plusSound Exo Series Cable

plusSound Exo Series Custom IEM Cable Review

DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank plusSoundAudio for providing me a loaner of the cable for this review. I would also like to thank you, the readers, for taking the time to read this review. 

PACKAGING
I received the cables in a fairly secured package, sealed in a zip-lock bag, wrapped with the invoice, another wrap of brown paper, and, finally, the USPS box.

BUILD & ERGONOMICS
The Exo Series line is the “budget” line of plusSound, aggressively priced at $84.99. However, do not let the low price fool you – the build and sound is really good, and I suppose that plusSound treats all of their cable lines equally.
The Exo Series cable is made up of 4-wire braids insulated with a polyethylene material. plusSound offers multiple choices in their wires – copper, silver-plated copper, and silver + 1% gold as stranded wires, and copper, silver, silver-plated copper, and gold-plated copper as solid (single-core) wires. plusSound also offers a wide range of options for connector styles – UE, Shure, Westone/Aurisonics, Sennheiser, and many more.
The cable is surprisingly well-built for the price. A little stiffer than stock cables, but that is expected, due to the thickness of the cable. The cable has a reassuring solid look and feel. Comfort is good, but it makes its presence felt. However, it’s not really intruding.

SOUND
Cable debunkers may say that aftermarket cables make no difference in sound at all, and cable fans may say that aftermarket cables improve the sound dramatically. These two conflicting sides makes it all more confusing, especially for beginners. However, the reality lies somewhere in between. Cables make a difference in sound. Not too large to call it a “necessity”, but just enough to improve what is there, and small enough to be considered as a luxury.
My setup consists of an iPhone 4, with a Matrix Mini-Portable headphone amplifier connected through a FiiO L9 LOD, and the Aurisonics ASG-1 revision 2 with the Silver+1% Gold plusSound Exo Series Cable. My commonly played genres is Classical, Math Rock, Pop Rock, Soul, and Electronic. I did not do a blind A-B test, since that was somewhat impossible in theory, due to the differences in comfort by both cables.
The sound improvements brought by the cables overall made the ASG-1.2 smoother and more enjoyable. The treble is smoother and more present. The mids are less congested, and are clearer. The bass is tighter. The soundstage slightly improves. Music flows through with less effort.

OVERALL
For those who want to try aftermarket cables on a lower budget, plusSound is the way to go. The small improvements are worth it, for me. Aside from the good sound, the build quality is good as well, and the customer service is great. Should something go wrong, never hesitate to contact them!
All plusSound Cables come with a 1-year warranty.

Website: http://plussoundaudio.com/home.html

I recently purchased an Exo Series cable from Plussound for my HD650s. I chose the silver/gold 26/50 wire and a Rhodium straight 1/8" plug. Now that the cable has burned in, I can hear a definite increase in detail and clarity compared to the stock cable. It matches up very well with the Sennheiser's and helps bring them a bit more alive. No more Sennheiser veil, at least to my ears. I like the sound of my HD650s with this cable better than the sound of the much more expensive Beyerdynamic T1s I am trying out. So this aftermarket cable will actually end up saving me a lot of money!
 
In addition, I found Christian at Plussound to be incredibly patient, helpful and flexible before and after the sale. It is a treat to find a company that offers such great customer service.

DISCLAIMER: PlusSound provided me with the Exo Silver + Gold in return for my honest opinion. I am not personally affiliated with the company in any way, nor do I receive any monetary rewards for a positive evaluation. The review is as follows.

PlusSound is an American cable manufacturer based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2012 by Christian Oliver, the company specialises in aftermarket cables, but they’ve since ventured into developing amplifiers, as well as a series of in-ear monitors. PlusSound is unique among its peers in how it presents its products. Instead of separating them by metallic composition, each product category determines how the conductor itself is treated. The Apollonian, Dionysian, Echo and Poetic line-ups all contain different methods of shielding, while the X, Exo, X6 and X8 line-ups feature unshielded cables in their individual wire counts. The user is then free to choose whatever metal composition they’d like – creating an exploratory and customisable shopping experience. Today, we’ll be looking at the Exo Silver + Gold: The 2018 iteration of a PlusSound classic, sporting a thrillingly energetic and surprisingly balanced signature for all to enjoy.



PlusSound Exo Silver + Gold

• Wire composition: 26 AWG Litz Silver + Gold
• Default configuration: 4-wire
• Key feature(s) (if any): Proprietary PS Insulation
• Price: $349.99
• Website: www.plussoundaudio.com

Build and Accessories

Even before my first listen, PlusSound’s visual presentation immediately impressed. The Exo Silver + Gold comes in a beautiful, well-thought-out and compact package. While it’s neither as luxurious as Effect Audio’s pricier offerings, nor is it as simple as something PWAudio would provide, Christian has found the perfect balance somewhere in between. Covered all round in a striking matte-black finish, embossed with shimmering PlusSound branding and topped off with a firm magnetic latch, the box simply oozes class. Inside, you’ll find a PlusSound brochure, an elastic band – for your stacked rigs – and the cable itself within a protective plastic wrap. Again, the Exo Silver + Gold was packaged with admirable restraint and excellent finesse. It showcases outstanding attention to detail without going over the top, and it’s a testament to how much care Christian and his team put into their products beyond just performance.



The Exo Silver + Gold comes equipped with PlusSound’s brand new PS Insulation. While my two-year-old Exo Tri-Metal has aged well cosmetically and ergonomically, their latest innovation exhibits obvious improvements on all fronts. Visual transparency is one, displaying the Exo Silver + Gold’s silvery strands with aplomb. They don’t shine as radiantly as Effect Audio’s conductors do, but there’s a lot to love about its more understated and less bling-y look. Ergonomically, the cable warrants another comparison to the Singaporean giant. Effect Audio has been my clear personal frontrunner when it comes to weight, suppleness and pliancy. With PS Insulation, PlusSound is looking to close that lead. The Exo Silver + Gold showcases great flexibility and minimal weight, besting a majority of its competition on looks and feel alone. PS Insulation may prove to be Christian’s ace in the hole – an element usually underrated, but brilliantly effective.

