On Olympus - Satin Audio Zeus II Eternal

Satin Audio is a small, largely little-known manufacturer of high-quality and affordable IEM and headphone upgrade cables from Hanoi, Vietnam.

We have had Satin Audio cables in our range from the very beginning because the quality of their cables, their excellent price-performance ratio, and their passion immediately impressed us, and that is still the case today. 

Satin Audio has always had great ideas for cables: for example, they were the first to introduce palladium and gold in upgrade cables and to work intensively with various material blends. 

The Zeus II is the result of years of development by Satin Audio and their most elaborate cable to date. It consists of silver, gold, and palladium in various compositions.
 

The new reference?

All the more, I was curious to see how their new flagship product performs in tests with current flagship IEMs. 

Of course, even the "basic" Zeus II costs 1549 CHF, and for the Zeus II Eternal variant with double conductors, 3099 CHF is charged. This is by no means cheap, but compared to the flagship cables of the major competitors, it is still moderate, as they sometimes ask for over 7000 CHF or USD for their top cables.

In the end, it is probably pointless to argue about the price, because for some, the upgrade is worth it, while for others, maybe not. 

Ideally, an upgrade cable can bring a sound improvement comparable, for example, to that of a better source (DAP, amp).

Unboxing

The Zeus II (Eternal) comes in a high-quality wooden box and includes various accessories.

Besides the cable and transport case, the package includes a replacement plug for the 3.5mm connection as well as interchangeable covers for the Y-split, allowing the cable to be customized to personal taste or other components, etc.

The Zeus 2 Eternal is, as already mentioned, an extremely elaborate construction. You can see in the pictures the very fine individually woven strands. I have not seen this in any other cable before.

Termination, Y-split, and 2-PIN connectors were also newly custom-made specifically for the Zeus 2.

Playing partner

To find out what the new Zeus 2 can do, I tested it with current flagship IEMs, including the PMG Audio APX ME, Noble Audio Kronos, VOLK Audio Etoile as well as Empire Ears Odin MKII.

The source was, as always, the great Lotoo Mjölnir and also the new Hiby RS8 MKII flagship DAP.

Now we get to the nitty-gritty....

PMG Audio APX ME

The PMG Audio APX ME is a true bass monster but can also handle the finer tones and has a quite unique tuning. Clearly, the bass is the star of the show here, but the details are not neglected either. Overall, the tuning out of the box is rather warmer and more relaxed in the treble range.

The included pure silver cable is of high quality and certainly a very good choice for the APX ME. 

The Zeus II Eternal improves/expands the entire frequency range of the APX ME and brings it to a new, higher level. However, it also changes its basic tuning.

• The bass is similarly intense but gains in speed, clarity, and texture.
• Voices stand out much more, are more intense and sonorous.
• Sparkle. Lots of sparkle!!! The details are emphasized, as are the highs.
• Instruments are more clearly outlined or emphasized. 
• The overall sound is less "dark and warm" but gains in airiness and volume. The space opens up noticeably.

Noble Audio Kronos

The Kronos is Noble Audio's masterpiece in terms of tuning, as it is simply one of the most balanced IEMs I have ever heard. Excellent details, silky, shimmering highs, very natural voices, and a wonderfully tight, finely textured bass with impact that can also reach very deep. On top of that, an airiness and spaciousness that few other IEMs can achieve.

Yes, in my opinion the Kronos comes very, very close to perfect tuning and has thus secured its place at the top of my favorite IEMs, which it only has to share with the VOLK Audio Etoile. 

Not to forget: The Kronos already comes with an excellent standard cable that does not have to shy away from comparison with similarly priced (around $1200) upgrade cables – on the contrary! 

Can the Zeus II Eternal still "make a difference" here? We shall see...

The original cable of the Kronos consists of silver, copper, and palladium and, as already mentioned, is of very high quality. This becomes even more apparent when trying to improve the Kronos with upgrade cables. Not an easy task, but the Zeus II Eternal’s standard cable must be expectedly defeated by the original cable. 

The improvements are also noticeable with the Kronos but less obvious than with the APX ME:

• Improvements in detail and treble: The Zeus II also extracts the subtlest information from the music, and even critical recordings prone to sibilance sound pleasantly silky. 
• Overall more texture and clarity
• More natural, silkier voices
• Improved channel and instrument separation  
• Bass tighter, faster, slightly less sub-bass presence than with the original cable

It can probably be summarized that the Zeus II benefits from the excellent tuning of the Kronos and "rounds it off" in the best sense by adding more texture, melt, composure, and a touch of warmth.

VOLK Audio Étoile

The ÉTOILE from VOLK Audio aka Jack Vang has made waves, having been rated 9.4 points by Headfonics and already won the Editors Choice Award 2025 from Headfonia. Rightly so, as it stands together with the Kronos at the very top of my favorite IEMs list.

The ÉTOILE has a classic reference tuning, but what does that really mean, because it is much more: perfect balance, channel separation, and its incredibly three-dimensional stage are unique. No other IEM can do that. 

