Today, we review the Effect Audio Eros S 1st Anniversary Edition, an 8-wire 26AWG hybrid pure silver and copper Litz aftermarket IEM cable. It is priced at $349 SRP.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. We thank Effect Audio for their support.
To read more about Effect Audio gear previously assessed on Headfonics click here.
Note that this article follows our current scoring guidelines which you can read in more detail here.
Looking back a year ago, the Eros S standard edition was released and was one of the hits from Effect Audio’s Signature series cable lineup. Hence, to celebrate this feat, Effect Audio has released the Eros S 1st Anniversary Edition cable which pays homage to the original.
With its new design and finish, the Eros S 1st anniversary edition cable is built to maintain the house sound of the original whilst giving it its celebratory look. But how does it stack up against the backdrop of other aftermarket cables?
Read on to find out more about how this cable performs and compares to competing cables in our findings and in-depth comparisons.
Tech Highlights
Materials & Wire
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable is an ultra-pure, OCC silver Litz and copper Litz hybrid cable and comes in an 8-wire, 26 AWG configuration. The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable gives users that 8-wire cable composition in a combined blend of silver and copper materials.
The aim of this is to allow the best of the silver and copper worlds to forge with each other to produce an engaging and highly resolving sound.
Of course, this is on the premise that silver cables are generally used to tease out all the details in the mid-range and treble whilst the copper material is there to support the bass frequencies and provide that engagingly warm timbre copper is known for.
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable features Effect Audio’s septuplet multi-sized core bundles. In simple terms, this means that each wire uses a 7-core Litz build where different thicknesses are used for each thread.
Multi-sizing allows Effect Audio to build a Litz cable with different-sized wires, thinner ones for high frequencies and thicker ones for lower frequencies.
Design
Aesthetics
The Eros S 1st Anniversary Edition cable features a jet-black coating which is sprinkled with tiny, gold-colored flakes. Effect Audio refers to this palette as “Star Dust Noir”.
The intention of this was to exhibit fireworks to celebrate the anniversary of the Eros S. This palette appears on the main parts of the cable, namely the wiring and the splitter.
Other parts such as the connectors follow the theme and have a jet-black tone. The part that bodes well with a cable enthusiast like me is that the jet-black finish matches well with most IEMs and exudes that classy and elegant look.
It creates one of the most aesthetically pleasing match-ups for any aftermarket cable.
Finishing
The termination or plug case is made of polished and brushed aluminum however there is an option to purchase the cable with a Pentaconn OFC 4.4mm termination.
The standard plug itself is made of rhodium-plated brass and comes in standard 2.5mm, 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 similar to all the other cables in Effect Audio’s Signature series where there is the barrel, topped with a square which then splits out into a hexagonal base.
This means that the splitter is quite large and could have been a few millimeters less in diameter. The splitter is made out of polished and brushed aluminum with a black color to match the overall theme of the cable.
Despite its size, it is lightweight hence its large size does not pose any issues in relation to cable noise or discomfort during use.
The connectors or ConX shell is made of anodized aluminum, comes in black, and is finished with a gold-colored ring leading to the 2-pin connector. 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 a thick plastic or PVC material finished with a black color which fits well with the overall anniversary theme.
Handling
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable is finished with Effect Audio’s Ultra Flex insulation which is a special plastic coating used for the jacket of the cable. This gives the cable a soft and supple feel making it easy to bend and comfortable to wear on top of the ear.
During testing, there were no issues in regard to cable noise or discomfort even after prolonged use. However, the plastic-like feel of the cable may not be for everyone especially those who prefer a fabric or more textured finish on their cables.
Since the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable 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.
Packaging & Accessories
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable comes in a black, rectangular box that is coated with a thread-like texture. The box features the same jet-black color as the cable which reflects the anniversary theme.
On the face of the box, Eros, or the Greek God of Love is depicted with wings at the top of his head representing the pure silver and pure copper hybrid cable configuration.
Inside the box, there are 2 booklets: one describing the Signature Series and one about the warranty. At the bottom of the box, you will find a black carrying case and leather cable strap which is a very nice addition.
The carrying case is known as a “chamber-ready cloth pouch” which is made from a thick polyester material. In contrast to other chamber-ready pouches, this one features a gold Effect Audio logo which is embroidered onto the front which matches the theme of the cable.
The pouch has an opening at the top where you attach the cable strap to the button. One other thing to note is that the carrying case may not have enough room to fit both the cable and IEM due to the 8-wire braiding.
One way to get around this is to wrap the IEM shells into the middle of the cable loop before inserting them into the pouch.
Performance Impressions
The following performance impressions were compiled using the Cayin N8ii as our main source with the Empire Ears Valkyrie II and the Elysian Acoustic Labs DIVA 2023 IEMs.
Summary
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable brings the best of the copper and silver cable worlds together to take advantage of their unique characteristics. Copper enhances the coloration of the bass and mid-range frequencies and silver creates that extra layer of detail and clarity in the mid-range and treble.
As a result, the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable is a dynamic and unique-sounding cable capable of delivering sonic enhancements across all frequencies. This ensures that the Eros S 1st Year Anniversary cable remains a very competitive cable compared to other offerings in the same price range.
Timbre
The Eros S 1st Anniversary cable colors all frequencies across the spectrum with the goal of delivering a lush and smooth sonic performance.
The sub-bass depth decreases slightly however it comes with improved texture and layering. The same can be said with regard to the mid-bass where the mid-bass becomes punchier with faster decay albeit with improved bass texture.
In general, bass notes have a decent amount of slam, but the Eros S 1st Anniversary focuses more on the resolution of the reverb and its dynamics. Depending on the pair-up, you do lose that bit of tactility but it’s quickly replaced with improved bass quality.
The lower to upper mid-range frequencies receive a boost and are presented in a more forward manner. The lower to center mid-range is more prevalent which allows vocals to come forward which is closely followed by the upper midrange.
What you end up with is a pretty linear presentation of the mid-range with a slight emphasis on vocal delivery. This makes the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable suitable for those listening to mostly male and female vocal-based tracks.
Details-wise, the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable delivers a lush and smooth mid-range whilst adding a decent level of texture and resolution.
There is a hint of added treble sparkle but not too much that the sound starts to become harsh or sibilant. The treble extension is decent with adequate levels of detail and resolution. It may leave those trebleheads wanting more up top or airiness to go with the added sparkle but at this price point, the performance is sufficient.
Staging & Imaging
The soundstage on the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable is both wide and deep s0, it does a decent job of making the overall stage feel spacious.
However, the extent of the width, depth, and height varies based on the IEM pairing and synergy. Layering and imaging are also decent, and the Eros S 1st Anniversary cable is able to take advantage of its wide soundstage to place and layer instruments and vocals with pinpoint accuracy and sufficient spacing.
Click on page 2 below for our pairing analysis and selected cable comparisons.
