Effect Audio Vogue Series

It’s not too often that I get to experience what an aftermarket cable can do to a products sound, there’s just not an opportunity to try them out on the gear I have. So when Effect Audio put forth a tour showcasing their new Vogue line of iem cables I definitely had to put my name in the basket because I even own their Eres II cable and greatly love it. Believe me, during my 4ish years of showing my ugly mug on YouTube doing reviews I hear both sides um *cough cough* passionate debates on their feelings of cables being snake oil vs actually improving a products sound and I for one am a firm believer that a cable does make a difference in the sound (the cost of some models is to each users own discretion as far as if it’s worth it or not). With that being said, let me discuss with you what me and my ears heard during my time with the Effect Audio Vogue series of iem cables.





The Opening Experience






The opening experience to the Vogue series of cables was as simplistic and straightforward as I’d like it to be. They each come in a white box with Effect Audio’s logo and name on it with a sticker on the side that tells what the model is and the selected terminations. In terms of its simplicity, I loved it. Effect Audio, to me, is telling their users to let the cables do the talking for them; Effect Audio has no need to bog down their boxes with jargon, their cables are more than competent enough to speak their own praise. The only thing I REALLY wish Effect Audio added, was a lip of some sorts so that you can open the box easier, sometimes it’s a real turd to get that air suction to let go.


Construction



The build quality of the 3 cables is beautifully braided together in a 4 braid configuration with each cable terminated in a multitude of possibilities that the buyer can choose from when purchasing theirs (my review sample each came terminated in 2pin-2.5mm balanced).The split is an aluminum divider that also comes with a plastic slider which can cinch down on the user's chin or behind the head for extra security is the user so chooses.

Like most braided cables, though they’re my personal preference over their popular tubular rival, they do have a problem becoming tangled in themselves and it’s an entangling that actually requires you to pull it apart and not just “flick it” like you often can with tubular designed cables. Guess that’s the cost of beauty, and again on a personal note I gladly pay that because goodness to braided cables look beautiful especially mesh cables such as the Grandioso.

My only drawback that I potentially have with these cables is one that I commonly have with my personal Eres II cable and that’s the aluminum cover covering the terminations, on both ends, often like to come off and slide down the cable. To stress, this issue did NOT happen with the tour samples I was sent but for the most part they utilize the same construction so the potential is very much there.


Sound



Before I start this section. It should go without saying but though I link YouTube videos when I’m giving examples, this is for convenience only. If applicable, I HIGHLY encourage you to listen to the music I’m referencing on as high a quality as possible to experience the fullest sound possible.


Maestro




Starting with Effect Audio’s entry level Vogue cable, the Maestro is a pure copper cable and as such has an expected boost to the bass and mid range. I personally prefer the sound that copper cables provide because they give an iem a, with me, very welcomed boost to warmth and IMO sense of musicality. Effect Audio’s Maestro is of no exception. The Maestro improved the bass on the Cayin YB04 by adding a nice amount of oomph while also accenting the already full mids. Treble is noticeably reduced compared to it’s stock cable but that’s to be expected with the removal of the silver that Cayin used in it’s silver-copper mesh cable.

I really commend Effect Audio for what they did with the Maestro cable. For the very reasonable price, in reference, they’re asking ($100), the Maestro gives a very nice nod to musicality that will either accent an iems already musical sound or tone down a little bit of unwanted brightness.


-A/B with Effect Audio’s Eres II cable. As Effect Audio directly mentions that the Maestro is evolved from their Eres II sound I only found it appropriate and befitting to compare the Maestro with my own personal Eres II cable. This was actually a quicker comparison that I originally thought it would have been (before listening) but to me and my ears, the only difference that I can hear is that the bass on the Maestro is slightly deeper than that of the Eres II while the Eres II is objectively better made and accented, which is to be expected for it’s $50 more.


Virtuoso




The “middle of the road” in the Vogue lineup. The Virtuoso is an all Silver cable that was inspired by Effect Audio’s very successful Thor model. The Virtuoso, to my ears, is an incredibly revealing cable that does a very surprising job, when considering it’s asking price, at accenting a musical pieces micro details. In the song “Glassy Sky” by Donna Burke the shaker that’s played throughout the piece is always present whereas in the previous Maestro cable, as well as other companies stock cable I review this song with, the shaker is very quiet and only an afterthought that you kind of need to focus on to be able to hear as cleanly as you can in the Virtuoso.Listening to the song “Po Lazarus” by James Carter & The Prisoners in addition to hearing the actual rocks being moved inside the bucket, which is a feat that very few iems and cables can claim, around the 45 second mark there’s a very faint “pick” metal on metal sound (gonna need the CD version or better for that, YouTube isn’t able to produce it) that I’ve only heard a few times before, but truthfully forgotten about because it’s so rare to hear.

Most of the time, when I equip a silver cable to my iems of choice I only do so to listen to classical music and the like because, traditionally, the bass and lower mids drop off a bit harder than I prefer, hence I like copper cables so much. As with the Virtuoso’s granted they do have a noticeable bass drop off when coming from the Maestro and/or Grandioso cable but it surprised me as not being as prominent as I’m used to (from upper bass higher, the mid bass and lower is quite dipped down still).

