Thanks, man! I can imagine those pairings working well from memory. The same goes for the Ares S with the EXT for me. It takes away its drier edge and adds flesh to the midrange, which I found particularly beautiful with its DDs.
Effect Audio cables thread
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holsen
Headphoneus Supremus
TRUE ... Unless you're wearing polarized lenses and trying to look at a polarized screen - Then you've got a visual mess. I do a lot of long distance motorcycle touring and my Garmin has a polarized screen. With polarized glasses I cant see a thing on that screen so I'm constantly on the hunt for cool glasses with good wind occlusion and non polarized lenses (not easy to find). In the car, polarized all the way! And so it is with our cable IEM pairings. What's a perfect cable with one, not so much with another. That's why I've got one of each of the new Signature Series coming!
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GiullianSN
Headphoneus Supremus
I can imagine. Unfortunately I didn't have the EA cables while reviewing EXT, but from your comments about the mids (that, again, align with mine) and what I can hear from the EA cables on other IEMS, that would make the EXT more interesting.
Have you try these cables with Phoenix? I can think of Eros S being a nice pairing.
i tried Ares S with the Phonix and it was an excellent pairing. A real sense of warmth and musicality while allowing the elements of the Phonix to shine through. The pairing I didn’t like that much though was the Ares S with LX. For me it felt too warm and thick and I didn’t think it brought the best out of the LX. For Phonix though Ares S was superb.
Yeah, as @Deferenz said, the Ares S brings a nice, cozy intimacy to the PHoNIX; a slightly more romantic, rose-tinted look to its soundscape. The Eros S is more interesting. On one hand, it makes the PHoNIX sound more out-of-head and in-control than a lot of pairings I’ve heard it with. But, as I alluded to in my impressions, it makes the IEM feel a bit too blase (or plain) tonally for me too. It’s a bit of a give-and-take, and I can see myself being in the mood for that kind of sound. But, I’d probably reach for the Ares S more often for the PHoNIX these days.
Awesome reviews on the Cadmus totally agree with you. On the mest mkii the bone conduction of the mest warmness of tubes and this cable everything just clicks. If I remove the tube amp the Ares S is very similar to the mest mkii stock cable concerning sound both are copper and honestly both sound great.Hey, everyone! I’m a bit late to the Signature Series party, but I wanted to wait ’til I could call the cables by their real names, rather than their confusing, numerical counterparts.I had a great time listening to all three cables Effect generously lent me, and I found each to have their own unique appeal. So, here are my thoughts on the Ares S, the Cadmus and the Eros S, and I hope you guys enjoy as always!
Ares S
The Ares S, succinctly, delivers lush sonics against a crisp, clean background. While the Ares II attempted the same warm-yet-crisp blend by contrasting (or skewing) different parts of its FR, the S’s approach keeps its tonality even and uniform, whilst leaving the burden of clarity on its improved technique. In place of the rich mids/sharp highs blend its predecessor had, the Ares S is evenly-bodied and coherently-hued from top to bottom. The hue in question is on the wetter side - lush, resonant, emotive - and it’s a particular treat with live instruments. It accentuates the live room feel that a record like Shaun Martin’s 7Summers or Snarky Puppy’s We Like It Here thrives off of. And, of course, it’s conducive to emotion on a track like Renee Olstead’s A Love That Will Last. At the same time, it’s not the heavy, cloying, veiled kind of warmth. Everything’s just given a teensy bit more weight and girth. So, IEMs that are naturally open and light-sounding will remain that way. This is especially true from the upper-mids to the treble, which I find to have a delicate, yet super-clear feel. Again, it adds body and liquidity without bogging them down in warmth; tricky in those regions. Jazz rides and acoustic keys are a treat. So, all in all, it’s an analog-leaning cable that lends its tone whilst preserving all the clear, open, airy qualities the IEM may already have.
That blend of lushness and clarity wouldn’t be possible without its impressive technique. Similar to Effect’s EVO 10 cable, the Ares S promotes resolution by darkening and cleaning up the monitor’s background. Details (even the smallest of them) naturally float upwards as a result, and separation between notes becomes more distinct as well. It eschews the need for the Ares II’s more aggressive lower-treble, and it’s why the S has the more natural, coherent tone of the two. The clean backdrop allows transients to enter with more immediacy and punch too, which, in turn, aids imaging precision, as you’re able to tell when and where elements come into frame. And, dynamics are strong for a warmer cable as well, which is why it’s able to maintain the openness and clarity I described earlier. All this comes down to strong treble extension, which gives the cable great authority and ease. And, the same is true for its low-end extension, which gives dynamic-driver hybrids a healthy dose of oomph too. The mid-bass in particular is an inch above neutral to me. Its stage expansion is great for a cable at its price, and it’s good overall. I wouldn’t call it outstanding there, as its fuller notes do take up a bit of space. But, it still delivers more than enough room for them all to breathe, and it’s a negligible quibble anyway for a cable this affordable.
