to examine. I mean there are still side-effects of this cable size, in that I’m not sure you want to go jogging with the VIII in place. And sure, at 86 grams the VIII is a substantial piece of hardware, the VI lesser at 65 grams and the original Pyramid weighs 50 grams. Yet really you can do no wrong with the VI or VIII, the reason I say that is sonics...........as far as practicality, that is up to you?
I have done my job here providing all I can do to describe the Pyramid VIII and brothers, in both physicality and sound. Though I can promise you one thing……………my bet is either the VI or VIII being one of the single best cables you have ever tried. Going with all sources, and all genres of music, enhancing all IEMs the exact same way!
Pros: -enhances stage presentations. Wider, deeper and taller more spacious for your IEMs
-enhances note weight with added stage element from 4w<6w<8w
-enhanced stage, height and depth of sound, with the 8w maxed out for cables.
-enhances a clean treble presence, better air and sparkle. Which affects the prior plus
-enhances detail perception both macro and micro for all parts of your IEM sound
-enhances imaging, layering and sound separation. Higher end cables do that.
-enhances dimensional qualities due to prior plus
-enhances w a tighter bass note, better defined and textured.
-versatile for all types of sound signatures.
-flexible, premium looking, minimum microphonics
-more silver influence for sonics vs copper, more resolving
-cleaner but not brighter in tonal qualities.
-Premium in looks, feel and usability 6w>8w>4w (subjective)
-Pyramid 6w arguably one of the best looking IEM cables in existence
-Pyramid 8w the best effects of the pyramid cables.
-All 3 variants are consistent with Pyramid cable effects
-Price difference between 6w to 8w is $50
Cons: -8w is not double the effects of the 4w.
-4w is like 85% of what the 8w does.
-more silver influence in sonics vs copper, not ideal for brightly tuned IEMs.
-Pyramid 8w version weighs at an astonishing 84.6grams
-A cable called Pyramid needs a pyramid for a chin slider…Just saying.
Penon Pyramid VIII
Ok so I got my wish. I posted on my last review of the Penon Pyramid cables back in June of 2024 that an 8 wire variant does not exist. Well it seems Penon has been taking feedback about their cables and certainly my complaint that an 8 wire version does not exist. Well today I am bringing the very good news about what you guys will be reading about here in my review of the new Penon Pyramid VI and the Pyramid VIII. That is 6 wire and the 8 wire version of the Pyramids.
It is well known in the industry that when you add more material to what was already established there are a few design aspects that a cable maker has to consider. The main one being how exactly do you add 2 more cable cores to a 4 core cable or even doubling up to an 8 core cable? The type of braiding for the cable is everything with these IEM cables as it will depend on just what type and how tight the braiding is on the cable that will determine the flexibility, thickness and best of all how they look. The new 6w and 8w version of the popular Penon Pyramid cable is now a reality as Penon has done it once again. These 2 new variants were a bit of a surprise to me actually because I thought Penon would just do an 8w version but we have a middle ground between the standard 4w and the new 8w version in the 6w version. On this reader I will get into why either one of the two will be right for you or not. I think it will depend on what you're looking for in the new Pyramid variants.
Let's get this out of the way, both 6w and the 8w versions I would describe as being bulky. The standard 4w version is the only one that is even remotely normal thickness wise for IEM use but when adding 2 or 4 more physical cores, the cable becomes almost double or larger in girth and hence they become a bit bulky. With the very obvious fact that the 8w is truly a behemoth of a cable. If you have the type of personality that doesn't mind being bold in the pursuit of ultimate sound. Then the 8w here will be talking to you. Otherwise the nice balance of heft, girth, flexibility, usability, and arguably the best looking out of the 3 while taking advantage of more cores of the Pyramid, that would be the 6w version.
Pyramid VI shown ^
I have weighed both cables and the VI is 66.2grams. The VIII wire is a staggering 84.6grams. It will be difficult to get an IEM cable that weighs more than the Pyramid VIII. Know that you're dealing with a monster of a cable here in both bulk and weight. As of writing, Penon will give you the advantage of ordering either of these cables with cable guides or without. My review sample here is without cable guides and seems to work just fine with casual use. Don't know if I would be doing calisthenics using any of these cables but normal walking and using should work fine. And lastly in any termination you need for your sources. Single or balanced plugs.