Sound Impressions

The Exo Silver + Gold is a cable that prioritises contrast, energy and excitement. Impressively, though, it does so whilst compromising neither body nor timbre – as is the norm in fun-oriented cables. Although specific dips and peaks have optimised the cable’s dynamic performance, the Silver + Gold maintains excellent linearity – ensuring great tonal balance throughout its frequency response. It sports a moderate W-shape and structures a clean stage. With an especial focus on width, it dons a pitch-black background perfect for those transients to cut through. Through mid-bass control and an upper-treble lift, the Exo excels in headroom; exuding openness and air without resorting to any sense of brightness. Neutral would be a more apt term to describe its tone, sparing organicity through a bodied and resonant midrange.



Bass is the highlight of the Exo’s presentation. Amalgamating the cable’s two greatest strengths – dynamism and control – the Silver + Gold increases low-end impact whilst managing bloom all at the same time. By attenuating the mid-bass and improving low-end extension, the Silver + Gold provides punch with clarity; balancing musicality and technicality with grace to spare. Upper-bass is the definite focus of the Exo’s signature, while sub-bass rumble exists purely out of extension. Instruments like tom-toms and upright basses benefit from this region’s impressive clarity and layering, giving listeners the ability to detect harmonic nuances as they decay into the background. Finally, low-end tone is on the brighter side – due to an upper-treble peak – but the aberration is slight at best. The Exo Silver + Gold prides its bass as the epitome of its philosophy: Energetic and restrained, vibrant and disciplined, impactful with finesse.

The Exo handles midrange with great balance – sporting a linearity often sacrificed for clarity and energy. Where brighter-sounding cables would often attenuate the lower-midrange, the Silver + Gold maintains body here well. There’s neither a cloy-ness nor a chestiness that tampers with vocal presentation; instead, just enough weight to endow notes with proper heft. Instruments are forwardly placed with excellent presence, and tone errs on neutral for versatility. A lift in the upper-midrange gives the Exo both the air and the zing it needs to complement its contrast-y signature. Transients cut brilliantly, showcased most prominently with snare drums in busy metal tracks, and percussion and keyboards in jazzier recordings. But, none of those jabs ever sound thin or hollow or artificial, all because of the midrange’s excellent balance – proving that bright and bold can exist in the same signature with brilliant harmony.



In the treble, PlusSound – again – displays great sophistication. A calmed lower-treble ensures smooth sailings for the Exo’s dynamic attack – ensuring transient energy without a hint of brittleness. The Silver + Gold instead draws its air from the upper treble. A rise in the 15kHz range brings an assured sense of clarity. But, this is also where the cable gains its bright-ish signature. It’s neither dry nor thin, but it definitely shines brightest (no pun, intended) when paired with warmer transducers. Great extension benefits its wide and open stage – conjuring a pitch-black canvas for optimal detail retrieval. And, this aids separation as well, showing admirable organisation along the x-axis. The Silver + Gold’s top-end is its most crucial component; the tentpole for its entire philosophy. Thankfully, it beams with restraint. Clear, calm and collected, this treble is the Exo’s moist, fluffy sponge as much as it is its cherry on top. Well done.

Select Comparisons

PlusSound Exo Tri-Metal (now discontinued; the new Exo T-Metal retails at $449.99)

The only other PlusSound cable I’ve ever carried with me is my two-year-old Exo Tri-Metal – a 4-wire cable comprised of copper, silver and gold. This was long before Christian developed his new PS insulation, and that definitely shows. Although the Tri-Metal is still a decently ergonomic cable, it simply can’t compete with the Silver + Gold’s softness, suppleness and weight. Visuals also benefit from the upgrade, while the Tri-Metal is beginning to show cloudiness from age. PS Insulation has made the Silver + Gold a touch thicker, but it’s at absolutely no consequence. The PlusSound branding on the latter has worn out significantly as well, but only time will tell whether or not the same will happen to the Silver + Gold. Even on looks and feel alone, the Silver + Gold is a vast improvement over its aesthetic predecessor.



The Exo Silver + Gold serves as a sonic foil to the Tri-Metal. Both cables maintain excellent top-to-bottom balance, yet they each have traits that significantly set them apart. The Tri-Metal is a warmer shade of neutral, while the Silver + Gold maintains as much cleanliness as smoothness allows. And, to this end, the latter is the more exciting cable – more dynamic and aggressive in its approach. A large majority of it has to do with differences in soundstage depth. Seemingly, the Tri-Metal is the winner here, due to its calmer overall midrange. However – because of okay treble extension – this lack of presence soon morphs into fatigue; vocals begin to sound recessed as a result. Despite its upper-midrange tilt, the Silver + Gold excels in instrumental energy – serving a more reasonable amount of body to complement its deft articulation. Pair that with great organisation, and you have yourself a better foundation for the overall presentation.

The bass is a significant contributor towards the Tri-Metal’s warmer tilt. There’s a clear emphasis on the mid-bass that gives the cable a slight bloom. It’s a richness that permeates the soundstage with a euphonic warmth, improving musicality and cohesion between notes. However, due to lacklustre extension, this bloom interferes with bass definition. By comparison, the Silver + Gold displays greater technical finesse. Low-end notes come through with strong outlines, palpable layering and commendable resolution. The upper-bass focus does impart a slightly brighter tone, but – considering the improvements in transparency – it’s a welcome trade. The Silver + Gold is all about cleanliness, precision and punch, while the Tri-Metal has its heart set on organicity and warmth. This trend continues into the midrange, where the latter is more linear between the lower and upper registers. The Silver + Gold – again – is punchier here, with a slight disadvantage in overall tone. But, its sheer transparency is head and shoulders above its little sibling.



