Introduction: Alpha & Delta is a Singapore based audio company that started in 2015, striving to produce quality audio products at affordable prices, and steadily building up their lineup. I reviewed their musical Alpha & Delta D6 previously and have fawned over the 8 core cable it came with as it was sturdy, flexible, beautiful and always wondered how it would sound on another IEM. Now I don't have to wonder anymore as they have decided to make that cable available to everyone with the separate and exact same 8 core SPC cable that the D6 came with in two types of connection, 2-pin and what I'm reviewing, the MMCX version.
I would like to thank Alpha & Delta for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Alpha & Delta 8 core MMCX or their 2-Pin version at Lend Me UR ears or locally if your retailer has them in stock. PS - There's a Christmas sale for the cables (as well as other audio products on their website so go and take a look if you can).
Specification:
Cable Material: Silver plated Copper wire, clear insulator
Cable Configuration: Braided 8 Core, 22 x 0.05mm SPC wires per core
Connectors: Varies (choice of 2-Pin & MMCX)
Cable Length: 1.2m
Plug: Spring reinforced 3.5mm right angle jack
Unboxing/Cable Build/Design: The cable arrives in a simple transparent re-sealable plastic pouch that holds the very nice looking leather case, inside of it is the 8 core cable held by a leather cable wrap. It arrived safe as the case is pretty sturdy as well as the contents, this kind of packaging for me is nice as it keeps the prices down with an unnecessary boxe with brandings at this price point.
The cable has only one plug type, a 3.5mm right angled jack with a spring strain relief for maximum sturdiness and reinforced plug body with a stainless steel end and hard rubber body and the jack itself is gold plated. The Splitter is hard rubber covered by a stainless steel jacket with the Alpha & Delta branding, there's a bit of a hard rubber strain relief and another shorter clear sleeve strain relief at each end of the wires, there is no chin slider. The MMCX body is metal jacketed and have gold plated connectors, at the wire side there is a hard rubber strain relief and another shorter clear sleeve strain relief. The 8 cores are nicely braided and are relatively flexible and not springy. In my tests, I found the cable very very lightly microphonic, almost negligible as you wont notice unless you try listening for it.
Sound Analysis: This is compared to the stock cables of various IEM's like the Campfire Audio Comet (pure copper cable) and the Anew U1 (SPC) which I'll use as prime comparison points with the WM1a as the primary source with a variety of music in flac and from Deezer used for analysis.
Vs stock 4 wire copper cables, Comet: The Alpha & Delta cable is able to give the bass frequency a bit more control, a slight tightness with the bass that reduces the impact and quantity a little bit but gains with better quality. The decay speed becomes slightly faster and aids in better resolution, the rumble and extension does not dwell as long as the pure copper cables but only by a bit. There is obvious separation and a little more definition to the mids with the A&D cable, there's also a bit more clarity and has a little more overall forwardness. Treble wise, there's a little bit of an extension to reach, showing a little more air, a bit more crisp to the sounds in the frequency and a bit more shimmer to cymbals, so far in my testing this has not induced any sibilance or harshness.
Vs stock 4 wire spc cables, U1: Even with the thicker than normal cable of the U1, there are still improvements when using the Alpha & Delta cable, there is a little bit more control of the bass and a bit more speed, but the bass depth, impact and rumble is not affected. Mids sound a little bit more forward and details are heard a little better though the improvement is less than the copper to A&D 8 core spc cable in comparison but it's there. The treble has a tiny bit more crisp though extension has similar reach as the stock U1 cable while sibilance and harshness gains a tiny bit more control. The layering, stage and separation has rather small improvements overall.
Conclusion: The Alpha & Delta cable as an upgrade cable that offers an improvement over most stock cables in terms of sound and is a pretty affordable 8 core SPC cable all around. Even with some (or even say most) of the current 8 core SPC cables out there that are cheaper, you can expect better quality all around with the Alpha & Delta. From the wire, the materials used and the overall build quality, this cable will serve you well in comfort, last a good long time and look pretty good (especially if you're into crystal looking cables like me).
Pros: Very good materials and build quality, good fit on multiple IEMs and adapters with both 2-pin and MMCX connector options for wide compatibility, little to no microphonics, very good and useful accessory package.
Cons: No chin slider, no option for balanced jack option.
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