Before I plug a brand new cable into an IEM or DAC/AMP, I always wipe down the contacts with rubbing alcohol to make sure they are clean. As I was going about this ritual with my new Kato, I noticed that the metal shroud on the 3.5mm termination felt slick with oil. At least a couple inches of the cable above it were also oily. I put the cable back in its bag and decided to use a Kinera Ace instead, because who the hell wants to use a cable covered in oil.

Although I’ve seen some reviews of TRN cables and cheap Aliexpress cables reporting oily residue, this is my first time experiencing the issue firsthand. I would have expected more from an IEM with a $190 MSRP.

I haven’t seen anybody else mention this regarding the Kato, so did I just get unlucky?