The treble is truly where the Silver + Gold cleans house. Open, airy, articulate and smooth, it has the hallmarks of a technically impeccable top-end. By comparison, the Tri-Metal has a more linear upper-treble, but its largest misstep is extension. Unfortunately, where the Silver + Gold shines brightest, the Tri-Metal lacks sheer reach in order to pull its entire signature together. Although its aim at a natural tone is admirable, it suffers from a bloomy low-end and okay stage organisation as a result of its technical shortcomings. It’s certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the Silver + Gold is the clear victor here. The new Exo variant boasts a pitch-black background – creating gorgeous contrasts against transients – superior precision and better versatility. I struggle to make sense of the Tri-Metal with darker-sounding IEMs, while it performs brilliantly with brighter transducers. The Silver + Gold will maintain technical finesse regardless of its pairing, and will never serve as a bottleneck to anything it’s attached to.

Verdict

The PlusSound Exo Silver + Gold is a shining example of how fun should translate in the aural realm. Boasting excellent balance between dynamic energy and vocal weight, it truly is style and substance. Through crafty tuning and sheer wit, the company has created a cable that has its cake and eats it too. The Exo takes the qualities of a clarity-focused, articulative and impactful presentation, and refines it with finesse, elegance and grace. Bass remains beautifully controlled despite its punch, instruments carry equal servings of cleanliness and weight, and the treble glistens without a brittle note in sight. Besides its neutral-bright tonal balance, there’s not much I can fault the product for. With the Exo Silver + Gold, PlusSound have once again proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with. If this is the kind of quality we can expect from them in the future, then 2018 is shaping up to be one heck of a calendar year.

PlusSound Exo Silver + Gold

Disclaimer
I would like to thank Christian from PlusSound for providing me with the Exo in exchange for my honest opinion. No incentive was given for a favourable review.

PlusSound Exo Silver + Gold

• Gauge: 26 AWG
• Geometry: 7 cores
• Materials: Silver + Gold Type 6 Litz
• Insulation: PS Insulation
• Connector type: 2-pin/CIEM
• Termination type: 2.5mm TRRS (balanced)
• Price: US$349.99

Links:
http://www.plussoundaudio.com
http://www.facebook.com/plussound

Preamble
PlusSound is probably best known as an aftermarket cable company, and indeed it all started when Christian Oliver thought it would be a nice project to build a cable for himself back in 2012. Soon after he found himself building cables for other people and a simple DIY project snowballed into the company PlusSound. While perhaps for the time being still best known for aftermarket cables, PlusSound has continued develop in the same entrepreneurial spirit it started off with by adding interconnects, accessories, their Cloud Nine Amplifier, and very recently even three brand new earphones of their own; the Spectrum, Prism and Gamut.

PlusSound has essentially grown into a one-stop-shop for audiophiles, which is not surprising considering Christian is himself a life-long audiophile. Indeed it seems that the driving force behind PlusSound's innovations stems from the same desire that drives all audiophiles to constantly expand their collection of gear. And much like every audiophile has their own preferences, so to do I sense a common theme among the various products PlusSound offers. It seems like everything is designed to be used, used again, and then used some more for good measure. It is a "utilistic" design, which is probably a horribly pseudo-academic buzzword I picked up while working with the wrong people, but it seems nonetheless appropriate here. Everything looks akin to that very pretty set of high-end tools your dad never let you use.



Build quality
This brings me to the main reason why I became interested in PlusSound, that (sorry for using the term again) utilistic design. It looks rock solid and that is important for someone like me who is an idiot and will break everything he gets his hands on.

When I received the cable it came in the newly designed packaging, an elegant satin black box with glossy artwork, that opened up to reveal a PlusSound branded rubber band for stacking and of course the Exo cable itself. It was great to immediately notice that the cable not only looked solid, it felt it too. The parts such as the 2-pin connectors and termination are light in weight, but feel very strong. The y-split is chrome aluminium with silver aluminium slider and they look and feel great. Moreover, PlusSound offers many customisation options and I love how Christian made a cable where all the details match the colour of the material used in the cable itself. So a silver cable with chrome logos on the plug and connectors, chrome y-split and silver slider, it all works very well together to make a great looking cable. This is something I really like about PlusSound, it is great fun to not just look at the various materials that they offer for the cable itself, but also the many parts and in some cases even the type of braiding. It feels like designing your CIEMs, a real custom experience!

Of course the big new thing about this particular Exo cable was that it came with the newly released PS insulation. Christian explained it was a great improvement over the previous insulation and so I made sure to borrow an older Exo cable from my friend Oscar in order to compare. As soon as I picked up the cable I was very impressed by its suppleness. It is slightly thicker due to the insulation, but incredibly supple for a 4-wire cable and as such very comfortable to wear. In part this could also have to do with the lack of pre-bent heat shrinks as ear guides, something that does make me wonder about what long-term (years) use will do to those parts of the cable due to rubbing and skin oils that can affect the insulation. Time will tell, but for now it is a gorgeous looking and feeling cable that I can use for hours on end without any sign of discomfort or worry about the build quality.

Source
Usually I briefly list the source I use because the source itself has an impact on sound, but I don't really go into it beyond that. Not in this case because while the cable is terminated in 2.5mm TRRS for the balanced out on my AK70, I actually ended up using it from SE out (via an adapter). The reason for this is that the laid-back nature of the AK70's balanced out did not, to my ears, synergise well. It caused a loss of resolution (not detail) and dynamics. While the resulting sound was certainly very nice and as easy on the ears as a breath of fresh air cooling your face on a warm summer's day, it was technically not at all what I expected to hear. Note decay seemed extremely short, resulting (for instance) in less texture to strings and the strike on a tympani would miss its natural resonance. Switching to the SE out livened up the sound and to me sounded much more crisp and clear, with the resolution I was expecting to hear. So all impressions are based on using the Exo from the SE out on my AK70, unless stated otherwise. The IEMs used were the Custom Art Ei.3, Rhapsodio Saturn and briefly the Rhapsodio Zombie.



Presentation
The Exo Silver + Gold is a brighter cable aimed primarily at improving detail retrieval and clarity, and in this it performs remarkably well. It has a short note decay that means it is not the most natural sound, but what this does is create a wonderfully airy and detailed image that is incredibly precise in its placement of notes. Notes sit with great confidence in the image and are crisp and clearly defined against the background. The stage is well extended creating a large image with outstanding separation. My Custom Art Ei.3 are normally warm and smooth with thick notes and quite an organic sound, but the Exo changes that to thinner, very well defined notes that provide excellent layering. When listening to Beethoven's Missa Solemnis I was really impressed by how well the different sections of the choir were defined.

