Closer Examination

There are and will be three cable options for the Audeze Euclid, which is impressive just by itself. The default, which has been used since the release of the Euclid, ends in a 3.5 mm TRS plug. Audeze has since put out a 4.4 mm balanced cable option and will have a behind-the-back Bluetooth adapter cable coming out soon, if it has not already been made available by the time you read this. I have the 3.5 mm cable version. The plug is gold-plated for oxidation resistance and having a protective cover. The housing is plastic, but with a smooth matte finish that feels fine and does the job aplenty. Audeze confirmed the use of 6-nines (99.9999% pure) oxygen-free copper for the conductor with a rated resistance of 2 Ω, and a measured resistance of just over 0.17 Ω means it is certainly not going to be a bottleneck. We see the use of fairly thick individual strands, four of them in fact, which are braided tightly and end up feeling nice in hand. There is the expected splitter with the Audeze name about two-thirds of the way in, following which we have two strands per channel. Towards the other end, see-through plastic sheathing helps with the memory wire design that then terminates in two MMCX connectors. The housings have a colored ring (blue for left, red for right) to denote which channel the plugs go to. This is not the best-looking cable I have had, and at the price point of the Euclid one might well expect more, but it does fall in line with the whole design language and function over form dictating the budget allocation, so let's see how everything works as a whole before deciding one way or another.


These are among some of the more unique-looking IEM ear buds I have had my hands on, and the bulbous design is clearly to help accommodate the larger 18 mm planar magnetic drivers with a single large 18 mm tall diaphragm, associated magnets, and Fazors inside. The shells are milled out of pure aluminium which is then anodized black, and there is a gold trim between the top and bottom housing layers for added contrast. I've said in other contexts here on TPU that the black and gold color scheme can work quite well, and I have to say the Audeze Euclid is a good example of this. There is no reflective gold or glossy black; everything is more understated with a matte finish, which has the build quality and colors shine through naturally. I can definitely see how the gold trim might be a bit much for some, but keep in mind that it's barely visible in use, and you certainly won't see them anyway. Also, if you are wondering whether that is a small imperfection on the gold trim, let me mention now that this Euclid sample has some physical imperfections to the outer shell and was as such set aside to be a review sample since the drivers and the assembly passed Audeze QC for the listening experience and tuning. Once I knew that paying customers were not going get something like this and that it was not just poor quality control, I was satisfied.


Perhaps the most unique piece of the design with the Audeze Euclid comes with the face plate, which is what everyone else sees when you wear IEMs, making them a large surface for branding and design showcasing. Audeze does both with the truncated logo applique glued into a recess cut inside what is a real carbon fiber face plate. This is going to be divisive, but as someone who works with different forms of carbon all the time, it makes the Euclid one of the best-looking IEMs to date. There is a protective cover over the carbon fiber, which is also how the applique badge comes installed without damaging the rest. A view from the side shows the carbon fiber pattern further, and looking at it again shows the bulbous shells, which almost seem bloated from one side. In reality, it is curvaceous in all the right places, with clear thought put into accommodating the larger driver system, but comfort and fit also factored in, which we will examine on the next page.

A recess in the housing allows the MMCX connectors to mate, and I have to say these are the best MMCX connectors I have seen on IEMs to date. It is the first time I truly have no qualms about the build quality or longevity of MMCX connectors, a good standard for others to adhere to since there are so many bad implementations out there which wear out sooner than later, so much so that the 2-pin connector ends up a safer bet. The underside has "L" or "R" etched into it to indicate the channels and ears the individual buds go into, and we then see a fairly short nozzle with a retaining lip to keep the ear tips in place. The sound port—that is to say the nozzle diameter/bore—is 5 mm across, which is relatively small for the size of the shell. The acoustic chamber has thus clearly been defined to terminate into the smaller nozzle with deliberate tuning in mind. A metal mesh inside helps prevent ear wax and other contaminants from getting into the acoustic chamber, and if possible, I would have liked these to have been replaceable with the use of mesh inserts. Such inserts can affect the sound signature, however, so I do understand the fixed mesh here.


Fitting the ear tips is extremely simple given the nozzle is slim n' trim and shaped to naturally hold the ear tip bore in place. There is even no need to fold back the flanges on the ear tips, and I only did so to show how it looks properly installed. Be sure to try the different provided tips since such thing are a completely personal preference depending on ear size and shape, as well as the ear canal angle relative to the concha. For example, the M-sized silicone tips are clearly not protruding as much as the M-sized Comply foam tips here.


Once you are set with the ear tips, connect the cable by carefully pushing the MMCX connectors in place, making sure you have the correct channels matched. Hold the ear bud with one hand, preferably closer to the bottom, such that the MMCX female ends up parallel to the ground. With that done, simply slide and push in the male MMCX connector from the cable while level with the female end until it clicks into place. The MMCX connection allows 360° rotation around the mating point, which helps correctly align the memory wire around the back of your ears even after the ear buds are inserted. Audeze confirmed that the use of MMCX plugs for the Euclid was based on feedback from users of the company's previous IEMs, wherein users often disconnected and re-connected the cables, and the 2-pin adapter not as convenient. The company acknowledges that the average MMCX connector may not be as good as the average 2-pin, but as mentioned before, these are the best MMCX connectors I have seen, so I don't think it will be a concern over the long-term, either. The TRS (or TRRS) connector then goes to your source if you have a wired cable. I know there are many who prefer IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs/TWS earbuds on the go. As such, in the absence of other options at this time, I chose to use them primarily with my trusty FiiO E17 as well as a few other portable DACs/amps being tested right now. The translucent sheath is the only thing I would have liked darker since it sticks out poorly aesthetically.

For those wondering, there is no support for the Audeze Euclid in Audeze Reveal+ at this point, which ultimately falls on Embody to add and hopefully will not be much longer.