Join Effect Audio on Tours for Two New Cables - CODE 24 & and Code 24 Limited!
- Thread starter Sebastien Chiu
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Ike1985
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I would like to be added to the US tour, thank you! I agree to the terms and have been on numerous previous tours that @Rockwell75 and others have put on.
Please PN me with your name, shipping info, email, and phone. Thanks!
The two new EA prototype cables came to me on loan from @EffectAudio and @Sebastien Chiu, and will be soon going to the next tester in line. They are totally unfinished as far as hardware and connections; pure prototypes only for sound evaluation. Photos are really only to show the cables themselves, as the hardware, etc. is still TBD. EA’s offer to test these was accompanied with verbiage to the effect that these prototypes were possibly related to Code 23, and based on my short time with them, I’d agree they’re firmly within the same family as Code 23, in ergonomics and sound profile, with some marked differences.
At the outset, I didn’t really have much time with these prototypes, but looking at them in their then-sealed EA ziplock bags (I’m first to test this pair), it definitely felt like The Matrix, with me as Neo looking at 2 brightly colored, 2w cables each in a simple plastic bag – which one do you want, Neo, blue or purple?
Blue: Thick and somewhat unwieldy like Code 23, but definitely a little less stiff than Code 23, so it’s an ergonomic improvement. I find blue to be similar in sound but more bass prominent than Code 23. Same great staging, deep and wide, as provided by Code 23 while giving a beefier sound. As with Code 23, there needs to be some brain adjustment, but with that comes a similar performer with more meat in the low end. Blue seems to love DDs, exposing their deepest bass capability, but quality throughout the FR is excellent, and like Code 23, perhaps taming the treble a bit with such a focus on the bass. Still treble sounds clear and sparkly where it should; this should be nice for treble shouty iems. DD bass hits hard (Under the Bridge by RHCP, especially in the early part where Flea comes in – you hear the deep bass notes prominently but musically), and the vocals, guitar, cymbals still all rise above and shine, if again tamed by that massive bass somewhat. I thought it was adding some veiling over the mids at first, and it might, but I think I just needed to adjust to the extra bass. It’s like Code 23 on steroids with mildly better ergonomics (which could be improved when the cable is finished with hardware, obviously). I felt that this cable overwhelmed Fir Xe6 with just too much bass, even with the red module, so I’m not sure I’d go there, and still prefer Code 23. However, testing on Penon Quattro, a soon to be released 4DD iem, revealed an incredible, eye-popping result. While purple sounded great with it too, the blue is simply sublime with Quattro as if it would have been the perfect stock cable for it. While I’ve not extensively cable rolled with Quattro yet, I had to try this, and sure glad I did because here is a cable that sounds absolutely perfect with it. Providing Quattro with its best play back I’ve heard yet, better than Cadmus 8w by a good stretch (so I will be switching to Code 23 for Quattro until/if blue is released); this brings Quattro to such an amazing performance – this is truly a perfect synergy bringing Quattro to TOTL heights. Put me on the list, please.
Purple: Similar material, but a little thinner wire, and thus, easier to deal with. This one is less bassy, and brings the mids out more, but make no mistake, it still carries big bass, to my ear, very much like Code 23. Staging feels more intimate and less spread across than blue. Is this Code 23 lite (not just because it is lighter?)? I found less coloration from the bass with purple – it feels and sounds a little bit like Fir Audio’s Rn6 stock cable (pure silver) with more bass. I have no idea what’s in these, but I’m sure it’s copper with the relation to Code 23. And if so, EA has again gotten something wonderful from it. I liked this cable with Xe6 a bit more than the blue, but not as much as I like the Code 23 with it. Like the blue cable, it also makes the DDs hit harder than the stock cable (and the EA Cadmus 8w). Mids are nice and prominent despite the deep bass. Both blue and purple are more similar than not, but no question purple has better ergonomics with its thinner, more flexible, wire.
These both feel like basshead choice cables, do you prefer it blue or purple? I think I prefer the blue, Code 23 on steroids, but I think a lot of people would really appreciate the lite (and lighter) version, too. I will most certainly pick up either (with preference to blue) for my Penon Quattro, and in fact, I’m sorry to see them go and hope I can make Code 23 work with it in the meantime!
At the outset, I didn’t really have much time with these prototypes, but looking at them in their then-sealed EA ziplock bags (I’m first to test this pair), it definitely felt like The Matrix, with me as Neo looking at 2 brightly colored, 2w cables each in a simple plastic bag – which one do you want, Neo, blue or purple?
