Effect Audio Code 24

(Originally post on the Effect Audio Cable thread)
Thanks to Effect Audio and @Sebastien Chiu, I got a chance to demo two mystery prototype cables from EA. Though soon after the tour started, we soon learned what those two cables are, and I will directly use the official names for those two prototype cables.

Before I start my impression of those two cables, a little background for myself. I am relatively new to the cable rolling business and as matter of fact, this is my first time to demo high-end cables (with the recent inflation, cables are becoming much more expensive and people may argue that at this price, they are not technically “high-end”. However, I would say that they are a steal at this price point given their high-end performance. I am not just saying that, but I will soon order one of those cables as my first “high-end” upgrade cable). In the past I have purchased more than 10 upgrade cables for my IEMs, but they are mostly for the purpose of ergonomic improvements, and none of them are over $250. I did have chance to use more expensive cables, mostly PWAudio cables as stock cables from UM Mentor, Merst Mk2, etc. Frankly, I did not find any of those cables make significant impact on the sound quality of the IEMs.

Therefore, even though I am not in the camp of cable non-believers, I am also not a strong believer of cable as well, well, until recently.

The two cables from Effect Audio are code 24 in beautiful deep ocean blue, and its little sister code 24c limited in purple. Most of my impression, however, will be on the big sister code 24 since I spent most of my time on it and I just can’t take it off my ears, sorry.

When I took out the cables from the small package, I happened to take the blue one out first without any knowledge of which is which and what are those cables. When I switched the stock cable to the blue code 24, I had been listening to music with the stock cable for hours since the time I picked up the FedEx package in the evening.

Even though I did expect some sound signature change, I was totally unprepared for what was about to come, and my jaw dropped the moment the music started.

I must tell you that if I were doing this as part of a blind test, I would believe I were listening to a much, much more expensive IEM since everything changes, I mean EVERYTHING!



Okay, let’s start with the first thing I noticed: the bass, yes, that BASS. The first IEM I happened to use is Oriolus Isabellae, which has good bass but mostly renowned for its sweet midrange. Instantly, the bass performance was brought to the next level, sweet Isa immediately exhibited Sony IER-Z1R level of bass. Not only I could hear deeper, more impactful bass, but also higher quality more textured bass. The sub-bass reached deeper, and the mid-bass was more prominent.

The second thing I immediately noticed is the clarity: the resolution suddenly increased, more information was there, just like magic happened. I have no idea why this is happening, but it may have something to do with the “super-tweeter effect” after I did some research on code 24 from Effect Audio website.

The next thing I noticed was the sound stage: Isa is not renowned for its sound stage, but with code 24, I did feel a much-opened sound stage, almost to the level of grand. With a grander sound stage, I also noticed that code 24 brought better instrument separation and you will notice the music becomes more layered.

Later, I found out what those two magic cables are. Code 24 is a silver-plated copper cable with 16.5 AWG, 13 multiple size core bundles. The cable is thick, visually much thicker than its little sister 24c. I haven’t used EA’s code 23 before, but it has been mentioned numerous times in the watercooler thread I hung out. To some fellow coolers with code 23, code 24 is 23 on steroid. I can testify for the excitement code 24 can bring to your IEMs.



Both code 24 and 24c comes with EA’s ConX Basic Set, which comes with both 2pin and MMCX connections. I must emphasize it again, the fact that you don’t have to buy a separate cable for IEMs with a different connection is another huge saving in your cable investment.

Unfortunately, the prototype cables we received for this tour do not have the entire ConX basic set, they only have 2pin connection. Because of that, I did not have the chance to try it on IEMs with MMCX connection.

I did a short demo of code 24c, which initially I thought could have another flavor. But I was wrong. Code 24c is a pure copper cable, which is thinner than code 24 and much easier and flexible to handle. But the pro stops here. Code 24c has very good bass but with less bass impact than code 24, that will be the first and foremost impression you will notice. Even though both cables have the same deep reach in sub bass, the bass quantity decreases in code 24c, some people may like this if they put more emphasis on vocal and midrange. But for me, I strictly prefer code 24 even though 24c is much cheaper. As matter of fact, I don’t have to think for another second to decide which one I will buy, it is code 24. To put it in a simple way, code 24c limited is the little sister with a similar sound signature.