Besides weight and girth, what does adding 2 to 4 extra cores of the Pyramid material here do for your IEMs? I will tell you it isn’t exactly double the effects of a given cable. But it does have a ramp up effect of what the Pyramid cable does best while adding an even greater stage and depth perception over the 4w version. All 3 cables bring a cleaner tonal character and enhance stage elements due to its liberal use of silver cores, silver plating and hybrid alloy metals within the cores. The Pyramid in a nutshell is more of an advanced SPC type cable or silver plated copper type cable. But utilizes 4 different types. Copper-gold alloy with pure silver. Copper- silver alloy with silver plating, single crystal copper with silver plating, Furukawa high purity copper winding. Ultimately what this mish mash of alloys, coppers and silver material gets you is a nicely resolving technical enhancing cable.
Technicalities are best described as the sound's ability for, sound separation, its imaging, details both macro and micro, tonal and timbre characters, and most of all stage elements. Each IEM you use has a level of this technical ability some better than others. The Pyramid is called the Pyramid as it is stacks of material on top of material that gets you the sound it is aiming for. I do notice the nicer your IEMs base sound is, the Pyramid helps with the given IEMs technical ability. It matches well with just about anything due to its ability to focus your attention on the layering, imaging and the detail level of the IEMs. The new 6w and especially the 8w version brings even greater if not a grander sound enhancing ability in the form of expanding that sound experience in what you're hearing. Much like the girth and weight of each cable the way a sound can expand and give greater, stage, height and depth of sound with all the technical enhancements of what the pyramid brings are magnified even to a greater degree with each upstep you go in the Pyramid ladder.
The stock Pyramid is still an expensive cable and just because a new upgraded version has come out does not automatically eliminate the standard pyramid to be something of a lesser cable. Not at all, everything I have described on this reader is a descriptor of all 3 cables and not just for the newer 6w and 8w variants. But much like when you add more cores to any cable the greater expansion and stage presence is definitely noticeable. This mish mash of material blend for the Pyramid is genius in what it does but adding more of it only brings greater efficiency in what the cables do for your IEMs which results in a higher end Pyramid cable.
So the ultimate pyramid is clearly the 8w version however before you shell out the bucks just to get the top of the line Pyramid. There are some negatives of the 8w that will make you consider the 6 wired version instead. First of all it is lighter and a bit less bulky. Yes the 6 wire version is still a bit bulky but not the brute that the 8wire represents. So the standard 4w version cost $350 which is still a premium price for a premium cable, the 6w clocks in at $450 and the 8w is $500. I know the price of the 6w vs the 8w version is not that much different however here is where the benefit of the 6w is.
While the ultimate Pyramid is the 8w version the 6w gets you what I subjectively guesstimate to be roughly 92% of the 8w version as far as stage enhancement goes and its technical enhancing ability is right up there vs the 8w variant. If you go from the 8w to the 6w and back n forth like I have, yes they both perform stunningly well on your favorite IEMs but the 6w is closer to the 8w version in performance vs the 4w let me put it that way. It is less bulky obviously but then one more aspect I would have never guessed until I had the opportunity to put all 3 next to each other and compare.
The 6w version is stunning looking. Simple as that. The 4w version has special looking hardware that separates it from other cables, the egyptian hieroglyphs on the hardware. Due to the 6w and 8w variants being as bulky as they are, Penon went for a more cleaner looking hardware on these versions. But it's not the hardware that makes them stand out, it's the actual cable weave. Don't know if I am just used to an 8 cored weave and don't have too many 6 wired cables. Actually now that I think about it, I don't have any cable in my overblown collection of cables that are 6 cored. The braided 6 weave of the 6 wired version is stunning. Unique even, supremely flexible for this much material which was a huge surprise and did I mention how stunning it looks?
I know Penon does some custom work and if you are in the mind that one of these Pyramid cables will work extremely well with your full sized cans. Yes, that is where I would actually recommend the 8 wired version. If you contact Penon, they have made a customized ASOS+X for a buddy for his HD800s and I can’t see why they can't do the same for the Pyramid 8w.
