[SENOR4Q]

I am going to post some impressions thus far from listening to my newly Cardas’d AKG K501’s (Cardas Senn HD 600 replacement headphone cable if you haven't figured that out). I’m not sure if I can scrounge up enough time to do a proper review, at least not now. I’ll also post pictures later if anyone wishes but right now these phones look like **** as they are not aesthetically done yet. Here goes:

On first listen to these phones after the modification, the treble hit me like a car. The new cable makes these phones imcredibly source sensitive. On some of my CD’s the phones felt so bright that my ears started to hurt. For anyone who knows these cans, that is definitely something they are not known for. Upon listening to more CD’s, the treble seems to be held just under control. Bass on these cans is also subjectively improved. The second thing that hit me after the treble was the soundstage. It’s very hard to describe how it has changed. The soundstage seem wider and deeper, but at the same time quite a bit more forward. Imagine, if you will, the instruments being placed further apart, but at the same time playing louder. More air, yes, but also more in your face? I’ll let the cable burn in some more for me to be able to from more definitive opinions.

 

[kuma]

definitely cables need some running in sounds like.

Which Cardas cables are they?

 

[wallijonn]

shoot, it sounds like a winner to me. that's exactly the failings that i have found with the k501.

 

[Nights_85]

can someone polease explain to mye how a cable can improve sound? it's just copper.. what's the difference between one cable of copper and another? besides obvious purity levels

 

[jaskin]

It's nice to hear your impressions SENOR4Q, just wondering do the Cardas replacement cables need any modifications for it to fit the 501s?

 

[SENOR4Q]

To be able to fit in the K501's the cardas cable needs to have those proprietary Senn plugs ripped off. After, one can run both wires to on cup a-la stock AKG and hard-wire the cable to the driver(s).

 

[Mike Scarpitti]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nights_85 can someone polease explain to mye how a cable can improve sound? it's just copper.. what's the difference between one cable of copper and another? besides obvious purity levels

Cables don't 'improve' sound signals. Cables degrade sound signals. Those that degrade it the least are the best.

 

[SENOR4Q]

Listening update: The treble seems to be calming down, or maybe I'm getting used to it

As I noted before, there is more detail and fullness along the spectrum, but something else bit at me late last night. The music has a faster pace to it. I though I was imagining it last night but this morning really confirmed it to me. The music definately sounds quicker than it did with the stock cable, I love it. I just wish the cable wasn't so damn expensive.

 

[adhoc]

faster pace?

good lord.

 

[SENOR4Q]

quote:
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adhoc faster pace?

good lord.
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Yes I know it sounds stupid, but what I mean by faster is that notes flow into each other noticably quicker. I guess the term to use would be trasient response. Happy.

 

[lini]

Nights_85: The construction of each cable (tinsel/solid, coax/parallel, twisted/straight, pure copper/silver plated copper/silver...) as well as the quality of the plugs and the quality of the soldering results in a unique combination of resistance, impedance, capacity and inductivity which will affect the sound in a certain way.

And by the way, in contrast to Mike, I think a cable cannot only improve the sound by losing as little as possible of the signal (= try to be transparent) - I'd claim, one can also cure certain problems in an audio chain, namely the ones caused by exaggeration. To my logic this would also count as improvement...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Scarpitti Cables don't 'improve' sound signals. Cables degrade sound signals. Those that degrade it the least are the best.

I am in agreement with you for once!

 

[Ebonyks]

I dunno, i felt that the phones were bright either way, that the cable acually reduces the sibbalance a bit. Now, remember that the phones, nor the cable are properly burned in, let those things run for 50 hours before you make up your mind. The bass has also has been greatly effected by the new cable, as has the imaging. I personally felt that the imaging on the stock phones was much better than that of the new cable. I'm used to ety imaging though, so i may not be the best judge of this

Also, you may be wondering what that yellow stuff in the casing is (if pictures are uploaded). It's teflon tape, if you want to remove it, feel free to.

 

[wallijonn]

Senor,

I replaced my K501 cable with Mogami 2534 Quad, terminating the shield and both ground channels at the 1/4" plug end. it is thus completely separate until the plug. The cable cost me about $5.00.

compared to my K401 (which I always considered to be about 99% of the K501), the K501 now has greater volume, slighter more bass bloat, cleaner and clearer highs, with just a tint of midrange recession. There is definitely more midrange body, though. the recession is just in a certain part of the vocal range. it could just be that since the overall sound levels have been increased, the perception is one where a certain range of frequencies were not boosted as much (or maybe the bass bloat extends into the lower vocal range).

I much prefer it's overall smoothness to my modified DT931 with Mogami 2552. The DT931 is very sharp, in comparison. The DT931 is much more fatiguing.

next up will be modifying the K401s with a 4 pin XLR, so that separate channels are preserved throughout.

 

[SENOR4Q]

Walli,

Pertaining to that midrange ressesion you spoke of. After modding my first pair of k501's and now this one (for now anyway), the ressed midrange you experience may just be because the treble was and bass were cranked up with the new cable. It will even out with time(or you will get used to it

). After my first mod broke in, the tonality of the phones was preserved, just with more extension at both extremes. With this new mod, at least for now anyway, they seems quite a bit more forward to me sounding as if they were a different AKG headphone, but from the same company. We'll see waht brun in has in store for it....