Campfire Andromeda S + Penon OSG. The OSG incorporates graphene and silver plated OCC which is uncommon. I like how it improves the Andromeda S with more defined bass, vocals are clearer with more details, treble is articulate and airy. There is more accurate positioning of instruments. Very nice cable.
So my gut feeling was right about these pigtail adapters.
I have been testing this cable and as crazy as this sounds. When you use these pigtail adapters it does have an effect on other cables. I am using my Penon Orbs and a Gu craftsman pure silver cable on it. I went from directly plugging in my cable into my Shanling M6pro in the 2.5mm slot and then I connected the 4.4mm adapter of the Totems onto the Shanling and plugged the Gu craftsman cable on the pigtail adapter.
Sound stage is expanded and actually gives a bit of the properties of the Totem cable here, a bit better definition and note distinction like the Totems but to a lesser extent. And this is going back and forth several times on the same tune. There is a clear difference in using this Totem adapter vs not using it.
If you guys can imagine a small adapter having an affect on a sound, imagine just how much the entire cable has an effect on the sound.
Like I said these are substantial. So much so the little adapters make a positive change to the sonics.
So for folks not liking these adapters. Let me put it this way I am now going to use my 4.4mm out of both my M15 and Shanling M6pro with my other cables plugged into this adapter. A bit of Totem material on your existing cables is what I am talking about supercharges your cables.
Hold on. The pigtail adapter thing is actually a benefit here.
As crazy as this may seem. This pigtail adaptor using this materials that is on the Totem actually may increase fidelity for your other cables. A theory I have and I havent tried my other cables using these adapters but I have a feeling it will add a slight element of that TOTEM sound for your other cables.
Guys I am not exaggerating here I have never in my life had such a drastic sonic enhancing effect from a cable. I say cables have a subtle effect.. NOT the Totems. There is nothing subtle about it. The imaging using this cable is mind blowing. You won't recognize the earphone it is attached to. I went back to the UPOCC blocc cable I had on my MEST after the TOTEM listen and it wasn't even close.
And I like the Blocc cable on my MEST better than the stock cable which is worth $424.
I have a few reviews I have been working on but I might have to speed up the TOTEM cable review. Iets just say looks aside. It is very substantial.
The Totem looks like a very interesting cable! Have you listened to the Mest on M6 Pro with the Totem? I have the Mest and M6 Pro and looking to maybe get some fuller mids on the Mest, along with a little more bass and smooth top end to avoid sibilance. I wondered if adding the Totem to that set up achieved that?
I'm currently using the Penon Leo plus and that is a really good cable but sounds a little thin in the mids sometimes, and possible a little less warmth overall.
Leo plus is a silver based cable so it will have more silver properties to the MEST. MEST having plenty of treble detail. I wouldnt pick the Leo Plus for the MEST at all. I have the Totems on the MEST now actually and have been writing about the effects.
I was in the same train of thought on what I wanted from the MEST as you and that was the reason why I was using a UPOCC cable on the MEST before the TOTEM. TOTEM has every element from silver to palladium to gold and crystal copper as well so it actually enhances the abilities of each phone it is attached to.
I do believe the stock cable is a silver plated UPOCC so it accentuates high notes a bit more than your standard UPOCC copper cable. To be honest I am not a fan of the stock cable that came with the MEST. There is no possible way I would spend $424 on that cable let me put it that way.
Truth be told you can achieve what your looking for using something like a much cheaper BLOCC or YY UPOCC cable that goes for $40 on sale believe it or not but no cable I have tried give the dimensional tuning of the MEST a huge uptick in performance like the TOTEMs.
TOTEMS is definitely playing on a level that I have never experienced before. By the way I was told that the TOTEM is unique to Penon and no other manufacturer has this exact process for the cable. Meaning these cables come only from Penon.
Sound wise. No other cable expands the stage like the Totems not just in width but depth and height. It creates even a bigger more immersive stage than any other cable I have ever used. Gold in the totem adds a richness in tone. Palladium and silver gives out that sound separation, texture and stage, Copper giving out the best abilities of the bass and added warmth with an increase in depth of sound. Totem is a flagship cable and cost like they do for a reason. I have yet to attach it to an earphone be it my Solaris, Luna, MEST, Mofo Trio, all of them sounds like the best version of that particular earphone.
If you just want to tweak the sound a little more to your liking. Look into a copper based cables. Go for a UPOCC cable maybe the 8 core UPOCC from electro acousti but if you have the means and want the absolute best version of the MEST or any earphone for that matter. No other cable compares.
Leo plus is a silver based cable so it will have more silver properties to the MEST. MEST having plenty of treble detail. I wouldnt pick the Leo Plus for the MEST at all. I have the Totems on the MEST now actually and have been writing about the effects.
I was in the same train of thought on what I wanted from the MEST as you and that was the reason why I was using a UPOCC cable on the MEST before the TOTEM. TOTEM has every element from silver to palladium to gold and crystal copper as well so it actually enhances the abilities of each phone it is attached to.
