Effect Audio cables thread

[twister6]

Just got my upgraded Chiron back This cable is still my favorite pair up with Traillii. While I was waiting, switched back to stock 1960 4W, but it wasn't the same. Chiron brings more clarity and less coloring (more transparency) to the mids/vocals, actually brings Traillii mids a bit forward, and improves the imaging. I covered all this last year in my original Chiron review, should be still the same since wires didn't change.



The transformation:



The cable upgrade covers only the hardware, wires stay the same, and, obviously, I can't do side-by-side comparison. If there are any changes, it could be relative to a difference between the plug because I switched to TermX. For 100% purity, you would want PSquared/P-EA plug since it has a direct soldering to the connector without going through modular system. But who knows, the change could be minimum, and TermX is very convenient if you need to switch to 3.5mm or 2.5mm or maybe use their usb-c tips. But even with TermX, you will still find the same sandblsated polished Titanium casing as with PSquared plug. Which also looks like the same Titanium casing of the plug and the connectors in new Cleo II.



The new Y-Split looks really cool, a combination of sandblasted polished Titanium with Carbon Fibre. The titanium C-shin slider is retractable and hides in Y-Split, similar to the original one. The housing of connector shells is matching, also with a sandblasted polished titanium finish, just like casing of the plug.

 

[SteveK27]

Just got my upgraded Chiron back This cable is still my favorite pair up with Traillii. While I was waiting, switched back to stock 1960 4W, but it wasn't the same. Chiron brings more clarity and less coloring (more transparency) to the mids/vocals, actually brings Traillii mids a bit forward, and improves the imaging. I covered all this last year in my original Chiron review, should be still the same since wires didn't change.



The transformation:



The cable upgrade covers only the hardware, wires stay the same, and, obviously, I can't do side-by-side comparison. If there are any changes, it could be relative to a difference between the plug because I switched to TermX. For 100% purity, you would want PSquared/P-EA plug since it has a direct soldering to the connector without going through modular system. But who knows, the change could be minimum, and TermX is very convenient if you need to switch to 3.5mm or 2.5mm or maybe use their usb-c tips. But even with TermX, you will still find the same sandblsated polished Titanium casing as with PSquared plug. Which also looks like the same Titanium casing of the plug and the connectors in new Cleo II.



The new Y-Split looks really cool, a combination of sandblasted polished Titanium with Carbon Fibre. The titanium C-shin slider is retractable and hides in Y-Split, similar to the original one. The housing of connector shells is matching, also with a sandblasted polished titanium finish, just like casing of the plug.

Interesting you opted for Term-X over Pentaconn. I assume you valued the convenience of its modular system over the "purist" route? From my experience, there is definitely an audible difference between the two so it certainly isn't just a choice of having a modular system or not.

I compared two Code 23 side-by-side a while back - one terminated in its standard Term-X and the other in OFC Pentaconn.

The left plug here is the Term-X variant and has a slightly elevated pedestal compared to Pentaconn on the right.

The two Code 23 were identical in tonality, but the Pentaconn variant clearly had a more transparent and resolving midrange. The difference was appreciable enough for me to choose the Pentaconn variant over the other, and something I would encourage others to give some consideration as well.

Regardless, really happy to see you with the upgraded hardware! I've debated on sending my Chiron over, but have kept it for now as I'm very much enjoying it in its current state.

 

[twister6]

Interesting you opted for Term-X over Pentaconn. I assume you valued the convenience of its modular system over the "purist" route? From my experience, there is definitely an audible difference between the two so it certainly isn't just a choice of having a modular system or not.

I compared two Code 23 side-by-side a while back - one terminated in its standard Term-X and the other in OFC Pentaconn.





The left plug here is the Term-X variant and has a slightly elevated pedestal compared to Pentaconn on the right.

The two Code 23 were identical in tonality, but the Pentaconn variant clearly had a more transparent and resolving midrange. The difference was appreciable enough for me to choose the Pentaconn variant over the other, and something I would encourage others to give some consideration as well.

