Today we are looking at the TACables Obsidian. It is currently retailing for around $20USD. I received it as part of a tour for review purposes. I will be honest as usual and not be biased.
TACables is a brand by Hakugei so they are not some random newbie in the IEM game. At first glance, no one can tell that this is a $20USD cable. I thought it was at least $70USD. But now I know Hakugei is behind this, it's not so shocking anymore. It's of really good quality and is sturdy and well built.
Packaging:
Being one of the more well known cable makers, it's kind of disappointing to see such a packaging from them. I have seen IEM's that cost a little more than $20USD with premium packaging and accessories. They literally put it in a plastic bag and shoved it into a box. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't survive shipping. There's also some thank you cards but that's pretty much it. I would be much happier if they could include a case along with the cable. Even those cheap ones from online will be good or a mini pouch would've been nice too. Also, a little bit of foam one the inside of the box for padding would be good. With the coronavirus right now, more people are shipping stuff so some companies sacrifice quality for speed. Best to be safe than sorry don't you think so?
Sound:
Let me reiterate, cables do not make your IEMs sound better. It merely changes minor things. Sure there have been cables that make lots of changes, but for good or for bad, that is another thing.
The Obsidian seems to focus more on the lows compared to highs and mids. I noticed it was enhancing the lows by adding more impact and improving the texture and detail in that area.
Mids seems to have been pushed back a little and is thicker. It also adds more warmth and makes the IEM more musical. It also seems to sound a little more mushy so that might be a bad thing if you use it with something like a Thieaudio Legacy 5.
The Obsidian does not seem to have much effect on the treble and if any, it just restrains it. I would recommend this to filter out highs if it is too much for you.
Overall, the Obsidian is a very warmish sort of cable. Recommended by me to pair with brighter stuff. I didn't really see much improvement in staging and technical performance. Maybe a little more depth in the staging if anything.
Conclusion:
The Obsidian is a good cable however, if you are looking for tremendous audible changes, sorry the Obsidian is most probably not gonna fufill that criteria. The Obsidian would be good for slightly harsh IEMs or correcting metallic timbre. I would pair the Obsidian with something like the original Moondrop Blessing 2 or the TKZK Wave(Review out before end of the year!) Aesthetics wise, the Obsidian is a no brainer. It looks like it cost a bomb but it's just $20.
Once again, a big thanks to those who made this tour possible.
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