I just posted impressions of
EA Signature Series II cables in my CanJam Dallas report and figured to share it here as well even so I will be working on a full detailed review with more comparisons and pair-up examples.
If you are on a budget and looking for higher quality cables, the original Signature Series cables from Effect Audio were among the top choices, including the bonus of ConX connectors to use with 2pin, mmcx, and other IEMs. Hard to imagine how you can improve it, yet EA still managed to by doubling the wires of Ares S II and Cadmus II while offering each at a lower price than corresponding 8-wire versions of Ares S and Cadmus from the OG series and also offering Eros S II at the same price with other common improvements. The cable hardware was updated with a more elegant premium-looking Y-Split and new wire structure including a Central Solid Core like in their more expensive Code series, using a Solid Copper core in Ares S II and Cadmus II and a Solid Silver core in Eros S II.
The sound analysis below was done using P6 Pro DAP and EE Odin.
Ares S II vs Ares S 8w and Ares S - between S II and original S 8w I hear a few very clear differences, such as an improvement in imaging while the soundstage width remains the same but the imaging of sound placement has a more holographic perception. I also hear more sub-bass rumble and fuller body mids. The fuller body mids were probably the most noticeable change going from S 8w to S II. Relative to the original 4w Ares S, the S II soundstage is noticeably wider, mids gain a bit more texture/coloring, and the treble is more natural, making the original Ares S brighter in treble and with a narrower soundstage/imaging. Ares S II, despite being 8 wires, is also less bulky than Ares S 8w, being somewhere in between Ares S and Ares S 8w.
Cadmus II vs Cadmus 8w and Cadmus - between II and the original Cadmus 8w, I hear nearly the same soundstage expansion and imaging, but the tonality does vary. OG 8w makes Odin have a rather mid-forward brighter sound which pushes the bass to the back and makes treble brighter and crisper. II version brings mids forward as well but gives the vocals and instruments a more natural textured tonality, also making treble more natural and less brittle. As a result of these changes, I can hear more rumble in the bass using II. II doesn't make the sound smoother or warmer but makes it more musical and more natural while keeping the same retrieval of details. The sound transformation here is more typical of a pure silver cable rather than SPC. Relative to the OG 4w version, II imaging is a lot more holographic. Another thing I noticed OG 4w was smoother than OG 8w, but going to II from OG 4w improves the retrieval of details while still keeping the sound natural. Similar to Ares S II, Cadmus II, despite being 8 wires, is less bulky than Cadmus 8w, being somewhere in between Cadmus and Cadmus 8w.
Eros S II vs Eros S - between II and OG, the soundstage expansion and imaging are nearly the same. The sound changes I hear are more on a refinement level, with some additional sub-bass rumble and a bit more mid-bass punch. Also, I hear a bit smoother treble in II. In terms of ergonomics, they are very similar, maybe with II being just a hair thicker and having tighter braiding. Furthermore, I also like the darker shade of Eros S II grey shielding better than the brighter color of Eros S.
In my opinion, if you are looking for high-quality budget cables, Signature Series II is a no-brainer. But if you already have the original Ares S, Cadmus, and Eros S, Ares S II and Cadmus II make more sense to upgrade. Both are now 8wire versions while priced less than the 8wire version of the corresponding original Sig Series cables, and they have a more noticeable sound improvement over the OG 4w and OG 8w versions, especially the Cadmus II which now has sound performance I usually find in pure silver cables. The new hardware of Sig Series II also looks great.
https://www.effectaudio.com/roots