To me, the Ares S is a strong, strong successor to the Ares II. It approaches the latter’s philosophy in a more challenging, yet more effective way, and it’s resulted in a cable that tonally pairs with more IEMs, elevates their technique to higher highs and commits fewer “sins” along the way. It’s the cable in the line-up I felt had the most potential, and I’m so glad to see Effect beyond clear that bar; truly, a new frontrunner in the accessible cable market.
Cadmus
While the Ares S is about giving instruments presence and substance, the Cadmus takes almost the opposite approach. It lightens and aerates its notes in both heft and attack. Lows or low-mids that were once meaty and dense feel a tad slighter and cleaner. And, treble peaks that were once bright and tizzy have their edges ever-so-slightly tapered off. The former comes down to a focus on sub-bass over mid-bass, so low-end notes are felt more than they’re heard. They hit the chest more than the ear. And, the latter comes down to a similar colouration in the highs; a bias towards the upper-treble. So, in-ears like the Vision Ears EXT (which has a sandier, grittier mid-treble) will have its abrasiveness turned into airiness further up the range instead. The midrange, then, comes off relaxed or subdued. The upper-mids aren’t allowed to project or shine as much as on the Ares S. So, horn stabs, for example, won’t jump at you when they come in. All of these colourations that, again, lighten instruments and soften their blows, are in an effort to make them seem more distant, more relaxed and, thus, make the soundscape seem bigger; more holographic. It’s a colouration that favors long, passive listening and one that tames more aggressive, rambunctious IEMs. Yet, like the Ares S, it does so without too many tonal aberrations along the way.
Against the Ares S, the Cadmus will give you a more spherical stage, simply by virtue of, again, instruments sounding a bit more distant. When you’re listening to a track like Cody Fry’s Underground (the orchestral version), the Cadmus will turn your attention more towards the peripheral strings and percussion, while the Ares S will give you more vocal presence. Instruments are also separated a bit more tidily on the Cadmus, so you’ll get more clarity in that sense. But, the Ares S will flesh out individual instruments a lot more to my ears - resolving their individual colors and textures - as they aren’t as stripped down as on the Cadmus. So, it depends on what kind of detail you’re ultimately searching for. To me, the spaciousness (and sub-bass focus) of the Cadmus best suits genres like electronica, especially the ambient kinds. For lack of a better phrase, the Cadmus enhances atmosphere. So, on a track like FKJ’s Ylang Ylang, rather than intimately focusing on the piano or the bass line, your mind instead just floats through the soundscape as a whole; the sum, rather than its parts.
So, as long as you don’t mind the Cadmus’s minimal focus towards making instruments sound 1000% fleshed out and distinct, I think the spaciousness and immersion it adds to more atmospheric arrangements could make it a winner to a lot of listeners. Like the Ares S, it doesn’t make many tonal leaps, even though I’d say this cable is more colored than the former to my ears. Still, if you’re a fan of the genres and presentations I mentioned, the Cadmus’s MSRP isn’t a hard pill to swallow for a new swatch on your sonic palette.
Eros S
Of the three, the Eros S definitely comes across the most no-frills and… one could say calculated. It doesn’t have the romantic lushness of the Ares S, neither does it have the wispy lightness of the Cadmus. It’s a very what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of cable, and whether or not that’s a good thing will depend on you. Let’s start with the objective first. Surely, the Eros S is the strongest spatial performer in the line-up. Its holography (or 3D-ness) is outright outstanding at its price tier. The background here is even darker and cleaner than on the Ares S, instruments float convincingly around you, and they’re a lot more tactile - corporeal - than on the Cadmus. The big differentiator for me are the diagonals; 10 and 2 o’clock. Those points in the space are far better-resolved to me, which results in a consistently-solid image all around your head. Depth is much greater here too for clearer z-axis layering. And, because of the cable’s 8-wire design, it’s all done with a palpable effortlessness. It’s a degree of authority and ease in delivering detail that I’ve only heard on 8-wire cables - a phenomenon I’ve compared in the past to the same band being able to play in a larger, freer venue - and it’s very audible here. With that comes dynamics capable of going from tiny to grand on genres like classical, as well as an openness that lets instruments breathe more.
