Why do people recable headphones with wire that costs more than the headphone itself? I'm just wondering why products like the ALO-780 exist. Even assuming cables make a 10% difference which is generous, you are paying more than 100% of the price of your headphones .... so you would expect the cable to make your headphones AT LEAST twice as good. Just doesn't make sense to me .... why don't these people just buy a better headphone? Aside from aesthetics, why do people do this?
Why do people recable cheap headphones?
- Thread starter tvrboy
- Start date
Zaubertuba
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2009
- Posts
- 449
- Likes
- 23
Zombie_X has a nice thread going on a PortaPro recable. It sounds like it actually made a rather signifigant (i.e. perhaps more than 10%) difference in the sound quality.
I did a recable on my HD 555's and it likewise was a greater-than-10% improvement.
For some, a recable may be actually cheaper than paying for the next-higher range of headphone. Or there may be other aesthetic reasons (truly portable, maybe they fit real good and they don't want to give them up just yet, "it just looks plain cool," etc.).
Recabling is also a rather easy intro to the DIY-world. Much safer to play around with it on cheaper 'phones than with your $600 reference cans.
Or, barring all of this, just because it's fun, and maybe just because we're a bit silly.
I did a recable on my HD 555's and it likewise was a greater-than-10% improvement.
For some, a recable may be actually cheaper than paying for the next-higher range of headphone. Or there may be other aesthetic reasons (truly portable, maybe they fit real good and they don't want to give them up just yet, "it just looks plain cool," etc.).
Recabling is also a rather easy intro to the DIY-world. Much safer to play around with it on cheaper 'phones than with your $600 reference cans.
Or, barring all of this, just because it's fun, and maybe just because we're a bit silly.
lauinbeta
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Posts
- 175
- Likes
- 11
I haven't a clue myself though i think there are better ways to improve the aesthetics of your headphones apart from shiny new cables.
jageur272
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2008
- Posts
- 1,055
- Likes
- 17
Quote:
This is the main reason why I recable my headphones. Nothing quite like braiding a 6 conductor headphone cable
. (2x26AWG for signal, 1x24 for return, both per channel).
| Originally Posted by Zaubertuba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Or, barring all of this, just because it's fun, and maybe just because we're a bit silly.
|
This is the main reason why I recable my headphones. Nothing quite like braiding a 6 conductor headphone cable
. (2x26AWG for signal, 1x24 for return, both per channel).
ting.mike
Headfonia
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2007
- Posts
- 636
- Likes
- 12
Quote:
It's a lot of fun.. once you've tried it, there is no going back.
| Originally Posted by jageur272 /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is the main reason why I recable my headphones. Nothing quite like braiding a 6 conductor headphone cable . (2x26AWG for signal, 1x24 for return, both per channel). |
It's a lot of fun.. once you've tried it, there is no going back.
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2006
- Posts
- 4,156
- Likes
- 66
Quote:
Thing is without hearing a ALO-780 you don't know what a 'better headphone' costs, for all you know a recabled 780 could sound better than anything in it's price range.
| Originally Posted by tvrboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why do people recable headphones with wire that costs more than the headphone itself? I'm just wondering why products like the ALO-780 exist. Even assuming cables make a 10% difference which is generous, you are paying more than 100% of the price of your headphones .... so you would expect the cable to make your headphones AT LEAST twice as good. Just doesn't make sense to me .... why don't these people just buy a better headphone? Aside from aesthetics, why do people do this? |
Thing is without hearing a ALO-780 you don't know what a 'better headphone' costs, for all you know a recabled 780 could sound better than anything in it's price range.
Quote:
OK, is there anybody here (who has actually heard them) that thinks an ALO-780 sounds better than a RS-2, HD-650, K-702, Proline 2500, DT-880, MDR-SA5000, AH-D5000, and a W5000? Cause you can buy all of those for under 600 bucks...
I'm waiting......
| Originally Posted by Graphicism /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thing is without hearing a ALO-780 you don't know what a 'better headphone' costs, for all you know a recabled 780 could sound better than anything in it's price range. |
OK, is there anybody here (who has actually heard them) that thinks an ALO-780 sounds better than a RS-2, HD-650, K-702, Proline 2500, DT-880, MDR-SA5000, AH-D5000, and a W5000? Cause you can buy all of those for under 600 bucks...
