Is it worth hundreds of dollars for upgraded headphone cables? - Page 3

I would agree that going balanced is the single biggest upgrade you can get.  It is fun to use an adapter once you have a balanced amp to go back and forth between XLR and 1/4" - power hungry headphones really benefit from getting twice the power on a balanced system.  Beyond the extra juice you're getting a little cleaner sound from the common-mode noise rejection you get from the separate grounds vs. sharing a ground.  When I'm testing out a 1/4" cable vs. a balanced cable I always have to cringe and turn the volume up a few notches with the SE cable.

The balanced amp you're using has increased volume in balanced headphone output, and also when receiving balanced input from audio-gd's balanced dac's.

in the realm of bogus claims --- " ... all cables have the same effect on sound quality." --- I bow to you

I recabled my HD800s and can report a) the effect was easily measurable; and b) the new cable transformed my listening pleasure.

In terms of measurement - the new cable is five feet longer than the old cable.

In terms of enjoyment - I can now listen from my favorite sofa.

Seriously, after more than 40 years in this hobby, I know for sure that cables sound different - even though I really don't want them to.  I'm pretty much a plug-and-play type of guy, and I always hope against hope I can just leave things alone.  But there is a difference.  It's tiny though - as many posters here have said, it's the last tiny micro-percentage.

IME engineers are impatient because just inventing and manufacturing domestic replay systems is such a massive, towering technical achievement that they're reluctant to see the trees for the forest.

Also IME, cable enthusiasts do themselves no favors by their exaggerations - "night and day, massive change ... " which leads one to expect such huge, obvious differences to be readily detectable under DB conditions, which they aren't, because they're not massive, huge changes in the first place.

So, IME, it makes sense to get well-made aftermarket items if they have durability, physical utility, and a sense of sonic improvement.  Just accept that the sonic improvement will be very slight and very subtle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by InnerSpace 

I recabled my HD800s and can report a) the effect was easily measurable; and b) the new cable transformed my listening pleasure.

 

In terms of measurement - the new cable is five feet longer than the old cable.

 

In terms of enjoyment - I can now listen from my favorite sofa.

Congratulations!  You sir, have won the thread!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergman2 

in the realm of bogus claims --- " ... all cables have the same effect on sound quality." --- I bow to you

So a chronically oxidized cable should sound the same as a brand new one, right? 

$380 for a cable is cracking me up at the moment! That's got to be a gallon or two of snake oil. I bought some used Mirage M-5si speakers for about that (awesome). I bought about 60 used CD's for that amount that bring me near endless music pleasure. You bought a basketball when you could have bought a basketball court, with rims. Get my point?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergman2 

if you like the sound of the particular cans that's the next logical upgrade ... as far the specifics of the cables, that is another matter entirely -- all cables are not created equally ... dark cans sometimes respond better to silver and bright cans to copper .

This is what my ears have told me too.  I have tried with the HD800, ended up with copper, and have done extensive listening with the LCD2 with silver plated and copper and stock.  Your impressions may vary, try to preview them-hopefully your headphones have removable plugs.

InnerSpace wrote:

Just accept that the sonic improvement will be very slight and very subtle.

Agreeing with your above, what the anti-cable guys don't get, for me, the improvement lies in about 1/10 of one percent and helps with clipping and opens cords up and helps with the decay of the cymbal or the pluck of a string.  Many times, the improvement lies below my listening threshold and is picked up on the emotional or ethereal level.  And by ethereal, that means untestable by today's standards.

I don't have a sofa nearby but my cables are ten feet in length, so I can make it to the recliner.

tim3320070 wrote:

$380 for a cable is cracking me up at the moment!

Ya gotta love envy.  Why?  It let's you know you're doing it right.

You bought a basketball when you could have bought a basketball court, with rims.

I don't do B-ball and I don't drive overly priced cars as my service rig has these stupid rims that keep keeps disc pad dust all over them.

Get my point?

No.  I'll await your explanation

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia 

I think this exact thread ran its course 2 weeks ago.  Scroll back a few pages for "answers".  On head-fi you'll hear the whole range of opinion from "buying cables = death" to "can't live without it".  The poll that was taken in one of the threads seemed tipped slightly more towards the cable-tolerant side, but the cable cynics on head-fi are pretty hardcore.  

...and 4 weeks ago, and 6 weeks ago, an 8 weeks ago for years and years back.. which makes at least one thing very clear and undeniable.. the majority of people cant tell the difference, or can tell so little difference that its termed "negligable". 

This debate simply would not exist if this were not the case. 

base your decision on that premise and you cant go wrong.

Br777wrote:

the majority of people cant tell the difference, or can tell so little difference that its termed "negligable".

And the world thrives in a world where the majority don't even know there's a cable debate going on, people argue about religion, most people don't have running water and the average IQ is 100.

And?

???

base your decision on that premise and you cant go wrong.

And if one doesn't give a $, you'll do even better.

???

^^They debate about IQ test too.........lots of arguing out there

dallan wrote:

^^They debate about IQ test too.........lots of arguing out there

@beeman

Which definition are you using there?  Half of those imply something that doesn't actually exist, at least not in this cosmology.  Or are you a 17th level spellcaster who enjoys the benefits of your cables a few minutes at a time?  Personally, I can think of better uses for 9th level spell slots, but to each his own.

maverickronin wrote:

Which definition are you using there?

Based upon my comment, primary.

Not being a gamer (or a D&D type) , you'll have to bring me up on the fantasy world of gaming and spell-casters as other than your thoughtful links, I haven't a D&D clue.

(Shame on me)