Here are some of the music I used during my demo using my desktop gears. Unfortunately, I am in a process of re-organizing my gears, I don’t have a chance to use tube amp. All listening below is from solid state desktop amp, R2R little RU6 dongle. I did spend several hours outdoors with the cable using my Sony WM1A with local music library, but since I was listening with shuffle mode, I did not remember the music I was listening to.



Mark Lettieri - "Pulsar" (Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2) Official Video

The bass guitar and the string strokes are heaven from code 24 (they are wonderful with stock cable, but man, I have to say code 24 just rendered it much, much, more lively​

​

Caro Emerald Live - A Night Like This​

Live performance in a small concert, code 24 just gave its performance in a grander scale sound stage.

Cory Wong Call Me Wild (feat. dodie)​

Cory Wong’s performance is always great, but the vocal from dodie in this collaboration brought some interesting flavor to the music and with code 24, I enjoyed it even more.

Santana - While My Guitar Gently Weeps​

What can I say, the master guitar performance and the vocal is one of the best covers beside the original for this classical song. Again, code 24 brought the string stroke in a much vivid way.

Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms​

One of favor songs from Dire Straits, you may notice much more details coming from the beginning of the song with code 24.

Preamble​

Thank you to @Damz87 and @EffectAudio for arranging the Australian Head-Fi Tour of the Effect Audio Code 24 and 24C.

The world of cable rolling is fraught with pitfalls. “Ackchually, there is no measurable difference”, “bro, $1000 on a cable, are you smoking crack?”, “holy crap the XXX cable didn’t do anything, what do I do?”. These are some of the common events that one may encounter in their pursuit of very expensive strands of copper, but is there really a point?

I would venture to say yes, yes there is. In my experience on these audio tours, wherein no hard-earned money has been put forward, Effect Audio (EA) cables have made a difference in my listening experience for the most part. One such EA cable had been the Code 23, and today’s review concerns the Code 24, the creatively named successor to that grey behemoth. But does the Code 24 continue on the tradition of EA in fashioning a well-made cable that indeed improves sound quality?

The Factual Stuff​

Finished in a blue hue, the Code 24 consists of two strands of 16.5 AWG wire made out of silver-plated copper. Diving further in, the wires are made of a three solid cores, surrounded by 12 multi-sized core bundles and finished in EA’s flexible insulation.

These are accompanied by rather industrial design-forward hardware with the splitter and the termination being rather thick and unique in their appearance.

The Code 24, similar to other EA cables, feature their TermX and ConX swappable systems which allow the end user to change from 2.5, 3.5 and 4.4 terminations as well as 2-pin, MMCX and P-ear connectors.


The prototype and the production model side-by-side.

The Opinion Stuff​

Sound​

I believe in sonic changes as a result of cable rolling. If you do not, please skip to Quality of Life & Value.

Notes made in this review are in comparison to the stock sound of whatever the IEM is, that is, with its original cable (save for the Maestro Mini) and some commonalities that I experienced.

The Code 24 was reviewed with a variety of IEMs including:
- Letshuoer S12 Pro;
- Unique Melody MEST MK II;
- FatFreq Maestro Mini;
- FatFreq Scarlet Mini;
- Softears Twilight; and
- Elysian Annihilator 2023.

Bass​

Switching from the stock cable to the Code 24 elicited a common occurance of increased low-end extension accompanied by a subtle sub-bass boost. In addition, the Code 24 seemed to emphasise a slower sense of decay and attack, creating a more boomy and more prominent low-end that was quite pleasing to listen too. The result of these elements seemed to generate a more naturalistic reproduction of bass with a subtle but noticeable extension into the sub-bass regions and a very, very slight increase in punchiness in the mid-bass.

The pairing of the Code 24 and all the IEMs in this review yielded a perceived improvement in bass response but some may lament the loss of detail and texture that is brought about in the slowing of bass notes. There is a loss of a sense of speed and resolution with more faster paced songs in my library but for more relaxed productions, the Code 24 was a nuanced but rather enjoyable influence on the low-end.

Mids​

The Code 24 seems to impart a greater airiness to the mids and an elevation of upper-mids, predominantly seen in the rendition of female vocals. This is not to say that male vocals are left in the dust, absolutely not. The imparting of greater mid-bass punch outlined above, adds a sense of weight and emotional impact with male vocals that is very much needed in leaner IEMs and seeks to add more to already-warm IEMs in the market. The heightening of upper-mids lends itself to a more ethereal and floaty rendition of female vocals that is quite addicting to listen to but does not become tiresome compared to other more, mid-forward cable pairings available.