Finally, and I’ll end on my used in about every review piece, the piece “Fertility of the Sea” performed by Senzoku Gakuen College of Music really shows off the transparency that the Maestro before it just couldn’t come up with. I believe this is due to the Virtuoso’s tuning towards detail retrieval whereas the Maestro was much more musical sounding in comparison. The drums sounded incredible and hyper life like. There’s many other percussion pieces I listen to that showcase this aptitude in the Virtuoso cable but I reference that one most often because I personally greatly enjoy the performance.


-A/b with BTG Audio Starlight cable. The analogy I made above with silver cables traditionally toning down the bass is a problem that BTG didn’t incorporate as much as other companies do, similar to that of the Effect Audio Virtuoso. Both cables focus on the micro details primarily vs the musicality for compared to the Effect Audio Maestro and/or Eres II the sound is much tighter, including the bass, but much less impactful. Now, directly comparing the Starlight, the bass is much heavier and impactful however the treble is nowhere near as transparent and airy sounding as the Virtuoso’s. My beloved Fertility of the Sea, though yes still sounds beautiful lost some of that realistic sound in the micro details when the performers Bachi hits the drum itself and not the drumhead.


Grandioso



The flagship product in the Vogue series. The Grandioso, if you haven’t already imagined, is taking the best of both the Maestro and the Virtuoso. The soundstage is a fair bit narrower than what’s on the Virtuoso but the micro details with the drums is very much there as is their impact. On the note of the bass, though it is very much so improved upon over the Virtuoso, to my ears, the impact was still more present and enjoyable on the Maestro’s. As for mids, they were just as clean and as musical as any of the other cables I mention in this review Kevin Staudt’s “Dear Agony” has a wonderful sense of emotion and everybit of it is heard as true as if he was singing to you personally, all while the piano’s timbre can have its own performance and none would complain.

• A/B with Cayin’s YB04 stock cable. As it would just so have it, I was coincidentally reviewing Cayin’s wonderful iem, the YB04, which also includes a copper-silver mesh cable so I was able to A/B them and the Grandioso. The first thing I noticed is that the Grandioso’s treble is significantly more accented than Cayin’s stock cable while also having a lesser bass impact. The first song I listened to was “Into The Coals” by Buffalo Jones and “Fertility of the Sea” performed by Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. On the note of the Fertility of the Sea, it was very slight but, to my ears, I did feel like the soundstage was a little bit wider. The drums didn’t sound as close to me as they did with Cayin’s stock cable.
  

Conclusion




My final thoughts on Effect Audio’s Vogue line of iem cables is that the build quality and sound their provide for the respectable asking price they are showcasing, IMO, is a fantastic place to start for people who have always been interested in betting how their favorite iem sounds but is a little hesitant about forking over a small fortune on other brands cable. They’re beautiful to look at, and to my ears, accent the sound with respect to the cable material you decide to go with.






Also, make sure to check out my unboxing and review videos. They’re pretty awesome AND you getta put a face to the Army-Firedawg name. If this review helped you out at all please hit that thumbs up button for it really helps me out a lot. Till next time my friends, stay safe.

Effect Audio Vogue series tour.

These were loaned to me without charge by Effect Audio and will be returned at the end of the audition. My review is entirely my own opinion and is uninfluenced by the manufacturer.

Hardware:

Empire Ears Studio Reference (ESR) Monitor, modified Spinfit CP240 tips
iBasso DX228 (Mango OS, High gain, Digital Filter 3)
Fiio BL44 OCC 4.4-2.5 adapter
Effect Audio Ares II 4W for comparison (my own)

Playlist: A mixture of MP3, 16-bit FLAC, and DSD256

Level 42 – Something About You (Live)
Robyn – Beach 2k20
Joe Hisaishi – The Sixth Station
The 1975 – Love It If We Made It
Bjork – Pagan Poetry
Goldie – State Of Mind
Nachtbraker - Leonardo Ceviche
Tove Lo – Really Don’t Like U
Goldfrapp – A&E

The ESRs are very capable 3BA balanced monitors and respond well to cable rolling: the perfect test subject! Effect Audio cables are issued as standard on purchase.

Maestro – 4W copper – very light and comfortable with low profile jack and splitter. The wire is a thinner gauge than the Ares 4W. The design language of the Maestro is carried across the Vogue cable range.
Virtuoso – 4W silver-plated copper.
Grandioso – 4W copper and silver hybrid.

Sound

Lows:
Maestro: good extension from mid-bass into sub-bass, dry and fast paced. Neutral, rather than the warmth I was expecting from copper.
Virtuoso: feels rather cool and flat in comparison – accurate but no real energy.
Grandioso: Equal to the Ares for control and extension but with a slightly tighter sound.
Ares: felt a little warmer, visceral, more liquid but still clear and controlled.

