Vortex Cables Alida Review: The Hidden Elegance
There are plenty of IEM custom cable makers around the world. While cable crafting may appear simple, it’s not as easy as you’d imagine. Tuning a custom cable doesn’t stop on material specification or measurements but also needs to be tuned through listening which makes the R&D process a lot more vague and challenging.
This is also why most cables sound different although they use the same type of materials. Mixing and matching different cable materials requires the cable maker to make sounds and characteristics to work well with each other, hence requiring higher expertise and challenges to create a good-sounding IEM cable.
Today we bring you to the cable brand Vortex Cables. Based in Hong Kong, Vortex Cables made its appearance around 2018 and has been quickly gaining popularity through quality sound and craftsmanship. Most recently, Vortex has released its newest line-up called the C.F.S. series, consisting of four cable products: Lavinia, Alida, Minerva, and Seraphina. Today we’ll be reviewing Alida which retails for $509.
The Includings / ConX Connectors
Alida comes in a sleek blue packaging box and comes with some quality accessories. The rest of the included are a leather cover pad, a leather protective case, two pairs of ConX 2.0 connectors, a leather strap, and a metal warranty card.
The leather case is the same variant as the DDHIFI C90 and is very well-built. The cable and earphones can be slid through one side of the case as two magnetic latches keep the case secured. It uses genuine leather for the skin with good padding inside out, offering a good feel for both the user and IEMs.
The ConX Modular Connectors
I’m sure many of you cable users have already experienced the ConX connectors. Alida comes with two pairs of Effect Audio’s modular connector system, the ConX 2.0. The IEM connectors can be swapped into 2-pin or MMCX which cover the two most common IEM connectors.
Cable Geometrics / Usability
Alida uses a combination of different wires to perfect its tuning and performance. Braided in 2-core with nylon shielding, the outer layer is finished with Silver-Plated 5N LC-OFC Copper shielding with the inner core made of a Gold-plated 4N Pure Silver.
The wires are quite soft and pliable, not causing any microphonics or tension during usage. The connectors and Y-split are finished with lightweight aluminum, giving a sturdy feel yet keeping the cable light. Alida is slightly lighter than most other fabric cables and I don’t expect comfort to be an issue.
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