Day 2:
Was great talking to all of you, special shout-out to all the people running the Bloom booth for putting up with me both days and to the Water cooler members I chatted with throughout the show. The social aspect adds so much to the fun of the show and this hobby.
I came into this today with the goal of finally playing around with sources and cables today. Unless otherwise specified, Earphones are my custom Bravado MkIIs, and the source is my Shanling M6 Pro AKM. I came into this not knowing whether to expect much difference given the sheer amount of debate around Cables and sources. As can be seen, I definitely believe now haha. I was surprised at both the differences and just how much I do not like a silver cable on my set in the slightest, way too bright for me.
Eletech Illiad:
Wow, the soundstage became better, some things were able to just float in space. Way too bright
Eletech Ode to Laura:
Texture, oh my. Holy **** this is insane with Harsh Noise. The texture this pulls is genuinely better in some ways than higher end sets for Noise. Bit more mid-bass focused than I like for edm.
Ode to Laura + SE300:
Stuff seems to float a bit more, better separated. Man is the volume scaling nicer on A&K. Bass seems better than my M6 Pro. A bit brighter/harsher than I like. Definitely more detailed than my M6 Pro. Feels like it falls apart a bit with harsh noise.
Ode to Laura + SP3000:
Blacker Background than SE300, Less harsh treble. More solid bass. Larger soundstage. Some things sound very different with the extra detail/texture. Less congested than SE300 with noise.
Ode to Laura + DX320 Max Ti:
Harder hitting bass than the SP3000, less textured though. Fairly sparkly treble relative to the SP3000, not bright/obnoxious though. More forward than the SP3000. That bass HITS. The sound encourages listening loud, though it takes almost no volume to get there haha. Very physical/solid sounding. Soundstage closer in than the SP3000 and SE300. Sub-bass is very fun.
Ode to Laura + Raven + DX320 Max Ti:
Very intense, extremely fun listen. Geez are the Ravens large. Insane extension on either side.
Code 23:
Bassier than Ode to Laura, much smaller stage. Some details definitely get a bit overpowered in the mix by the bass on more complex tracks. Treble not muted or put behind, but definitely not the focus. Ergonomics better than I though they'd be, having a single coaxial wire per ear makes some of the weight/size feel more manageable. More impact/rumble focused on bass than portraying texture. If you like big impactful bass and a generally intimate sound, this cable is for you. A more sub- than mid-bass focused copper cable.
Ares S 8W:
More mid bass focused than the Code 23. Honestly feels heavier and less ergonomic than the Code 23, likely the stiffness of the 23 somewhat holding up it's own weight. Significantly smaller stage than Code 23 + OTL (it is way cheaper than both so not super surprised haha). Somewhat the idea of a quintessential copper cable but refined, treble is definitely good though not the focus. Can get a little bit congested on more complex sections. Very focused on bass impact over texture and rumble.
Eros S Anniversary Edition:
Tried primarily for the perfect aesthetic match with my CIEM Bravado's. Just look at the combo haha.
Significantly larger stage than the Ares S 8W. More treble focus than the Ares but not sibilant or obnoxiously bright. Gets less congested than the Ares but still struggles to maintain definition a bit with more complex passages. Much less forward bass, though it does better at maintaining bass all the way down. Stage is utterly gone on Pulse Demon. Does better than Ares on Minotauros.
Cleo II 8 Wire:
Better than the other Effect Audio Cables with noise. Still gets a bit congested. Not aggressively bright. Bass almost too tight, I want a bit more fun. Honestly just not particularly impressed/interested in this pairing. Nothing wrong, just not my thing.
Fusion 1:
A little bit of the silver fatigue I don't like, not drastic but it's there.
Chiron 8W:
Silver Fatigue. Doesn't get nearly as congested as their lower tier cables. Quite good space. Not my thing. Good bass. Lots of texture and details
Show favorites:
Empire Ears Raven
Campfire Bonneville
Annihilator 2023
Ode to Laura
SP3000 (though I didn't get to listen to any other flagship Daps, so this one just gets the spot)
Had a ton of fun, hope to see yall again next year!