The 8w is so bulky, it literally looks similar in size to a smaller rope. It's not that you can’t use the cable for your best IEMs. You certainly can, especially if you don’t mind having a rope attached to your IEMs. It is literally a chain and not in a way we describe what your sources are connected to type. The thicker rope of the 8 wired is surprisingly as flexible as the 6 wired version but I do notice it has a slightly looser weave vs the tighter weave of the 6w. Allowing it to be flexible. The 8wire is just ever so slightly stiffer over the ears but certainly surprising that the cable stays in place. If you plan on being active or walking around with the 8w version the shrink wrap ear guides Penon utilizes, might be a good option for you. For me however I do prefer my IEM cables without the ear guides and I was pleasantly surprised to find out both the VI and the VIII pyramid cables stay in place just fine 84 grams and all.
Pyramid cables are described as follows. With some newer pluses and minuses.
Pluses!
-enhances stage presentations. Wider, deeper and taller more spacious for your IEMs
-enhances note weight with added stage element from 4w<6w<8w
-enhanced stage, height and depth of sound from 8w is maxed out for cables.
-enhances treble presence, better air and sparkle. Which affects the prior plus
-enhances detail perception both macro and micro for all parts of your IEM sound
-enhances imaging, layering and sound separation. Higher end cables do that.
-enhances dimensional qualities due to prior plus
-enhances w a tighter bass note, better defined and textured.
-versatile for all types of sound signatures.
-flexible, premium looking, minimum microphonics
-more silver influence for sonics vs copper, more resolving
-cleaner but not brighter in tonal qualities.
-Premium in looks, feel and usability 6w>8w>4w (subjective)
-Pyramid 6w arguably one of the best looking IEM cables in existence
-Pyramid 8w the best effects of the pyramid cables.
-All 3 variants are consistent with Pyramid cable effects
-Price difference between 6w to 8w is $50
Minuses
-8w is not double the effects of the 4w.
-4w is like 85% of what the 8w does.
-more silver influence in sonics vs copper, not ideal for brightly tuned IEMs.
-Pyramid 8w version weighs at an astonishing 84.6grams
-A cable called Pyramid needs a pyramid for a chin slider…Just saying.
To give a good example of what the Pyramid cable does. I used them on the Impacts.
Penon Impacts have some of the best mids in all of IEM land and it is the focus of the sound on the Impacts. Penons flagship IEM brings flagship levels of technicalities but brings that astonishing emotive dimensional sound character that is the hallmark of a much higher end IEM. The one complaint I have seen some folks say was that they wished the sound stage was a bit wider. The Impacts use a slightly modified version of the same Obsidian cable that is used for the Voltage. The Pyramid is a natural upgrade on the Impacts. Not only are the lush rich dimensional mids intact using the Pyramids seems to enhance every part of the Impact sound characteristics. Its bass gets a more defined punch. Its mids get better sound separation and imaging for better, more clearly defined dimensions. Its trebles are highlighted better vs the stock obsidian cable. The surprising aspect of the Pyramid on the Impacts is that it more than retains its outstanding mids tonal and technical performance. It actually enhances all of it. Pyramid adds a greater note weight even over the Obsidian, going back to the Obsidian the stage and scope of the sound kinda shrinks. Believe me the Impacts does not have a small sound per se I am just talking about how they sound after going from one to the other . Folks that are looking to upgrade on the Obsidian cable but want to retain the Impacts full rich mids and tonal character helped out by the Obsidian cable will do extremely well with the Pyramids.
The Pyramid does for the Impacts what it does for every other IEM I tested them on. Makes what is already an outstanding flagship IEM, sound even better.
FAN3, So this IEM is the first Penon made IEM with bone conduction and if you were smart you took up on Penons offer for an additional cable on the sales page for the SPACE cable which is double the cores of the OS133 cable or the stock cable that came with the FAN3. This is a good example of what doubling the cores for a cable brings to the table for an IEM. No question the SPACE cable is a nice upgrade on the stock cable, so much so I would say your experience of the FAN3 as good as they are, you will not experience 100% FAN3 without the SPACE cable. So what does adding a much higher end Pyramid do for the FAN3? Absolutely spectacular pairing on the FAN3. But here is where spending a lot on a cable makes zero sense for the FAN3. The Pyramid cables cost as much or more than double what it costs to own a FAN3 so it makes no sense. However let's say you're a collector of all things Penon and want one of their Top end IEM cables. That is where the Pyramid would be an idea addition to your collection. Pyramids are extremely versatile and only lose out to the Totems in ability. Otherwise these cables will enhance and pair well with every IEM you own. The pairing with the FAN3 is just superb and makes the FAN3 sound way more expensive than what they cost. More holographic, more dynamic, better improved sound separation and imaging. Clean tonal character, even an uptick in stage vs the Space. I suppose you have to be on the crazy fence to buy a cable worth more than the IEM itself but in the case of the FAN3. If your a fan of its sound and what this IEM brings and want the absolute best. I say Pyramid 6w and you will be smiling from ear to ear.
