Review: Effect Audio Leonidas II Octa

Today we’re looking at the upgraded version of an award-winning cable – the Leonidas II Octa by Effect Audio.

Disclaimer: Effect Audio supplied the Leonidas II Octa at no cost. I only had to pay for importing the cable. Headfonia is not affiliated with Effect Audio, however, they are a site advertiser. Many thanks for the generosity and opportunity.

About Effect Audio:

In our corners, Effect Audio doesn’t need an introduction anymore. The boutique cable manufacturer has been around for ten years now and ever since then they have been gaining popularity on a global scale.

Effect Audio is among the most popular cable brands out there, and many enthusiasts trust their products. It’s no surprise that even industry players such as Empire Ears, Jomo Audio or Vision Ears bundle their monitors with Effect Audio cables.

The Ares II is one of their most successful cables, but when it comes to corner stone products, I think the one that has been the most important to Effect Audio is the original Leonidas cable. This one put Effect Audio on the map of all audiophiles.

Effect Audio Leonidas II Octa

A few months ago, Effect Audio decided to release a new and improved version of the Leonidas cable – the Leonidas II. It is the first ever cable in the audio industry to use Palladium plated silver. We have reviewed the successor of the original Leonidas last year and were so impressed, that it has been crowned Best Cable 2018.

Effect Audio has been running a few cable upgrade programs for their lineup in the past, and now it’s time to do it again. We are here to look at the upgrade version of the Leonidas II.

About Leonidas II Octa:

The Leonidas II Octa is of course based on the regular Leonidas II cable, but comes, as the name spoils, in an eight-wire configuration. Why does that matter? Because with a higher wire count you will get closer to a zero Ohm resistance, which is vital for any audio signal.

We are still looking at the same 26 AWG sized, golden ratio Palladium plated silver and silver hybrid cable as the original, but with double the wire count.

The eight-wire version comes as either a direct upgrade for customers who already own the regular version, or it can be acquired in this form as standalone product. There is of course a price difference. The upgrade would run existing owners down another 888$, while new customers have to dig a little deeper into their pockets and shell out an eye-watering 1888$.

Effect Audio Leonidas II Octa

Yes, there is an obvious gap in price, as twice 888$ doesn’t come to 1888$. When asked about this, Effect Audio has told me that there are several differences between the cables. First, and maybe most important, the upgrade has a lead time of one month. After sending in your four-wired Leonidas II, you will have to be patient for an entire month before getting back your cable. The off-the-shelf version is built and shipped significantly faster. The 1888$ version also comes with a different accessory set.

There are several configurations to which you can terminate your Leonidas II Octa cable. Effect Audio offers 2-pin, MMCX, JH 4 Pin, FitEar and UE Pro connections, as well as 3.5mm single ended and 2.5 and 4.4mm balanced headphone plugs. These plugs are made in collaboration with renowned manufacturers like Oyaide or Pentaconn.

The big deal about them is, they use precious metals such as Palladium and Platinum, hence the name PSquared. These plugs have an improved signal transmission from the source to your ears and are said to give a richer spectrum and higher dynamics.

More about the upgraded Leonidas II on the next page.