Blue: Thick and somewhat unwieldy like Code 23, but definitely a little less stiff than Code 23, so it’s an ergonomic improvement. I find blue to be similar in sound but more bass prominent than Code 23. Same great staging, deep and wide, as provided by Code 23 while giving a beefier sound. As with Code 23, there needs to be some brain adjustment, but with that comes a similar performer with more meat in the low end. Blue seems to love DDs, exposing their deepest bass capability, but quality throughout the FR is excellent, and like Code 23, perhaps taming the treble a bit with such a focus on the bass. Still treble sounds clear and sparkly where it should; this should be nice for treble shouty iems. DD bass hits hard (Under the Bridge by RHCP, especially in the early part where Flea comes in – you hear the deep bass notes prominently but musically), and the vocals, guitar, cymbals still all rise above and shine, if again tamed by that massive bass somewhat. I thought it was adding some veiling over the mids at first, and it might, but I think I just needed to adjust to the extra bass. It’s like Code 23 on steroids with mildly better ergonomics (which could be improved when the cable is finished with hardware, obviously). I felt that this cable overwhelmed Fir Xe6 with just too much bass, even with the red module, so I’m not sure I’d go there, and still prefer Code 23. However, testing on Penon Quattro, a soon to be released 4DD iem, revealed an incredible, eye-popping result. While purple sounded great with it too, the blue is simply sublime with Quattro as if it would have been the perfect stock cable for it. While I’ve not extensively cable rolled with Quattro yet, I had to try this, and sure glad I did because here is a cable that sounds absolutely perfect with it. Providing Quattro with its best play back I’ve heard yet, better than Cadmus 8w by a good stretch (so I will be switching to Code 23 for Quattro until/if blue is released); this brings Quattro to such an amazing performance – this is truly a perfect synergy bringing Quattro to TOTL heights. Put me on the list, please.
Purple: Similar material, but a little thinner wire, and thus, easier to deal with. This one is less bassy, and brings the mids out more, but make no mistake, it still carries big bass, to my ear, very much like Code 23. Staging feels more intimate and less spread across than blue. Is this Code 23 lite (not just because it is lighter?)? I found less coloration from the bass with purple – it feels and sounds a little bit like Fir Audio’s Rn6 stock cable (pure silver) with more bass. I have no idea what’s in these, but I’m sure it’s copper with the relation to Code 23. And if so, EA has again gotten something wonderful from it. I liked this cable with Xe6 a bit more than the blue, but not as much as I like the Code 23 with it. Like the blue cable, it also makes the DDs hit harder than the stock cable (and the EA Cadmus 8w). Mids are nice and prominent despite the deep bass. Both blue and purple are more similar than not, but no question purple has better ergonomics with its thinner, more flexible, wire.
These both feel like basshead choice cables, do you prefer it blue or purple? I think I prefer the blue, Code 23 on steroids, but I think a lot of people would really appreciate the lite (and lighter) version, too. I will most certainly pick up either (with preference to blue) for my Penon Quattro, and in fact, I’m sorry to see them go and hope I can make Code 23 work with it in the meantime!
Attachments
This tour is now formally underway. First up for impressions of the prototype pairs are @emdeevee @fiascogarcia @jwilliamhurst @Tex Irie @fejnomit.
Next in line are @aaf evo @corgifall @Dsnuts @Visceral @chemosapien @Francisco Evangelista
If you have not posted your impressions, please post them here, the Effect Audio thread, and on Watercooler.
Thank you - and please do continue enjoying the time with the cables before shipping them out!
Signups are being done on a rolling basis. We are doing things non-traditionally since we have so many pairs going around and can go West Coast > East Coast then overseas. If you can find time, we'd love to have you.
Next in line are @aaf evo @corgifall @Dsnuts @Visceral @chemosapien @Francisco Evangelista
If you have not posted your impressions, please post them here, the Effect Audio thread, and on Watercooler.
Thank you - and please do continue enjoying the time with the cables before shipping them out!
Signups are being done on a rolling basis. We are doing things non-traditionally since we have so many pairs going around and can go West Coast > East Coast then overseas. If you can find time, we'd love to have you.
