Is It Really Worth 'Upgrading' Sennheiser HD 580/600/650 Cables? - Page 7

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

I have ordered Whiplash TWag Elite replacement cables for all my dynamic Sennheisers (HD600/650/800), with the biggest--and I mean enormous--improvement experienced on the HD600/650s.  Wrote up a review on that (Duel of the Xes) in my sig block.

 

Since the review I have upgraded my amps and ICs using the same cables so the synergy is even better.  I had another Head-Fi'er over to visit and when he heard them for the first time (after experiencing them in stock form) his jaw dropped.  He said these cables have completely elevated the sound signature of the cans to the point were they could be compared to reference cans costing 2-3 times their price in terms of SQ, if not build quality and comfort.

 

But these cables retail around $425 depending on termination and length.  I suppose you get what you pay for in this case.

So, you could basically drop the price of a T1 on your HD650s+cable, OR you could just get the T1.

Warp08, great write up and pictures in the Duel of the X-es Review. It is clear you are very passionate about the cables, too passionate to be able to truly be able to attribute any improvement to the actual cables themselves IMHO. Sorry, getting so enthused is asking to be convinced by psychoacoustics and placebo.

I understand how balanced cables can reduce noise and raise volume over an unbalanced cable, but my stock AKG cable and my DIY one does that, with ease.

Have you been blind tested to see if you can actually hear the difference?

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman458 

-1

 

Why?  I don't want to make my own cables.

 

You can always ask a fellow head-fier, like myself, to do it for you. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman458 

-1

 

Why?  I don't want to make my own cables.

 

Worst excuse ever. You want to spend 400% more because you can't be bothered to order all the parts separately and spend 20 minutes with a soldering iron?

Worst excuse ever. You want to spend 400% more because you can't be bothered to order all the parts separately and spend 20 minutes with a soldering iron?

Yep.

I also pay people to repair our automobiles and the home.

???

Is there a good guide somewhere for making a headphone cable or interconnects? I am interested in this route but don't know how to do it (yes I have searched, I haven't found a thorough one though).
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoetheArachnid 

Worst excuse ever. You want to spend 400% more because you can't be bothered to order all the parts separately and spend 20 minutes with a soldering iron?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caphead78 

Is there a good guide somewhere for making a headphone cable or interconnects? I am interested in this route but don't know how to do it (yes I have searched, I haven't found a thorough one though).
 

I don't really see how it's hard. You buy a piece of cable (Mogami or summat), buy some connectors (Neutrik, or other), get some shrinky things to go over the connections to make it all look nice, and then you just solder the lot together using a decent iron and decent solder (silver solder?), making sure that all the wires attach to the right bits. Bada bing, bada boom. I don't have a lot of experience in this department, so maybe I'm entirely wrong.
 

EDIT: Actually, where DOES one buy raw Mogami cable? There's like a million varieties on ther site and most of them are pre-connected instrument cables.

JoetheArachnid wrote:

All this proves is that you have more money than sense, or you are just impeccably lazy.

Well, I'm glad we got that mystery solved.

Same do I. So I pay someone for the service, $50 is enough to get fancy braided and well soldered cable.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman458 

-1

 

Why?  I don't want to make my own cables.

 

Haha okay, what I really need to do is learn to solder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoetheArachnid 

I don't really see how it's hard. You buy a piece of cable (Mogami or summat), buy some connectors (Neutrik, or other), get some shrinky things to go over the connections to make it all look nice, and then you just solder the lot together using a decent iron and decent solder (silver solder?), making sure that all the wires attach to the right bits. Bada bing, bada boom. I don't have a lot of experience in this department, so maybe I'm entirely wrong.
 

EDIT: Actually, where DOES one buy raw Mogami cable? There's like a million varieties on ther site and most of them are pre-connected instrument cables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caphead78 

Haha okay, what I really need to do is learn to solder.

 

That's the spirit!  And it isn't very difficult either. 

I've never had an opportunity to change out HP cables, but I have done so with speaker cable.  If the effects are similar then the changes would be quite noticeable to anyone that has given the associated equipment enough time be become familiar with the sound of said equipment.   Instrument separation, bass control and high end structure were the most noticeable things I found right away ( again, my experience has only been with speakers) .  I just ordered the HD650's . If after burn in and acclimation I find them to be veiled like so many here have claimed then I will be on the cable upgrade wagon as well.

BOL to all!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caphead78 

Is there a good guide somewhere for making a headphone cable or interconnects? I am interested in this route but don't know how to do it (yes I have searched, I haven't found a thorough one though).
 

You Tube has some very good guides. That is where I got my instruction from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

I have ordered Whiplash TWag Elite replacement cables for all my dynamic Sennheisers (HD600/650/800), with the biggest--and I mean enormous--improvement experienced on the HD600/650s.  

So it will be very easy for you to hear the difference between the two cables and correctly identify what you are listening to without the benefit of prior sighted knowledge.  Have a friend present the stock and upgraded cables in a random order in equal numbers for ~14 trials while you wear a blindfold (or put on from behind) and without touching the wires.  I'll do the stats for you and give your results a P value and verify that they clear statistical power criteria (all trivially easy when effects are real).  You will then have demonstrated your point,  I think for the first time in human history, to the satisfaction of us science types.
 

for what people charge to build a cable there's pretty much zero over head a corner in a house can do every thing you need a $80 soldering iron gets the job done for anything, $15 for third hand buy a few parts from anywhere solder them together and your done ohh yes and a dmm that makes a beeping noise is always sweet. copper costs 3.xx per pound cable makers charge 1xxx per pound. all i can say is most people who make cables cant solder for sh$t look at warren audio guy runed $120 xlrs like nothing that's was probably the saddest thing i have ever seen well besides buying a $120 set of xlrs that cant be any better then a $5 one. and then the guarantee that some day your $400 cable WILL turn Green if its not already green under all the pounds of sleeve they put on the cable that DOES nothing but weigh down your head. this coming from someone who builds cables i only build cables for fun and cute little low profile lods that dont get in the way b/c i felt there was a lack of them around and hated the bulky one i had made my self :P

if anyone needs help building a cable send me a pm and i can point you in the correct way. where to buy and pinouts.