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Do "aftermarket" IEM cables really increase sound quality?

post #1 of 11
11/29/11 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 

I've been looking at replacement cables on eBay for the Shure SE535s after reading about them on here. But I'm curious as to what advantages they can have, and why some of them are priced so high? Do they really affect sound quality like some are claiming? Or, to be frank, is this BS? Genuinely curious to find out if there's any significant improvement/benefit over stock. Thanks!

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post #2 of 11
11/29/11 at 8:01pm

word of advice, just spend your hard earned money on headphones/source.

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post #3 of 11
11/29/11 at 8:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Teraflame View Post

word of advice, just spend your hard earned money on headphones/source.


Good to hear, as I have. I take it then that there's really nothing to these cables? 

 

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post #4 of 11
11/29/11 at 8:04pm

I'm not sure as to what your setup is like, but I also agree that cables should be one of the last "tweaks" you make. And they can get expensive too.

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post #5 of 11
11/29/11 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kckc View Post

I'm not sure as to what your setup is like, but I also agree that cables should be one of the last "tweaks" you make. And they can get expensive too.


I'm using Shure SE535s with a Fiio E10 (plugged into my laptop) and an exclusively lossless library, with some of the stuff being 24 bit SACD/Vinyl rips. I'm waiting on the arrival of my ACS Custom Sleeves as well, which I had been mulling over for quite some time. I can appreciate that the cable can always be "better", I just wonder if the difference is truly something significant, or a pedantic thing that can only be seen with high precision audio measuring equipment :P. 

 

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post #6 of 11
11/30/11 at 12:12am

Look at my review of a pure silver cable. Yes, a custom cable can shape the sound, but it's really one of the last steps you'd take and I think the effects are often exaggerated. One guy was hyping a very expensive cable, wrote a "review" on head-fi and was then selling new, unused cables of that very model here. Think about it, it's unethical. Same brand was caught this year selling "pure silver" cables which independent lab tests confirmed were copper/silver alloy. I won't say more about it here, but it give you a sense of the shenanigans that go on.

 

I would say that the earphone is by far the first thing to upgrade. Save your pennies for now. When/fi you go to full custom iems, then think about an aftermarket cable and don't believe the hype on the most expensive ones. I know a reliable guy who does nice work on aftermarket cables, you can pm me about it sometime.

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post #7 of 11
11/30/11 at 11:57am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kunlun View Post

Look at my review of a pure silver cable. Yes, a custom cable can shape the sound, but it's really one of the last steps you'd take and I think the effects are often exaggerated. One guy was hyping a very expensive cable, wrote a "review" on head-fi and was then selling new, unused cables of that very model here. Think about it, it's unethical. Same brand was caught this year selling "pure silver" cables which independent lab tests confirmed were copper/silver alloy. I won't say more about it here, but it give you a sense of the shenanigans that go on.

 

I would say that the earphone is by far the first thing to upgrade. Save your pennies for now. When/fi you go to full custom iems, then think about an aftermarket cable and don't believe the hype on the most expensive ones. I know a reliable guy who does nice work on aftermarket cables, you can pm me about it sometime.



 

Will keep that in mind, thanks.

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post #8 of 11
11/30/11 at 12:01pm

Please don't open this can of worms.... if you must post in the sound science section because I have a feeling this thread will turn into a heated debate soon.

 

From personal experience, yes and no. My Lune cable and silver cable for TF10s and SE530s respectively made little improvements  but my $200 Beat Audio Supreme Pro Cable for my IE8s made a HUGE difference, so ymmv

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post #9 of 11
11/30/11 at 12:55pm

My Beat Audio Cronus cable for my Westone ES5 did not improve the sound it only changed it to something I don´t like. But my Chris himself silver (Ray) cable improved it alot. It depends on the cable and the headphones.


Edited by Metalboy - 11/30/11 at 1:06pm
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post #10 of 11
11/30/11 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metalboy View Post

My Beat Audio Cronus cable for my Westone ES5 did not improve the sound it only changed it to something I don´t like. But my Chris himself silver (Ray) cable improved it alot.


Hey, hey. My Silver Ray is on the way!

 

I bought a Lune to try on a SF 3 but they are said to be tuned for the TF10. Oh my was it weird sounding. I did not like at all. It can be hard cause sometimes cables don't match particular phones or the seller claims something they are not. I also tried a cable once that said it would change the sound in a certain way but sounded no different than the stock cable.

 

Very far from an exact science so it is usually better to upgrade phones with the extra cash plus what you sell the phone for. Or do tons of research. Problem is with the Shure detachables being recent and them not having custom models there isn't much info on Shure cable swap experiences.

 


Edited by jant71 - 11/30/11 at 1:20pm
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post #11 of 11
11/30/11 at 2:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jant71 View Post


Hey, hey. My Silver Ray is on the way!

 

I bought a Lune to try on a SF 3 but they are said to be tuned for the TF10. Oh my was it weird sounding. I did not like at all. It can be hard cause sometimes cables don't match particular phones or the seller claims something they are not. I also tried a cable once that said it would change the sound in a certain way but sounded no different than the stock cable.

 

Very far from an exact science so it is usually better to upgrade phones with the extra cash plus what you sell the phone for. Or do tons of research. Problem is with the Shure detachables being recent and them not having custom models there isn't much info on Shure cable swap experiences.

 




The Silver Ray seems to work well with alot if not all iems =) The only thing I don´t like is the stiffness.

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