[dougms3]

After looking at the poor quality and gauge of the wire going to the driver, I wondered how much of an improvement a better wire would yield.

Decided to change out the wire to 24 awg Mundorf silver/gold and Mundorf silver/gold solder. This wire and solder is notorious for a lengthy burn in time, I would guess it needs around 200 hours to burn in completely but already off the bat, its more resolving and detailed, more energy in the mids and treble, bass seems a little tighter.

Before and after, the after is the yellow and white wire.

 

[fortunate son]

I like the Sonorous III very much. Buy or build a better cable as a replacement for stock cable (a DIY Canare L4E5C is affordable and good), replace stock pads with Final B type pads and, if you really want to hear all of what they are capable of, use an all tube amp.

For a more lush sound, the Final C099D8000 cable works well.

The most neutral sound I've gotten is with GUCraftsman 6N single crystal copper cable.

 

[Beagle]

After looking at the poor quality and gauge of the wire going to the driver, I wondered how much of an improvement a better wire would yield.

Decided to change out the wire to 24 awg Mundorf silver/gold and Mundorf silver/gold solder. This wire and solder is notorious for a lengthy burn in time, I would guess it needs around 200 hours to burn in completely

Why would wire and solder need to ‘burn in’?

 

[HipHopScribe]

Why would wire and solder need to ‘burn in’?

Spiritual reasons

 

[Saaki]

Well this thread has been incredibly helpful! Thank you @dougms3 , my pair of Sonorous III's really have needed a new pair of pads and your recommendation was a fraction of the price of the Final Audio versions. I'm super excited to get them. I may have to implement some of your other mods as well!

 

[Saaki]

When buying a new cable for the Sonorous III's do I need to get one with the special locking mechanism that came on the factory cable?

 

[dougms3]

When buying a new cable for the Sonorous III's do I need to get one with the special locking mechanism that came on the factory cable?

If you open up the headphone, you snip off those locking tabs with a razor blade and use any cable you want.

Thats the first thing I did. This headphone is one of the easiest to take apart. If I recall correctly, it only has 4 screws and the driver section comes right out.

 

[Saaki]

Ok great! That's good to know. Is there a good quality budget cables you'd recommend for them? I ordered a new headband and that set of ear pads you recommended.

 

[dougms3]

Ok great! That's good to know. Is there a good quality budget cables you'd recommend for them? I ordered a new headband and that set of ear pads you recommended.

Moon audio silver dragon is always good but I'm partial to the high end cables because I know what they can do.

Those ear pads are good and I've used them for alot of other headphones as well but grain of salt, they are tuned to my preference. Which is bass heavy. I've also tried pads with less meat on them and they're good too, just a matter of preference of what you prefer.

 

[Saaki]

I really like good bass and mostly listen to electronic music, so they sound like they'll be a good fit!

 

[fortunate son]

Try them with Final type B pads and an all tube, not a hybrid or solid state, amp.

 

[hardykalyan]

Spiritual reasons

Can't stop laughter! May the spirit be everywhere.