While the Exo separates everything very well, it is not at the cost of coherency and while bright and clear, it stays musical and smooth. With warmer IEMs emphasis in classical music shifts towards the string sections and yet they don't overpower the bass section. There is enough impact there to ensure those come through with enough presence to maintain a sense of harmony. It is not as strong as in some copper-based cables I have used, but it never becomes clinical or boring and I often found myself getting carried away in the airy and detailed, yet wonderfully flowing sound this created.

Bass
The bass of the Exo Silver + Gold is tight and hits hard, something I believe is quite often found in silver-based cables. The mid-bass is reduced to create a brighter tone and the sub-bass is extended to hit hard and bring some excitement to what might otherwise become a boring signature. This means the Exo will work well with warmer IEMs and when Christian told me what he was sending over, I knew exactly what I wanted to pair it with... The Rhapsodio Saturn. The Saturn are warm, bass-oriented dynamic driver IEMs that I had previously tried pairing with copper-based cables and it just made the Saturn weak in the knees. All fluff and no punch. Well, the Exo certainly solved that issue! Oh boy does the Saturn's bass have a nice kick to it! I keep getting caught off guard when listening to Carbon Based Lifeforms' album Interloper, where the first track has a nice deep bass, but the second track, 'Right Where it Ends', punches Right Between the Eyes! In fact, just for the bass alone I will keep the Exo paired with the Saturn, but the synergy has a whole is excellent and really did for the Saturn what I was hoping for.

Of course I also tried my trusty Ei.3 and those are tuned for EDM with a fast and tight bass that was complimented by the Exo. The reduced mid-bass does brighten up the signature more than I would like for EDM, but the tightness and impact of the bass still provides plenty of energy. Moving on to classical music I found that, as expected, the bass section was lacking its natural decay and the presence of the bass section was greatly reduced. While this was not in line with my personal preferences, I can readily see how it is something that might well suit others. The bass section was pushed back, but thanks to its sub-bass impact and the excellent clarity and separation of the cable as a whole, still easily discernable. It makes for a more composed signature and ideal for someone more interested in hearing the violin, rather than having the tympani thunder all over it or the cello moving in front all the time.

Mids
Bright, clear and detailed mids, that is what you can expect from the Exo Silver + Gold. When listening to classical music I am impressed by how well it separates the various instruments. When I listen to Brahms' 4th symphony the many layers usually melt together in a stream of complicated, but very enjoyable music. With the Exo all the different layers are picked apart while still retaining a connection between the layers. Not the most harmonious, but enjoyable in its own way. It becomes very easy to pick out a single instrument to focus on and in general I found details to come through even when I was not paying much attention to the music.

Due to the brighter tonality the Exo favours female vocals, which are presented bright and very clear, but maintains a comfortable smoothness. While I was adjusting to the brighter tonality I had a few moments where I braced myself, as soprano Elin Manahan-Thomas would push for the high notes, and yet every time the Exo proved itself capable of providing brightness while still doing justice to that crystal clear voice. Male vocals lack a bit in body, which is more noticeable the deeper the voice, but like bass instruments they are still easily discernable. This means that while the choir might sound a bit brighter overall, every voice can still be found with great easy. This is, I think, a great example of the trade-off the Silver + Gold makes. It gives up some of its natural tonality in order to reveal more detail, more easily.

Treble
The Exo Silver + Gold is a silver cable with added to it a small percentage of gold in order to avoid some of the pitfalls of a pure silver cable. One area where this is important is the treble. Silver cables can push it a little far and as a result cause some sharpness, but the addition of gold seems to do the trick, as this is clearly not the case for the Exo. I am pretty sensitive to treble spikes and find the Exo's treble to be comfortable and non-fatiguing. It is a bright and airy treble that does not push too far forward, but again is lacking a little in natural sparkle. This is very noticeable in the Nutcracker's 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy'. While the fairy dances light on her feet and twirls through the air, I am missing the hint of fairy dust in the celeste (the main instrument used). Perhaps in this case it is more a 'plum fairy', missing the sugar found in copper cables to add sweetness to the notes. Indeed my preferences clearly differ here, but the trade-off makes sense. The treble is precise, clearly defined and adds lots of air to let the stage breath. Even the Saturn, which I felt lacked a little in the highs, got a better-defined and more easily discernable treble to them. Another reason why the Exo is staying on them.



Comparisons
-Exo Copper-
(This comparison was done with both cables from the balanced out.) Both cables are part of the Exo series, but the Silver + Gold has of course the new PS insulation. The improvement in ergonomics is significant; the new PS insulation makes the Exo very comfortable and less likely to push or pull on the IEMs when moving around, something I noticed with the older insulation.

In terms of sound the two cables offer differences in line with what can be expected based on the materials. The Exo Copper is a warmer cable with a more natural tonality and while it offers more air than most copper cables, the Silver + Gold easily outperforms it in terms of air and clarity, as well as stage dimensions. The Copper offers a warmer and more intimate setting by comparison. The bass of the Copper is thicker and does not go very deep, whereas the Silver + Gold has a very tight and hard-hitting bass. In the mids I find that the Copper does not do vocals quite as well. Vocals are clear, but not entirely clean, something I noticed quite clearly while listening to Caro Emerald, where her voice was not entirely smooth when paired with my Ei.3. The Silver + Gold does vocals better both in terms of clarity, as well as smoothness. I loved how I could hear every breath of London Grammar's Hannah Reid. In the treble I found that the Copper had a warmer tone, but it was a little bit more forward to better balance with the stronger bass presence. The Silver + Gold by comparison had a brighter, slightly more sharply defined treble, that was nonetheless never harsh.

I would say the Copper is the more exciting cable, whereas the Silver + Gold is the more even and easy-going cable. It is very pleasant to listen to and almost has something ethereal to it by comparison.