I do believe the stock cable is a silver plated UPOCC so it accentuates high notes a bit more than your standard UPOCC copper cable. To be honest I am not a fan of the stock cable that came with the MEST. There is no possible way I would spend $424 on that cable let me put it that way.
Truth be told you can achieve what your looking for using something like a much cheaper BLOCC or YY UPOCC cable that goes for $40 on sale believe it or not but no cable I have tried give the dimensional tuning of the MEST a huge uptick in performance like the TOTEMs.
TOTEMS is definitely playing on a level that I have never experienced before. By the way I was told that the TOTEM is unique to Penon and no other manufacturer has this exact process for the cable. Meaning these cables come only from Penon.
Sound wise. No other cable expands the stage like the Totems not just in width but depth and height. It creates even a bigger more immersive stage than any other cable I have ever used. Gold in the totem adds a richness in tone. Palladium and silver gives out that sound separation, texture and stage, Copper giving out the best abilities of the bass and added warmth with an increase in depth of sound. Totem is a flagship cable and cost like they do for a reason. I have yet to attach it to an earphone be it my Solaris, Luna, MEST, Mofo Trio, all of them sounds like the best version of that particular earphone.
If you just want to tweak the sound a little more to your liking. Look into a copper based cables. Go for a UPOCC cable maybe the 8 core UPOCC from electro acousti but if you have the means and want the absolute best version of the MEST or any earphone for that matter. No other cable compares.
Thanks for the reply, really appreciate it. I was looking at the Zentoo Plus before too as a possible contender to add that warmth. The only thing I don't want happening is to add to the treble detail that the Mest already has and possibly smooth it a little. So if the Totem adds warmth and expands stage plus not making the treble detail too much, then i think that would be good.
MEST has a 6Khz spike to add presence to the mid bands. Totem effects treble in that it rounds out the treble end. I don't think it adds to the treble perception like pure silver cables do. I do notice it adds a spacious element to treble which ends up sounding great.
You can achieve what your looking for with a nice copper based cable if you want to save on some money. The issue I am finding with the TOTEM is that it makes all of my other cables sound a bit weak in comparison. It is one of those things where you can't unhear what you hear in a cable. It makes all other cables I have reviewed and owned a bit obsolete. Lol. But I only have one TOTEM cable and way more earphones so my other cables will do. But I do get a bit of that Totem sonic element using them pigtail adapters on my players.
I tested the pigtail adapter even more so with other cables connected to them. It definitely adds a more spacious sound to the sonics using whatever cable it is connected to. It is astonishing that a small 4 inch adapter can make a sound difference. But the material in the pigtail adapter is the same as the Totems so it makes sense.
Basically the pigtail adapters supercharge your existing cable you connect to it as long as it is 2.5mm balanced. Not just silver cables but even copper cables I notice a difference. More spacious dimensional, better textured and sound separation, better bass presence and impact. this is just connecting random cables to the adapter.
MEST has a 6Khz spike to add presence to the mid bands. Totem effects treble in that it rounds out the treble end. I don't think it adds to the treble perception like pure silver cables do. I do notice it adds a spacious element to treble which ends up sounding great.
You can achieve what your looking for with a nice copper based cable if you want to save on some money. The issue I am finding with the TOTEM is that it makes all of my other cables sound a bit weak in comparison. It is one of those things where you can't unhear what you hear in a cable. It makes all other cables I have reviewed and owned a bit obsolete. Lol. But I only have one TOTEM cable and way more earphones so my other cables will do. But I do get a bit of that Totem sonic element using them pigtail adapters on my players.
I tested the pigtail adapter even more so with other cables connected to them. It definitely adds a more spacious sound to the sonics using whatever cable it is connected to. It is astonishing that a small 4 inch adapter can make a sound difference. But the material in the pigtail adapter is the same as the Totems so it makes sense.
Basically the pigtail adapters supercharge your existing cable you connect to it as long as it is 2.5mm balanced. Not just silver cables but even copper cables I notice a difference. More spacious dimensional, better textured and sound separation, better bass presence and impact. this is just connecting random cables to the adapter.
If you're going to have an issue with a cable then you can't get better than making all your other cables sound weak . That's quite a statement which makes me want to get the Toem, I can always get the Zentoo Plus as well if I need to. It would be good if Penon sold the pigtail adapters seperately so you could get a flavour of the Totem, but I guess that would want to make you get the full cable even more .
I'm definitely intrugues and knowing me, will end up getting it . Thanks for all your info, you've been a great help. Your review of the Penon Leo Plus made me buy it and glad I did, as it's a stellar cable and as good as way more expensive cables out there.
Leo Plus I use on my Luna. Even though Luna sounds better with the Totems but I am happy using the Leo plus and the Totem adapter. it gives very similar effect as the Totem cable itself since the Leo plus is so transparent it actually magnifies the little pigtail adapter effects and then throws its own stage enhancing and sound element in the mix.
