Cable Comparisons
I tested the Carats with a number of aftermarket cables to gauge how effectively they scale.
NiceHCK Blacksoul (USD $50)
BlackSoul improves dynamics slightly though soundstage dimensions don’t change greatly – perhaps there’s a tiny bit more depth.
The tonality is a bit smoother and vocals feel a tiny bit more forward and slightly more resolving, but overall this is a fairly underwhelming pairing.
Penon Vocal (USD $69)
The soundstage feels a little wider and as usual Vocal adds greater emphasis to the midrange which feels a bit more resolving.
There’s a slightly treble roll off leading to a warmer tonality than the stock cable, but overall I’m not noticing massive differences.
NiceHCK FirstTouch (USD $89)
Dynamics improve quite markedly, the soundstage is a little wider & deeper, and even imaging improves with a blacker background.
The Carats gain a slightly darker but very enjoyable tonality which sounds significantly more refined in this great pairing.
Effect Audio Ares S 4 Wire (USD $179)
The soundstage feels more spacious with depth in particular improving, and dynamics are also better, there’s also a little more midbass present.
Tonality becomes smoother with more lower midrange warmth yet treble doesn’t seem rolled off, this is a good pairing but I’m not sure it fully justifies the cable’s cost.
Overall Cable Thoughts
As is often the case, single-DD IEMs don’t seem to scale nearly as much with cable upgrades compared to hybrids utilising crossover components that also benefit, and the Carats are no exception
So I wouldn’t necessarily recommend spending a fortune on an upgrade to the Carats’ stock cable, rather to improve performance you’d be much better off purchasing a portable amplifier instead – single-DDs invariably benefit much more from higher quality amplification in my experience.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
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