-Effect Audio Lionheart-
In terms of build quality these cables are very close. The Exo has lighter and slightly bigger parts, but both feel very durable. While the cable is thicker, I would give the Exo the edge in suppleness, but in comfort I find both equally great to use.

Lionheart is a copper-based cable with a warm, very natural and incredibly harmonious sound, and it will come as no surprise that given my preferences this is my current favourite cable. It is also more expensive than the Exo Silver + Gold ($499.90 vs. $349.99), but it is interesting to illustrate how each cable has its own strengths. There is a clear difference in presentation between the two and very noticeable in the note decay I have mentioned previously. Lionheart has quite resonant notes that contribute to the very natural character of the cable. Combined with a warmer tonality, it allows for instruments to separate based on tone, where the Exo separates instruments by creating air around them. Notes on the Exo are more clearly defined and a bit thinner, which allows for details to come through more easily. In this I feel that Lionheart is the more engaging cable that demands your attention, whereas the Exo is more easy-going and will present all the details to you even if you are not paying full attention. It might therefore well be that for casual listening, the Exo comes across as the better cable. For bass Lionheart has less sub-bass impact and more mid-bass presence, while the Exo is clearly much tighter and hits harder. In the mids both cables are clear. Lionheart has sweet, alluring mids with amazing vocals, whereas the Exo has mids that are like a bright clear day, offering crisp and clear vocals and well-defined instruments. In the treble Lionheart is by comparison a little more attenuated but I feel better extended, with a sweet sparkle to it. The Exo once again presents a clear and crisp sounding treble that is a bit brighter.



Conclusions
The PlusSound Exo Silver + Gold presented me with an interesting paradox that I think very nicely illustrates the quality of this cable. The brightness and clarity it brings is not at all in line with my preferences, I prioritise tonal accuracy and generally gravitate towards a warmer sound, yet I still end up coming back to the Exo to provide me with a fresh, cool breeze to clear my mind. In fact, the Exo became a firm favourite of mine to pair with the Rhapsodio Saturn and I look forward to experimenting with source synergy and other IEMs at a later date, as I feel the Exo presented me with a really interesting experience with a brighter and clearer sound and there is more to explore yet.

The Exo Silver + Gold is an excellent cable. It has a great build quality and the new PS insulation creates an incredibly supple and comfortable cable. I feel it is a great option for those looking to improve clarity and detail in their IEMs.

A while ago, I bought some DIY cabling from Los Angeles-based plusSound Audio and loved the immediacy of their customer service. Being a native Angelino, I also wanted to support SoCal businesses as well, so I decided to check out their Exo series cable.
 
plusSound Audio specializes as a bespoke, handmade, full-service boutique cable service, and the Exo is one of six different cable series offered by plusSound, along with the Dionysian, the Apollonian, the Echo, the Poetic, and the X8 (as well as an upcoming X6 that I know little to nothing about) — each of which are available for IEM cables, headphone cables, interconnects, and more. The Exo is the “bare” cable, with no nylon sheathing, while the other cable series have varying degrees of sheathing on them, save for the X8 and X6, which are cables that use specialty braids over the usual round or flat braid (plusSound lets you choose during the ordering process), with an additional plethora of other options as well.
 
CABLE MATERIAL, ERGONOMICS, BUILD QUALITY & AESTHETICS
 
The Exo cable is a four-conductor, round (Milloit) braid 7N (well, technically 6N+, since measurement machines have trouble assessing metallurgic purity over 99.99998%) UP-OCC stranded copper cable. While I thought the strand count (10-ct) was slightly low, it didn’t seem to affect sound negatively in any way, so, whatever. Those that are concerned with the strand count can take solace in the fact that copper is not the only material offered; there are numerous other (more exotic) options. Of course, these other cable materials will come at a price, but it’s nice to see that they offer so many variants. I personally like either just pure copper or pure silver (without gold); hopefully, they’ll replace the current copper cable with one that’s higher in strand count, if only for durability and redundancy’s sake, rather than for any sonic benefits.
 
While the cable gauge is 28 AWG, the LLD-PE (linear low-density polyethylene) sleeving is quite thick — the OD feels more like a 24, 25AWG cable; I imagine that they ordered it in this thickness because the dielectric properties of LLD-PE aren’t quite as good as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, a.k.a. Teflon) in the same thickness. Why not PTFE sleeving then? Well, PTFE insulation is much more microphonic than polyethylene (linear or cross-linked).
 
Despite the OD being thicker than that of a typical wire at 28AWG, it didn’t feel unwieldy at all. In fact, it was quite flexible, and had a minimal amount of memory, less than my BTG-Audio Sunrise cable. I would not hesitate to use this cable indoors or out.
 
Build quality is really quite impressive; whether it’s the termination, the Y-split, or the pins, plusSound builds the Exo cable like a tank. Everything is secured down and doesn’t seem like anything would break unless someone lets loose on it with a hammer.
 
plusSound equips IEM cable terminations with the excellent Viablue T6s (small) 3.5mm plugs by default; customers can choose between Oyaide plugs, 6.3mm plugs, balanced Kobiconn (RSA/ALO), balanced Hirose 6-pin (iBasso), and others as well.
 
The pins are nice and tight; some aftermarket pins, while not loose, don’t quite have the same tension. They seem to use the full-width 0.78mm pins, with an additional round-barreled shroud for reinforcement.
 
As rock solid as the build quality is, however, the liberal use of black heat shrink does detract from the overall aesthetics just a bit. The neck slider wasn’t a looker and was a bit loose; I’d recommend people putting in the extra $3 for a wooden bead instead. The heat shrink constituting the strain relief at the 3.5mm termination had plusSound‘s logo imprinted, but was lacking a bit of resolution compared to what I’ve seen from other companies. The pins, with their round barrel and additional heat shrink reinforcement, may possibly never break, but they look a bit obtrusive and get long in the tooth pretty quickly. In its defense, I just personally prefer less use of heat shrink in my stuff; there was absolutely nothing about the worksmanship of the cable that detracted from the aesthetics (i.e. excess glue, jagged edges, etc.).
 
