[Cagin]

@EffectAudio Hey Eric, I'm in need of a 4.4mm TRRRS balanced female to 3.5mm TRS single ended male adapter. Pig tail or ultra short type. It's just for desktop pc use. Will you bring a couple of them to Canjam London to sell or is better that I order one beforehand from EA website?

 

[flinkenick]

Eric, I'm in need of a 26 y.o. with balanced C-cup female to single 33 y.o. male adapter. For recreational use mostly. Could you help a brother out? For a friend of course.

 

[twister6]

Eric, I'm in need of a 26 y.o. with balanced C-cup female to single 33 y.o. male adapter. For recreational use mostly. Could you help a brother out? For a friend of course.

You forgot to mention if you want it to be delivered to CanJam London or can wait until CanJam NYC? Though, if you wait until NYC, the spec could change to 34 y.o. male adapter?

 

[Bosk]

Well, fact of the matter is, mine did and it's green all around. I've also seen a lot of second-hand or demo Thor Copper's in Singapore for sale and they were all similarly oxidised. Silver will oxidise just as copper will. I've seen pure silver cables from PWAudio or PlusSound oxidise simply because they weren't Litz cables. In fact, I believe there was a case made by Ray Kimber that SPC is more prone to oxidation because air can seep through into the tiny spaces between the silver plating and the copper core, whether in manufacturing or in use. So, while I think oxidation may take longer to occur in certain climates more than others, it's undeniably a possibility if the cable is not Litz-wired.

I really appreciate your insights Deezel. Just two further questions on this subject please, do you feel Litz cables generally offer a meaningful sonic upgrade over non-Litz cables?

Also I noticed PlusSound and other manufacturers offering different types of Litz wires, ie. type 2 or type 6. Does this much of a difference?

 

[Deezel177]

I really appreciate your insights Deezel. Just two further questions on this subject please, do you feel Litz cables generally offer a meaningful sonic upgrade over non-Litz cables?

Also I noticed PlusSound and other manufacturers offering different types of Litz wires, ie. type 2 or type 6. Does this much of a difference?

I haven't personally compared alternate variants of the same wire, i.e. non-Litz vs. Litz variants of the same copper, Type 2 Litz vs. Type 6 Litz of a specific silver conductor, etc. So, I can't really say whether or not they offer a meaningful sonic upgrade. Though, both technologies (Litz wiring and higher-level Litz wiring) were developed to counteract what's known as the skin effect. This is a phenomenon where the current running through a cable only runs along the surface. This is why we have conductors like SPC. Instead of manufacturing a pricier pure silver cable, SPC is used because skin effect dictates the signal only runs along the silver plating anyways, so a cheaper copper core can be excused. Now, this is where Litz wiring comes in. Litz wiring is comprised of multiple bundles of conductors within a single wire. Because the skin effect dictates more surface area equals greater conduction, these individual bundles within the wire maximise that surface area, so the signal runs along many surfaces; instead of just the single outermost layer like they do on non-Litz wires. As an added bonus, each bundle within a Litz wire is encased in a transparent enamel which prevents oxidation, so the cable's appearance is permanently maintained in normal use cases.

The Type (whether Type 2, Type 6, etc.) signifies the number of bundles within the wire, how many individual strands are in each bundle, whether or not a dampening core is used, what that core is made of, etc. I think explanations and diagrams of each type can be found on Double Helix Cables' website. Essentially, it allows the manufacturer to customise the internals of the wire. DHC is known for their use of a proprietary cotton damping core to prevent certain vibrations from occurring. Effect Audio's very own flagship Horus is comprised of bundles with different strand counts and strand sizes, a proprietary core, etc., which somewhat explains its luxurious price given the amount of R&D and bespoke design which went into it on a microscopic scale.

 

[Bosk]

I haven't personally compared alternate variants of the same wire, i.e. non-Litz vs. Litz variants of the same copper, Type 2 Litz vs. Type 6 Litz of a specific silver conductor, etc. So, I can't really say whether or not they offer a meaningful sonic upgrade. Though, both technologies (Litz wiring and higher-level Litz wiring) were developed to counteract what's known as the skin effect. This is a phenomenon where the current running through a cable only runs along the surface. This is why we have conductors like SPC. Instead of manufacturing a pricier pure silver cable, SPC is used because skin effect dictates the signal only runs along the silver plating anyways, so a cheaper copper core can be excused. Now, this is where Litz wiring comes in. Litz wiring is comprised of multiple bundles of conductors within a single wire. Because the skin effect dictates more surface area equals greater conduction, these individual bundles within the wire maximise that surface area, so the signal runs along many surfaces; instead of just the single outermost layer like they do on non-Litz wires. As an added bonus, each bundle within a Litz wire is encased in a transparent enamel which prevents oxidation, so the cable's appearance is permanently maintained in normal use cases.

