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What's your view on custom headphone cables?

Poll Results: Custom Headphone Cables?

 
  • 20% (81)
    Yes: Only if they don't cost too much
  • 17% (70)
    Yes: I will shovel out some cash if they promise results
  • 8% (34)
    Yes: I will buy if they look nice
  • 24% (99)
    No: I don't believe in it
  • 15% (61)
    No: I'd rather spend money on something else
  • 13% (55)
    Maybe: Only if it "changes" the phone (IE Balanced option, etc.)
400 Total Votes  
post #1 of 881
8/1/10 at 12:26am
Thread Starter 

Personally I like them and I buy them. I wish they were cheaper (well I wish everything was cheaper lol) but I will continue to buy them. Your thoughts?

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post #2 of 881
8/1/10 at 5:51am

Cables are a "last tweak", I first get better gear like amps, dacs, headphones, etc.

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post #3 of 881
8/1/10 at 10:11am

I'd only be for cables if I were selling them.

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post #4 of 881
8/1/10 at 10:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post

I'd only be for cables if I were selling them.


Are you of the opinion that all cables are the same Erik?

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post #5 of 881
8/1/10 at 10:17am

I made my own one for my K702s, but that was only because I can and it was fun. They make no difference. I do not believe that any cable makes a difference outwith placebo or psychoacoustic reasons. So I have convinced myself such cables make no difference, as others convince themselves that they do, which leaves me with more money to spend on other things.

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post #6 of 881
8/1/10 at 11:09am

Generally stock cables are way too long and really irritating to keep coiled if you're near your amplifier. That's the main reason I'd go for a custom cable, but not of the $300 kind.

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post #7 of 881
8/1/10 at 11:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post

I'd only be for cables if I were selling them.


I agree.

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post #8 of 881
8/1/10 at 12:51pm
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man View Post

I made my own one for my K702s, but that was only because I can and it was fun. They make no difference. I do not believe that any cable makes a difference outwith placebo or psychoacoustic reasons. So I have convinced myself such cables make no difference, as others convince themselves that they do, which leaves me with more money to spend on other things.


So you've only listened to custom cables that you have made to come to that conclusion? I'm not trying to convince you that cables make a difference but until you have tried something "different" (maybe a higher quality cable or something of a different material like silver) you shouldn't discount all cables.

 

That's like me saying that all earbuds suck because I've only been exposed to cheap earbuds in stores and stock ones without knowing about the Yuin or Sennheiser brands. 

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post #9 of 881
8/1/10 at 3:00pm

No, I'd rather spend my money on something else.

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post #10 of 881
8/1/10 at 3:02pm

This is a highly polarizing issue, with people on both sides of the fence and neither side will change their views. I have listened to the same unit with stock and upgraded cables, thus why I believe in cables. Not all cables make a headphone sound better!

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post #11 of 881
8/1/10 at 3:06pm

wow, i'm surprised that some experienced folks here are taking such a negative view. sure, like ANYTHING else in hi-fi diffs can be subtle and there is plenty of snake oil to go around. but cables are certainly capable of making significant alterations in the sound of a phone. i'd be more inclined to spend a few hundred on a cable for an hd800 rather than spending thousands more on amplification. it'd likely be a far bigger bang for the buck!

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post #12 of 881
8/1/10 at 3:18pm

All the cables I use at the moment for my Senns are custom made. By me or one of my friends. I prefer them.

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post #13 of 881
8/1/10 at 7:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by daveDerek View Post

wow, i'm surprised that some experienced folks here are taking such a negative view. sure, like ANYTHING else in hi-fi diffs can be subtle and there is plenty of snake oil to go around. but cables are certainly capable of making significant alterations in the sound of a phone. i'd be more inclined to spend a few hundred on a cable for an hd800 rather than spending thousands more on amplification. it'd likely be a far bigger bang for the buck!


In my experience, that is absolutely not the case. 

 

Here's what I believe.

 

A $30ish cable is better than a $2 cable.

 

A $300 cable is no better than a $30 cable.

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post #14 of 881
8/1/10 at 7:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrarroyo View Post

Cables are a "last tweak", I first get better gear like amps, dacs, headphones, etc.

 

x2

 

I think it depends on the headphone, as to whether or not the cable makes a difference. I am not going to put a Piccolino Cable on my JVC Marshmallows, but I can believe they will better the sound quality on top-notch IEMs (ex. JH13).

 

However, I think you would get a much bigger performance boost by improving your headphones, source, source material, amp, and DAC. Then you can worry about your cable, unless the ergonomics are bad.

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post #15 of 881
8/1/10 at 7:31pm

 

Quote:

In my experience, that is absolutely not the case. 

 

Here's what I believe.

 

A $30ish cable is better than a $2 cable.

 

A $300 cable is no better than a $30 cable.

 

 

Wonderfully concise, direct and, IMO true.

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