Now, with all the technical praise out of the way, comes the more subjective discussion of tone. As said, the Eros S is a more matter-of-fact-sounding cable, and that may turn off those looking for a more exciting tonality. It’s not a dull, or thin, or clinical-sounding cable at all. But, it is very blasé; plainly coasting along, rather than romanticizing this, or highlighting that, or concentrating this, etc. I’d call it a more passive-sounding cable, compared to the active Ares S or the euphoric Cadmus. So, it’s worth keeping in mind if you prefer a more motivated sound. I feel those who prefer studio monitors or IEMs of that ilk will appreciate the Eros S’s sound most. It’s for those who find musicality and engagement in honesty, rather than style. Otherwise, there aren’t really any notes I have on its tonality. On the IEMs I tested, I found the bass was neither pushed towards the sub- nor the mid-bass; only gaining in clarity, due to the more extended treble. The midrange is perhaps ever-so-slightly high-mid biased, but it’s minor at best. And, the treble is nicely-feathered and airy; straddled well between articulate and refined, and providing heaps of space to everything below it.
Again, it isn’t a cable for those after strong biases or colourations towards one direction or the other, but the Eros S is clearly the most technical of the three for me. It keeps the IEM’s inherent traits largely in place, only expanding the spatial and dynamic boundaries its stock cable put upon it. Notes are more clearly three-dimensional with massive boosts across the diagonal and z axes. And, they’re all conjured with less effort as well. So, if you’re after a cable that does nothing but expand and purify, then the Eros S is the Signature model for you.
Consider the stock cables is priced almost 3 times more says a lot on the value of the Ares S. If anything happened to my mest stock cable this be the one to replace it. Sound is close to stock cable and the Ares S cable doesnt have the stiffness of the mest mkii stock cable.
Really debated getting the Ares S but decided the Cadmus was the better value since I listen to mest mkii with tubes most of the time. The Cadmus will replace the silver plated graphene cable I been using with a big improvement in sound. Where Ares S would be more a side upgrade.
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Gavin C4
Member of the Trade: Hercules Audio
The Ares S is the most dynamic cable out of the three. Very impactful, tight, solid and punchy bass. It also has a very wide and deep sound stage. It is also very detailed up in the top end. The imaging of this cable is also a few classes above its price point, placement of all the instruments and the size of the vocals are on a very nice and balanced scale. The most amazing cable in 2022, if you compare it to other cable around the thousand-dollar mark, you might find the Ares S just as amazing and competitive in the same class. This is real technological breakthrough.
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The Ares S is the most dynamic cable out of the three. Very impactful, tight, solid and punchy bass. It also has a very wide and deep sound stage. It is also very detailed up in the top end. The imaging of this cable is also a few classes above its price point, placement of all the instruments and the size of the vocals are on a very nice and balanced scale. The most amazing cable in 2022, if you compare it to other thousand-dollar cables, you might find the Ares S just as amazing and competitive in the same class. This is real technological breakthrough.
I tidbit of advice, use toothpick to peel that shrinkwrap
Otherwise, you will rip/crack your fingernails 
Hey man,Hey, everyone! I’m a bit late to the Signature Series party, but I wanted to wait ’til I could call the cables by their real names, rather than their confusing, numerical counterparts.
Ares S
The Ares S, succinctly, delivers lush sonics against a crisp, clean background. While the Ares II attempted the same warm-yet-crisp blend by contrasting (or skewing) different parts of its FR, the S’s approach keeps its tonality even and uniform, whilst leaving the burden of clarity on its improved technique. In place of the rich mids/sharp highs blend its predecessor had, the Ares S is evenly-bodied and coherently-hued from top to bottom. The hue in question is on the wetter side - lush, resonant, emotive - and it’s a particular treat with live instruments. It accentuates the live room feel that a record like Shaun Martin’s 7Summers or Snarky Puppy’s We Like It Here thrives off of. And, of course, it’s conducive to emotion on a track like Renee Olstead’s A Love That Will Last. At the same time, it’s not the heavy, cloying, veiled kind of warmth. Everything’s just given a teensy bit more weight and girth. So, IEMs that are naturally open and light-sounding will remain that way. This is especially true from the upper-mids to the treble, which I find to have a delicate, yet super-clear feel. Again, it adds body and liquidity without bogging them down in warmth; tricky in those regions. Jazz rides and acoustic keys are a treat. So, all in all, it’s an analog-leaning cable that lends its tone whilst preserving all the clear, open, airy qualities the IEM may already have.