I have been writing about the Totems and will publish a review soon. It is the first time a cable has this much of a sound difference for me it is clearly playing at a different level than what I am used to. As much as the other cables do well. The effects aren't subtle or minor. It is drastic and immediate. It pretty much makes every single IEM it is attached to sound even higher end that what it already is.
Never had a cable actually give an amplification type effect to the sound is the best way to describe it. It is astounding. Will have much more to say for my review so look out for it.
Thank you again for the further explanation. I know I am in the wrong place to express this but I have aftermarket cables for almost every iem and headphone that I own. Most of the time the reason was aesthetics, length (usually length), and connection. I have only really heard a big difference in my HD800s cable that I upgraded to an Arctic cable. After that experience I started to think that there could be sonic benefits to cables.
In this case I love my S8Fs but I do want to use my DAP balanced so I am in the market for a new cable (I bought them used). So I figured I would come here for some advice and I am going to take that advice. I will either go with the GC4 or OSG. I guess my only hesitation is that I could use the extra $100 elsewhere and I (because of hearing, source, or hardware) I may not hear a difference. But I will order one of the two and report back as I appreciate the time you spend helping others out.
Any update on your cables for the S8F? I'm also in the market for a sub $300 4.4mm cable for an S8F I have coming in.
I was looking at the Satin Audio Medusa II but the Penon OSG also looks very interesting. I'd love to hear some opinions on the two if anybody has any experience with them. Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to get the chance to try both of them.
Leo Plus I use on my Luna. Even though Luna sounds better with the Totems but I am happy using the Leo plus and the Totem adapter. it gives very similar effect as the Totem cable itself since the Leo plus is so transparent it actually magnifies the little pigtail adapter effects and then throws its own stage enhancing and sound element in the mix.
I have been writing about the Totems and will publish a review soon. It is the first time a cable has this much of a sound difference for me it is clearly playing at a different level than what I am used to. As much as the other cables do well. The effects aren't subtle or minor. It is drastic and immediate. It pretty much makes every single IEM it is attached to sound even higher end that what it already is.
Never had a cable actually give an amplification type effect to the sound is the best way to describe it. It is astounding. Will have much more to say for my review so look out for it.
Many years ago, I had a similar experience with my home audio system. I had a pair of Totem Model 1's that I had bought and hooked up to my system. I was using some decent Monster cable with my integrated amp but decided to demo an 8 foot set of MIT Terminator 2 speaker cables. The difference was astonishing the moment I put them in my system. Those MIT cables made me a believer in cables having an effect on how a system/setup can sound. These Penon Totem cables seem to be the same experience with iems. I'm not sure how much $$$ these sell for and I don't have any iems that I think would justify the cost of this cable (my most expensive set of iems is Moondrop Kanas PRO). Still, it's nice to know that a cable like this exists.
They retail for $799 and are clearly marketed as Penons flagship cables. I have no idea how they were able to make this. I am sure it is a time consuming process.
They retail for $799 and are clearly marketed as Penons flagship cables. I have no idea how they were able to make this. I am sure it is a time consuming process.
Wow! Ok...I definitely don't own anything that would be worthy of investing that much cash into just for the cable. My old school hifi knowledge is: don't spend more than 20% of your entire system value on cables. I'd even stretch that to 40%, but seriously...I don't own any iems/daps/dac/amps that come anywhere near the asking price of the Totem cable. Still, it's nice to know it exists. Those adapter pigtails do intrigue me though. If Penon would sell them for a reasonable price (like around $75-100), I'd be interested.
Any update on your cables for the S8F? I'm also in the market for a sub $300 4.4mm cable for an S8F I have coming in.
I was looking at the Satin Audio Medusa II but the Penon OSG also looks very interesting. I'd love to hear some opinions on the two if anybody has any experience with them. Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to get the chance to try both of them.
I didn't end up pulling the trigger on them yet. I was hoping to sell a few more things on here and then I was going to place the order. Its taking much longer than expected lol
Penon replied back to me about the adapters. Unfortunately they are not planning to make a separate pigtail adapter for sale however. For folks that end up getting the Totems. One way to save a bit is to sell off your Totem pigtail adapters and save a bit. In my estimation they are easily worth about a $100 each. As crazy as this sounds the effects of this adapter is worth more than what your average $100 cable does so take that for what it is worth.
Street prices probably much cheaper depending on the person.
Another message for potential buyers on the Totems. If you want 4.4mm for the main cable. They are willing to do a custom order for these so they will make a 4.4mm version for you but like I mentioned above. I tested out these adapters they are throwing in. Just the adapters alone are no joke and they will enhance any cable that attaches to them. That is worth getting just for these adapters alone IMO.
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. That's quite a statement which makes me want to get the Toem, I can always get the Zentoo Plus as well if I need to. It would be good if Penon sold the pigtail adapters seperately so you could get a flavour of the Totem, but I guess that would want to make you get the full cable even more 
.
