Effect Audio Grandioso Review

Effect Audio Grandioso

Sound

 

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The Effect Audio Grandioso is a cable that presents a technical approach to the sound. With the two reference custom IEMs that I tried it with, it provided me a better transparency and mid-bass quality with very nice dynamism, compared to their stock cables. These are the shining traits of this cable to me. Let me explain in more detail with my usual breakdown.

Bass

With particularly the M-Fidelity SA50 , the bass became tighter and a little more punchy when I paired the monitor with the Grandioso. This is a very nice CIEM to monitor the changes, since it’s very transparent and unforgiving. The cable does not give too much of bass quantity though. The mid-bass area is lifted slightly so it’s a good option if you seek a little more midbass body but quantity is still not dominating like some fully copper cables. For the SA50 it played out very well.

The mid-bass is more pronounced and definitive, but again this trait doesn’t disrupt the monitor’s overall presentation. Especially with jazz songs like John Coltrane’s, it’s very nice to hear those contrabass notes. Overall you get good body and good extension down low as well.

Effect Audio Grandioso

Mids

Mids become closer with the Grandioso, sounding cleaner and crisper overall. The instruments play more closely when you compare it to the stock cable and you also get a slight boost in warmth which is always welcomed by me. Mid resolution gets better at the same time, allowing you to hear the elements clearer. These are not big differences, but they’re there and that’s the point of having an upgrade cable like this one.

Treble

In the upper treble area there’s slightly more resolution and extension which is a good thing if you want a little better treble performance from your monitor. This area of the spectrum is just like the mids; slightly better resolution and transparency. I especially liked the performance of the cable with the Pears SH-3 in this particular area.

Technical Points

The presentation broadly becomes tighter with the Effect Audio Grandioso and everything plays like a foot closer in the stage. So the dimensions become slightly smaller, which can be good or bad depending on your monitors and sound preference. The trade off is there, but in exchange you get a more dynamic sound with better resolution and transparency in particular. The feeling is more studio-like instead of a concert hall.

But if your monitors already have a nice sound-stage with good width, I don’t think the difference in the stage feeling would be a concern. And when you think about what you get in exchange, it’s not a bad deal anyway. The transparency and dynamism are the outstanding features of the Grandioso and these traits are very important in a monitor. You also get more extension on both ends of the spectrum.

Effect Audio Eros II

Effect Audio Eros II

Comparison to Eros II

Is there a sound difference between the previous generation Eros II and the Grandioso? I say yes, but the differences are subtle. I don’t think there’s a need to switch to the newer version if you already have the Eros II.

The Grandioso has a slightly better bass control and tightness when compared. However this will only be apparent with a good quality source. If that is important to you, you can choose the newer cable. The mid section is quite similar and I couldn’t hear any differences there. However the treble is a bit better with the Grandioso, as I hear better definition and extension. Micro details are also just a bit more audible to me, so it puts up a difference in there as well.

The weird thing to me though is that the Eros II is more expensive on their web page. I’m not sure why that is the case, but that indeed makes the Grandioso a better choice, even if they had the exact same performance. Maybe the Eros II has pricier y-split and jack parts? Or maybe the new selected wires are cheaper in cost? Regardless, the Grandioso performs excellent.

Effect Audio Grandioso

Conclusion

I really like the Grandioso simply because it’s not a cable that changes one particular area in terms of quantity or presentation. It stays true to the sound but improves technical aspects like resolution, transparency, dynamism and texture. You get closer to the true recording, and you also see your monitor’s capabilities.

And since the price is not on the level of flagship cables which come from space, you can actually argue that this is one of the best cables you can get on the market. It’s a great option if you want a better technical performance from your IEMs. Not to mention the improved flexibility and ergonomics over the previous generation, as well as the improved price.

I certainly recommend the Grandioso and it just entered our Accessories Recommendations with it’s relatively affordable price and great performance. The Eros II is removed in the process, since the new cable has better ergonomics and performance for a lower price.

 

 

4.3/5 - (15 votes)
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A keen audiophile and hobby photographer, Berkhan is after absolute perfection. Whether it is a full-frame camera or a custom in-ear, his standpoint persists. He tries to keep his photography enthusiasm at the same level as audio. Sometimes photography wins, sometimes his love for music takes over and he puts that camera aside. Simplistic expressions of sound in his reviews are the way to go for him. He enjoys a fine single malt along with his favourite Jazz recordings.

4 Comments

  • Reply March 13, 2020

    MhtLion

    Nice review. These cables certainly caught my attention after reading your review. Would you say they will be improvement to the stock cables of Final A8000?

    • Reply March 20, 2020

      Berkhan

      I’m sure you’ll hear better technicalities.

  • Reply March 13, 2020

    SoundDouble

    Had you had any experience with the symphonym tiburon cable? And how does they compare?

    Thanks,

    • Reply March 20, 2020

      Berkhan

      No I’ve never tried that cable, sorry.

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