Linum T2 SuperBax Balanced Cables Hands-on Review: Must Upgrade for IEMs

Getting the best possible sound set up is unfortunately not as simple as getting the best pair of earphones. Many other factors come into play: from the music player, or DAC, the music file, and the music player software. Even on the earphone itself, the listening experience is affected by the fit of the earphone, the ear tip choice and the cable of the earphone.

While fit, seal and material of the ear tip is quite straightforward, whether cables really have a significant impact on the sound quality of earphones is still something that is contested among audiophiles.

Today we're reviewing the SuperBaX balanced cables, the flagship cable from Linum - a brand under the Danish company estron a/s. How much would this aftermarket cable affect the listening experience on a high-end IEM? Is it worth the investment? Let's dive in to find out.

Made for High End IEMs

The particular model that we have on-hand is the T2 SuperBaX Balanced cable with a 4.4 mm TRRRS jack, and we're testing it with the UE CSX 11 with the FiiO M11 Plus LTD that we recently reviewed.

Linum actually makes three types of cables: Linum Music, Linum Bax and the Linum SuperBaX, each cable suited to be paired up with different kinds of earphones. We're reviewing the SuperBaX cable as it is the cable of choice when it comes to low resistant, multi-driver earphones like the CSX 11.

The T2 connector has perfect compatibility with UE's IPX system, because the connection system was originally developed by estron a/s and began to be used by Ultimate Ears back in 2018. This makes the SuperBaX the aftermarket cable that is closest to an original cable from UE.

Thinnest and Lightest Cables in the World

According to the slogan of Linum, it boasts of these to be the thinnest and lightest cables in the world. In real life, these are indeed the thinnest braided cables that I have ever laid my eyes on.

The thin cables are made with 168 strands of silver plated copper litz wires, quad twisted, resulting in a cable that is only slightly thicker than your usual Apple Earpod cables. It's thinness is even more apparent when it's placed side-to-side to FiiO's LC-RE 240 strand cable: the SuperBaX is only around a third of its thickness.

Despite the SuperBaX cable's thinness, it has an ultra low resistance at 0.75 Ohms, only half of the BaX cables. It's thin and light build also did not stop Linum from making them to be strong and durable, rating them with a whopping pull strength of: 26 lbs (12 kg).

Cable made with Meticulous Craftsmanship

Matching the excellent build of the cables, the rest of the hardware on the SuperBaX are also made with impressive attention to detail. The casing that hosts the 4.4 mm gold plated balanced jack is machined out of metal, and has a rubber bend protector where headphone cables are most prone to breakage.

On the other end, the T2 connectors also have matching bend protectors along with a metal jacket and color coded jacks that match UE's left and right earpiece. When compared with the stock cable that came with the CSX 11, the difference in build quality is a significant step up.

Releasing the Full Potential of the Earphone

Coming back to the question of whether a quality cable makes a difference to the listening experience, in the case of the Linum SuperBaX Balanced cables: it's an unequivocal yes.

When we reviewed the UE CSX 11 with the stock cable, its sound was geared towards clarity, and had an incredible reproduction of every little detail in the music like an array of amplifiers. What it lacked compared to earphones like the IE 900 from Sennheiser was the wider and more realistic sound stage.

When using the Linum SuperBaX cables however, there is a very noticeable improvement in the staging, which vastly improves the CSX 11's performance when it comes to acoustic and unplugged sets. What's more, I found with the SuperBaX cable, there's a much prettier presentation of details like the pop on snare drums, the shimmer on cymbals and the light buzz on higher strings on the acoustic guitar.

Final Verdict

If you're using the UE CSX 11 while on the move, or as an in-ear monitor to hear multiple instruments, I would say the stock cable would suffice as they already reproduce each instrument with crystal clear separation. However if you're looking to enjoy minute details in your music, and a wide realistic soundstage is important to you, it's honestly a waste to use the CSX 11 without the Linum SuperBaX balanced cables, because these IEMs are capable of much more than its stock setup.

For its ability to significantly transform and improve the sound of high end IEMs like the UE CSX 11, as well as its high quality, meticulous and durable construction, we're awarding the Linum SuperBaX balanced cables the IBTimes Best Products badge.

Check out the Linum SuperBaX balanced cables on their website.

Sam is a production engineer turned tech writer who specializes in seeking out gadgets that enhances productivity while still looking sharp. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travelers.