Similar to the low-end, there is a greater sense of relaxed and easiness in the attack and decay of notes in this region, with instruments and vocals seemingly floating out with an easygoingness that lends itself to being characterised as ‘natural’ or ‘analogue in nature.

That is not to say there is a loss of resolution in this region as I feel that the improvements in layering and staging, outlined below, help generate a greater sense of articulation and subsequent digestion by the listener.

Overall, I feel that the Code 24 imparts a greater spaciness to the mids that allow for a relaxing and smooth listening experience. It’s pairing with already mid-forward IEMs may be a concern given the heightening of this region.

Treble​

With the upper-regions of the frequency response (FR) curve, the Code 24 minorly improves the sense of crystalline and sparkly sounds. There is an improvement in the air and extension of the IEM that I am listening too that generates an increased sense of space and sparkle of percussion. This is ultimately a subtle change in the upper regions, I do not wish to mislead readers that this cable will turn whatever your IEM is into an Elysian Annihilator but the subtle and nuanced shift in the treble lends itself to creating a greater sense of dynamic range.

I do not feel that this uplift ever ventured into the region of being bright or sibilant (unless of course the IEM is already bright or sibilant) but added a little spiciness to the top end.

Technicalities​

The staging on the Code 24 is rather excellent with great width compared to the stock cables and within that wider stage there is an increased sense of layering. Instruments and vocals are readily discernible form one another and there is a great sense of imaging within the headstage. These benefits help provide a greater sense of technical prowess from the IEM that I was listening to at the time and the Code 24 seems to share some of the qualities of its predecessor the Code 23.

The imaging chops of the 24 was similarly good in this rather wider stage with panning instruments and voices presenting with excellent discernment on my end as I was able to pin-point positioning of certain notes.

Detail and resolution seem to benefit from this slightly more sparse staging and imaging improvements as I feel that microdetail and nuances in certain beats throughout a song became more prevalent in the mix.

Value & Quality of Life​

Ergonomics​

Let’s not beat around the bush. The Code 23, the predecessor to the 24 was an absolute dog when it came to ergonomics. The thicker gauge wire and the rather inflexible nature of the cable combined with its predilection for maintaining whatever shape it was morphed into created a wholly unenjoyable experience with IEMs.

The Code 24, with its structural changes including breaking down the previously single core to three individual cores as well as other changes seems to have paid dividends resulting in a more manageable cable.

I say more manageable, but the Code 24 remains a rather thick cable and as such there are some quirks with its use. The earhook section is still rather difficult to maintain behind a smaller ear and will be rather difficult should you wear glasses.

Otherwise, it remains fairly flexible, malleable and does not appear to hold its shape as readily as its predecessor.

The hardware, whilst excellent to look at for its industrial design is rather thick and unwieldy.

The ConX and TermX connectors make a welcome companion to the fussy audiophile who is constantly rotating gear or simply wants their cable to outlast their IEM purchases.

TermX I am not a huge fan of as I use mostly 4.4mm in any case and there is a tendency for both TermX and ConX to unscrew themselves over time, but this is not a huge issue for 2-pin IEMs.

Cost​

The cost of the Code 24 is rather steep. Coming in at 799 USD, the Code 24 commands a price that is equivalent to a whole ass Moondrop S8 and for that, you would want something remarkable.

I cannot justify the price for this cable considering the rather mid-fi collection of IEMs that I possess but for those looking at bigger, badder TOTLs and want to alter their sound signature or maybe just achieve a cool colour scheme, the Code 24 becomes more relevant.

With that being said, I retain that the Code 23 remains a much more sonically proficient, albeit possessing a much coloured tone despite being cheaper than the Code 24.

Ultimately, I feel that the Code 24, in terms of sonic improvements does not value as great as a value proposition as the Code 23 but if you’re willing to pay more, both in terms of monetary and sonic concessions, to benefit ergonomics, the I would say that the Code 24 is a good choice.

Comparisons​

vs Code 23 (from memory and notes taken from my review of the Code 23)​

Alas, I do not have the Code 23 on hand but from my notes and memory of the cable, I recall the following elements. The Code 23 seemed to generate a more dramatic sonic shift for whatever IEM I was listening to as I previously noted that the changes in staging were far more dramatic than the 24. They both seem to enhance a sense of depth and width but the Code 23 appears to be doing so at another level. This is for better or for worse in that it seemed to ‘colour’ the signature of the IEM in a manner that was more prominent than the 24. Bass performance on the 23 was noted to be more boomy and slower which I cannot attribute to the 24 which is fairly fast and articulate.

