Strauss & Wagner Ales Review: This Cable Can Make It Happen

When upgrading your IEM cable, sometimes features are limited to just one per variation. One has a USB-C connection. Another has an in-line mic. There's one with a boom microphone instead. All these features are great, but choosing between them is a hassle. What if they were all on one device? 

Strauss & Wagner is known for making great upgrade cables, and this one gives listeners everything and more. The Ales 2-pin Upgrade Cable is an L-shaped USB-C connection with an in-line microphone AND a detachable boom microphone. This cable becomes a one-stop shop for any feature or upgrade that you might consider. Is this upgrade cable worth its $100 price point? Do you really need all those features? We'll take a look at the Ales cable paired with some of our favorite IEMs and see if it's something you should be adding to your portable setup. 

First, we start with the physical design of the Ales cable. The Ales is made of CNC-machined aluminum alloy, so it is easily pliable and very lightweight. It is white in color and the connection points are shiny with the Strauss & Wagner logo clear on the side. The Ales is braided and has protected ear loop covers to make the over-ear feel more comfortable for long listening sessions. The USB-C connection is not a straight attachment, and instead has an L-shaped connection. Portability becomes much easier when you have your phone in your pocket and don't want to bend the cable at an awkward angle, so you can protect the Ales cable and make it last longer. On top of that, you have a sleeker setup should you choose to use it with a computer or desktop system. The Ales is 120cm, which is a standard cable length that most people will already be accustomed to. 

The detachable boom microphone is an interesting element that not many people consider. I liked using the boom microphone for phone calls: the sound was clear and crisp, and people on the other end could hear me without issue. Even on the receiving end, I was able to hear the other person with clarity and without interruption. This was a great plus as an iPhone user, as there are instances where some microphone cables are not compatible with Apple software. The Ales cable handled this with ease, so there was no issue connecting with my peers and family for a short call to test connection and clarity. 

The detachable quality of the boom microphone was a big plus in the Ales cable's design. If you're not a fan of a whole boom mic and want a subtler design, the in-line mic is available to you when you take off the boom microphone. This optional feature is great for people who may be hesitant, and it allows you to test the form factor and see how you like it. I found that I liked the boom microphone for phone calls, but if I knew I was just going to be listening to music, I could easily detach it for more comfortable and relaxed listening. Even if I got a phone call unexpectedly, I could use the in-line microphone to talk and still have decent clarity and connection. 

The Ales cable is a 2-pin connection compatible with recessed ports. This makes it a great cable for any IEM with a 2-pin connection, be it Moondrop, 64 Audio, Noble Audio, or ThieAudio. Below are a few models that we used in the store to test the Ales cable, but that isn't a limitation to what the Ales is compatible with. If you have a pair of IEMs that have a 2-pin connection and you're not sure if they will fit, feel free to call or bring in your IEMs to test the cable in the shop. The best way to know if it's compatible is with the cable itself. 

• Cable Length: 120cm
• Connector: 0.78mm 2-Pin
• Termination: USB-C Male
• Microphone: Integrated Boom Microphone
• Controls: In-line Playback & Call Controls
• Cable Construction: Braided Upper Cable with Smooth Lower Cable
• Connector Housing: CNC-Machined Aluminum Alloy
• Application: IEM Upgrade Cable with Boom Microphone
• Compatibility: Compatible with in-ear monitors using 2-pin connectors and USB-C-equipped smartphones, tablets, laptops, portable gaming devices, and other USB-C audio sources.

All the features and versatile styles are great to have, but at the end of the day, the sound is what counts. How does the Ales cable change the sound of your IEMs? When testing the Ales cable, I used a range of IEMs, both mid-fi and high-end, so I could get an idea of what worked best with the cable. A list of what I tested includes: 

• Sivga Lyrebird
• 64 Audio U4s
• Noble Audio Iris
• Meze Audio Astru
• ThieAudio Monarch MKIV

These IEMs provided a range of sound that helped discern how the Ales cable affected the profiles it was attached to. Overall, the Ales didn't change the main profiles of the IEMs I used. Punchy bass remained punchy, treble detail was still crisp, and wide soundstages were just as wide as expected. I liked that there was an extra push of precision in the signatures with the aluminum material, but not enough to make the IEMs overly bright or piercing. I liked how it brought out a treble push in bassy IEMs like the Noble Audio Vanguard, and enhanced the separation in wide IEMs like the ThieAudio Valhalla or Meze Astru. 

With the Ales, the sound signatures of the IEMs were smooth and consistent, delivering the sound you know and love across every genre. The Ales cable didn't degrade the quality or create fuzziness in the sound reproduction; instead, the sound was clear, detailed, and engaging with every IEM in various genres. 

The S&W Ales is not the first cable to terminate in USB-C or have an in-line microphone. There are even other cables that have a detachable boom microphone. However, as mentioned before, these cables typically have just one or two of the features of the Ales. Some of these cable variations are as follows:

• Macon: 2-pin to USB-C with Microphone
• Elche: MMCX to USB-C with Microphone
• Saillon: 2-pin or MMCX to 3.5mm or USB-C with detachable boom mic
• Delft: 2-pin to USB-C with in-line mic
• Arlon: MMCX to USB-C with in-line mic

As you can see, there are other cable options that do a lot of the same things the Ales does. Between USB-C termination and boom microphone attachment, Strauss & Wagner has options for you. But what makes the Ales stand out? For one, the L-shaped USB-C attachment is easier for people travelling, as the wire won't be forced into this awkward bend that could damage the cable. The Delft and Arlon are great options, but their flat 2-pin connection point makes them less desirable since they won't be compatible with popular models from 64 Audio or Sivga. The Saillon has the boom microphone you may want, but the Ales takes this design and upgrades it to be a sturdier and longer-lasting cable. 

Is the Strauss & Wagner Ales cable the upgrade you need? For those who live by their 2-pin IEMs and want better versatility to integrate them into everyday life, the Ales cable is a perfect solution. The silver cable delivers clean sound in any IEM, and the slightly recessed connection makes it a good fit for a host of IEMs, as opposed to being further limited. Gamers and frequent callers will enjoy the Ales' boom microphone for its direct pickup, and even the people who want a bit more subtlety in their style can just use the in-line microphone. The USB-C port is perfect for all the newer phones, from Apple to Samsung and Google alike, so you are sure to find compatibility with your devices. 

You can get the S&W Ales cable at Audio46.