That blend of lushness and clarity wouldn’t be possible without its impressive technique. Similar to Effect’s EVO 10 cable, the Ares S promotes resolution by darkening and cleaning up the monitor’s background. Details (even the smallest of them) naturally float upwards as a result, and separation between notes becomes more distinct as well. It eschews the need for the Ares II’s more aggressive lower-treble, and it’s why the S has the more natural, coherent tone of the two. The clean backdrop allows transients to enter with more immediacy and punch too, which, in turn, aids imaging precision, as you’re able to tell when and where elements come into frame. And, dynamics are strong for a warmer cable as well, which is why it’s able to maintain the openness and clarity I described earlier. All this comes down to strong treble extension, which gives the cable great authority and ease. And, the same is true for its low-end extension, which gives dynamic-driver hybrids a healthy dose of oomph too. The mid-bass in particular is an inch above neutral to me. Its stage expansion is great for a cable at its price, and it’s good overall. I wouldn’t call it outstanding there, as its fuller notes do take up a bit of space. But, it still delivers more than enough room for them all to breathe, and it’s a negligible quibble anyway for a cable this affordable.
To me, the Ares S is a strong, strong successor to the Ares II. It approaches the latter’s philosophy in a more challenging, yet more effective way, and it’s resulted in a cable that tonally pairs with more IEMs, elevates their technique to higher highs and commits fewer “sins” along the way. It’s the cable in the line-up I felt had the most potential, and I’m so glad to see Effect beyond clear that bar; truly, a new frontrunner in the accessible cable market.
Cadmus
While the Ares S is about giving instruments presence and substance, the Cadmus takes almost the opposite approach. It lightens and aerates its notes in both heft and attack. Lows or low-mids that were once meaty and dense feel a tad slighter and cleaner. And, treble peaks that were once bright and tizzy have their edges ever-so-slightly tapered off. The former comes down to a focus on sub-bass over mid-bass, so low-end notes are felt more than they’re heard. They hit the chest more than the ear. And, the latter comes down to a similar colouration in the highs; a bias towards the upper-treble. So, in-ears like the Vision Ears EXT (which has a sandier, grittier mid-treble) will have its abrasiveness turned into airiness further up the range instead. The midrange, then, comes off relaxed or subdued. The upper-mids aren’t allowed to project or shine as much as on the Ares S. So, horn stabs, for example, won’t jump at you when they come in. All of these colourations that, again, lighten instruments and soften their blows, are in an effort to make them seem more distant, more relaxed and, thus, make the soundscape seem bigger; more holographic. It’s a colouration that favors long, passive listening and one that tames more aggressive, rambunctious IEMs. Yet, like the Ares S, it does so without too many tonal aberrations along the way.
Against the Ares S, the Cadmus will give you a more spherical stage, simply by virtue of, again, instruments sounding a bit more distant. When you’re listening to a track like Cody Fry’s Underground (the orchestral version), the Cadmus will turn your attention more towards the peripheral strings and percussion, while the Ares S will give you more vocal presence. Instruments are also separated a bit more tidily on the Cadmus, so you’ll get more clarity in that sense. But, the Ares S will flesh out individual instruments a lot more to my ears - resolving their individual colors and textures - as they aren’t as stripped down as on the Cadmus. So, it depends on what kind of detail you’re ultimately searching for. To me, the spaciousness (and sub-bass focus) of the Cadmus best suits genres like electronica, especially the ambient kinds. For lack of a better phrase, the Cadmus enhances atmosphere. So, on a track like FKJ’s Ylang Ylang, rather than intimately focusing on the piano or the bass line, your mind instead just floats through the soundscape as a whole; the sum, rather than its parts.
So, as long as you don’t mind the Cadmus’s minimal focus towards making instruments sound 1000% fleshed out and distinct, I think the spaciousness and immersion it adds to more atmospheric arrangements could make it a winner to a lot of listeners. Like the Ares S, it doesn’t make many tonal leaps, even though I’d say this cable is more colored than the former to my ears. Still, if you’re a fan of the genres and presentations I mentioned, the Cadmus’s MSRP isn’t a hard pill to swallow for a new swatch on your sonic palette.