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I’ve had a chance to demo the new EA prototype cables. Thanks, @Sebastien Chiu , for the opportunity! Quick note, I had no previous knowledge of the cables regarding materials used or where they fit in the EA family of cables. I wanted to summarize my impressions. First of all, both cables are a bit on the hefty side. They’re not super supple, and they are slighty larger than the Fusion1, which I do own. Still, they have enough flexibility that they should be of acceptable comfort for most users. As for sound impressions, I tested with Amber Pearl, Traillii, Rn6, and Nostalgia Camelot, so I had a mix of DD, BA with BCD, all BA, and Fir’s DD kinetic bass. Also, I lean towards Jazz and fusion, so no heavy metal or edm in the mix. Sorry! Of course, this is all my opinion only, YMMV, and so forth!
Initial impression will focus on bass, which is the first thing you notice when you hear either cable. They both have very dynamic and punchy bass, with very good decay and realism. Both sets will pull out all the bass that your iem can offer, regardless of the driver type. They are both outstanding, but in different ways.
Blue cable
This is the livelier cable of the two, and in a good way. Lots of bass! And it’s mostly in the sub bass, which is taut and deep and plentiful. It’s visceral yet controlled; you get the right amount of pluck on the strings on a stand up bass or a nice growl with electric bass. It takes a bit to adjust to the bass impact, but after I did, I didn’t feel that it was overly done, and came to appreciate how it created a more dynamic stage for the iem. I immediately noticed that it added control to the Amber Pearls bass, which is plentiful if slightly bloomy for a BA bass. The BCD must respond really well with this cable. As I said, I didn’t notice the bass being overwhelming, it’s more an anchor that adds texture and a grandness of sorts to the overall sound. Mid bass steps back slightly to transition smoothly up to mids, where there is a slight scoop in the lower mids, which gives the mids a touch of a neutral sound. Nothing extreme, but I noticed it with the Traillii, which has that same scoop, leaving me thinking this cable might not be best fit with it. From mids upward through treble, it is balanced and cohesive, maybe slightly above neutral, but clear, precise, with a natural timbre. The clarity is excellent! Vocals are not recessed or forward, just centerstage as you would want. Upper treble has a nice sparkle, a bit more sparkle than the Purple cable, but no sign of sibilance. Soundstage is nice and wide, and won’t bottleneck the staging your iem presents. I would absolutely buy this cable for the Amber Pear, in particular.
Purple Cable
My first impression of this cable was that it reminded me of Eletech’s SOA, only with stronger bass notes, and that’s a pretty good complement right out of the gate. It is smooth, transparent, and just lets the strong points of your iem shine through. It doesn’t have the sub bass of the blue cable, but might have better overall balance top to bottom than the blue. Bass is more focused on mid bass with this cable, but as with the blue, it’s very controlled with good timbre. I think the mid bass and lower mids are slightly elevated and tends to give purple a slightly warmer sound. It also makes the mids sound a tiny bit recessed up to the upper mid and lower treble, where there seems to be a slight rise, giving tenor and female vocals nice positioning. Similarly, Toms and piano sound natural, clear and precise. Upper treble is smoother than the blue cable, but still very detailed (somewhat like I would describe the upper treble on the Orphy). Soundstage is a tiny bit smaller than the blue cable, but still has good width, and maybe a bit better depth than the blue. This could be a fantastic all rounder, and of my iems, one that I would be happy with on the Traillii, Rn6, and Camelot.
I have no idea what the price point on either of these cables is, but I’ve come away very impressed with both. To recap, they both really shine in the bass department. Bass is controlled and with good timbre and decay. Yet for all the bass these cables present, they are both extremely balanced and very cohesive; you don’t feel like you’re missing any part of the music. Both cables have a clear, natural timbre, and don’t overly color the flavor of your DAP and iem. Very nice!
Initial impression will focus on bass, which is the first thing you notice when you hear either cable. They both have very dynamic and punchy bass, with very good decay and realism. Both sets will pull out all the bass that your iem can offer, regardless of the driver type. They are both outstanding, but in different ways.
