Is It Really Worth 'Upgrading' Sennheiser HD 580/600/650 Cables? - Page 2

You should read this thread, really dude, u should. http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/503846/all-music-lovers-should-take-a-look#post_6804283

Beeman u old friend i find you everywhere with your cables and beer.

Just check my sig

You should try it yourself, if you don't like it you can always return it to get full refund. I have a hd650; I replaced the stock cable with a Zu2. I used to be skeptic about cables, but I can hear a difference between 2 cables, and I think the update is totally worth it. IMO, if you really like your hd600/650 you would not mind to spend extra dollars to make it sound better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullseye 

Just check my sig

Mine has a good resource as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullseye 

Just check my sig

It seems we have the same hate towards exotic cable manufacturers. I'll provide the link to your translation in my own thread.

The Stefan Audio Art Equinox made an easily noticeable improvement over the stock Sennheiser HD650 cable on my Sennheiser HD650. I could quite easily hear the improvements. Better soundstaging, more clarity in the mids and highs, and no grain at all compared to the stock cable. The only area that did not really change or improve to me was in the bass.

I always listen to my 650's with the Equinox. I cannot bear to listen to them with the stock cable after hearing the Equinox.

Not so with the Cardas cable. It was different with the Cardas but not really better, IMHO.

Originally Posted by daltonlanny 

The Stefan Audio Art Equinox made an easily noticeable improvement over the stock Sennheiser HD650 cable on my Sennheiser HD650. I could quite easily hear the improvements. Better soundstaging, more clarity in the mids and highs, and no grain at all compared to the stock cable. The only area that did not really change or improve to me was in the bass.

I always listen to my 650's with the Equinox. I cannot bear to listen to them with the stock cable after hearing the Equinox.

Not so with the Cardas cable. It was different with the Cardas but not really better, IMHO.

Interesting that daltonlanny's impressions of both the Cardas and Equinox cables match my impressions. Doesn't seem likely if there were no audible difference at all between cables. (By the way, I had expected the Cardas cable to sound better than it did, so I don't see how my perception could have been caused by expectations. Similarly, I hadn't expected the Equinox to sound as good as it did.)

Anyone who says that all headphone cables sound alike should listen with an Equinox cable. (You can try one at a meet, or perhaps buy a used one and resell it if you don't like it.)  You may or may not prefer the sound of the Equinox, but you should easily be able to hear a difference from the stock Sennheiser cable.
 

And interesting considering SAA is also the company that can ruin your balanced amp AND K702s with their balanced cable.

What a load of tosh stefan puts out.

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/476358/balanced-k702-how-does-saa-do-it

Elexxfloo wrote:

Beeman u old friend i find you everywhere with your cables and beer.

Ya gotta love dat beer.

The main problem I see with cables is the consistency required to get any kind of result. If any part of the chain is not made of platinum wire, then there's no point in using that wire. And I'm guessing that not many amp interiors are wired up that way either. I don't see how a super-wired headphone will get over all those nasty steel resistor and capacitor connectors inside your amp of choice.

Power supplies do make a difference: a steady, even power supply will give a more consistent sound. A power cable will not affect how the power supply works.

The only experience I've had with cables making a difference is in unbelievably poor, cheap RCA connectors totally distorting the sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max F 

I don't know, but the price some charge for cables is ridiculous.

Oh, but it's the price that makes them sound so good!  Why, a $10 cable made from the same materials as a $500 cable just isn't the same.

The $10 cable will sound like a $10 cable and the $500 cable will sound like a $500 cable, even if they're made of the same thing.

Happens all the time with wine; audio is no different.

Whilst I have heard definate improvements with upgraded cables I have to say even though there is an improvement it is still not worth what some cables cost, HD650 around $550, upgrade the cable from a popular maker here $350.

For me I would rather spend that extra on an even better headphone as see a greater improvement that get a slight improvement for a huge amount of money.. I mean come on, all that for a bit of twined copper that it seems is as pure as the stuff Sennheiser include as stock. I am not saying there is no difference, just it is not  three hundred odd bucks difference!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoetheArachnid 

The main problem I see with cables is the consistency required to get any kind of result. If any part of the chain is not made of platinum wire, then there's no point in using that wire. And I'm guessing that not many amp interiors are wired up that way either. I don't see how a super-wired headphone will get over all those nasty steel resistor and capacitor connectors inside your amp of choice.

Power supplies do make a difference: a steady, even power supply will give a more consistent sound. A power cable will not affect how the power supply works.

The only experience I've had with cables making a difference is in unbelievably poor, cheap RCA connectors totally distorting the sound.

I can't take issue with your reasoning, but I would suggest that you make the effort to listen for yourself.  If you hear no difference, you've just saved a pile of money with no regrets.  If you do hear a difference and like it, then even though it will cost you money, you'll have better sound for it.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

Oh, but it's the price that makes them sound so good!  Why, a $10 cable made from the same materials as a $500 cable just isn't the same.

The $10 cable will sound like a $10 cable and the $500 cable will sound like a $500 cable, even if they're made of the same thing.

 

Happens all the time with wine; audio is no different.

Interesting, I hadn't noticed that.  I quite like it the other way round, the $10 cable that sounds like a $500 cable.
 

My early contact with Head Fi led me to believe in significant improvements from cable changes with the HD650s. I went from stock to zu mobius to saa equinox and could never identify any distinct change. I was expecting and wanting change but never found it. Being more well-read, I feel a bit suckered and am done with cable 'upgrades.' I have yet to read a compelling explanation why a cable itself makes a difference. I have zero background in electronics but have encountered plenty of logical, understandable arguments as to why it should not. The personal testimonies can be hard to ignore, but there are plenty of good arguments to explain why people perceive changes when they do not in fact exist. We do not quite have as much conscious control over our minds as we would like to believe. There is plenty of genuinely sincere personal testimony related to psychic powers, faith healing, fortune telling, alien sightings, ghost encounters, etc. but that does not mean we should necessarily accept all of those positions as the truth. A typical recommendation might be 'listen for yourself' but I would suggest do it wearing a blindfold with a helpful friend. Otherwise, you might not be hearing what you think you are hearing.