Eros S
Of the three, the Eros S definitely comes across the most no-frills and… one could say calculated. It doesn’t have the romantic lushness of the Ares S, neither does it have the wispy lightness of the Cadmus. It’s a very what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of cable, and whether or not that’s a good thing will depend on you. Let’s start with the objective first. Surely, the Eros S is the strongest spatial performer in the line-up. Its holography (or 3D-ness) is outright outstanding at its price tier. The background here is even darker and cleaner than on the Ares S, instruments float convincingly around you, and they’re a lot more tactile - corporeal - than on the Cadmus. The big differentiator for me are the diagonals; 10 and 2 o’clock. Those points in the space are far better-resolved to me, which results in a consistently-solid image all around your head. Depth is much greater here too for clearer z-axis layering. And, because of the cable’s 8-wire design, it’s all done with a palpable effortlessness. It’s a degree of authority and ease in delivering detail that I’ve only heard on 8-wire cables - a phenomenon I’ve compared in the past to the same band being able to play in a larger, freer venue - and it’s very audible here. With that comes dynamics capable of going from tiny to grand on genres like classical, as well as an openness that lets instruments breathe more.
Now, with all the technical praise out of the way, comes the more subjective discussion of tone. As said, the Eros S is a more matter-of-fact-sounding cable, and that may turn off those looking for a more exciting tonality. It’s not a dull, or thin, or clinical-sounding cable at all. But, it is very blasé; plainly coasting along, rather than romanticizing this, or highlighting that, or concentrating this, etc. I’d call it a more passive-sounding cable, compared to the active Ares S or the euphoric Cadmus. So, it’s worth keeping in mind if you prefer a more motivated sound. I feel those who prefer studio monitors or IEMs of that ilk will appreciate the Eros S’s sound most. It’s for those who find musicality and engagement in honesty, rather than style. Otherwise, there aren’t really any notes I have on its tonality. On the IEMs I tested, I found the bass was neither pushed towards the sub- nor the mid-bass; only gaining in clarity, due to the more extended treble. The midrange is perhaps ever-so-slightly high-mid biased, but it’s minor at best. And, the treble is nicely-feathered and airy; straddled well between articulate and refined, and providing heaps of space to everything below it.
Again, it isn’t a cable for those after strong biases or colourations towards one direction or the other, but the Eros S is clearly the most technical of the three for me. It keeps the IEM’s inherent traits largely in place, only expanding the spatial and dynamic boundaries its stock cable put upon it. Notes are more clearly three-dimensional with massive boosts across the diagonal and z axes. And, they’re all conjured with less effort as well. So, if you’re after a cable that does nothing but expand and purify, then the Eros S is the Signature model for you.
Great photos and write up, wish you will love the final design more
Suyang
Thank you Gavin, the level of dynamism, engaging vocal and detail from Ares S makes it a top level sounding cable.
The Ares S is the most dynamic cable out of the three. Very impactful, tight, solid and punchy bass. It also has a very wide and deep sound stage. It is also very detailed up in the top end. The imaging of this cable is also a few classes above its price point, placement of all the instruments and the size of the vocals are on a very nice and balanced scale. The most amazing cable in 2022, if you compare it to other thousand-dollar cables, you might find the Ares S just as amazing and competitive in the same class. This is real technological breakthrough.
So glad to hear the recognitions from you as well as many people who have tried in the thread, we are working hard to fulfill the first one thousand units in first batch, look forward for more impressions
Suyang
The Protector seems functioning too well, haha.I tidbit of advice, use toothpick to peel that shrinkwrap
Suyang
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I know, lots has been said already about the cables of Signature Series, and I will contribute to that when I'm finished with my review. But for now, I wanted to share a few pictures of the finished product/packaging I just received. I'm used to dealing with higher end EA models that cost a lot more, thus I was shockingly surprised to see the quality of the packaging and the presentation of these entry level Signature series models. And btw, I'm calling it "entry" level based on their pricing ($169 Copper, $199 SPC, $299 Silver/Copper hybrid), rather than sound or build quality which are clearly not entry level. This is a noticeable step up from their Vogue series with a very impressive price/performance ratio.
