Astral Acoustics Taurus cables review - Expatinjapan




Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM and Adapters cable review
-expatinjapan

Find them on Facebook:



Unboxing





Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and two adapters. 
2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm balanced to 4.4mm balanced.


Product Details

Entry model: Taurus IEM Cable
8 Conductors: OCC Copper with Litz

Taurus features a large soundstage and dark backgrounds. Vocals with just the right amount of warmth and thickness, and a surprising treble extension which, you'd never thought it could be experienced from a COPPER cable at this price.

Consisting of 8 Litzed 28awg OCC copper wires and Eidolic connectors, Taurus is nowhere near what can be considered as a bulky or heavy cable. Under light, this cable glistens, making it proper eye candy WHILE still sounding just as good as it looks.

Taurus will change your view on the stereotype that copper cables have dull highs and the lack of details. Sounding thick without sacrificing layering and details on the highs is what a proper copper cable should be able to achieve.

Price: $1800 HKD

Specifications:
Length - 1.2m approx.
Connectors - Eidolic
Solder - Audio Note


Taurus cable with MMCX connectors and a 2.5mm balanced plug.


Astral Acoustic uses quality Eidolic connectors and plugs From Double Helix Cables.
So you know they are excellent quality.  https://doublehelixcables.com/



Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter with Echobox Explorer X1.

Sound

The Astral Acoustic Taurus series of cables and adapters were tested with a variety of Daps and earphones and were compared with other cables to reach an semi accurate evaluation of its performance and sonic properties.

Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter 
with Shozy Alien+ and Campfire Audio Jupiter

The Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable consists of 8 Litzed 28awg OCC copper wires and Eidolic connectors.
Its length is approximately 1.2m.
The solder used is Audio Note.

Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter 
with Opus#3 and Campfire Audio Andromeda

The Astral Acoustic Taurus IEM cable is obviously well made and smexy to look at by examining the many photos within this article.

I unscrewed the main jack connector and the insides were clean and well soldered and sealed.

Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter 
with Echobox Explorer X1 and Campfire Audio Andromeda.
I loved this pairing very much.

The Astral Acoustic Taurus IEM cable is a copper cable that is focussed more in the bass to mid sections. 
The layering and imaging at times isn't as definite as a silver cable on some tracks.

When paired with a brighter source the cable seems to attain a synergy, each complementing the other.
It expands the sound scape as opposed to reducing its possibilities, the sound stage is wide, intimate and expansive.

When paired with a neutral or warm dap I found the lows to concentrate the sound more as opposed to creating a sense of the holographic, the sound stage can be medium and intimate instead of expansive.

I found the bass and lower mids to be prominent at times, and usually the vocals were forward.

I still found enough detail and top end to keep me satisfied.

At times the bass, is full and round and very pleasing on some tracks.

The Astral Acoustics Taurus series can certainly shine when matched with the right dap and earphone, the cable isn't as congested in the lower end as I have encountered with other copper cables. the Taurus has a nice shimmering top end, deep bass and warm mids with forward vocals.


Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable 
with iBasso DX200 and Campfire Audio Andromeda.

I found the Opus#1 on high gain to be overly bright and coherent, but on mid gain to be acceptable with more bass and mids, yet not as coherent.

The ipod touch 6G was surprisingly a good match.

More TOTL daps such as the DX200 and Opus#2 were not as a good match to my ears and general preferences, as they seemed to desire a more transparent and neutral cable. Plus the Opus#2 can already be a bit thick at times in its lower regions.

The Opus#3 was not as bright as Opus#1, even, nice and with a sense of space, placement and dynamic. With more full thick bass. It had great imaging and matched well.

The Explorer X1 was very even with great separation.


Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable 
with iBasso DX200 and Campfire Audio Vega.

I found the AA Taurus IEM cable when paired with a transparent adapter to match well for daps such as the iBasso DX200 and Opus#2.


Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter with Echobox Explorer X1.

Astral Acoustics Taurus Adapters


Astral Acoustics Taurus adapters. 
2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm balanced to 4.4mm balanced.

The Astral Acoustics Taurus adapters consist of 8 Litzed 28awg OCC copper wires and Eidolic connectors.

The solder used is Audio Note.

*Please contact Astral Acoustics about these particular adapters,
as they are specifically made to order.

-Tested with the ALO Audio Litz and Campfire Audio Andromeda.

The adapter cables provide a tight and secure fit. 
There is a slight sonic coloration to them in the lower end and mids.

-Tested with the Taurus IEM cable Campfire Andromeda.

Not as noticeable as with the ALO Audio Litz cable. Perhaps as in this case the Taurus IEM cable is doing most of the heavy lifting. Still a little emphasis on the lower end.

The Taurus adapter cables are consistent with the general signature that often comes with copper, although not as dark as other copper cables I have tested and listened to, it retains clarity and detail. 
The Taurus presents a top end sparkle.

They are not transparent adapters, but the coloration in the bass and lower mids is minimal.


2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced


2.5mm balanced to 4.4mm balanced


2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm single ended





Price

Taurus IEM Cable

$1800 HKD

*Please contact Astral Acoustics about these particular adapters,
as they are specifically made to order.

Taurus 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm single ended.
$XXX HKD

Taurus 2.5mm Balanced to 4.4mm balanced.
$XXX HKD

Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter 
with FiiO X7 Mark 2 and Campfire Audio Andromeda.

Overall

The Astral Acoustic Taurus series of cables is not entirely typical of the sound one expects from a copper cable.
It doesn't have the slightly veiled sound one comes to expect from a copper cable, and exhibits a more detail, clarity and spaciousness.

Some might say its only wire and all cables sound the same, I doubt they have read this far.

The Taurus cable matches well to a brighter source imho. A neutral or warmer source loses some of the lower detail and overall clarity due to the extra low end..

It is not as transparent or clear across most frequencies as a silver cable might be. But some may love that depth to the low end.

Detail is fine, and it has a bit warmth in the lower end , and to some degree towards the mid sections.

Bass and vocals appear forward.
The layering is reticent.

The sound is more linear and flat, and less holographic.

With the adapters:
I detected a small amount of coloration in the bass and lower mids when paired with a silver cable.
They are adapters with a slight coloration to them. 
I also compared other companies adapters with the Taurus IEM cable and also with the ALO Audio Litz to confirm my findings.

The Taurus series of cables and adapters are for someone wanting perhaps to add a little something to the nether regions of the earphones, a touch it more intimacy, bass and mids.
I found the AA Taurus IEM cable when paired with a transparent adapter to match well for daps such as the iBasso DX200 and Opus#2.

They would pair well with a bright dap, or even a bass weak earphone, perhaps even increase the lower end on warm dap or earphone, If that be your fancy.

I found the Echobox Explorer X1 to be a good match with its Burr Brown Dac when using the Taurus series. The bass is faster and the sound is quite linear, detailed with excellent imaging and separation.  The Echobox Explorer X1 was very complementary and I hesitated a guess that the Opus#3 would exhibit similar results, which when listened to presented a lovely 3D-ish, dynamic and even experience with a decent full low end. 

The Astral Acoustics Taurus cable series is well constructed of excellent materials, like most cables its a question of matching the cable to right earphone and dap.
with the right pairing such as the Echobox Explorer X1 the taurus series certainly shines.

Astral Acoustics Taurus IEM cable and Taurus 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter 
with Echobox Explorer X1 and Campfire Audio Andromeda.




Thank you to Astral Acoustics for sending Head pie the Taurus Cables for review




Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post