Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › Need new cable for my E500/SE530's
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Need new cable for my E500/SE530's

post #1 of 15
4/10/10 at 7:09am
Thread Starter 
Hi guys,

Some time ago i bought a pair of Shure E500/SE530's and ever since i've had nothing but trouble. Don't get me wrong, i bought them because they had a minor cable defect.

At first i shortened the original cable, put some heatshrink over it to stop the outer layer from breaking again and soldered it back together again.

Then a couple of weeks later, one side suddenly died again for no reason at all. So i opened em up AGAIN and redid the cabling. Apparently it had come loose inside somehow. Easy enough, resolder and close em up again.

Now today they broke AGAIN. While opening them up i found that the cable had broken again, this time it needs shortening again. Only this time around i'm fed up with that damn shure crap cable and i want to put something decent into them.

Now i've been looking around a little and honestly i'm confused as hell. Not to mention that i'm getting kind of sick to my stomach of fixing them every 5 - 6 months.

At this point i'm trying to figure out what cable to buy, what gauge and how much. Plug will probably be a Neutrik that i can source locally. Cable is something i can't source locally so i really need a (web)shop that can (and will) ship to the netherlands or germany.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Reply
post #2 of 15
4/10/10 at 9:14am
Thread Starter 
Just came across Qables, apparently they are kind of local to me. Anyway, they have a solid core pure silver (99.9%) in 24awg insulated in PE. Would a solid core work for IEMs ? Doesn't solid core break easier than a stranded core ?

They also have a switchcraft mini so that will probably take the neutrik's place. I can probably do the "split" within the connector itself too.

edit: I also found some 1/8" of techflex there, would that be small enough to grab onto 2 24awg wires ?
Reply
post #3 of 15
4/10/10 at 1:28pm
24AWG solid core silver and techflex is a recipe for frustration (its really too big for an IEM cable to solder to the drivers), and techflex is microphonic as hell. you can use solid core, but it should be quite thin like 28AWG, but I would tend to use stranded as you seem to have problems securing solder joints properly so far (there must have been something more than crap cable to fail so many times IMO) I had SE530 and my cable died too, but only at the driver strain relief.ALO wil ship to germany and you can get the 28AWG cryo SPC there for cheaper than the 24WG silver from qables, so overall it would work out about the same price.
Reply
post #4 of 15
4/10/10 at 1:36pm
Thread Starter 
Well i bought the 500's with the outer isolation damaged, which is why i shortened them. Why one of the 4 connections came loose is a mystery as that never happened before. This time the cable broken just below the rubber part on the bottom of the IEM.

I can understand your concern with the techflex though, guess that's out of the window. But is solid core flexible enough for a IEM cable ? Isn't stranded safer in terms of breaking ?

Going to see what i can find at ALO now
Reply
post #5 of 15
4/10/10 at 10:21pm
Thread Starter 
Well i've been reading up a bit on solid core, pure silver and other stuff. I've come to the conclusion that solid core cabling is not for cables that move around a lot. Stranded seems to be more flexible generally.

I've also been over on ALO's site and i've found nothing smaller than 24AWG, am i just not seeing it or is it really not on the site ?

I really do want to protect the cable again, i've used heatshrink on my stock cable and i'm open for other options that aren't microphonic.
Reply
post #6 of 15
4/12/10 at 10:24pm
Thread Starter 
Ugh, i hate shopping for cable. I've read on the forums that navships might be cheap and all, but seems to be rather stiff and unsuitable for headphones/iems. Then just about anything else i find is spc but nowhere near 28awg.

Sadly i haven't heard anything from ALO yet either, sent them a mail a couple of days ago but nothing yet.

Any other places i could look for a decent cable ? Maybe use some mogami inners (if i knew what type of mogami i was looking for) ?

I'm kinda lost here :'(
Reply
post #7 of 15
4/13/10 at 10:23am
Thread Starter 
Well i just ordered some 19 strands 28awg SPC from navships and some additional 26 and 30 awg, just in case.

I will probably just wrap it in heatshrink and terminate it with either a ViaBlue T6s or a Pailiccs PA35. I ordered them both because Null-Audio.com had them pretty cheap.
Reply
post #8 of 15
4/28/10 at 6:25am
Thread Starter 
Anyone have any previous experience with Null-Audio ? I placed my order on the 13th and i'm still connectorless. Tried kicking them a message through their own sites' contactform a couple of days ago and haven't heard anything yet. Just kicked him an email hoping for any response at all.