Look at the details of the packaging. Ares, the Greek God of war in copper. Cadmus, the Greek slayer of monsters plated in silver to cover the copper underneath. Eros, the Greek God of love and sex, with a funky twist of copper and silver. Each cover image and its coloring depicts the wire of corresponding model.
Then, each one comes with a cool storage case and a cable organizer leather strap.
But there is more to that, and it actually took me a few seconds to realize after observing male/female snap fasteners on the front and the back of this compact storage case. You can attach the cable organizer strap to the case as a handle to close it or to attach to your bag or belt. Very clever and quite practical!
Next, prototypes people received for testing had a temporary hardware. The final product will have all new custom housing plugs and new custom y-split with a chin-slider. All looks very premium.
And last, but not least, they also include ConX connectors with interchangeable tips. The cable will come with 2pin only, and you can buy optional set with mmcx, a2dc, Ear (Pentaconn), and IPX connector tips. Basically, you can use the same cable with either 2pin, mmcx, or other connector IEMs. Also, ConX housing matches the hardware finish of plug and y-split.
Btw, while Copper (Ares S) and SPC (Cadmus) cables will look the same as prototypes, the jacket of Silver/Copper hybrid (Eros S) in the final product is updated, and has the same sandblasted finish as used in Chiron, but in silver/greyish color.
Color me impressed
Look at the details of the packaging. Ares, the Greek God of war in copper. Cadmus, the Greek slayer of monsters plated in silver to cover the copper underneath. Eros, the Greek God of love and sex, with a funky twist of copper and silver. Each cover image and its coloring depicts the wire of corresponding model.
Then, each one comes with a cool storage case and a cable organizer leather strap.
But there is more to that, and it actually took me a few seconds to realize after observing male/female snap fasteners on the front and the back of this compact storage case. You can attach the cable organizer strap to the case as a handle to close it or to attach to your bag or belt. Very clever and quite practical!
Next, prototypes people received for testing had a temporary hardware. The final product will have all new custom housing plugs and new custom y-split with a chin-slider. All looks very premium.
And last, but not least, they also include ConX connectors with interchangeable tips. The cable will come with 2pin only, and you can buy optional set with mmcx, a2dc, Ear (Pentaconn), and IPX connector tips. Basically, you can use the same cable with either 2pin, mmcx, or other connector IEMs. Also, ConX housing matches the hardware finish of plug and y-split.
Btw, while Copper (Ares S) and SPC (Cadmus) cables will look the same as prototypes, the jacket of Silver/Copper hybrid (Eros S) in the final product is updated, and has the same sandblasted finish as used in Chiron, but in silver/greyish color.
Color me impressed
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Hey guys, better late than never...here are my Prototype #38 (a.k.a. Ares S) impressions. I'll be fairly quick, because this is not covering any new ground, but I want to throw my hat in the ring and say how impressed I am with this cable. I had a long relationship with the Ares II in the past, it being the stock cable of the Empire Ears Legend X. I wasn't too much of a fan of that cable then, finding it wiry and stiff, but did recommission it for use with other IEMs.
Enter #38, and it's immediately obvious that @EffectAudio have upped the game with their new cable series. Not only is the 'new Ares' thicker (which I like), it's also far more supple, and very resistant to twisting and knotting. Microphonics are also on the low side. I let the cable burn in for a few days before testing it. Sadly, since the proto isn't fitted with ConX, I only had a cheap pair of BLON BL-03 IEMs to test it with, but that's the same IEM I used with Ares, and the sound improvement is remarkable. Now I don't want to hype anything up, because cable sonic changes, for me, are subtle at best, but this is clearly a pure copper cable sound done right: smooth, organic, without the sometimes thin and pitchy treble response of the 'brighter' Ares II. All the detail in the BLON's lower bass, which can be flabby with the wrong cable, is tightened up nicely here, and the mids and treble don't throw up any nasty peaks at all.
In fact I wouldn't hesitate to compare it favourably with the 8-wire PW Audio #5 cable I used and loved with the LX (as the Ares II replacement), and I guessed it would cost about the same as that cable (~$350). When EA unveiled #38 as the Ares S for $179, I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. This is easily my rec for anyone who loves the smooth copper sound, wants a cable that is soft, flexible, but also thick enough to feel substantial, and doesn't want to pay over the odds.
If I had to nitpick, the 4.4mm connector on the proto cable is, for some reason, thicker than spec, which makes it quite difficult to insert and remove. I'm sure this will be corrected with the shipping Ares S, which I look forward to receiving and testing soon. Two thumbs up from me.
