In today’s review, we test the new Effect Audio Eros S hybrid IEM cable which is the company’s flagship offering from their new Signature Series. It is priced at $299.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion in this review. Many thanks to Effect Audio for this opportunity.
To read more about Effect Audio gear previously reviewed on Headfonics click here.
Note, that this 2-page article follows our latest scoring guidelines which you can read up on here.
Before we dive into the review, just note that this cable seems to be very popular right so orders are taking longer than usual to fulfill. EA has informed us that they are working overtime to fulfill all orders as quickly as possible and appreciate your patience on this matter.
Sound. Material. Design. This is the focus of the Effect Audio Team who has introduced their new “Signature Series” to the aftermarket cable segment. The Signature Series aims to deliver high-performance and value-for-money cables.
This is delivered via Effect Audio’s “A.C.E” cable set – Ares S, Cadmus, and Eros S. The Eros S represents the third installment of the Signature Series and aims to combine copper and silver sound properties to deliver, inter alia, enhanced bass, midrange, and soundstage.
Tech Highlights
Materials & Wire
The Eros S is an Ultra-Pure OCC Pure Silver and Pure Copper Litz cable. Interestingly, the Eros S represents the only hybrid cable in Effect Audio’s Signature Series lineup and the only cable to include UP OCC Silver as a key element.
The Eros S attempts to enhance and bring the best of both worlds from the Ares S and Cadmus. The Ares S is a UP-OCC Copper Litz cable whereas the Cadmus is a UP-OCC silver plated Copper Litz cable.
The Eros S follows the trend of Effect Audio’s flagship cable series by using an 8-wire 26 AWG configuration. This configuration results in each wire leaning towards the thinner side of things however what you end up with is a very supple and flexible cable.
The wire configuration of the Eros S is different from that of the Ares S and Cadmus which in my view is an excellent alternative as it introduces something unique to the Signature Series lineup.
The Ares S and Cadmus feature different wire configurations and house 4-wire and 24 AWG setups each. After adding on the PVC jacket to these two cables, both the Ares S and Cadmus end up having the same thickness as each other however they are not as flexible as the Eros S. The Eros S is slightly thicker than both the Ares S and Cadmus.
Geometry
The Eros S features a septuplet multi-sized core bundle which means that each wire uses a 7-core Litz build where different thicknesses are used for each thread.
Multi-sized allows Effect Audio to build a Litz cable with different sized wires, thinner ones for high frequencies and thicker ones for lower frequencies.
Design
If there is one word to describe the overall design of the Eros S then it’s exceptional. Amongst all the other cables I have tried and tested within this price range, the Eros S takes the cake when it comes to making you feel like you own a well-designed and highly sophisticated feeling cable.
Sporting a pearl grey color, the Eros S reflects today’s trendy pastel color sets and gives off a simple yet elegant look. Some may call it boring or dull however I firmly believe the color gives the Eros S its own character and distinguishes itself from the other Signature Series cables’ shiny and metallic finish.
Stepping away from the color, each wire is coated in a matte, pearl grey jacket which has small silver specs giving it a subtle yet sparkly effect under direct light.
As each of the 8 wires are braided and bundled together, you are left with a very supple, flexible, and premium-feeling cable.
The matte jacket reminds me of the Effect Audio Chiron cable which is part of Effect Audio’s Flagship series. Although the Chiron is even more supple than the Eros S, the Eros S is no slouch either.
It goes to show you the attention to detail and effort which was put into designing the Eros S and the appreciation the cable has for its other counterparts in the Effect Audio lineup.
Since the Eros S uses a thin 26 AWG 8 wire configuration, the braiding has sufficient tension where each wire is tightly woven across the cable. There are no uneven or unwanted gaps throughout the cable. As mentioned before the Eros S is very soft that it makes you want to hold and admire the cable even whilst listening to music.
Finishing
The Eros S is finished with selenite grey termination, Y split, cable slider, and connectors. The termination or plug case is made of polished and brushed aluminum. The plug itself is made of rhodium plated brass and comes in standard or Pentaconn 2.55mm, 3.5mm, or 4.4mm variations.
The splitter and cable slider are mainly comprised of the same material as the plug case however the splitter also has a black forged carbon fiber plate on the back and front sides.
The splitter has a peculiar shape in the sense that it is a barrel, topped with a square, which then splits out into a hexagonal base. This means that it is quite large and could have been a few millimeters less in diameter.
However, its aluminum material is lightweight, so its large size does not pose any issues in relation to cable noise or discomfort during use.
Connectors
The connectors or ConX shell is made of anodized aluminum whereas the actual ConX connector is finished with a gold-colored ring leading to the 2-pin interface giving it a distinct yet classy finish.