SOUND
 
I don’t like to comment too much on sound, since I believe it’s a matter of personal preference; however, I will say that the “sound” of the Exo copper cable is what it “should” be, meaning that it’s a clean, honest sound that doesn’t suffer from EM interference or self-inductance. Nothing sounds muddy, and the ends are well-extended — indicators that plusSound did a great job with the braiding and soldering, to go along with a cable made from high-quality materials.
 
Is plusSound‘s OCC copper necessarily better than the Mogami OFC of my BTG Sunrise? Theory says yes, perception says “I don’t know.” If I had to make a statement, I’d say that the BTG Sunrise has more of a “solid” sound, while the plusSound Exo sounds a teeny bit more transparent, but it could also be my mind playing tricks on me. There are so many minute factors to cables, from the insulation material, to the braid consistency, and the type of solder used that may possibly alter sound in a cable. I don’t try to tease all those things apart. At $99, it doesn’t really matter, either (since a BTG Sunrise cable configured with a Viablue plug and no sleeving is at $93, making the two very similar in price).
 
CONCLUSION
 
I found the Exo copper cable from plusSound Audio to be great in terms of build quality, ergonomics, and price. I’m a bit of a stickler for aesthetics, so I did feel that the Exo had a little bit to work on in the heat shrink department, but I’m sure plusSound has been making improvements. The paramount advantage to plusSound is that it is truly a one-stop shop for anyone’s cabling needs. plusSound headquarters may be a ways off from Melrose Avenue and Rodeo Drive, but it makes them no less of a made-to-order, specialty shop when it comes to audio.
 
[Original Review is posted from: http://cymbacavum.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/plussound-audio-exo-cable-hollywood-boutique/]

Plussound Exo Copper
Type 6 Litz UPOCC Copper
http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html

Used with my Audio Opus #2 / iBasso DX200 DAP's / Objective2 amp and my Inearz P350 custom monitors / 64 Audio U6 / Noble Sage / Clear Tune VS-2



Packaging, Build quality and Ergonomics:
The Exo comes in a nice black Plussound box with the company logo on the front, open this up and the cable is sealed in a plastic bag along with a business card and a couple of rubber amp straps. The packaging is more than just a standard bag with a cable in, and feels quite premium for the price. Well presented and very professional, great packaging here.

The Exo cable is superbly built with a very even braid, solid metal connectors and y-split with excellent strain relief on all parts. It feels like a very well built cable that will last a long time but also looks superb. There are no flaws whatsoever in the build.

This cable has no memory wire which to me is a plus, the heat shrink is angled so you know which way they go though. The cable is supple and very comfortable in use; the y-split is fairly big but lightweight. One thing that could be improved is the chin slider; it is not very tight and tends to slide down on its own. But overall the cable is the perfect balanced between cable thickness and ergonomics, being a little stiffer than the Effect Audio offerings. No cable noise was detected when using this cable.





Sound:
The Exo Copper is one of Plussounds more affordable models, but don’t let this fool you. The cable uses litz copper and is one of the cleaner sounding copper cables out there. Firstly the soundstage is improved being wider and having more air between instruments, this also improves instrument separation and everything is a little more defined within the soundstage.

Bass tones are slightly fuller than most stock cables, digging deeper with better definition, one thing that stands out is kick drums are backed up with better body but there is no hint of bloat anywhere. The midrange gets an extra bit of air around instruments, increasing separation and everything sounds a little crisper. The highs are not boosted, instead just like the midrange they gain a bit of extra definition and air, extending with ease. This cable is slightly full bodied but with extra air and definition bringing out extra detail in your IEM’s.

So the Plussound Exo Copper is a slightly full sounding, but very detailed and open copper cable. It is not a full as the Atlas Zeno IEM, but provides better air and separation and it is not bright which means it pairs well with most IEM’s. I have been enjoying the Exo a lot with the Clear Tune VS-2 monitors.

Introduction:
 
plusSound is an American cable maker located in California, US. They have a good reputation among audiophiles. They offer many different cables such as headphones and IEM upgrade cables, and interconnects. There is also a high-class amplifier Cloud Nine, Audeze headphones and a wide variety of DIY parts in their store.
 
plusSound IEM cable selection is very rich; we can choose both sleeving/insulation type and cable material in almost all models. For example, Dionysian series can be made both by copper and silver conductors as well as many other wiring combinations. Like conductor selection, there are many options to customize our cable.  
 
Christian, the guy from plusSound is a very nice person and superbly responsive. He always replies to my mails maximum in one hour. I have to say that he is one of the most responsive representatives in the industry.
 
I have reviewed plusSound Apollonian+ cable a while ago, which is one of my favorite cables in my invertory. This review consists of Exo series made by 4 silver/gold conductors. For whose is interested in Apollonian+ pure copper cable, please check the review link below:  
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/plussound-apollonian-iem-cable/reviews/13433
 
Built Quality:
 

The picture is an excerpt form plusSound website. 
 
Exo has 3 silver/gold-combined conductors. Considering 4 braided build, it can be seen as a lightweight cable. In comparison with similarly priced Apollonian+, Exo is easier to use outdoors. However, Apollonian+ has a better look with its sleeving. On the other hand, the reviewed Exo has a beautiful Y splitter in a shining silver color.  
 
Overall build of Exo is not very stiff and we can easily wrap to put in a case. The most beautiful point on Exo is its pins. Indeed, there are pins in gold and silver color in accordance with its combination. Additionally, there is no memory wire here. In fact no need for it, since it has a very good shape and build to stay stable. 
 
Sound:
 
In general, silver cables have a bright and open sound and they can be harsh to throw details. In fact, plusSound Exo has a rich tone with impactful low end and it doesn’t create a piercing or cold presentation. Overall tone is a little warm in accordance with mid-bass presentation.
 
The review and comparisons have been determined with using Lear LCM-BD4.2 custom in ear monitor and its stock cable.
 