Enter #38, and it's immediately obvious that @EffectAudio have upped the game with their new cable series. Not only is the 'new Ares' thicker (which I like), it's also far more supple, and very resistant to twisting and knotting. Microphonics are also on the low side. I let the cable burn in for a few days before testing it. Sadly, since the proto isn't fitted with ConX, I only had a cheap pair of BLON BL-03 IEMs to test it with, but that's the same IEM I used with Ares, and the sound improvement is remarkable. Now I don't want to hype anything up, because cable sonic changes, for me, are subtle at best, but this is clearly a pure copper cable sound done right: smooth, organic, without the sometimes thin and pitchy treble response of the 'brighter' Ares II. All the detail in the BLON's lower bass, which can be flabby with the wrong cable, is tightened up nicely here, and the mids and treble don't throw up any nasty peaks at all.
In fact I wouldn't hesitate to compare it favourably with the 8-wire PW Audio #5 cable I used and loved with the LX (as the Ares II replacement), and I guessed it would cost about the same as that cable (~$350). When EA unveiled #38 as the Ares S for $179, I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. This is easily my rec for anyone who loves the smooth copper sound, wants a cable that is soft, flexible, but also thick enough to feel substantial, and doesn't want to pay over the odds.
If I had to nitpick, the 4.4mm connector on the proto cable is, for some reason, thicker than spec, which makes it quite difficult to insert and remove. I'm sure this will be corrected with the shipping Ares S, which I look forward to receiving and testing soon. Two thumbs up from me.
Hey guys, better late than never...here are my Prototype #38 (a.k.a. Ares S) impressions. I'll be fairly quick, because this is not covering any new ground, but I want to throw my hat in the ring and say how impressed I am with this cable. I had a long relationship with the Ares II in the past, it being the stock cable of the Empire Ears Legend X. I wasn't too much of a fan of that cable then, finding it wiry and stiff, but did recommission it for use with other IEMs.
Enter #38, and it's immediately obvious that @EffectAudio have upped the game with their new cable series. Not only is the 'new Ares' thicker (which I like), it's also far more supple, and very resistant to twisting and knotting. Microphonics are also on the low side. I let the cable burn in for a few days before testing it. Sadly, since the proto isn't fitted with ConX, I only had a cheap pair of BLON BL-03 IEMs to test it with, but that's the same IEM I used with Ares, and the sound improvement is remarkable. Now I don't want to hype anything up, because cable sonic changes, for me, are subtle at best, but this is clearly a pure copper cable sound done right: smooth, organic, without the sometimes thin and pitchy treble response of the 'brighter' Ares II. All the detail in the BLON's lower bass, which can be flabby with the wrong cable, is tightened up nicely here, and the mids and treble don't throw up any nasty peaks at all.
In fact I wouldn't hesitate to compare it favourably with the 8-wire PW Audio #5 cable I used and loved with the LX (as the Ares II replacement), and I guessed it would cost about the same as that cable (~$350). When EA unveiled #38 as the Ares S for $179, I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. This is easily my rec for anyone who loves the smooth copper sound, wants a cable that is soft, flexible, but also thick enough to feel substantial, and doesn't want to pay over the odds.
If I had to nitpick, the 4.4mm connector on the proto cable is, for some reason, thicker than spec, which makes it quite difficult to insert and remove. I'm sure this will be corrected with the shipping Ares S, which I look forward to receiving and testing soon. Two thumbs up from me.
I burned the P38 for 100hrs and all that time I had the BLON BL-03 attached to it. That pairing actually sounded pretty good to my ears, all things considered.
Anyone at Chicago this weekend? If you guys are there, do check out @MusicTeck 's booth at Canjam Chicago. The Ares S, Cadmus and Eros S from our new Signature Series will be available for auditioning, have fun with them and share with us your thoughts 
Ah yes, Centurion and Chiron will be there too!
- Jordon
Ah yes, Centurion and Chiron will be there too!
- Jordon
Will Effect Audio be at Canjam London in July?Anyone at Chicago this weekend? If you guys are there, do check out @MusicTeck 's booth at Canjam Chicago. The Ares S, Cadmus and Eros S from our new Signature Series will be available for auditioning, have fun with them and share with us your thoughts
Ah yes, Centurion and Chiron will be there too!
- Jordon
Yes we will have our own Effect Audio booth at Canjam London! Will you be there?
- Jordon
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