Apologies for the delay since I receive the Leo II and my initial impressions. I have been on this brutal road trip for the past week.
As you can perhaps tell from the photo, I’ve been running the cable with the Sony 1A and with the FitEar Titan.
One of the things I loved about the original Leonidas is that it sounded very organic with sufficient transparency. Eric had promised me that the Leo II would take that sound signature that I enjoyed and push it further.
My favourite album for listening to new IEMs or taking cables for a spin is Another World by Cassandra Wilson. The recording is impeccable and the layering and placement of instruments is nuanced yet impactful.
The songs seems to be simple enough when played on poor sources. But when listened on the above combination, the layering and depth of the recording immediately has anyone sit up and take notice. The Leo II is very transparent in allowing the Titans to shine with excellent treble extension and the right amount of shine but natural decay. This is especially apparent when listening to the many acoustic guitar solos in this album. Every note is clear and yet the plucking of the notes fades naturally and is just right.
The Titans of course are known for their sense of space and the Leo II helps bring that across. But without any exaggeration. If anything else, it is a very immersive experience as I am enveloped by the music. Nice combination with good soundstage.
As for the bass, what I like about how the Titans and the Leo II interact is there seems to be more impact on the bass without losing control. Where the bass line is just part of the passage of music, you can feel the bass without it overwhelming the rest of the music. Very tight and controlled.
Ultimately, at this initial stage, what impressed me is the nimbleness that the Leo II brings to the table with the Titans. There is nary a smear or blurring even where the music picks up or where there a few instruments layered.
I do love my Titans and what it brings to the table. Thus far, the Leonidas II is helping bring out the excellence that it is.
I will post more impressions in due course as I spend more time with this combination. If you haven’t tried the Leo II, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what a 4 wire cable can do in the hands of Eric and his team at Effect Audio.