 
Low Frequency:
 
Lear stock’s sub-bass has lower resolution, while Exo has more bodied presentation by using larger area of bass-room. Exo significantly has better texturing and hits deeper regions. Overall sub-bass tonality is similar, but Exo’ punches are slightly more emotional and alive. 
 
Overall mid-bass presentation is less prominent on Lear stock, while Exo has a more full-bodied and prominent notes. However, the mid-bass quantity is not exaggerated; Exo doesn’t tighten the stage and doesn’t warm the overall atmosphere more than limits and necessity for smooth touches. It can be thought that Exo has a balanced mid-bass presentation in terms of control and warmth. Additionally, Exo’s resolution is much better than Lear stock.
 

 
Mid Frequency:  
 
When compared to Lear stock, Exo has similarly located midrange with same amount of prominence. Exo doesn’t have a laidback presentation here, but neither too forward. In comparison, Exo makes instruments’ positioning in a larger picture by tightening impact and keeping their overall sizes on the stage. On the other hand, Lear stock has non-controlled note releasing and instruments are closely located to each other. This difference makes Exo to create significantly clearer and cleaner picture overall.  
 
In transparency comparison, Exo has slightly better performance, but it has a definite superiority over Lear stock in terms of tone’s richness and resolution. Additionally, it seems that they have similar performance on note thickness, but Exo has slightly fuller notes in accordance with its overall refining superiority. Also, overall tonality is similar, but Exo has a better timbre in accordance with its rich presentation.
 
High Frequency:
 
Exo has slightly more quantity in this region when compared to Lear stock cable. Lear stock’s treble has significantly uncontrolled note releasing, while Exo has better resolution here. Even if Exo has slightly more prominent treble, it is more forgiving overall and doesn’t try to throw details in a harsh way. Treble notes are weightier and their tone is better on Exo. 
 
Soundstage and Separation:
 
Exo performs slightly better in terms of width, but it has a significantly deeper stage with recreation of a cleaner picture overall. This stage depth difference makes Exo to have a better layering too. Background blackness performance is similar, but Exo puts cleaner and clearer distances between instruments on a larger space with an airier presentation overall. Additionally, Exo has a better separation by creating more controlled and tighter notes.  
 

 
Final Words:
 
plusSound Exo series silver/gold cable has a smooth sound and weighty low end for a standard silver cable. It is also very impressive in accordance with detail creation style and rich midrange. As always, built quality and looking is very nice and plusSound’s customer service is one the best in the industry. Lastly, Exo silver/gold cable is priced at 299 USD at the time of this review posted. 
 
For more information please check plusSound website:
 
http://www.plussoundaudio.com

The exo cable is a great cable to go with, especially with the CIEM, which in my case is the UM Miracle. It cleaned up the slight bluriness of the sound in comparison with stock cable, which is great. The cable is quite stiff, but that is understandable.
 
the sockets and plugs are very well built, and I am thoroughly impressed by the aesthetics too. The only thing i wished for is an ear guide for IEM cables, cause my cable consistently fall off over my ear, which is quite annoying. Once this is done, there is no reason not to love this cable anymore

PlusSound Exo Series Cable Review
- Expatinjapan

PlusSound Exo Series cable review





http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html



Unboxing and build.









The PlusSound Exo Cable comes in a a sensible and sturdy charcoal black cardboard box.
The flap contains a magnet with helps keep it shut firmly for future storage.



The cable arrived in a safely sealed plastic bag which required scissors to open.
Also a branded rubber band for rigs, all resting comfortably on a bed of foam.





The cable to my eyes has something organic and natural about it.



The wire used is T-Metal (consists of gold plated copper and silver + gold bundles)
in Type 6 Litz configuration.



Solid and robust plug and connectors.



The MMCX connectors click into place with ease and authority.


Campfire Audio Dorado

Description
(from the PlusSound website):
`Exo series displays the beauty behind the rich sound.
This cable consists of four high quality, custom manufactured UPOCC stranded wires with a durable and flexible polyethylene insulation, which are then braided to provide better quality sound while reducing low range and interference noises.

Selecting Type 6 Litz wires will prevent electrical anomalies such as skin effect and proximity effect, in addition to preventing oxidation by applying a special enamel coating to individually insulate every strand for long lasting sound quality and appearance. The multiple proprietary dampening cores function to reduce vibration - keeping conductivity constant throughout for the best quality sound.

All wires are cryogenically treated to strengthen the structure of the wires for maximum durability and performance. This is the perfect solution for use on the go, at home, and/or use on stage.
With excellent ergonomics, sound quality, and constructed with only the highest quality components on the market, it is this best interchangeable cable available.

Features
• Personalize your cable based on available options. [Contact PlusSound if you require a custom length or component]
• Ultra Pure OCC Type 6 Litz is the most advanced wire on the market featuring multiple proprietary dampening cores for vibration reduction, consistent conductivity, better overall feel and ergonomics, and prevents electrical anomalies.
• Selected PS connectors and plugs made from pure gold plated copper with strong anodized aluminum shell for high quality conductivity and reliability.
• Selected PS y-splitters and sliders are made out of anodized aluminum for optimal durability.
• 3D Printed y-splitters are designed and manufactured in-house from durable acrylic material.
• Handcrafted in the USA.
To learn more about a specific component, visit the PlusSound About page.
Package includes
• Exo Series Custom Cable
• Amplifier Band
• Information Card
• PS Premium Packaging [only for Priority and Express shipments]`


PlusSound exo series with Opus#3 and Campfire Audio Andromeda
Sound



Head phone switcher with ALO Audio interconnectors.
Opus#3, iBasso Dx200, Opus#2 and Campfire Audio Nova.

The experience is one of naturalness, organic and detailed clarity fused together in a sonic synergy of wholeness. That audiophile word salad made me reach for my writers barf bag - but its true!

The PlusSound Exo series looks and sounds organic, ie natural. There is an ease to its use and also to the listening experience which comes across as non fatiguing yet does not sacrifice any detail or soundstage whilst in doing so.
It is a smooth sounding cable that retains the usual Litz/silver signature of a slight v shape which is massaged into something more like a w or a soft u. That is to say it has enough mids to please.

