Well guys, I've just compared my stock T1 to the ALO recabled T1 at slim.a's place.
First, I must specify that a few months ago only I was not a cable believer at all, and wanted to try by myself to see if I could here any difference between digial or power cables, and so I could in the end, so don't tell me that it is pure placebo effect or voodoo, just what I heard without hoping the sound to be changed in any way before listening each time.
Setup was foobar with FLAC files on a laptop, Belkin USB extension lead, jkeny modified HiFace, Oyaide DB-510 BNC cable, Audio-gd DAC19DSP with Audio-gd C2 in ACSS mode with modded ACSS cables made by Black Stuart.
The same exact setup was kept when switching my stock T1 to the ALO recabled one, BUT there is an important need to mention that my pair is 400h+ of burn-in while his is only around 100 hours, as he received it recently, so as every T1 owner over here may know, changes may certainly show up on his pair within the next 300 hours which will change the final words.
At first, on a live recording of The Eagles, I almost prefered my stock T1 to the ALO recabled one. Soundstage seemed wider on the stock T1 with faster sound overall, like the stock pair was singing its sound more easily. I wasn't very impressed nor very pleased by the sound of the ALO version.
Hans Zimmer, Dark Knight OST, I'm not a hero. Not less nor much bass impact on the ALO version, but better defined, better control. Nice improvement over stock version.
Then, listening to Handel's Messiah - And He Shall Purify the Sons of Levi, with male and female voices and various instruments with low level details, I totally changed my mind.
Soundstage seemed a bit narrower again on the ALO version, my pair being more airy. BUT, this led to less low level details and less clarity and transparency. Things were more blended and diffuse with stock cable. At one moment when voices and instruments are "singing" all together, things stay in place with clarity on the recabled T1, with perfect instrument and voices separation, while they seems like a little mess on the stock T1.
Last but not least about this recording, TONE! The accuracy of the tone of the voices and instruments was astonishing! Most strikingly on both male and female voices, which never ever felt so real for me. Stock T1 sounded "digital" and artificial numerical sounding in comparison.
My pair showed treble peak annoyance until 300 hours, but recently at more than 400 hours things have settled a lot and I have almost no more treble peak at all, it had taken a lot of time but it is now OK for me about treble peak on my pair. The very little treble peak that could be heard on my pair is not heard at all on the ALO recabled T1 at only 100 hours of burn-in, and not conceding anything on the treble definition though. Don't expect more bass impact, warm sound, or less cohesion as some reported with ALO recabled cans. No changes in the bass, mid, treble quantity and impact. Only differences are more low level details on the recabled version, shrunken soundstage (must have to deal with not enough burn-in like on stock pairs), more transparency and clarity, and most of all, accuracy of tone.
Next recording on a female voice singing with not much instruments behind on a recording I couldn't remember the name, (please slim give your input if some want the title of the song), nice voice and listening btw, as it let the voice to be heard in the foreground like if it was a cappella, which helped to focus on the changes on the vocal tone between the two T1s.
Well, listening to the ALO recabled T1, the voice sounded so real and accurate that it was like hearing the woman singing in front of you. Going back to the stock T1, such a disappointment... the voice was totally "digitized", with more diffuse soundstage, as if you had enabled some kind of CMSS 3D from a Creative sound card, ya really!
I don't know if the sound is going to change a lot and to change for the best withing the next 300 hours on the ALO recabled version from slim.a but he'll keep me informed. As the soundstage grew bigger on my pair during burn-in along with other benefits, I can't imagine how the ALO recabled version could sound like at 400h+ of burn-in. Must be very, very nice.
Anyway, even if the sound wouldn't change from what it is now, even with the little shrunk soundstage it has now, which may widen like other T1s within burn-in hours, I would pull the trigger on the recabled version, which means I will recable my pair especially if the ALO version keeps going better through burn-in.
Now I understand other folks who compared directly stock T1 to recabled ones with Black Dragon etc. Recabled version is definitely better to me.