Blue cable
This is the livelier cable of the two, and in a good way. Lots of bass! And it’s mostly in the sub bass, which is taut and deep and plentiful. It’s visceral yet controlled; you get the right amount of pluck on the strings on a stand up bass or a nice growl with electric bass. It takes a bit to adjust to the bass impact, but after I did, I didn’t feel that it was overly done, and came to appreciate how it created a more dynamic stage for the iem. I immediately noticed that it added control to the Amber Pearls bass, which is plentiful if slightly bloomy for a BA bass. The BCD must respond really well with this cable. As I said, I didn’t notice the bass being overwhelming, it’s more an anchor that adds texture and a grandness of sorts to the overall sound. Mid bass steps back slightly to transition smoothly up to mids, where there is a slight scoop in the lower mids, which gives the mids a touch of a neutral sound. Nothing extreme, but I noticed it with the Traillii, which has that same scoop, leaving me thinking this cable might not be best fit with it. From mids upward through treble, it is balanced and cohesive, maybe slightly above neutral, but clear, precise, with a natural timbre. The clarity is excellent! Vocals are not recessed or forward, just centerstage as you would want. Upper treble has a nice sparkle, a bit more sparkle than the Purple cable, but no sign of sibilance. Soundstage is nice and wide, and won’t bottleneck the staging your iem presents. I would absolutely buy this cable for the Amber Pear, in particular.
Purple Cable
My first impression of this cable was that it reminded me of Eletech’s SOA, only with stronger bass notes, and that’s a pretty good complement right out of the gate. It is smooth, transparent, and just lets the strong points of your iem shine through. It doesn’t have the sub bass of the blue cable, but might have better overall balance top to bottom than the blue. Bass is more focused on mid bass with this cable, but as with the blue, it’s very controlled with good timbre. I think the mid bass and lower mids are slightly elevated and tends to give purple a slightly warmer sound. It also makes the mids sound a tiny bit recessed up to the upper mid and lower treble, where there seems to be a slight rise, giving tenor and female vocals nice positioning. Similarly, Toms and piano sound natural, clear and precise. Upper treble is smoother than the blue cable, but still very detailed (somewhat like I would describe the upper treble on the Orphy). Soundstage is a tiny bit smaller than the blue cable, but still has good width, and maybe a bit better depth than the blue. This could be a fantastic all rounder, and of my iems, one that I would be happy with on the Traillii, Rn6, and Camelot.
I have no idea what the price point on either of these cables is, but I’ve come away very impressed with both. To recap, they both really shine in the bass department. Bass is controlled and with good timbre and decay. Yet for all the bass these cables present, they are both extremely balanced and very cohesive; you don’t feel like you’re missing any part of the music. Both cables have a clear, natural timbre, and don’t overly color the flavor of your DAP and iem. Very nice!
boodi
Headphoneus Supremus
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Hi Sebastien , as already asked you in pm I would love that you could add me in the tour as well.. EU tour for me.. Thanks a lot 
Would like to be added to the US tour if I’m not too late! Will send you a PM @Sebastien Chiu with my contact details.
I had the honor of participating in the Effect Audio Prototype Cable Tour over the weekend. The Prototype Cables were revealed to be the CODE 24 (Cosmic Blue) and CODE 24C Limited (Galactic Purple). I auditioned both cables using the following gear:
64 Audio U12t
Empire Ears Legend Evo
Fir Audio Xenon 6
iBasso DX312
Questyle CMA Twelve Master (Not Pictured)
Sony NW-WM1ZM2
I spent the weekend using both cables with my IEMs listening to Music, Playing Metroid Dread on Nintendo Switch, Watching College Football, NFL, & John Wick. It didn't take much time to figure out which Cable I favored.
Cosmic Blue Cable:
Ergonomically this is possibly the thickest IEM Cable I've ever used. My eye test would estimate the cable is approximately 16 AWG wire. I would imagine that the retail version of this cable will fit just fine with the chin slider. The sheath of the cable is quite comfortable and non-microphonic. When listening to music the first thing I noticed was the bass, clarity across the frequency ranges, and the sweetened highs. I found the pairings with the U12t, Legend Evo, and XE6 to be fun, easy listening. The pairing with the U12t was probably the most dramatic change and the low-end presence was really noticeable. I would say that it made the relatively safely tuned U12t sound exciting in a good way. I'm looking forward to the finished version of this cable. I would replace my Legend Evo's Genesis Cable in a heartbeat for this.
