Background
I've been looking for a long time for a connector cable to use with my Xin Mini in my portable setup. While conversing with a member here on a completely different topic (watches), it turned out that he made cables and wanted to get my opinion on what he was doing. So, I agreed, and the cables were sent a few weeks ago.
Criteria
I have 3 primary needs for a connector like this - it must be short, it must be flexible, and it must sound great. The Twisted Cables certainly meet the first 2 criteria, but will they meet the 3rd?
Cables
Bolder Cables - Located
here.
I have a really over the top custom cable already built for me by Bolder cables, using all top of the line components (including silver plated copper wire and Canare mini connectors at both ends), and from a sound quality perspective, this is my reference. It's also short, which is good, but it is also quite stiff, and that's a big minus for me, it makes the entire portable aspect more cumbersome.
Twisted Cables - Located
here.
4Copper - This is a braided cable, uses 4 Copper wires, 2 for signal, 2 for ground
3Silver - This is a braided cable, uses 3 Silver wires, 2 for signal, 1 for ground
4Silver - This is a braided cable, uses 4 Silver wires, 2 for signal, 2 for ground
6SilverCopper - This is a braided cable using Silver for signal, Copper for ground, with NEUTRIK mini connectors
Equipment used
Xin SuperMini (latest version)
Laptops w/Foobar (2 laptops)
Rio Karma
Denon AH-D5000
Audio Technica a900
BeyerDynamic DT250-250
AKG K271
Sensaphonic Prophonic 2X-Soft
Preferences
I'll state up front that my preferences are more toward a dynamic (micro and macro) presentation, with good bass and musical mids taking a precendence over super-detail and high frequency clarity.
All of these cables are very good, and my ranking of them is based on my preferences, and if your preferences are different, then your rankings of these cables would certainly be different than mine.
Sound
Bolder Cables Mini - Sonically excellent - this is my reference, and the cabling I use in my primary speaker system, not cheap, but very much worth it. Great bass, great pace, clear mids, good detail, strong highs, overall a very up-front presentation while still staying smooth.
4Copper - Strong bass, really brings out the mids, good detail, very good dynamics, relaxed highs. Definitely more laid back and less in-your-face than the Bolder Cables.
3Silver - light in the bass and slightly recessed in the mids, with a strong emphasis on the high end. "Pure" sounding, but the least musical of the group, IMO.
4Silver - Closer in sound to the Bolder cables than the 4Copper. Good bass, good pace, neutral mids, slightly emphasized highs, excellent detail, Good balance with a slight empahsis on the high end and a slight recess in the bass.
6SilverCopper - Closest overall in style of suond to the Bolder Cables, Great bass, great mids, very good highs, everything is really pushed very forward and very in your face. Not quite as smooth as the Bolder Cable, a little more splashy on the high end. Overall a great cable.
Winner
For me the winner is the 4Copper - because I find most headphones to be a bit to aggressive in this highs, I felt the 4 copper matched up best with the setups I have. There's a great sense of pace and 'attitude' that this cable lets through. Next favorite is the Bolder Cables, which does more things 'right' from an audiophile perspective, but I think the one fault it has of slightly tipped up highs is really exacerbated with a headphone setup. The 6SilverCopper is just barely below the Bolder Cables, with very similar strenghts, and a litte bit more splashiness in the highs. The 4 silver is next, with very good transparency and good balance, but a little clinical sounding. Finally, the 3Silver was too thin sounding for my tastes.
OK, that wraps it up, hope you found some value in this short shootout.
Twisted Cables and Bolder Cables mini-to-mini cable shootout