Effect Audio’s ConX technology allows you to change the connector itself for example from a 2-pin to MMCX. This is a very practical and welcome feature of the cable as it creates versatility and allows you to pair the cable with all the IEMs in your collection.
Regarding the ear hook, this part of the cable is finished with a light grey, matte, PVC coating which fits well with the overall cable theme.
Comfort on the Ear
The Eros S is lightweight and well-designed meaning that during testing, the Eros S sits comfortably on the ear. Whilst using it with and without glasses, the cable did not present any discomfort and was barely noticeable at times.
The large but lightweight splitter allows the cable to drop with sufficient tension and does not create unwanted tugging and discomfort over the ear. Furthermore, there was no cable noise or microphonics originating from the cable hence paving the way for carefree listening sessions.
Packaging & Accessories
Overall, the packaging and accessories of the Eros S are well thought-out and have a premium finish.
The packaging and accessories are similar across all the cables within the Signature Series except for the included booklet and box art which is based on the cable itself. The Eros S comes in a black, rectangular box that is coated with a thread-like texture.
On the face of the box, Eros, or the Greek God of Love is depicted with silver and copper intertwining wings at the top of his head representing the Pure Silver and Pure copper hybrid cable configuration.
The Ares S and Cadmus boxes have a similar concept where their box art reflects their cable compositions which is a nice touch by Effect Audio to create harmony between all three cables.
Inside the box, there are 2 booklets: one describing the Signature Series and the other focusing on the Eros S itself. At the bottom of the box, you will find a black carrying case and leather cable strap which is a very nice addition.
Carry Case
The carrying case is known as a “chamber ready cloth pouch” which is made from thick polyester material. The pouch has an opening at the top where you attach the cable strap to the button.
This is a very smart design as it allows the cable strap to have a dual-purpose use case; to strap the cable itself or provide closure to the carrying case. I believe EA will provide a customized Chamber Bag in the near future to hold these chamber-ready pouches.
Inserting and withdrawing the cable from the carrying case does take some time to get used to because the size of the opening is the same for all Signature Series cables meaning that Eros S, which is slightly thicker than the Ares S and Cadmus due to its 8-wire configuration, does not slide in as easily.
One other thing to note is that the carrying case will not have enough room to fit both the cable and IEM unless you want to squash them together hence in most situations you will need to carry them separately should you choose to use the included carrying case.
Performance Impressions
For this review, the Empire Ears Legend EVO and the Mangird Xenns Up IEMs were used alongside the Cayin N8ii as a source.
Summary
The Eros S brings the best of the copper and silver cable worlds together in a way that teases out some of their unique characteristics.
Copper cables are generally known for their enhanced bass impact and midrange detail whilst silver cables usually create additional transparency and smoothness to the midrange and treble whilst expanding the overall soundstage.
The Eros S reminds me of a Swiss Army knife: it attempts to be the jack of all trades and has enough features to cover as many bases as possible or in our case, sound frequencies.
The Eros S is best suited to IEMs with a neutral sound signature and a slight bass emphasis as it takes all sound frequencies and improves them exponentially.
Compared to the Ares S and the Cadmus, the Eros S is the most dynamic and unique sounding cable of the three as it is capable of delivering sonic enhancements across the board.
Furthermore, the layering and imaging capabilities are excellent. If you were to ask me if the Eros S is a competitive cable compared to other offerings in the same price range, the answer is a definite yes.
Timbre
Due to its copper and silver composition, the Eros S is able to focus on multiple sound frequencies however its main focus, inter alia, lies with enhancing bass control, driving up resolution and transparency of the midrange, and expanding the soundstage.
The Eros S dials in on the mid-bass more than the sub-bass and aims to add more texture and control. For example, the Legend EVO’s sub-bass presence was reduced however the mid-bass became punchier and better controlled.
Throughout the midrange, the Eros S leaves you with a slightly warm timbre. The Eros S also does an excellent job in picking up the micro details within instruments and vocals and provides transparency to the overall sound.
Male and female vocals sound very smooth and organic. The timbre here is not as warm as the Ares S or Cadmus but the warmth is still there, just only slightly. Treble has a very good extension and texture with a hint of sparkle.
Staging
The soundstage on the Eros S is wide and tall and it does an excellent job to make the overall stage feel extensive and spacious.
However, the extent of the width and height varies based on the IEM pairing and synergy. Layering and imaging are excellent with the Eros S being able to take advantage of its wide and tall soundstage to place and layer instruments or vocals with pinpoint accuracy and sufficient space.