Galactic Purple Cable:
The Galactic Purple cable is slightly thinner than the Cosmic Blue Cable. I found no issues wearing my glasses with either cable. This cable is noticeably warmer leaning in direct comparison to the Cosmic Blue Cable. It took some listening for about 30 minutes or so for my mind to adjust to the sound presentation. These cables do audibly enhance the low end and exhibit some pleasant smoothness in the high end. I preferred the Galactic Purple Cable with my desktop gear. When I turned the volume up it was kind of hard to stop nodding my head to the music. I do think the Galactic Purple cable will be better suited to brighter leaning IEMs. I did not like pairing this with my Legend Evo it sounded a bit hazy; to the point details were being muffled in songs I'm very familiar with. I found the XE6 to sound a little denser, while I did not mind this..., It paled in comparison to the presentation with the Cosmic Blue Cable. I absolutely love the Galactic Purple Cable with the U12t. It accentuates all the positives of the U12t and displays clarity, slight warmth, and a nice enhancement of the low-end frequencies. Music with this paring is enjoyable, Movies sound epic, and the sparse, brooding soundtrack of Metroid Dread sounded atmospheric, and slightly terrifying (Outstanding Game).
Overall, I like both cables a lot. If I could only choose one, The Cosmic Blue would be my choice... I think it is a great all-rounder. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Effect Audio cooks up in 2024.
64 Audio U12t
Empire Ears Legend Evo
Fir Audio Xenon 6
iBasso DX312
Questyle CMA Twelve Master (Not Pictured)
Sony NW-WM1ZM2
I spent the weekend using both cables with my IEMs listening to Music, Playing Metroid Dread on Nintendo Switch, Watching College Football, NFL, & John Wick. It didn't take much time to figure out which Cable I favored.
Cosmic Blue Cable:
Ergonomically this is possibly the thickest IEM Cable I've ever used. My eye test would estimate the cable is approximately 16 AWG wire. I would imagine that the retail version of this cable will fit just fine with the chin slider. The sheath of the cable is quite comfortable and non-microphonic. When listening to music the first thing I noticed was the bass, clarity across the frequency ranges, and the sweetened highs. I found the pairings with the U12t, Legend Evo, and XE6 to be fun, easy listening. The pairing with the U12t was probably the most dramatic change and the low-end presence was really noticeable. I would say that it made the relatively safely tuned U12t sound exciting in a good way. I'm looking forward to the finished version of this cable. I would replace my Legend Evo's Genesis Cable in a heartbeat for this.
Galactic Purple Cable:
The Galactic Purple cable is slightly thinner than the Cosmic Blue Cable. I found no issues wearing my glasses with either cable. This cable is noticeably warmer leaning in direct comparison to the Cosmic Blue Cable. It took some listening for about 30 minutes or so for my mind to adjust to the sound presentation. These cables do audibly enhance the low end and exhibit some pleasant smoothness in the high end. I preferred the Galactic Purple Cable with my desktop gear. When I turned the volume up it was kind of hard to stop nodding my head to the music. I do think the Galactic Purple cable will be better suited to brighter leaning IEMs. I did not like pairing this with my Legend Evo it sounded a bit hazy; to the point details were being muffled in songs I'm very familiar with. I found the XE6 to sound a little denser, while I did not mind this..., It paled in comparison to the presentation with the Cosmic Blue Cable. I absolutely love the Galactic Purple Cable with the U12t. It accentuates all the positives of the U12t and displays clarity, slight warmth, and a nice enhancement of the low-end frequencies. Music with this paring is enjoyable, Movies sound epic, and the sparse, brooding soundtrack of Metroid Dread sounded atmospheric, and slightly terrifying (Outstanding Game).
Overall, I like both cables a lot. If I could only choose one, The Cosmic Blue would be my choice... I think it is a great all-rounder. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Effect Audio cooks up in 2024.
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Too late for the US tour?
I would be interested if available.
I would be interested if available.
erik701
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Is the EU tour for headphone version of the cable too? If yes, I would like to be included and give it a try with my Audeze LCD-4 headphones. 
Hi Sebastien , as already asked you in pm I would love that you could add me in the tour as well.. EU tour for me.. Thanks a lot
Hi guys,
Yes more signups are welcome. Please PM me your shipping info (phone, email too) if you have not yet already.
Thanks for getting ahead of that @Garney.
These signups are on a rolling basis - as long as the units are still in the US, we will make sure you get to try a set of the cables before they go overseas.
Thanks!
Is the EU tour for headphone version of the cable too? If yes, I would like to be included and give it a try with my Audeze LCD-4 headphones.
No, this is for IEMs only. 4.4mm - 2 pin.
boodi
Headphoneus Supremus
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@Sebastien Chiu thanks for adding me 
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