Regardless, really happy to see you with the upgraded hardware! I've debated on sending my Chiron over, but have kept it for now as I'm very much enjoying it in its current state.

Tbh, I didn't exactly opted for it. More like was impatient to wait for the plug availability and they had TermX available now. I believe they are building new cables and PSquared plugs are all allocated for customer orders to meet the current demand. So, I agreed to move forward with TermX to avoid delays

 

[Damz87]

Interesting you opted for Term-X over Pentaconn. I assume you valued the convenience of its modular system over the "purist" route? From my experience, there is definitely an audible difference between the two so it certainly isn't just a choice of having a modular system or not.

I compared two Code 23 side-by-side a while back - one terminated in its standard Term-X and the other in OFC Pentaconn.





The left plug here is the Term-X variant and has a slightly elevated pedestal compared to Pentaconn on the right.

The two Code 23 were identical in tonality, but the Pentaconn variant clearly had a more transparent and resolving midrange. The difference was appreciable enough for me to choose the Pentaconn variant over the other, and something I would encourage others to give some consideration as well.

Regardless, really happy to see you with the upgraded hardware! I've debated on sending my Chiron over, but have kept it for now as I'm very much enjoying it in its current state.

I chose to wait for the OFC 4.4mm for this very reason. Chiron is such a fantastic sounding cable that I didn’t want any possible degradation in SQ

I do love TermX for it’s convenience though, but I’ll keep it on my cheaper cables for my less transparent IEM’s.

 

[Shawnb]

Any word on how much to upgrade our cable to the newer model?

 

[galaxysound25]

Hello all, could you please suggest if code23 (headphone version) ~800 USD is a better option than Cleopatra II in similar range at currunt discounted price. The benefit in code23 is, it can be used with headphone also, but I'm not sure if cleopatra II is a much better cable?

 

[emdeevee]

Hello all, could you please suggest if code23 (headphone version) ~800 USD is a better option than Cleopatra II in similar range at currunt discounted price. The benefit in code23 is, it can be used with headphone also, but I'm not sure if cleopatra II is a much better cable?

Aren't those cables opposite ends of the spectrum, one being pure copper, the other silver?

 

[galaxysound25]

Aren't those cables opposite ends of the spectrum, one being pure copper, the other silver?

Yes, you are right. My question was wrong. I would ask, is it worth to buy code 23 as a headphone cable, to be used with HEKSE, and with Mest IEM series as well. Or pure silve cables will have better synergy with HEKSE and MEST series IEMs, as there is good bass already in both. In case someone has already used these combo

 

[Loquah]

A while back, I reviewed the Eros S and Ares S cables on my channel. A few months ago, @EffectAudio reached out to see if I would also try the Ares S 8W and I said yes of course because I'm a huge fan of the standard Ares S. My queue has been frantic so apologies that it's taken so long to post some impressions, but here goes...

Ergonomically, the 8W wire is obviously heavier and a little stiffer than the standard Ares S, but it's still very good from an ergonomics point of view.

Sonically, things are quite interesting. For those not aware, the 8W is an 8-wire version of the 4-wire Ares S. This means that you have more strands of wire carrying the signal, but that the wire itself is otherwise the same. It might seem like overkill to have twice the thickness of wire for IEMs that run on a hint of a milliwatt, but the difference is clear.

Moving from the standard Ares S to the Ares S 8W, the sounds gets a little more weight to it and is a little smoother, but with no loss of detail. Vocals have more presence and are possibly better separated in the mix, but nothing else changes (in a good way). It simply takes the existing sound of the Ares S and bumps up the quality and refinement in clear and obvious ways.

(This testing was completed with the Thieaudio Monarch Mk2 and running from a modest source in the new Sound Blaster X5 (balanced output) so gains might be even greater on higher end sources - I'll test that for the full video review)

@EffectAudio, care to share any info here about how the increased wires are improving the sound? Is it simply down to lower resistance or are more complex factors at play?