Mid-range performance seems to be rather similar in that both did quite well to present vocalists front and centre of this widened stage. Treble performance seemed to be more prevalent on the 23 due to the enhanced lightness and effortless reproduction of higher registers that I pin-pointed in my notes.

Ergonomics are a mixed bag in that both are rather thick and unwieldy behind the ears but unlike the 23, the 24 is readily malleable and does not seem to hold its shape as reticently as the 23. In this category I feel that the 24 is the no-brainer.

Overall, I noted that the 23, whilst commendable for its rather significant impact on sound, was less of an all-rounder and seemed to synergise well with only particular IEMs. I do not think this is the case for the 24 which has subtle but noticeable shifts that may suit a wider variety of IEMs in the market. On that basis, I feel that the 24 is the safer choice but the 23 is for those looking for a larger change in their sound signature.

vs Code 24C Limited​

The Code 24C presents music with a distinct emphasis on upper mids as I felt female vocalists were brought front and centre of the stage and presented in a very forward and engaging manner compared to the 24. In terms of bass performance, I would have to give it to the 24 in terms of sub-bass extension, texture and detail whereas the 24C seems to have greater emphasis on mid-bass frequencies adding to the sense of punch but in the process, seemingly diminishing the level of detail.

Treble regions for the 24C does not sound all that great compared to the 24 as I felt that it had a less-engaging upper end. There is not great articulation, sparkle or drama imparted in this region and overall slightly recessed in the mix.

In terms of technical abilities, the 24C’s staging is not as wide as the 24 but there is a great sense of depth imparted, perhaps as a result of that very forward vocal line. Otherwise the detail retrieval of the 24C and imaging chops do not feel as articulate or well defined as the 24.

Ergonomically, the 24C, with its thinner wire gauge, is the most ergonomic Code series cable yet and feels more manageable than the 24. Still not world beating or ergonomically viable for small-eared, glasses-wearing folk but still pretty good.

Overall, I feel that the 24C represents some rather good value in terms of price and its ability to inject some extra boom and punch in the low-end combined with a female forward colouration that seeks to engage you with your music. However, I do not feel it is as refined as the 24 and the seemingly reduced dynamic range when A-Bing the two seems to make the 24 a safer choice.

vs DIY PWAudio 1950s​

There were murmurs that the PWAudio 1950s cable was constructed out of the same wire as a Cardas Clear headphone cable, and when informed, I was intrigued enough to procure one made by an enterprising Queenslander.

The 1950s cable provides a more intimate stage compared to the Code 24 but generates a similar sense of clarity and separation. There is a greater sense of speed and urgency when compared to the Code 24 as the 1950s seems to want the IEM you are listening to resolve and image things as quickly as possible. I feel that the low-end oomph imparted by the 1950s seems to outstrip the Code 24 in terms of punch and mid-bass presence whereas the Code 24 seems to do a little better job with sub-bass.

Ergonomically, the 1950s replica is a 4 wire cable made of some relatively thin wire gauge and as such remains very lightweight. There is some memory to the wire and it is not exactly an ergonomic paradise but it remains far more teneable in my books compared to the hulking mass of the Code 24.

Overall, I feel that the Code 24 colours whatever your IEM in a manner that is more obvious with an expansion of staging and an injection of air whereas the 1950s seems to just highlight technical performance along with a low-end injection.

Conclusion​

The Code 24 manages to impart a shift in sonics that seems to extend the sub-bass and the treble whilst bringing the mids forward with a floaty quality to them. The result is a rather subtle shift in sound quality that seeks to create a more technically impressive and tonally similar experience that you had with the IEM you know and love.

The ergonomics and the value proposition of the Code 24 is questionable but much improved from the Code 23. However, when compared to the likes of Fusion 1, or the Cleo or smaller, lighter weight offerings from competitors such as Eletech, I find that the sonic advantages are not worth the rub, that being the rather comically thick cable and its impact on my portable, day-to-day use.

If you can live with that caveat than the Code 24 represents a more subtle impact on your IEMs that seems to lift technical capabilities. However, if you’re living with a thick boi cable such as the Code 24, I would just go whole hog and grab a Fusion 1 or a Code 23 instead.