Whenever a company known for expensive earphone cables gets into the IEM market, people are quick to judge the product even before hearing or seeing it. Said judgment can be positive if from fans of the brand or negative if expensive earphone cables are thought of as snake oil. No matter which side of this argument you are on, all I can ask is that you never treat a new product based on something else from the company, especially if from a completely different product category. I had no experience with anything from Effect Audio before the Axiom, and as I am writing this, the loaner items are back in Singapore, presumably waiting to be shipped to someone else for review. But I came away with a better appreciation for the company's product design philosophy and mindset, and there's a lot to digest here.

With the Axiom, and no doubt the upcoming higher-end Axiom XP, Effect Audio presents a multi-sensory experience that begins with the unboxing experience itself. To that end, story cards have been created in collaboration with local artists and an earthy tea powder for a pleasant unboxing aroma added, and the modules add to the novelty while getting to terms with no case or cable having been included these IEMs. Effect Audio talked the talk when it comes to sustainability, but did not walk the walk in my opinion. The devil's advocate in me already thinks about the extra cost should this happen to be your first pair of IEMs, but then the pragmatic side in me is here to tell you that the Effect Audio Axiom should not be your first. This is not a balanced set that works well for the average audiophile, certainly not someone spending $1500 on a first set of IEMs. Tuning is selective to begin with, and I can't say technical performance is what it should be at this is price point, either.

The Axiom is for those who have balanced IEMs, cables, tips, and cases already and want to try something new. This is where the modularity of the Axiom comes in, as you don't have to worry about whether your favorite cable adopts MMCX or 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors—everything else is quite rare anyway. The two sets of MUs simply allow compatibility with both types out of the box. Some new MU modules are also going around, but those purportedly change the sound signature by re-working the crossover between the dynamic driver and twinned balanced armature drivers. I can't speak for them, however. I can only talk about the experience I have had, which I have over the previous five pages. As it is, I can't recommend the Effect Audio Axiom for general usage because of various limitations, but do acknowledge the engineering feats with the cables and modular units by awarding the innovation award.