[Mediahound]

If I use an extension cable like the Grado one, does the defeat the purpose of having an upgraded headphone cable?

 

[TheAttorney]

A good question - to which I don't know the answer. Shame that no one else has piped in yet.
 
What I do know is that an extension cable can degrade the SQ slightly - based on when I added a 5m Stax (non-ribbon) extension cable to my 4040 Stax rig a few years back (giving a total of 7.5m). I subsequently upgraded that 5m cable to Stax's superior 2.5m ribbon cable. And have deliberately never done a comparison test of the new extension cable because the extra freedom of movement is very important to me - so I simply don't want to know if that extra freedom is at the expense of SQ.
 
Based on my cable experience in general, I would guess that it's all cumulative: So yes, the extension cable will lose some (but not all) of the SQ gained by the upgraded main cable. But in the wider context of your whole listening experience, I wouldn't worry about it. 

 

[Eisenhower]

upgraded cables don't have that much of a purpose to begin with, so I think you should be fine.

 

[Chris J]

upgraded cables don't have that much of a purpose to begin with, so I think you should be fine.

I would argue that the extension cable does defeat the purpose of an upgraded headphone cable.
Basically, it comes down to, can You hear a difference in your upgraded headphone cable?

 

[DarknightDK]

It depends, only if your headphones and system are resolving enough to pick up the difference. Same with cable upgrades for that matter.

 

[Eisenhower]

Quote:

I would argue that the extension cable does defeat the purpose of an upgraded headphone cable.
Basically, it comes down to, can You hear a difference in your upgraded headphone cable?

 
Well if I accept the premise that an upgraded cable improves the sound, then I would agree with you.
In any case, using an "upgraded" cable with an extension cable is pretty silly.

 

[Mediahound]

Thanks for the input all, makes sense.