I would like to know some more detail about the leonidas octa, cleopatra octa and the horus 8. Because of the pandemic there is no chance to try them in person. I would greatly appreciate if someone happen to have the opportunity to hear the three cables and explain on how low, mid high are like respectively. Thanks a lot!
I have the chance to listen to these 3 cables side by side so I would be sharing what I hear about each of them. Before I proceed, let me make it clear that I am just sharing what I hear to my own ears and I will attempt to be as objective as possible. As usual, YMMV. I am not a professional reviewer even though I have some past experience with writing reviews in the past but I have not done it in quite some time due to work commitments. Also, you will see me referring to the “pairing” between the cable and IEM a lot more than describing the cable on its own because I believe the synergy between the cable, IEM and source is the most important and the pairing between a particular cable and different IEMs will definitely vary.
This mini comparison was done with the Astell&Kern SP1000SS and an Empire Ears Legend X Universal IEM.
Cleopatra Octa
The Cleopatra Octa is a pure silver cable. The Cleopatra Octa is an extremely transparent sounding cable and it gives a fuller sound compared to the Leonidas II Octa. However, this fullness does not come at the expense of speed as the pairing with Cleopatra Octa does not sound slow or weighty in any way. It is still quick and packs a decent punch. The Legend X already has bass that sounds full and punchy. The Cleopatra adds a tad bit more body to the bass and extends it down deep. Bass is full and well extended but might be a tad bit too much for some. Staging on the Cleopatra Octa extends far and wide with plenty of resolution. The Cleopatra Octa has good treble extension, but does not extend as high as the other 2 cables in this comparison.
Leonidas II Octa
The Leonidas II Octa has the most intimate sounding and sweetest midrange among the 3 cables with the Legend X. Despite having an overall “leaner” sound signature than the Cleopatra Octa, the Leonidas II Octa is more natural sounding and has a lusher midrange that I thoroughly enjoy. Staging on the Leonidas II Octa is very wide and deep. The Leonidas II Octa is incredibly transparent with lots of detail. Resolution, spatial positioning and instrument separation is in a league of its own and has more “air” than the Cleopatra Octa, almost on par with the Horus Octa. In the low end, the Leonidas II Octa would provide slightly more punch in the mid-bass compared to the Cleopatra Octa which has more focus in the sub-bass. If you are upgrading from the 4-Wire Leonidas II, the Leonidas II Octa would pack more punch down low as well as an even wider soundstage.
Horus Octa
When paired with the Legend X, there is one portion which really stands out - the highs. I feel like this cable “unlocks” the treble of the Legend X and allows it to extend much higher up. Instruments sound a lot more natural and the top end sounds more sparkly. However, it never feels hot or sharp at all. It adds a little body to the mids but not as much as the Leonidas II Octa. In exchange, Horus Octa has the most “air” and the widest soundstage among the 3 cables mentioned here. This gives the Legend X plenty of sparkle up top which is very welcome when it comes to certain instruments such as the cymbals. They clash with plenty of energy without ever sounding hot or "sharp" to the ears. The Horus Octa does not add any more quantity to that addictive low end punch of the Legend X but gives it more texture and depth and makes it that much more enjoyable.
Conclusion
All 3 cables are very good cables with top class resolution, separation and pair well with the Legend X which I used for this comparison. However, If I had to pick my favourite pairing, my
personal preference would be the Horus Octa with the Legend X. Instruments sound the most natural and the Horus Octa complements the Legend X really well as it gives it superb extension both up top as well as deep down. The Horus Octa really makes the Legend X both sparkle and punch hard at the same time. The whole pairing is musical and just a joy to listen to. However, if you might want something with more intimate sounding mids, I would recommend you give the Leonidas II Octa a shot too as it has superb pairing with the Legend X too.
I hope this small comparison provides some insight into some of these cables and is helpful for any of you who are unable to try out the cables. It was a pleasure writing this post! I would be happy to answer any questions. Owners of the respective cables might wish to chime in if I missed out anything! Cheers ☺
