Cable Comparisons
I tested the Model2s with a number of cables to judge how they scale. Bear in mind these comparisons are in relation to the rather lacklustre stock cable, resulting in a greater magnitude of improvements.
NiceHCK BlackCat Ultra (USD $57)
Despite being inexpensive the 8 wire BlackCat Ultra is the cable I’ve paired with the Model2s most.
It actually sounds much louder than the stock 3.5mm cable, with immensely better dynamics & resolution, though it brings the midrange even further forward which can be fatiguing with the wrong material.
Bass is more impactful and the soundstage is a lot deeper, it creates a thicker sound with excellent midrange tonality & note weight – a terrific cable pairing.
Effect Audio Ares S 4 Wire (USD $179)
The Ares S boosts the lower midrange, improves dynamics and deepens the soundstage which helps the Model2s feel ‘woken up’ with slightly more treble as well.
Bass doesn’t seem to improve nor does stage width, and I don’t care much for the tonality either as there’s a bit too much upper midrange & lower treble though it’s still a decent pairing.
NiceHCK DragonScale 2 (USD $299)
I’m currently working on a review of the DragonScale 2 cable, so this is effectively a sneak peek.
The DragonScale 2 boosts dynamics enormously and adds lower midrange emphasis, bringing vocals forward with higher resolution, increases bass impact and deepens the soundstage.
I fiund this cable performs similarly to the 8W BlackCat but with a smoother tonality, though the BlackCat may not boost bass quite as effectively. Both are huge improvements on the stock cable.
Effect Audio Code 23 (USD $599)
Code 23 tends to push instruments further away to generate a slightly wider & much deeper soundstage, with better dynamics and a smoother tonality that I really enjoy.
The balance between the lower & upper midrange feels almost perfect, there’s a blacker background, higher resolution & sharper imaging but not much bass improvement I can detect.
This is a great pairing with superb tonality only marred by Code23’s woeful ergonomics.
Penon ASOS+X Prototype ($319)
Penon Audio sent me this behemoth prototype, a 12 wire version of the recently reviewed ASOS+ after I asked them if a 12W version was possible to build. The final retail version is now for sale.
MUCH louder than the stock 3.5mm cable, this beast generates a gigantic stage that’s wider than Code23’s but not quite as deep, and improves dynamics & resolution more than any other cable.
Treble is boosted significantly however, and I feel like too much attention shifts from the Model2s’ magic midrange to the higher frequencies. The staging of this cable is unique however, it feels like sounds are coming from below and even behind my head at times.
This cable would be my pairing of choice for genres like classical music where treble is vital, other times I prefer the BlackCat despite its’ far smaller soundstage, lower resolution & dynamics purely for its’ smoother more mid-focused tonality that better enhances the Model2s’ great strength.
Page 1 – Introduction & Packaging
Page 2 – Ergonomics & Appearance
Page 3 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 4 – IEM Comparisons
Page 5 – Cable Comparisons
Page 6 – Conclusion
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