 

[JordonEA]

Hey @Loquah Great question! With physical parameters changing, impedance changes. Unfortunately, currently there is no scientific apparatus that can measure sonic factors like clarity and soundstage. While these factors are based on the signature of the material used, by doubling up the wire, audibly, it should present a fuller body, wider soundstage and better resolution. Fundamentally, there should not be a change in it's signature. We personally do recommend friends to give it a try and experience the improvement for themselves

- Jordon

 

[Polky74]

I'm waiting for the Ares S 8W for the Mest MKIIs hoping to find a good synergy so I can listen to the dongles I recently bought and which are arriving to me. I'm already thinking how to reuse the PWaudio M2 Copper (original from the Mest MKII) and which iem to try it on.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

So the serious game is officially opened :

Ares S 8w vs Ares S Founders Edition (referred here as "FE" ; 8w too, 04-10 worldwide units only, numeroted and signed, yeah ! ) :





Some details for a quite complexe structure and blend of diverse conductive metals :



So aesthetically, these two (big) cables (AWG 24 x 8) are two authentic stunners... but the Founders Edition is just ultra gorgeous. The standard version is "just" gorgeous. It is said

More seriously, the FE version is much less coppery colored than the regular full copper version, with just a hint of gold shimmer on some wires, and distinctly silvery for the remaining two wires throughout the recipe (the palladium-plated ones). The jack 4.4mm for the FE version is the well known pure gold plated copper plug made by Pentaconn.

Ergonomics are the same : excellent. Big cables but very manageable, pliable, supple... Ears hooks are very well made. In my world : perfect.

And then sonically wise ?...

Well, a little historical perspective.

For a raison, and after having tried or owned around 20 different cables with my Aure Ringo's (whatever the prices : Code 51, PW 1950, Orpheus, Oc Studio Frozen, Aaw Aoraki, PS Tricopper, GPS, Rhapsodio Graphene, Cema Twt, Pipa, Penon Totem, etc, etc, etc.), the best result I got so far was with......... the regular Ares S 8w....

Matter of fact, period. So be it.

The Aure Ringo's (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aure-audio-ringo.961804/) are for me the epitome of discrete (but super high) technicalities articulated with peerless musicality.

Notably, the tones, timbres, are to die for : realistic and in a word, natural. The rest of the sound is super balanced. This is my personal (musical) reference. Unfortunately, it was a shooting star. Discontinued, and only 4 pairs produced ever.

By the way, for a reason, the couple with the Ares S 8w is essentially... Perfect. Everything : powerful, lush, bold, dynamic, slappy, extended (soundstage and bandwidth)... Made in heaven. A true miracle.

There is here a sort of magic spell at work, which is just addictive. No other cable has achieved the same sorcery trick (to be honest, just a super expensive Rhapsodio pure Copper cable : 5000 USD, really... have achieve before the same magic results ; no direct comparison, only by memory). I don't know why...

About the Ares S Founders Edition, Suyang himself have had this statement :

"Using Ares S as a base and the drive to explore synergies with exotic materias, Suyang’s preferred blend Ares S Founder's Edition was born.
Ares S Founder's Edition is Ares S mixed with a Copper Gold alloy and an Exotic Palladium Plated Copper. You can expect an Ares S on steroids - one that brings out a more dynamic sound with an extended soundstage."

Obviously, I was very interested, and by an inconceivable game of chance, I was able to get my hands on this famous "Founders Edition". The 4th, out of only 10 cables produced worldwide.

One word about Suyang's statement : TRUE.

Yes, the Founders Edition is a little more powerful and energised than the regular 8w version (which is really powerful and energised ). It is more airy and separated too. Not the holographic kind, but, sort of, by a hair.

The FE is above all a little more precise, solid, more outlined (delineated) and defined than the standard version. The latter is also a little more "diffuse", as a result, and a little more mid centric (less balanced) and softer (rounded ? although this is crystal clear and very vivid) in its general rendition. The FE version is more bass powered, articulated and dense, and basically more "complete" (balanced, or extended ? All the bandwidth) than the regular 8w version.

It is a little more technical than the regular version, very slightly to the detriment of the charm, especially on human voices (this mid centric - very - addictive treat ).