Tansio Mirai Shock
So the included stock cable for the Shocks are nothing special. It matches the color scheme for the Shock and is a decently transparent SPC type cable but going from them to even the 4w version is a nice upgrade. Going from the 4w to the 8w and much like what it did for the FAN3. It does the same for the Shocks. Brings a much better technical element to the Shock sound system and once again you gain even more dimensional character, better perceived imaging and details. Trebles are cleaner and slightly better extended. Bass notes are better defined. Stage a bit wider and sounds deeper. This IEM already sounds large but with the Pyramid cables it definitely enhances what the Shocks are about. That dimensional aspect of Shock sound is amplified to a much greater degree. I recently let a coworker hear the Shocks with the 8w pyramid and he was floored with the sound that was emanating from the Shocks. It was all the reaction I needed to see. The synergistic aspect of the Pyramid and the Shock was clearly apparent. If you want maximum shock. Yes go for either of the 6w or the 8w. You will not be disappointed with the pairing.
Voltage. What you read about how the Pyramids matching up with the Impacts actually is identical to what the Pyramid does for the Voltage. Due to the Voltage coming with the stock Obsidian cable. Once again the Obsidian is a good copper based cable with a few shares of the material plated in gold. This helps to bring a richer tonal flavor to the IEMs the Obsidian cable is paired with. It is for the most part a good copper based cable that brings out a bit of a richer tonal character and the IEMs dynamics. But it is far outclassed by the Pyramids in any form. Even the 4w brings better clarity and better imaging with an expansion of sound. The 6w and 8w the Voltage becomes optimal. A greater expansion of its sound presentation in all directions. Music notes have better definition and clarity. Trebles are highlighted and bring cleaner overtones for the excellent EST implementation for the Voltage. Mids get an uplift in sound separation and imaging. Bass is better defined for both its impact and subbass. Voltage is definitely proper with the 6w and even to a greater extent with the 8w.
Conclusion.
Pyramids are fascinating, how they were built to bring a peak sound to the IEMs they are attached to. The new 6w and 8w variants are all about what the Pyramid brings but at a higher level. The positives of adding more cores are clearly evident in the new versions of the Pyramid but it comes at a cost. What was good in the original design is enhanced with the addition of added cores. I can say both are ideal but the 8w version has to be on record as being the heaviest IEM cable in existence. It's a bold cable beyond looks and the tempting aspect of the 8w version is that it is only $50 more to get there from the 6w version. The 6w version is the middle ground of ability and substance between the 4w and 8w, but has a tighter cleaner looking weave among the 3 which arguably gives it the most premium in aesthetics among the pyramids. I am all for thicker cables and there is a geeky sound guy side of me that says bring it on! And let others be jealous as my cable is thicker and chonkier than yours. The pyramids are an excellent gateway to the uber buck cable land and what better way to do that than to get yourself the thick boy 6w or the ultimate 8w.
I know I mentioned the 6w version to be a good balance of material bulk, looks and usability but this is the type of cable if you go with the 4w version. It will be very likely that you're gonna be curious about the 6w version which in turn will be curious about the 8w version. Well don't be, you will be more than fine with any of these cables as they will be what you're seeing in a higher end cable to bring the very best sound from your IEMs. As I posted above about what additional material does for a cable's sound. It was only a wish of mine to have double the cores for the 4w pyramid when I first did a review for it. It is now a reality and I have to admit I am smitten by both these cables. They are both works of art and now that I have used both of them for various Penon IEMs I have to say they both turned out splendid. I would say if you don’t mind the 84.6 grams of added weight to your lowly IEM. Then go for the full meal deal in the 8w version, just do more neck exercises at the gym. If you're concerned in the long run a 84.6 gram cable will be a bit too heavy for you. Go for either the 4w or the 6w version. Thanks for taking the time to read.
