Vortex Eddie Square Review – Verisimilitude

Comparisons –

Eletech Azrael ($249): Azrael is a competing copper cable that comes in at a slightly cheaper price point. Relative to Eddie, it is a more engaging and vibrant cable. This is especially so within the bass, with the Azreal having a more weighted, dynamic sub-bass and a similar mid-bass presence. It’s a bit more aggressively textured with Eddie being a bit more natural albeit smoother and less detailed. The chief difference in the midrange is separation. The Azrael has better bass/midrange separation giving it a cleaner tone and a more defined expression.

It is also a touch dry at times as a result, with the Eddie sounding fuller and warmer, delivering a more coherent sound. The Eddie is slightly more powerfully voiced here while the Azrael is cleaner and clearer. The Eddie provides a bit more lower-treble bite while the Azrael has a bit more upper-treble sparkle and is generally more detailed and open. Both have a clean background, but the Eddie more so has less grain and a more velvety darkness. However, when it comes to staging, the Azrael has a notably larger stage while the Eddie has more delineated layering in return.

Effect Audio Eros S ($299): The Eros S has a leaner, more contrasted sound overall. It is more dynamic with a more assertive and weighted sub-bass. The Eddie provides a bit more mid-bass fullness and has a slight texturing advantage. The Eros S is tonally cleaner given it prioritizes the sub-bass instead, and it’s a bit quicker and tighter overall. Unsurprisingly, the midrange is also cleaner in tone on the Eros S alongside being slightly more revealing and resolving. However, it also has smaller vocal size which can make it sound slightly strained with certain pairings.

The Eddie sounds more natural, coherent and textured, swinging in the opposite direction. Vocals are more powerful and more smoothly articulated. The Eros S has higher clarity but also higher contrast with less coherence. The Eros S has a more present and extended top-end. The Eddie has a bit more body and a darker background however though the Eros S is thinner and a bit brighter, it offers greater micro and background detail retrieval. The Eros S also has a notably bigger and more nuanced soundstage.

Verdict –

The Eddie is a gorgeous cable and very well outfit in terms of accessories and features. ConX is a huge drawing force as is the high-quality carrying case, attractive hardware and striking silk sheathing. Had I not known the price, I would posit that the Eddie Square was a high-end product from its build quality alone; it is easily among the most impressive at its price point. Conversely, in listening, this cable is all about subtlety. The all-copper conductor array delivers a natural and, dare I say, normal sound without the weirdness that can sometimes creep in with exotic blends. At the same time, those looking for a big sonic change or a noteworthy technical bump will likely be disappointed. The Eddie Square prides itself more on micro changes, delivering more textured notes and a natural tone. Its call to fame is surely its exceptionally dark, clean background as technical performance isn’t lacking but is hardly its strong suit – this cable does leave to be desired concerning sub-bass slam and soundstage dimensions. Altogether, the Eddie Square showcases top-level design and craftsmanship and provides a clean, natural and low-fatigue listening experience.

The Eddie Square is available for $299 USD. You can read more about the cable and customise a unit for yourself here! I am not affiliated with Vortex and receive no earnings from purchases made through these links.