Effect Audio Cadmus - Review

Effect Audio's Cadmus is a part of their signature series line of cables. Each installment of Effect's signature series is meant to provide its unique sound to your IEMs, while also providing better clarity than a stock cable. Cadmus comes in at $200. You might be thinking: "$200 for a headphone cable?!?" and you'd be right to think that. That being said, any (wired) headphone only sounds as good as the cable it passes through, and without a high-quality cable, you might not realize the full potential of your setup. I'm going to see how Cadmus enhances my listening experience.

What’s in the Box

• Effect Audio Cadmus IEM cable
• Carrying case
• Button-locking cable tie
• instruction manual

Look and Feel

Cadmus' packaging presents it as a fine piece of jewelry, you can tell the intention that went into the presentation. The cable looks stylish and subtle; this isn't meant to distract, it's meant to accent what you already have. The cable feels sturdy, sturdier than any cable I've ever used in fact. it has just the right amount of weight to it without feeling like a burden, but enough to remind you that you aren't just using any cable; you're using an Effect Audio Signature Series Cadmus Cable. This is what a cable should feel like.

Design

Effect Audio put considerable thought and painstaking research into Cadmus' design. Every aspect of the design has clarity and a predetermined sound character in mind. The cable is an Ultra-Pure OCC Silver-Plated Copper Litz cable. The silver plating gives it that edge and clarity, while still retaining the powerful low-mid response of a copper cable. The cable's construction is of the highest quality and allows for a clean signal to pass through.

The Effect Audio Cadmus has a high-quality detachable adaptor that can be swapped with several variants.

Sound Impressions

Cadmus' sound character focuses on the lows. Subs and low mids are slightly accentuated to give the mix more impact overall. After switching between Cadmus and my Moondrop Blessing II's stock cable, I noticed that Cadmus was both warmer and more powerful, making the mix feel more complete. That being said, the bass is such a high resolution that it never felt overwhelming. The bass is bold, but clearly articulated and not overly controlling. The mids and highs also get a nice treatment, with Cadmus retrieving an insane amount of detail compared to the stock cable. It's like putting on a new glasses prescription; you only notice how much clearer everything looks after you've put them on. Cadmus also expands the soundstage on your IEMs, making the mix more breathable and nicely laid out.

Overall

If I'm being honest, I was initially skeptical about Cadmus. How much difference can a cable really make? Turns out, it can make a world of difference. I've never heard My IEMs optimized like that before, and it was especially noticeable when going between the Cadmus and the stock cable. It's like pandora's box, you don't know what you're missing until you try it. While the price can be steep, you also can't put a price on sound quality, and Cadmus delivers some of the best sound quality I've ever heard.

You can buy the Effect Audio Cadmus at Audio46