Disclaimers: The pyramids was provided by Penon Audio in a loaner for the purpose of a review. The new 6w an 8w got a good weeks of burn in and use before this write up. Happy listening always. You can get yourself a set here.
Bonus.
Cus you asked.
ASOS+X vs the 6w and 8w Pyramid
I call this segment the heavyweight championship. Ding and Ding!
ASOS+X was the biggest kid on the block with 12 cores of ASOS+ material, but that crown is now taken over by 8w version of the Pyramid. Each core of the Pyramid has much more material in makeup and is thicker vs the ASOS cores, which results in a much more substantial cable. What these respective cables do for IEMs are magnified with the addition of cores for each cable. The ASOS+X was and still is a stage magnifying IEM cable and is arguably one of the best cables Penon makes. I was asked to compare the effects of the ASOS+X and the new Pyramid cables to see which ones come out on top for the Tansio Mirai Shocks. My test method was literally going from one cable to the other using the same music track to hear any differences in the presentations for the Shocks one after the other. This was the tester that made me realize just how good both these cables are for the Shocks. The expansion of stage for the ASOS+X on the Shocks made them sound world class. The Shocks already has a big bold stage due to using Bone Conduction drivers but when adding the ASOS+X into the mix. That overall presentation goes into overdrive.
The ASOS+X eclipses the original 4w version in sound projection when it comes to stage enhancement. It took the 6w version to have very similar stage levels. But there were fundamental differences even with the 4w version that was better than the ASOS+X and that was the Shocks technical ability in that grander sound presentation. All the Pyramids presented the sound with better note distinction. While the ASOS+X is no slouch in that department. Music sounds a touch more smoothed out vs the sound separated imaging you hear from the Pyramids. The balancing for both cables are on a similar level, meaning both cables don’t focus too much on one aspect of the sound tuning vs another part. I would say the Pyramids gives better distinction for notes in general hence treble notes become more fleshed out giving a touch wider sense of stage in comparison to the ASOS cables. The addition of the technical enhancing nature of the Pyramid material with its ability for a grander stage presence is what separates the Pyramids from the ASOS+X. For the money I would say the ASOS+X is an excellent value in every way. However, for the demanding audiophile that wants the best of the best in what these larger cables do. It is the 6w and the 8w that comes up on top. The one cable that actually beat the ASOS+X in stage enhancement is none other than the Pyramid 8w version. Not only the widest stage possible for cable land but also adding greater note weight, clean separated imaging on top of that grand signature. For a Shock IEM that uses 2 Sonion Bone conduction drivers, the enhancement here with the Shocks is one for the ages. The increase of its dimensional imaging ability with that stage, depth and height makes the Shocks sound like a much more expensive IEM than it already is.
This is where the ASOS+X is actually more advisable and it is against the 4w Pyramid on the Shocks. While the 4w clearly gives a more distinct sound flavoring to the Shocks sound presentation the ASOS+Xs stage enhancing ability is only bested by the 8w Pyramid and is very similar to the presentation of the 6w version. The 6w version costs much more than the ASOS+X. So if you feel your technical ability of the Shocks is good but would like a large grander version of that sound. Believe me it synergizes excellently with the Shock sound. I can argue that it will be the ASOS+X that will bring that for less money and will be a better match up with the Shocks for the similar price of the 4w pyramid. It will be the 6w and especially the 8w version that will be the upgrade on the ASOS+X with the Shocks.
The increase of the imaging and detail aspect of the Pyramid cables over the ASOS+X brings even better holography, better perceived layers of sound from your Shocks sound and if that is worth it for you, then such a cable exists. The 8w is the epitome of what I have described, the 6w is not as heavy and will give you roughly 90% + of the stage enhancement of the 8w with all the technical enhancing ability in a lighter and better looking package. Which cables you pick my friends will be up to you.
It is very detail and complete review. I have purchased several cables in AE but still am looking for the better cables. I am going to wait for it's sale in Nov. Thank you for the great review!
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Yep, everyone and their Mom giving it a go, now for the diehard Head-fi enthusiast, the SHOCK would up the effects, yet here we may just find the ARMOR again, just that much more well rounded.
