Conclusion
I’m not even going to pretend to be unbiased, I’m very biased in how much I like this cable!
Penon ASOS+X is the cable I’d throw at the feet of cable skeptics to challenge the myth all cables sound the same. Anyone who can’t hear a difference doesn’t need earphones – they need a hearing aid.
Few cables can explode stage dimensions, deepen bass, boost dynamics & improve resolution the way this one does, I struggle to think of another cable under $1000 that affects IEMs this much.
The elephant in the room (and around your neck) is the ergonomics. ASOS+X is basically a headphone cable attached to your earphones, so if you haven’t been in the hobby long enough to embrace this level of craziness yet that’s completely understandable!
However for those of us hardcore enough to believe performance is everything, a cable like this is mana from heaven which may well inspire other cable manufacturers to follow suit.
I compared the 12 wire ASOS+X to the 8 wire ASOS+ extensively, and to my ears adding 4 more wires boosts performance in a way that absolutely justifies the extra weight & cost. If you’re deciding between the two – don’t. Just get this one and deal with the extra weight, because your ears will thank you.
Can we expect more 12 wire cables in future? Fingers crossed! A copper 12W would be sweet, or maybe a mixture of copper & SPC. Even a pure silver 12W. Could a 12W cable with shielding be possible?
Big cables, big sound… big possibilities!
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