I have a package number (i think) but i have no idea what company they use for shipping which renders the number i have useless.
Reply
post #9 of 15
4/28/10 at 7:44am
Perhaps the delay is caused by german customs.
Reply
post #10 of 15
4/28/10 at 7:56am
Thread Starter 
Thought about that too. However, i ordered another item on the very same day (that was shipped on the 14th just like the package from Null Audio) and that came in exactly a week ago. Now i know the german customs aren't know for their consistency but Null Audio's lack of response isn't really helping either.

I've been looking around on their webshop and they tell you to look in a certain .doc file for info on how to track your shipment. Where to get that file is a complete mystery to me though. I also saw something that they tend to ship with DHL but DHL has no package/shipment listed under the number next to my shipped status.
Reply
post #11 of 15
5/11/10 at 4:34am
Thread Starter 

Finally finished this task. I got my connectors last saturday (!). Definitely not ordering from Null Audio anymore. A 3+ week wait time is just a bit over the top for a simple envelope with 2 connectors in it.

 

The ViaBlue connector.

ViaBlue Connector

 

 

Overview on messy desktop

Overview on messy desktop

 

Macroshot of the IEM's themselves. The housings need some love. If the cables hold up i will apply some filler and paint. And tips of course ;)

Macroshot of the E500 IEM's

 

As you can see the cable is quite short, that's because i intend to use it with the Shure PTH. Which brings me to why i used TechFlex anyway ;) The PTH has a clamp that basically eliminates any movement of the mic and anything else attached to it. Microphonics are a non-issue and i like the look :) I used the 30 AWG silver stranded cable btw. Y split is rather simple, 2 pieces of heatshrink for each cable and one big piece to keep em together.

 

They sound a hell of a lot better than with the stock cable too btw :P


Edited by C.44 - 5/11/10 at 9:37am
Reply
post #12 of 15
5/11/10 at 7:03am

Hi,

 

Your post comes as god sent!

 

I have a pair of Shure SE530's and the cable that loops around the ear is causing a flacky connection, music stops if I turn my head too much. To be short, its driving me crazy!

IMG00040-20100511-0858.jpg

I have been through many pairs of earphones in my life and hoped that these shure's would be the last pair. I work full time in IT, so I am not electronically naive. I tried to contact support but as they are a gift, I cannot find any help.

 

The only possible solution so far is to have them shipped to Shanghai and have custom earmolds created for a total of roughly 300$.

 

I would simply like to recable or splice on a new cable to the earphone. The weak spot seems to be on the bend around the ear.

I don't have a soldering kit, but I can likely borrow or purchase one.

 

Would you please be able to describe the cabling, include some photos or help me out to splice a new cable on to it?

Seems you did exactly that in the last photo!

I dont want to see these earphones die!

 

Thanks a lot, this forum has been verrrrry interesting!

You guys do a lot of great work!

Reply
post #13 of 15
5/13/10 at 1:40pm

I'm not sure why you are having problems with your Shure E530...  I've owned my Shure E500PTH for about 3 years now and they work just as they did when I bought them brand new.

 

I'm wondering,  How do you Pull them out of your Ears?  Do you Sometimes use the Cable to Remove them or maybe all of the time?  Maybe you've done that just a few times... 

 

My point is, You shouldn't ever use the Cable (Not even Once) to remove your IEM.  By doing so, You're killing the connection inside the shell.  If you watch the UE demos or read the shure owners manual, they both show you how to remove them from you're ears. 

When removing IEM you pull the Shell from the ear not using  the wire or the Rubber part that enters the Shell.  ONLY use the Plastic shell to remove.

 

Just trying to help anyone that is having a problem with there IEM and trying to help people who just got there first Higher End Headphones.

Reply
post #14 of 15
5/13/10 at 3:11pm

Shure cables are horribleaout degrading tho. I have had mine and love them but the insultion has broken down leaving exposed wires. Really need to replace but have been scared to pry too hard on the shells. ANy suggestions on how to do this?

Reply
post #15 of 15
5/15/10 at 2:31pm

use Heat to Loosen the Glue where the split is.  The heat doesn't have to be supper hot...  If you have a Digital Soldering/Rework Station you could use the Hot Air from the rework station to do so.  Lower the heat to min. and start there.  Be patient with this.  The longer you take splitting the shell, the easier it will go back together and it won't look like its been through a War thereafter.  Keep in mind you'll want them to look exactly as they did from the factory.

 

I haven't done this but I've read this is the best way to split the shell.  Ask around here at Head-Fi and see what others say... I'm sure you'll find others say the same as above.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › Need new cable for my E500/SE530's