The Type (whether Type 2, Type 6, etc.) signifies the number of bundles within the wire, how many individual strands are in each bundle, whether or not a dampening core is used, what that core is made of, etc. I think explanations and diagrams of each type can be found on Double Helix Cables' website. Essentially, it allows the manufacturer to customise the internals of the wire. DHC is known for their use of a proprietary cotton damping core to prevent certain vibrations from occurring. Effect Audio's very own flagship Horus is comprised of bundles with different strand counts and strand sizes, a proprietary core, etc., which somewhat explains its luxurious price given the amount of R&D and bespoke design which went into it on a microscopic scale.

Thank you for that detailed response! Do you think the differing Litz geometry is the main reason why 4-wire cables of the same AWG and material from different manufacturers can sound different? I'm trying to get my head around why for instance a pure silver Litz 4 wire cable from Effect Audio might sound different from one from PlusSound or Han Sound for example. Of course the connectors and solder type may differ too but surely those are comparatively minor things.

On a slightly different but related note, have you any inkling why PWaudio asks roughly six times more for their 1950s & 1960s cables than their No.5, when both are made from the same OCC copper Litz?

 

[Deezel177]

Thank you for that detailed response! Do you think the differing Litz geometry is the main reason why 4-wire cables of the same AWG and material from different manufacturers can sound different? I'm trying to get my head around why for instance a pure silver Litz 4 wire cable from Effect Audio might sound different from one from PlusSound or Han Sound for example. Of course the connectors and solder type may differ too but surely those are comparatively minor things.

On a slightly different but related note, have you any inkling why PWaudio asks roughly six times more for their 1950s & 1960s cables than their No.5, when both are made from the same OCC copper Litz?

I definitely think that's a factor, but not in every case. I believe DHC and Norne use the same pure silver wires for their Symbiote SP and Therium products, respectively. They look and feel the same, but they sound significantly different. I was capable of noting, "Why does this Symbiote SP sound way warmer than I remember?" only to realise after looking at the branding on the plug that I was in fact listening to a Norne Therium. I assume the physical differences between them are in the damping core, the Litz bundles and - to a smaller degree - the solder and plug used. Now, in other cases, Effect Audio have alluded that each material has multiple variants in and of themselves. For example, during development of the Lionheart, Effect Audio claims to have experimented with (IIRC) 8 different variants of copper. Likewise, companies like PlusSound or PWAudio probably source their wires from different manufacturers/suppliers with different extrusion methods, purities, raw materials, etc. Han Sound Audio IIRC was actually founded by one such supplier, so they essentially manufacture their own wires. So, beyond Litz bundles and what not, where companies source their wires and what processes/materials they employ definitely play a role too.

I'm not sure whether or not the PWAudio flagships actually use the same copper Litz wire from the No.5. Both flagships use a coaxial design, while the No.5 comes in a standard 4-core, 4-wire format. If they are using the same raw conductor, though, I believe a lot of the cost comes in the custom design that I alluded to earlier with the Horus. The wires within the PWAudio flagships are of different wire gauges, strand counts, shielding, etc. If it's any indication, I have internal pictures of my 1960s-modded Sony WM1A DAP and I've been instructed not to share them because one can assume the 1960s' internal structure. I personally see nothing that the public isn't already aware of, but I know next to nothing about the specifics of cable-making, so who am I to say. I personally think they perform like no other copper cable does - though they do have some shared traits - but those are just my two cents.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

New design of the Plug shell and Y-Split!

 

[proedros]

i have been pairing my Zeus XR with the limited edition/sold out Eos cable and seeing how much i like this pairing i wanted to ask Eric or anyone else with knowledge on the matter , which cable would be a decent SQ upgrade without breaking the bank (so 300$ tops ?)

probably a 4-wire option, seeing that i prefer the lighter cable structure of a 4-b over the bulky 8-b ones

thanx guys

 

[Deezel177]

i have been pairing my Zeus XR with the limited edition/sold out Eos cable and seeing how much i like this pairing i wanted to ask Eric or anyone else with knowledge on the matter , which cable would be a decent SQ upgrade without breaking the bank (so 300$ tops ?)

probably a 4-wire option, seeing that i prefer the lighter cable structure of a 4-b over the bulky 8-b ones

thanx guys

IMO there's no other cable out there that could work with the Zeus better at that price than the Eos. Save your money, enjoy your gear.

 

[proedros]

IMO there's no other cable out there that could work with the Zeus better at that price than the Eos. Save your money, enjoy your gear.

good to know

i hear you , i trust you , i obey you

and i stay put with Eos

 

[Cagin]

good to know

i hear you , i trust you , i obey you

and i stay put with Eos

What’s this I see? The Poedros obeying? The legendary greek revolutionaire is of house Martell. It is known. “Unbowed, unbent, unbroken”

 

[proedros]

i only rebel against hype-spreading, sweet-talking people who their only goal is to take people's hard earned money

a smart man always listens to and obeys those with more wisdom/knowledge than him - this is the fastest path to enlightenment (that , and moderate use of psychedelic mind-expanding substances)

 

[Bosk]

Would anyone happen to know if Effect Audio offers the option of sleeving on their bespoke cables?

 

[San Man]

Would anyone happen to know if Effect Audio offers the option of sleeving on their bespoke cables?

Anything can probably be optioned out if you contact them and express your desire about the cable.