Sound
Let’s start by saying that the Epsilon behaves nothing like a typical copper cable. It does not have a warm, bold and thick presentation, instead, it offers a more linear approach to the sound. It has a very distinct, unique effect on whatever IEMs I throw at it. I will try to characterize it for you.
First of all, it increases the perceived clarity and boosts transparency, therefore, you easily notice the increased detail-retrieval. It successfully brings out the midrange and the treble while maintaining the performance of the low region. The Epsilon’s effects on the low region differ from IEM to IEM but its ability to enhance midrange and treble does not. It really is an interesting cable and I will try to describe it further by pairing it with different IEMs in the upcoming section.
Bass
The Epsilon’s effect on the low region is quite light. It didn’t really touch the sub-bass region of the IEMs that I tested it with but it did tighten the mid-bass and tidied it a bit. This has a positive effect on the PRaT but if you seek warmer, thicker bass, the Epsilon won’t give you that. It focuses on clarity and transparency instead. I actually like this aspect of the Epsilon as it is quite easy to find copper cables that increase the quantity and the impact of the bass. It is really rare that we see cables like the Epsilon that are copper and focuses on clarity and enhance technical performance.
Midrange
The Epsilon has a brilliant impact on the midrange, bringing them forward and enhances the detail-retrieval ability. It improves the resolution and articulacy of the mids, making them more relaxed and effortless. It provides a small increment to the note thickness, making the mids a tad bolder and more distinct across the stage. The Epsilon also has a positive effect on the upper midrange as it makes the whole presentation more relaxed and transparent, the upper mids sound more refined and clean.
Treble
The Epsilon’s effect on the treble region is very distinct. It enhances the treble extension and resolution. Transparency is increased so they sound more open, airier, and more detailed. The Epsilon’s changes toward the midrange and the treble region result in a more refined presentation across the spectrum. You get a more articulate reproduction and you feel that the imaging gets clearer and more focused compared to before.
Hiby Crystal 6 (6 BA – $459)
The Hiby Crystal 6 is another interesting product. It has a balanced sound signature with emphasis on the upper midrange region. It can sometimes get too bright depending on the source and this often puts me off. For me, this is a problem and in my book, cables can help with these sorts of problems. I began my session with the custom litz copper cable that I built around two years ago. It has the classic copper characteristics and it immediately made the Hiby sound thicker and increased the bass quantity as well as the impact. Note weight was good and the upper midrange felt trimmed compared to the stock cable. However, I was not happy because the PRaT was affected and the soundstage felt congested compared to the stock.
I continued my journey by switching to KBEAR Limpid4. It is a budget ”silver” litz cable and I wanted to see how Crystal 6 would react to it. The bass region got lighter, note weight decreased and the treble region was about the same as before. After this, I switched to the Epsilon and wanted to hear the difference. The Epsilon immediately made it more balanced, didn’t touch the bass region while enhancing the PRaT and detail-retrieval. It also enhanced and increased the treble extension. Increased resolution in the upper midrange resulted in a more relaxed and transparent presentation.
Earsonics Velvet V2 HR Edition (3 BA – €699)
The Velvet’s sound signature can be described as a U-shape and it has an exciting presentation. Despite being a 3-BA in-ear monitor, it has excellent PRaT and technical capability. The HR edition comes bundled with an Earsonics Hi-Res 4C Silver Cable. After trying it with the Epsilon, the first thing I noticed is the midrange being more forward compared to the stock. The Velvet’s signature got more balanced across the spectrum and the resolution increased. The stage felt more open and airy compared to the stock cable. Widened stage resulted in better congestion-handling capability and clearer imaging. I really like the synergy between the Velvet and the Epsilon. If you have a Velvet, I suggest you try this combo and hear it yourself.
Mangird Tea (6 BA+1DD – $249)
Mangird Tea is another IEM that has a neutral, balanced signature. It is an obscure IEM that offers a good price to performance ratio. It sounds neutral, flat with good technical capability. It has a really small emphasis on the bass region, it has a clean and clear midrange, an energic upper midrange that is tuned well so they are not sharp by any means, and a good treble extension. You may be wondering why I chose this IEM, right? Well, I found out that the cable that was included in the package of the Teas was not good in terms of quality. So I did some cable-rolling and found out that the Teas are quite sensitive to cables and it was interesting to see how they manipulate the sound of the Teas.
I found out that it pairs very well with coppers and not so much with the silver and hybrids. As you know, the Epsilon does not act like a typical copper so I was curious to hear them together. First of all, the detail-retrieval leveled up. The midrange and the treble got more energetic and actually gave the presentation a very nice vividness that increased the excitement factor of the IEMs. The bass got rounder and a tad tighter. Overall, I was quite happy with the changes that the Epsilon brought.
Last Words
Kotori Audio has created a great cable that can add to the performance of your favorite IEMs at a very competitive price. You get excellent performance, a great build quality, durable connectors, and additionally, it offers really good ergonomics. It is apparent that a lot of thought went into its design and production and I am happy to say that it wasn’t in vain.
There is no ”BEST” cable in my opinion but after a certain quality threshold, it is becoming more about deciding with what kind of effect you want to improve the IEMs or headphones that you already love. I hope you all find the perfect combination with your favorite IEMs!
Page 1: Intro, Kotori Audio, Epsilon, Specs, Packaging, Build, Ergonomics
Page 2: Sound, Hiby Crystal 6, Earsonics Velvet V2, Mangird Tea, Last Words