This probably due to the materials used which is a T-Metal (consists of gold plated copper and silver + gold bundles) in Type 6 Litz configuration.
It seemed have a good match with most earphones I tested when paired with a complimentary dap.
The bass is present with a softness, the mids are warm and lush, the highs are clear but not over extended. Overall quite balanced with no serious emphasis on any particular range.

The sound stage of course is more dependent on the dap and earphone combination, but I did not detect the Exo series having any adverse effects.
Organic, natural, even with some body and detailed clarity.





Moar audio pron pics


iBasso DX200, iBasso IT03 and the PlusSound Exo series cable.


iBasso IT03






CEntrance Mini-M8


Campfire Audio Andromeda and the PlusSound Exo Series cable




PlusSound 2.5mm to Kobiconn/RSA adapter which I ordered at an earlier date t use with my CEntrance Mini-M8.






PlusSound Exo series cable and Campfire Audio Vega.









Value
Price, build, performance and overall sonic experience make this cable a realistic purchase devoid of wallet regrets.



Overall

The PlusSound Exo Cable is a beautifully made cable with excellent ergonomics.
One of course can choose different splitters and connectors etc, I was pleased with the design choices that plusSound made made on my behalf.

It is lovely to look at and soft to the touch.
The neck slider has a good balance between being too tight or overly loose.
The MMCX connectors click into place with solid authority and yet also without much physical effort.

The cable itself has minimal micro phonics.

Build is solid and well crafted.

The sound is a natural and organic one, with clarity and details which is due to a mix the of materials used in it construction: T-Metal (consists of gold plated copper and silver + gold bundles) in Type 6 Litz configuration.

The Exo series cable by PlusSound smooth, organic and natural.


PlusSound Exo Series with the Campfire Audio Jupiter

Thank you to PlusSound for sending Head pie the Exo Series IEM cable for review

Introduction

I would like to thank Plussound for providing me the Plussound Exo Gold Plated Copper (GPC) Type 6 Litz cable for review. It is 26 AWG and of type UP-OCC. The length is 1.2m. There are 4 cores to this cable. The Plussound Exo GPC I received comes with MMCX connectors and 2.5mm balanced jack. At this moment, you can purchase the cable from http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html .



Unboxing

The cable comes in a black package and upon opening the package, you can see the cable sealed in a plastic wrap packaging. There are 2 amplifier bands and an information card. There is a lack of soft carrying pouch to keep the cable. Overall, the package gives a premium feel to it.



Cable Design & Build

The MMCX connectors on the cable has a housing that is sleeved with a rubber coating. On each of the connector, there is a Plussound logo in blue and red to differentiate between left and right respectively. On the connector, there is a gold circular metal which I assume is either for grip or design purpose. It gives a sleek feel to the connector. There is no memory wire section. Moving on to the chin slider, it is matte black and is made of aluminium. The slider is circular in shape. The y-splitter is rose gold in colour and is made of aluminium too. The visual appeal is very good as the rose gold y-splitter complements with the matte black chin slider. Lastly, the jack is 2.5mm balanced with strain relief. On the housing sleeve protector, there is the Plussound brand name in gold printed on it.



Sound Analysis (Compared to Stock Cable)

Lows

The sub-bass has a slight increase in quantity and this helps to improve the body. The extension is maintained. There is improvement in the rumble and this leads to more punch. Mid-bass has a tighter slam and the dynamics benefit as such. Overall bass has more impact and each bass note is presented with more authority. Decay and cleanliness is maintained. Transition from the lows to the mids is improved rather slightly and bass texture is rendered more smoothly.

Mids

There is slightly more body to the mids as the midrange takes on a thick and lush approach. The lower mids benefit from the extra body as male vocals are presented with less hollowness. The upper mids has a slightly improvement in its control and it is less forward. I find that this cable helps to balance the midrange. The detail retrieval and resolution improves too.

Highs

The treble extension is similar with more control. There is an added smoothness to the treble with more body. This results in the treble being more organic. The amount of air increases and sparkle is retained. There is no sibilance and harshness. Treble articulation is slightly more precise and definition increases. The treble sounds rather smooth yet still retaining the definition and control.

Soundstage

There is slightly more width in the stage and the depth is maintained. The increase in width helps to improve the positioning of vocals and instruments to avoid congestion. Imaging increases a little bit.

Pairings

Campfire Audio Andromeda

The sub-bass has more body and the quantity increases. I find the sub-bass quantity is rather appropriate. The extension is maintained. The mid-bass has more slam with improved dynamics. There is an added level of smoothness to the bass. The lower mids benefit greatly due to the quantity on the low end. The upper mids is more smooth and controlled. The treble has similar response as the midrange. The smoothness helps to give more control and there is a higher level of details retrieval. Width of stage increases while the depth is maintained. Resolution improves.

Dunu DK3001

The sub-bass extension increases and the depth provides more punch. I find the cable helps to improve the extension significiantly. Mid-bass is more controlled and operates on a smoother approach. The lower mids is around the same and the upper mids have a superior control with a tinge of smoothness. The treble takes a step back and inclines toward the laid-back approach but there is still energy. Sparkle is present and there is no sibilance and harshness. The details are present in abundance. Stage width increases significantly and depth is maintained. Resolution improves.

Fidue A91

The sub-bass has a heavier weight to it and this makes the decay slightly slow but there is still pace in the sound. I find the mid-bass has a nice slam to it with impact. The lower mids has quantity so male vocals sound thick and not hollow at all. The upper mids is more smooth. The treble of A91 is already quite smooth and this cable ensures it is maintained. The details retrieval is rather good. There is impressive stage width and good depth. Resolution improves.

Conclusion

The Plussound Exo Gold Plated Copper Type 6 Litz is a top cable that is able to showcase a high standard of details retrieval and adds a smoothness to the overall sound. This cable pairs well with balanced and brighter sounding iems. The stage width and depth improves a lot to reduce congestion. The visual appeal of the cable is good and made with top quality parts. This cable is in the premium category of cables with its great build and excellent sonic performance.



For more reviews, visit https://audio123blog.wordpress.com/ .