And of course, it already comes with a very, very good cable in the package. Jack doesn’t do things halfway and knows the importance of every single component.

Can the Satin Audio Zeus II Eternal even get more out of this here?

The Etoile gains in various aspects through the Zeus II Eternal

• The sound image gains overall authority and smoothness
• Notes have more "weight," voices sound fuller and more expressive
• The already very silky treble range gains even more speed without losing presence or detail
• The bass has more texture but otherwise remains about the same
• Overall, the Zeus II adds a touch of warmth and emotionality to the Etoile

Empire Ears Odin MKII

The Odin MKII from Empire Ears has a somewhat warmer basic tuning with a clear focus on the midrange. Voices sound natural and stand far in the foreground, guitars sound intense and realistic. The bass is full and smooth with lots of reverb and emphasis on the sub-bass range. The channel or instrument separation is excellent, the space feels three-dimensional and realistic. I would describe the tuning overall as suitable for long-term use. 

The standard cable of the Odin MKII is high quality and fits well visually and sonically into the overall picture. 

The Odin MKII benefits significantly from the Zeus II Eternal: While the basic tuning orientation remains, various aspects are improved:

• The sound image gains overall airiness and presence.
• The midrange focus is slightly shifted in favor of more differentiation, making the sound image overall more balanced.
• Details are represented much better, the highs gain sparkle while remaining silky and relaxed at the same time.
• Voices are still very intense and upfront but integrate better into the overall ensemble.
• The bass becomes tighter and "punchier". The bass focus shifts from the sub-bass range to the mid-bass range, which gives the music more clarity and audibility.
• Overall, the presentation gains significantly in texture and airiness.
• The overall tuning shifts from "warmer" towards reference.

Obviously, the two "godfathers" get along excellently, as the Odin MKII benefits greatly from the Zeus II Eternal cable – it catapults it into another league! Sonically but also visually a "Perfect Match" and even the "normal" Zeus II should be a great choice here. 

Who is it for?

The Satin Audio Zeus II (Eternal) is an upgrade for owners of flagship IEMs who want to get (even) more out of their precious ones or want to improve or change one or another aspect of the sound signature. 

What can you expect?

With all tested in-ears, there was a sometimes significant gain in texture and clarity. With one or another IEM, the upper tone became smoother without losing details – on the contrary! The Zeus II is not a bass booster – but it makes the bass range faster and better defined. Voices gain authority and verve. 

Is it worth it?

Of course: The Satin Audio Zeus II is an investment. However, it can make a significant difference and is absolutely worth its price depending on the situation or combination, as the improvements can be quite drastic depending on the IEMs.

For me personally, there hasn't been another upgrade cable for some time that has made such a clear difference compared to the standard cables of current flagship IEMs. A clear recommendation and a hidden gem!

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Impressions by Joshua Chan

Since I highly value impressions and opinions from customers and reviewers with trained ears, Joshua Chan, former reviewer for Headfonics and expert in IEMs as well as upgrade cables, agreed to test the Zeus II (Eternal).

His following impressions are taken 1:1 and only translated into German: 

Satin Audio Zeus II Impressions - 27 December 2025
by Joshua Chan 

Build Quality

The Satin Audio Zeus II (Zeus II) features excellent build quality. The standard connectors, the Y-splitter cable, and the plugs have a brushed metal surface that feels pleasant. The cable itself feels robust and has a thick PVC jacket.

The cable is rather stiff and only moderately bendable and flexible. It does not roll up easily but sits well on the ear, and as long as you do not move (e.g., when sitting at a desk), microphonics are not a problem at all.

Combinations

The following sound impressions were obtained with the Volk Audio Etoile IEMs and the Cayin N30LE DAP. In combination with the Zeus II, this results in an audio chain of excellent quality.

Timbre

The Zeus II does not change the timbre but preserves the original sound of the IEM/headphones.

Coloration

The Satin Audio Zeus II colors the sound by focusing on improving overall quality and resolution rather than significantly altering specific frequencies. In particular, it enhances the quality of the mids and highs, making vocals sound even more detailed and giving hi-hats and cymbals more air, texture, and brilliance. The Zeus II slightly pulls back the midrange so that the details of the highs stand out better. Therefore, a noticeable improvement can be seen in the mid to upper treble range, as the texture and resolution are noticeably better. The Zeus II lets the sub-bass dig deep and the mid-bass generate a lot of punch. The Zeus II causes the sub and mid-bass frequencies to decay somewhat faster. The Zeus II shines especially by improving the overall quality and texture of the bass frequencies. The bass notes feel more tactile, and you get a better sense of the different layers of the bass notes.

In summary: If you are looking for a high-quality cable that improves the overall resolution of all sound frequencies, then the Zeus II is the best choice. It does not significantly change the timbre or specific frequencies, but it can elevate your entire sound experience to a new level.

Soundstage

The Zeus II expands the soundstage in all directions. However, the most noticeable expansion is in height and depth. The layering and separation are enhanced, giving you a sense of more space and better positioning of instruments and vocals on the stage.