Satin Audio Zeus II Review: Return with Glory
Founded in Vietnam, Satin Audio is a custom cable brand that quickly earned a strong reputation within the earphone and headphone community for its outstanding value and impressive sound quality. The company offers a diverse lineup that spans various price points and sonic profiles. The Monster and Titan Series are praised for delivering excellent audio performance at accessible prices. On the other hand, the Olympus Series represents Satin Audio’s premium tier, designed with top-tier materials and focusing on uncompromising sound quality.
The most popular and well-known product from Satin Audio was Zeus (Zeus I) – Satin’s first flagship cable that was released in 2020. After 5 years of development and research, they’ve finally returned with their latest TOTL successor cable, the Zeus II. Priced at $1690, Zeus II uses a complex combination of rare metals and features a 2-braid format. Let’s see how Zeus II performs, what has changed since Zeus I, and how it matches and compares with different IEMs and competing TOTL cables.
With Stepped-up Packaging
Satin Audio has evolved with their packaging presentation since the release of OG Zeus. Zeus II comes in with a nice wooden box with an artfully engraved design on the lid. Other than the cable itself, Zeus II comes with a premium SA genuine leather case, 4 pairs of switchable metal connector sleeves, 3 pairs of interchangeable IEM connectors, 2 sets of interchangeable plugs, and a leather cable tie. The interchangeable plugs and connectors are packed in a neat plastic container for convenient storage.
The premium leather case feels nice to the touch and is roomy enough to store IEMs with large earpieces. The inner side of the lid has a mesh compartment for storing small accessories and parts, such as the interchangeable parts. Speaking of that, interchangeable connectors are no stranger but perhaps is for the metal parts – we’ll talk further below.
Features (1/2): Interchangeable Connectors & Artwork Modules
The highlight of the inclusions is Satin Audio’s multi-connector system, offering interchangeable terminations for both ends of the cable. For the upper-end, the IEM connectors, you get MMCX, 2Pin, and Pentaconn Ears. For the bottom-end, the source connectors are available with 4.4mm and 3.5mm plugs. The form factor of Satin’s multi-connector system is very similar to Effect Audio’s ConX and TermX, but they’re still different.
Another distinctive feature of Zeus II is the interchangeable artwork modules integrated into the Y-split and plug. Satin Audio has designed these modules to be swapped easily, giving users the option to change the color scheme of the cable parts between silver, gold, blue, and red. It’s a great design choice that adds a layer of color personalization uncommon in cables of any price range. Each pair of modules is engraved with different logos, providing aesthetic synergy with different IEMs.
Features (2/2): Geometry / SplitCore Design
Zeus II is Satin Audio’s evolution of their flagship cable, built with a proprietary SplitCore structure. Proprietary developed and manufactured, the Zeus II wires are crafted from a blend of five superior OCC materials: Gold-Plated Silver, Silver OCC, Silver-Gold Alloy OCC, Silver-Gold-Palladium OCC, and Silver-Palladium OCC. Zeus II is also applied with a double-damping core made of Kevlar and Nylon, which aids in better durability and flexibility. Despite the complex construction, Zeus II remains fairly soft and pliable, though a little springy beneath the Y-splits. However, the cable isn’t more microphonic than general measures and provides a natural drape over the ear. Also, the cable is light, and the slim 2-braid structure makes the wearing less bothersome than the original Zeus.
Detailed Specifications of Zeus II
- 22AWG SplitCore, 4 Wire
- Superior Pure OCC Material blends: Gold-Plated Silver / Silver OCC / Silver-Gold Alloy OCC / Silver-Gold-Palladium OCC / Silver-Palladium OCC
- Double Damping Core: Kevlar & Nylon
- Multi-sized Strands Litz construction
- Multi-Connector system: 2-Pin / MMCX / Pentaconn Ear
- Multi-Plug system: 4.4mm BAL / 3.5mm SE
- Interchangeable Artwork Modules (for Splitter and Plug): Silver / Gold / Red / Blue
- Length: 1.2M (approximate)
What Has Changed compared to the original Zeus (I)?
The first obvious change from Zeus to Zeus II is the form factor – the original Zeus was built with thinner strands of wires, forming a conventional 4-braid or 8-braid structure. The Zeus II adopted much thicker wires, having a twist-braiding design, and comes in either 2-braid or 4-braid. Zeus II also took a different approach to wire construction. The original Zeus was crafted with a 24AWG gauge, utilizing a Geōmetria arrangement of precious metal alloys, featuring a tri-blend of Gold-Plated Silver, Silver-Gold Alloy, and Palladium-Plated Silver.
With Zeus II, Satin Audio has refined the design into a 22AWG SplitCore structure. This new architecture separates the strands into multi-sized bundles, improving conductivity and reducing strand interaction. The wire composition has also expanded to include a five-metal synergy, now featuring Silver OCC, Silver-Gold-Palladium OCC, and Silver-Palladium OCC, alongside the existing blends. Another notable change is the reinforcement method. Zeus I relied on a Kevlar core for durability, whereas Zeus II employs a double-damping core of Kevlar and Nylon. This not only strengthens the cable but also contributes to its softer handling and reduced microphonics. Despite the thicker gauge, Zeus II feels lighter than its predecessor, along with improved acoustic performances.
Next Page: Sound Impressions / IEM Pairings (with PMG Apx SE / FIR Xenon 6)