So it is tiny and in the end, the FE version is more... complete, achieved and sophisticated than the standard 8w version. That's the 3 best words to describe the difference between the two versions as I think.

It is challenging to decide, as they share the same DNA... If the FE version is rated 100, the regular 8w version is easily rated 90 plus. Even better.

So no clear winner and obviously, if we resonate exclusively in terms of value for money, the FE version is very poorly placed.

But we will have understood that this is not the subject :

This is pure pleasure for the aesthete I am, the collector and let's face it, perfectionism pushed to its climax.

In a few words, this is my opinion... which of course is solely my opinion, and as regards the synergies at stake as a whole system described here above.

So...

An epic moment to be honest, let's see it together.

I'll start at the end, no need to create a false suspense :

The Ares S Founders Edition rules. No question.

But... it was a long and close combat at first and I was quite (badly) surprised, because for the first hours (50 to 100h to be more specifc), I preferred the standard version, in 8 wires.

I was very... upset, frustrated because :

- The Founders Edition was the best cable, technically wise. It was clear. Not day and night, but the overall precision, separation, definition and resolution were better. And the low end was immédiatly more stronger, meaty, articulate... but..................
- The standard version was more "musical", and above all spontaneous, snappy, open, more natural.... In short, I preferred the result obtained.

The Founders behaved like a diesel engine in cold weather : heavy and long to start, to rev up....

Very strange :

- The standard version was brand new, and I had run it for roughly 2 weeks. So the cable had to be "breaked in" (I will come back to this question of "breaking in", or more specifically "pairing", especially "electrical pairing"). And immediately, I was in love. For the very first nano-second. Immediately.

- But the Founders Edition was a second hand... so, logically......................................... no need to break it in............................................. Unfortunately... I wasn't in love yet. "Like it", yes, but not "love it" as the standard version.... damn.

I'm doing the short version here, but I have had a really bad past 2 weeks.

Frustrating... Hence the hesitations I had expressed here (polite mode on : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/effect-audio-cables-thread.787717/page-464#post-17570587 )...

I had spent 800 euro, second hand, on a cable which was certainly very good on it's own... but while preferring the standard version, at "only" 250 euro... Damn.... !!!!

I alternated listenings, and each time I switched to the standard version, things seemed "musically obvious" (listening pleasure) to me... compared to the other technically more accomplished and competent cable... but less "musically obvious"... TOTAL FRUSTRATION.............................

However, one evening, after all these procrastination, The Founders Edition was released. At once. As if a dike had given way or a lock had come loose. I haven't any explanation...

There was a plateau, some kind of, and from this time, the Founders, while keeping its technical qualities intact (even having even increased them: general clarity and balance ; the high was more opened), took on the same traits of liveliness and spontaneity of the standard version.

This is not the first time that I have witnessed this type of phenomenon. This had also been the case with my big sedentary cables (see my signature ; pure silver cables).

But for "tiny" earphone cables, I had never so precisely and systematically observed the issue...

Here too, the context was particularly interesting, since it was a comparaison, step by step, between two products with the same base ; although quite heavily modified (the Founders : basically, it's a Code 51 but made with a copper base instead of a silver base, with a different litz structure, and 8 wires, vs 4 wires - code 51 -...).

What makes me wonder the most is that the Founders Edition was therefore a second-hand cable (admittedly in indistinguishable new condition ) :

How long had it been used ?

The previous owner paired it with Empire Ears Odin's.

But here, it's as the cable had gone through a "phase of adaptation", of "transition", to finally break free and literally "explode" (clarity, dynamics, etc.).

Conversely, the standard 8w version had only known my Aure Ringo's...

Here, in a few words, I wanted to make this testimony public.

I can't draw any conclusions except one:

Give to the products sufficient time to express themselves and, yes () to "pair" () each other. 50 to 100hours.

This seems to me to be the minimum time required.

Is it only a "perception story" ? Electrical matching ? All of that, I DON'T KNOW... really...

But on the other hand, I know exactly what kind of sensations I went through during this (incredibly frustrating) period, with a "before" and an "after", so...

Thank you for reading me and obviously open to all discussions or remarks.

