Effect Audio Code 23
Configuration: 2 wire, solid core OCC copper litz
Weight: 71g
Ergonomics: 2/10
Cost: $599
Code 23 is a beast of a cable in the truest sense. I was able to demo Code 23 as part of the recent Australian Effect Audio Tour graciously organised by Damz87.
Branded as “Probably the Thickest IEM Cable in the World” and the first IEM cable I can recall to use solid-core copper wire (as opposed to the typical stranded), this is a product even Effect Audio appear content to acknowledge has extremely niche appeal.
At $599 it occupies an interesting space. Expensive enough to discourage casual IEM users, but at a price not suggestive of flagship status by high-end earphone cable standards – yet flagship performance is almost implied through use of the “Code” moniker EA have previously assigned to high-end models.
Generating a buzz in the earphone world with something as innocuous as wire must be no mean feat, yet Code23 definitely set tongues wagging and you’re about to discover what one of them has to say about it.
So does Code 23 sound as crazy as it looks? The answer lies ahead…
Ergonomics & Build Quality
Ergonomically I can’t decide if Code 23 is a comedy or a tragedy.
If you’re looking for something extremely unconventional to start a conversation with friends or co-workers this will certainly do it.
For everyday use, particularly once the novelty of ownership expires, I would suggest ruling a line through Code 23 unless you spend most of your time listening in the same place without moving, ideally with most of the cable’s weight supported by a desk or bed.
Obviously at 71 grams Code 23’s massive weight is an issue – it’s literally twice as heavy as other cables in this shootout. What’s perversely amusing is Code 23’s earhooks are so impossibly stiff & uncomfortable they do a brilliant job of distracting you from how heavy it is!
It’s almost like shooting yourself in the head so you don’t notice a toothache.
Indeed the cable is so stiff due to the solid-core wire it can fully support itself standing upright. Whilst I applaud EA for being daring enough to release a cable with such challenging ergonomics, it is difficult to recommend on this basis alone.
In terms of build the wire itself is very substantial with smooth insulation that promotes a feeling of quality, though I’m not a fan of the Y-split or 4.4mm plug. Both contain cut-outs showing the wire inside which is somewhat novel, but aesthetically doesn’t do a lot for me. Nothing jumps out as wrong about them, but I wouldn’t say they scream quality either.
Sound
Unquestionably there’s reward to had for those woeful ergonomics in the form of Code 23’s superb sonic performance. In the simplest terms Code 23 can be thought of as a direct sonic upgrade to the Ares S 8 wire, itself already an upgrade to the 4 wire version.
Code 23 is characterised by the spacious presentation it paints, giving you the feeling of being seated further back from the performers with a vast soundstage expanding outwards in all directions in front of you. Indeed Code 23 reminds me of Brise’s Yatono 8 Wire Ultimate which is one of the very few IEM cables I’ve heard that delivers larger stage dimensions… but at more than 400% of Code 23’s price. This speaks to Code 23’s value when only performance rather than ergonomics are factored into account.
Tonality lies in the realm you’d expect from a copper cable with plenty of midrange richness, though it doesn’t feel quite as bottom-end focused as Ares S 8 wire.
IEM Comparisons
Penon 10th Anniversary
Code 23 delivers an even blacker background than Cadmus 8, with superior dynamics and imaging to boot. Of course the stage dimensions are massive, though for some reason Code 23 almost sounds more like a silver cable than copper with this particular pairing.
I’ve come away feeling like Code 23 is a direct upgrade over Cadmus 8 with the 10th Anniversary, but to me the inferior ergonomics didn’t feel worth the sonic improvements.
ISN EST50
Again we see Code 23 delivering a massive and very deep stage, with far more three-dimensionality to the performance than you might expect from a $449 IEM. Along with great dynamics Code 23 also nudges the EST50’s V-shape signature towards a more natural U-shape, somewhat muting its’ treble that can at times be quite prominent on silver cables.
The massive, speaker-like presentation of this pairing is a highlight of the shootout and of the three IEMs tested only the EST50s mate with Code 23 well enough for the ergonomics to possibly feel justified.
Penon Impact
As expected Code 23 produces great dynamics and a very wide and deep stage, beyond the dimensions of 8 wire cables in the shootout. The feeling of being seated further back makes the presentation feel less potentially fatiguing, and Code 23 definitely sounds like a copper cable paired with the Impacts.
Although Code 23 maximises the Impacts’ stage as much or more than any cable in the shootout, the pairing leaves me feeling somehow uninvolved, whereas a cable like Venom seems far more engaging with the Impacts.
Verdict
Code 23 is a difficult cable to recommend but one I strongly suggest demoing if IEM cables interest you, purely to sample the performance this much solid-core copper can offer!
Who knows, perhaps you won’t be as bothered by the ergonomics as much as I am. If that’s the case, it’s difficult to label a $599 IEM cable “great value” but from a pure performance standpoint Code 23 does stack up very well against much more expensive options from premium manufacturers.
I applaud EA for taking a radical approach here, which is just the kind of thing the hobby needs to set chins wagging. There’s likely a very finite amount of ways IEM cables can be constructed, but within those constraints EA deserve praise for not being scared to innovate.
Introduction
Cable 1 & 2 – EA Ares S 4 Wire & 8 Wire
Cable 3 – Effect Audio Cadmus 8 Wire
Cable 4 – Effect Audio Code 23
Cable 5 – ISN S8
Cable 6 – Liquid Links Martini
Cable 7 – Liquid Links Venom
Cable 8 – NiceHCK BlackSoul
Cable 9 – Penon CS819
Cable 10 – Penon Leo Plus
Cable 11 – Penon Obsidian
Cable 12 – Penon Vocal
Cable 13 – DIY Cardas Clear
Cable 14 – DIY Hakugei Gray Dragon
Cable 15 – DIY Hakugei Sky-Sea Voice
Talking Point – Cable Performance vs Ergonomics
Talking Point – Cable Value
Talking Point – Cable DIY
Cable Awards
Conclusion
Cable Manufacturer Links & Acknowledgements
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