Mids:
Maestro: Female vocals are neutral, male voices sound a little strident. Again, like the rest of the range, neutral in presentation, set in the middle of the soundstage.
Virtuoso: hollowed, muted. The vocals are put into the centre of the soundstage but feel restricted. Piano, strings, harp are pleasant but feel distant.
Grandioso: Rich, full and articulate. Better than the Ares.
Ares: warm, smooth and full-bodied but more tonally accurate.

Highs:
Maestro: Grainy and perhaps a little hardened but not overly extended.
Virtuoso: emphasises keyboards and guitar, these are thrown out front and wider and are a little clearer than the slightly smeared percussive transients.
Grandioso: Define and wide with excellent steering and separation. Really nice transient attack and decay.
Ares: slightly rounded off but a little more accurate in timbre.

Soundstage: Imagine the stage as a function of Lego bricks (W x L x D). For reference, the Ares II 4W as 4x3x3. I would say Maestro sound stage is 4x3x2 (shallower), Virtuoso 3x2x2 (compressed), Grandioso 5x3x2 (wider but not as deep).

Summary:

The Maestro is a rather neutral, crisp cable, more like silver plated copper than copper. It may be of benefit if your source or phones are on the warm or dark side.
The Virtuoso doesn’t really come across as a coherent product – cool and hollowed with a narrow soundstage. Perhaps if your other gear were mid-centric or your musical tastes were more towards orchestral or classical.
The Grandioso is my preference for the overall timbre, pace, rhythm and timing. It is expensive, though, for what it represents. I feel that there are better hybrid 8W cables for similar cost.

Conclusion:

In my opinion, Effect has squandered the chance for a decisive shot across the bows of this market segment. Only the Grandioso is worthy of note within the Vogue range and even then, there are equal or better competitors in this hotly contested slice of the market.

Alternatively, you could obtain a second-hand Ares II or Eros II. That pretty much sums up the Vogue series.

Preface:
This is the first time i've recieved a product for review and as such i tried my best to impartial to that fact.
Since i'm leaving a somewhat average review when other reviewers have left 5/5 i'm expecting some backlash for this. Originally i was going to leave a 1.5/5 review, however after factoring in the build quality as well as 'unboxing' experience i upped it by 0.5.

I would like to Thank Paul from Effect Audio for giving me the opportunity to review these cables at no cost to me.

Testing equipment:
- 64 Audio Tia Trio
- Hiby R5 & Iphone X

Comparators:
- $15 Copper cable from Aliexpress
- $40 Pure silver cable from Aliexpress
- $170 64 Audio Copper hybrid cable

Tracks used:
- Coldplay "Hymm for the Weekend"
- Ali Gatie "It's You"
- Kanye West "Follow God" , "Stronger"
- Riton "Turn Me On"
- Toto "Africa"
- Black Eyed Peas "RITMO"
- Jay Z "Empire state of mind"
- Chainsmokers "Roses" , "Who do you love", "Something just like this",

The Cables:
There are 3 varities, all with slight nuiances in sound.

• Firstly, the 'Maestro' ($99), which was actually my favourite. It seemed to amplify the bass ever so slightly and pronounce the musics timbre. All other frequencies was unaltered. This cable is made completely of copper, which explains it's sonic attributes. At $99 USD i don't think it's too bad a value given it's build quailty as well as the quality of the metalic fittings. However, when i compared it to a similar pure copper cable which i had purchased from aliexpress for $15, the sound quality between the two was very comparable. When i was A/B both cables, i could not distinguish which cable was which. However, the $15 Aliexpress cable was made like crap, you get what you pay for (so to speak) and i can safely say the longevity of the aliexpress cable is very questionable.
  
• Secondly, the 'Virtuoso' ($149), i comapred this against the 64 Audio stock cable as this appeared to be the most fair comparison. Since both are made of pure copper with silver shielding. The sound had no difference to the copper cables. I don't know what else to say other than that. The additional $50 for silver shielding didn't change anything. This time, the 64 Audio cable had the ergonimics, though the Virtuoso again had the better build quality and metallic fittings.
  
• Lastly, the 'Grandioso' ($199). Comparing this to the $40 pure silver cable as that's the most fair. Though, the Grandioso only has 2/4 cores which are silver the remainder are copper. There was a slight (and i need to emphasize the slight) change in the frequencies response. The mids and highs were more pronounced and sounded a little bit clearer. Again, comparing it to the $40 aliexpress cable, the sound was very hard to distinguish, however over time i realised that the Grandioso had a bit more bass compared to the aliexpress cable, whilst the aliexpress cable had more clarity. Again, the Grandioso had a far better build quality as well as ergonomics.
  

Summary:
It appears to me the premium that you are paying for these cables does not equate to a better sound signature or anything of the sort. Rather, what you are getting is a more robust and beautifully crafted cable with good quality fittings. I have no doubt that these cables will also last longer than the aliexpress counter parts. So if you are looking at purchasing these cables the most prevelant thing to consider is the build vs. cost factor, as the sound signature does not have any impact.