 

[acuinus]

So...

An epic moment to be honest, let's see it together.

I'll start at the end, no need to create a false suspense :

The Ares S Fouders Edition rules. No question.

But... it was a long and close combat at first and a was quite (badly) surprised, because for the firts hours (50 to 100h to be more specifc), I preferred the standard version, in 8 wires.

I was very... upset, frustrated because :

- The Founders Edition was the best cable, technically wise. It was clear. Not day and night, but the overall precision, separation, definition and resolution were better. And the low end was immédiatly more stronger, meaty, articulate... but..................
- The standard version was more "musical", and above all spontaneous, snappy, open, more natural.... In short, I preferred the result obtained.

The Founders behaved like a diesel engine in cold weather : heavy and long to start, to rev up....

Very strange :

- The standard version was brand new, and I had run it for roughly 2 weeks. So the cable had to be "breaked in" ((I will come back to this question of "breaking in", or more specifically "pairing", especially electrical pairing)). And immediately, I was in love. Immediately.
- But the Founders Edition was a second hand... so, logically......................................... no need to break it in............................................. and I wasn't in love. Like it, but not love it, as the standard version.... damn.

I'm doing the short version here, but I had a really bad 2 weeks. Frustrating... Hence the hesitations I had expressed here (polite mode on : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/effect-audio-cables-thread.787717/page-464#post-17570587 )...

I had spent 800 euro, second hand, on a cable which was certainly very good... but while preferring the standard version, at 250 euro... gloups !!!!

I alternated listenings, and each time I switched to the standard version, things seemed "musically obvious" (listening pleasure) to me... compared to the other technically more accomplished version... but less "musically obvious"... TOTAL FRUSTRATION.............................

However, one evening, after all these procrastination, The Founders Edition was released. At once. As if a dike had given way or a lock had come loose.

There was a plateau, and from there, the Founders, while keeping its technical qualities intact (even having even increased them: general clarity and balance ; the high was more opened), took on the same traits of liveliness and spontaneity of the standard version.

This is not the first time that I have witnessed this type of phenomenon. This had also been the case with my big sedentary cables (see my signature).

But for mobile cables, I had never so precisely and systematically observed the issue...

Here too, the context was particularly interesting, since it was a comparaison, step by step, between two products with the same base ; although quite heavily modified (the Founders: basically, it's a code 51 but in copper base instead of silver base, with a different litz structure, and 8 wires vs 4 wires - code 51 -...).

What makes me wonder the most is that the Founders Edition was therefore a second-hand cable (admittedly in indistinguishable new condition ):

How long had it been used ?

The previous owner used it with an Empire Ears Odin.

But there, it's as if the cable had gone through a "phase of adaptation", of "transition", to finally break free and literally "explode" (clarity, dynamics, etc.)

Conversely, the standard version had only known my Aure Ringo's...

Here, in a few words, I wanted to make this testimony public.

I can't draw any conclusions except one:

Give to the products sufficient time to express themselves and, yes () to "pair" () each other. 50 to 100hours.

This seems to me to be the minimum time required.

Is it only a "perception story" ? Electrical matching ? All of that, I DON'T KNOW... really...

But on the other hand, I know exactly what sensations I went through during this (incredibly frustrating) period, with a "before" and an "after", so...

Thank you for reading me and obviously open to all discussions or remarks.

OK, good job; any comparison between
Ares / Cadmus FE and Kinera Orlog? —
gold-plated thread is highly likely to be
kinda similar background

 

[The1Signature]

If there are two cables the music lovers gotz have, it would be centurion and first times.
After about 100+ hours of mileage the centurion has transofrmed into something outta this world.
It's beyond sheer melodies but pulsating signals stimulating your ear drums.

i would like to buy the centurion. However, since i prefer the sony ier-z1r as my main iem, the special mmcx pin does not fit with the standard mmcx.

 

[Somek]

Super excited to share this review of CODE 23. It became my daily driver, together with the HiFiMan HE6SE. Great cable, especially for a copper lover like me.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/effect-audio-code-23.26351/reviews#review-30917