Effect Audio recently launched their new Signature Series cables. The cables I'm using for these impressions were pre release prototypes so while the cables are the final products, the IEM connectors, y split and plug will all look different on the retail units. I'll have a round up review of all three cables once I receive my retail units.
Like most things in this hobby, cable rolling to me is super subjective. These impressions will be what each cable sounded like when paired to the EA Axiom using the silver MU module. IEM selection, source selection and ear tip selection will possibly add very different results vs what I hear personally. I spent a good amount of time really analyzing everything so take my impressions any way you wish.
Ares S
Starting out with the Ares S! I felt the Ares S really brought out the Axiom’s stock MU tuning when paired with this cable. The lows come in fairly strong and thick. It’s a nice sounding low end. While strong, it still felt well controlled and never bloated. Sub bass hits really come through well with nice impact/slam. The mids are a little recessed sounding but they have good speed and decent detail. Vocals never sound quite loud enough for my personal preference but instruments still make it through just fine. Treble has the same issue of not coming in loud enough to match the Axiom’s boosted bass. The treble was actually really clear though it was missing some of the extra brightness that the Cadmus has. Staging was probably the widest of the three cables but I felt there wasn’t much depth compared to the other cables and this very much felt closer to a wall of sound to my ears. Imaging was fine however and I could pick stuff out without too much effort. This was my least favorite cable for the Axiom but that doesn’t mean this won’t be a nice cable for other IEMs.
Cadmus
The Cadmus goes the polar opposite route of the Ares S and has less bass presence but sounds a little more accurate with better control. Bass impact was still strong but the bass notes didn’t linger which made for a leaner bass overall. In the case of the Axiom(MU module) this was welcome as the Axiom comes in strong with heavy bass. The mids are clear with a bit of energy but they didn’t feel overly fast or detailed. The instruments such as guitars and pianos sounded accurate but with just a hint of artificial sound to them. The treble however was noticeably more intense with a noticeable sharpness that made everything sound more accurate and detailed. Cymbal hits all had an extra zing with no lingering decay which made everything sound very fast and clean. The soundstage was rather average compared to the other cables. It’s not bad but the Ares S is wider with less depth and the Cadmus has a good balance. Imaging in this balanced stage made things easy to pick out. I liked this cable when paired with the Axiom and this was probably my favorite in terms of cleaning up the bass heavy Axiom.
Eros S
I found the Eros S cable to be the most interesting. The lows still have a slight boost with good impact/slam. There’s a longer decay that gives it a nice full/airy sound down low. The lower mids sound about the same as the Ares S but the rest of the mids are very prominent and focused. Things like guitars and vocals really stand out against the rest of the frequencies. I really liked the extra energy here, though some female vocals did get slightly sibilant at times which I had never experienced with the Axiom to this point. The treble comes in clear but feels a little behind the Cadmus in terms of presence and sharpness. The mids have a bigger focus when I listen so I have to put extra energy into listening for details in the upper frequencies. I would throw the treble somewhere between the Ares S and Cadmus. The soundstage is the most unique part about the cable. After much back and forth swapping, It was very noticeable the stage felt about as wide as the Ares S but it had a bit more depth than the Cadmus. The slightly longer decay within the whole frequency range may be the reason for this but there is a nice echo within the stage and while it's not dramatic, it’s neat and it made for a nice listening experience. The imaging was good and I was able to pick things out fairly easily within the stage and nothing ever got congested. I can’t quite tell if this is the best cable of the bunch or if it's just the most unique sounding cable of the three.
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