Closer Examination

I already made it clear that the CCA CA24 costs over $100, which is why I will keep harping about the accessories just not adding up to the cost and value proposition, especially after having seen what brands such as DUNU, MOONDROP, ThieAudio,BLON, Tripowin, Fearless Audio, and TinHiFi have managed at lower costs. So I can only hope the IEMs are where most of the BOM went since the included cable is also underwhelming. It's lighter than you would think looking at it, which is a result of thin plastic housing and thin conductor strands (200 in total) throughout. But that is fine in practice, at least compared to the kinks thrown up all around to make most fetish-seekers blush. The cable has a right-angled 3.5 mm TRS connector plug for the source, which I am happy to see, and the conductor itself is silver-plated copper of unspecified purity and other characteristics. The expected splitter is just that without a cable cinch in place, so the split is confined to its set location down the cable, and there is no chin securement point for reduced microphonics. Closer to the other side, we see transparent plastic sheathing, which aids in the memory-wire formation for the ear hooks around your ears. What CCA refers to as the Type C pin plug makes the IEM connectors fairly unique. These are QDC-style covered 0.75 mm 2-pin plugs and make for a more substantial connection with the IEMs. Easily missed L/R marks have lightly been etched into the see-through housing, so look out for those since knowing which is which is otherwise difficult. Note that there is an optional SKU with a cable that has an in-line microphone and multi-function media playback control button, but as I haven't experienced it to date, I can't speak for it personally.


Okay, fair enough. The shells that make up the CCA CA24 are built well and feel solid, so it does not come off as cheap as the rest. The face plate is cast zinc alloy shaped into two fitted pieces, with a matte black inner surface and silver trim that's certainly flashier. The face plates are positioned on a resin shell that almost appears to have a smoked finish. Regardless of the implementation, it is a translucent gray that allows for a closer look at all the hardware inside without appearing too busy or distracting from the fairly muted, clean aesthetics. Notice also the semi-custom fit with ergonomics to fit the shells into the ear concha, including the raised lip on the inner side securing into the antihelix.


There is a subtle black "CCA" branding on the black faceplate section. We also see two windows, if you will, at the bottom of the face plate, which act as vents for airflow. The side view also shows the female end of the QDC connectors, which jut out the side of the IEM shells instead of being inset or partially recessed as with every other 2-pin connectors I have reviewed to date. Feel free to zoom in to get a closer look at the 12 drivers and associated internal wiring used per side, which is quite something else! CCA certainly thinks so too, which we again see alluded to on top with the CA24 name, L/R markings, and misleading 24 balanced armatures claim, as it is the total across both. Removing the pre-installed ear tips confirms the use of a metal nozzle, which is on the smaller side of average with a diameter of 5 mm. There is a retaining lip at the end to better secure the ear tips in place, and installing them is easy enough. A mesh filter at the nozzle opening helps prevent contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.


We saw before how CCA provides a single silicone ear tip type with the CA24, albeit in different sizes. As such, go ahead and try them all out to make sure you have the best-possible fit. You may even want to consider tip rolling with aftermarket or spare tips, be it of the silicone or foam variety. Regardless of which tips you go with, the next step is to connect the cable by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the ear hooks such that they go around your ear naturally when connected to the IEMs, which is extremely simple. Just push the covered male end into and around the female ends on the IEMs, which makes for a very secure push-fit that I quite like myself. Now, simply connect to the source using the right-angled 3.5 mm TRS connector on the other end of the cable. I know there are many who prefer using IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs on the go. I paired the CCA CA24 with all the tested portable DAC/amps to date and personally like the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.