I'm waiting......
fenixdown110
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2009
- Posts
- 2,555
- Likes
- 17
Quote:
You recabled your HD-555's? Maybe I should too... diy?
| Originally Posted by Zaubertuba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Zombie_X has a nice thread going on a PortaPro recable. It sounds like it actually made a rather signifigant (i.e. perhaps more than 10%) difference in the sound quality. I did a recable on my HD 555's and it likewise was a greater-than-10% improvement. For some, a recable may be actually cheaper than paying for the next-higher range of headphone. Or there may be other aesthetic reasons (truly portable, maybe they fit real good and they don't want to give them up just yet, "it just looks plain cool," etc.). Recabling is also a rather easy intro to the DIY-world. Much safer to play around with it on cheaper 'phones than with your $600 reference cans.
Or, barring all of this, just because it's fun, and maybe just because we're a bit silly.
|
You recabled your HD-555's? Maybe I should too... diy?
endlezz518
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2009
- Posts
- 31
- Likes
- 0
Is there a consent that recabling your headphone really change the sound of your headphones, or is that open to debate like burn-in and other methods?
cravenz
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2009
- Posts
- 1,782
- Likes
- 58
Quote:
what did you use? I'm not really bothered about my cans cos' I don't fancy myself buying another set in the near future since I'm happy with the IE8s already. I might just opt to recable them instead.
| Originally Posted by Zaubertuba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Zombie_X has a nice thread going on a PortaPro recable. It sounds like it actually made a rather signifigant (i.e. perhaps more than 10%) difference in the sound quality. I did a recable on my HD 555's and it likewise was a greater-than-10% improvement. For some, a recable may be actually cheaper than paying for the next-higher range of headphone. Or there may be other aesthetic reasons (truly portable, maybe they fit real good and they don't want to give them up just yet, "it just looks plain cool," etc.). Recabling is also a rather easy intro to the DIY-world. Much safer to play around with it on cheaper 'phones than with your $600 reference cans.
Or, barring all of this, just because it's fun, and maybe just because we're a bit silly.
|
what did you use? I'm not really bothered about my cans cos' I don't fancy myself buying another set in the near future since I'm happy with the IE8s already. I might just opt to recable them instead.
jjsoviet
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 8, 2009
- Posts
- 1,066
- Likes
- 48
As for my case, my HD 238's thin cables are nearing their breaking point. I had to make a quick resolder using a spare mini-to-mini just to get it working again. Now, I need thick cables, and it seems Zynsonix is the perfect service I need as it costs only $105. As expensive as my unit itself, yes, but then I don't want to risk breaking another one again.
Zynsonix - Headphone Recabling Service
Anyone else who has experienced a recabling service with Zynsonix?
Zynsonix - Headphone Recabling Service
Anyone else who has experienced a recabling service with Zynsonix?
leeperry
Galvanically isolated his brain
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2004
- Posts
- 13,832
- Likes
- 1,695
Quote:
and the irony is that the Jena cable will turn greenish in a few months due to oxidation: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/any...-cable-402757/
| Originally Posted by tvrboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm just wondering why products like the ALO-780 exist. |
and the irony is that the Jena cable will turn greenish in a few months due to oxidation: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/any...-cable-402757/
sphb
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2009
- Posts
- 111
- Likes
- 0
My overpriced Sony Ericsson IEMS
Actually I just took the cables from my recabled IEMs
Actually I just took the cables from my recabled IEMs
Zaubertuba
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2009
- Posts
- 449
- Likes
- 23
Quote:
Without derailing this thread, check out my mod. thread here.
I used Mogami 3106. A bit stiff, but I'm appreciating the durability more as time passes--and it's two completely discrete channels in one.
| Originally Posted by cravenz /img/forum/go_quote.gif what did you use? I'm not really bothered about my cans cos' I don't fancy myself buying another set in the near future since I'm happy with the IE8s already. I might just opt to recable them instead. |
Without derailing this thread, check out my mod. thread here.
I used Mogami 3106. A bit stiff, but I'm appreciating the durability more as time passes--and it's two completely discrete channels in one.
cravenz
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2009
- Posts
- 1,782
- Likes
- 58
Quote:
heh. nice. I'll have a run through that in a bit. I wouldn't resell my 555s, I kinda did, but realised they are the only cans I have so I might just keep it. Not sure I like the idea of experimenting too much where the effects are irreversible though. but I'll definitely have a read through at some point =P
| Originally Posted by Zaubertuba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Without derailing this thread, check out my mod. thread here. I used Mogami 3106. A bit stiff, but I'm appreciating the durability more as time passes--and it's two completely discrete channels in one.
|
heh. nice. I'll have a run through that in a bit. I wouldn't resell my 555s, I kinda did, but realised they are the only cans I have so I might just keep it. Not sure I like the idea of experimenting too much where the effects are irreversible though. but I'll definitely have a read through at some point =P
Users who are viewing this thread
