[SolaVirtus]

Would anyone who's got the Dekoni nuggets installed mind posting a picture of what yours look like?

My Ananda is on the way and I've got some nuggets handy already and I'm curious how they're used. I've got a couple on my 4XX, and I'm thinking it'll work different on the Ananda due to the headband differences.

 

[animefreeks]

How does any cable enhance the sound quality unless the original calbe was severely defective to begin with? Honest question here, not trying to start an argument. I can understand if you wanted better aesthetics or durability, that's what I'm looking for. I don't expect any improvement in the sound. Is there any research that shows otherwise?

That's definitely complicated. There's a long standing debate as to whether or not cables change the sound. The debate is very well summarized on the following site, so I won't re-hash anything here:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2018/06/do-expensive-cables-really-matter/

Now, for those that claim to hear a sound difference in cables, you can think of the cables as a fixed hardware equalizer. The conductor, plugs, and other materials usually impart a specific sound signature. In general high quality copper is neutral, and pure silver or silver plated copper (SPC) is brighter than neutral. So if you have a darker or warmer than neutral setup, using silver or silver plating can equalize the sound back to neutral. That's overly simplified though, pure silver or SPC can also help bring out additional details due to perceived clarity, and other effects. Two copper cables may also sound different from each other depending on the quality of the copper and other materials in the cable. Whether or not any changes from one cable to another are beneficial, that's up to the listener to decide.

Gonna use RCA cables here as an example. There is a difference between extra cheap dollar store cables and a decent but not expensive 20 dollar quality cable. Cheaper cables mostly lack EMI protection and will pick up static and distortion from the environment whereas a quality cable will offer "some" protection against it. Expensive cables may offer even more shielding against this, but the results quickly diminish past a certain point. IMO past 50 dollars you start chasing snake oil on sound improvements, especially with brands such as AudioQuest and the infamous Monster Cable.

SPC and OFC cables will change the sound, as will a properly shielded cable vs unshielded. However, where I believe will offer the least sound improvement would be something like a comparison between a 50 dollar OFC shielded cable and a 500 dollar OFC shielded cable.

As for the Ananda's stock cables, they are microphonic in that the inner cable bumps against the outer protective cable that I can hear the cable impact when moving my head around. I think we all agree here that the stock cables are terrible and mostly anything else will be better. Even the 22 dollar NeoMusicia cables don't have this cable bumping issue.

 

[bagwell359]

How does any cable enhance the sound quality unless the original calbe was severely defective to begin with? Honest question here, not trying to start an argument. I can understand if you wanted better aesthetics or durability, that's what I'm looking for. I don't expect any improvement in the sound. Is there any research that shows otherwise?

I've been through AB testing, I've put myself through it too. It is certainly an issue when one object is more expensive than another, and when you've invested in the new/expensive object, there are lots of reasons to have biased opinions. However it helps to be a curmudgeon with AB's behind me that showed nothing, barely anything (maybe), and a lot.

Headphone cables actually do seem to have a lot of variability. In the past few years:

1. HFM HE-500: stock vs aquired Black Dragon v1: stock: piercing treble BD: much deeper and more potent bass, balanced sound
2. MD-4XX: stock SE vs silver plated cheap XLR; very little difference, can does not resolve well.
3. HD-600: stock SE vs very nice O2 free cable 'custom cans' XLR: XLR seems a bit less splashy and bit more bass - but the amp works better in balanced then SE, so proves what? Not much
4. HFM HEX v2: stock vs Cardas O2 free copper vs Silver Litz. Copper and silver somewhat different - but not hugely, however both stomp the ridiculously awful stock.
5. HFM HE6SE: replay of #4 stock malarky vs O2 free 'custom cans', huge difference - as in a grandmother of 85 could tell the difference.
6. HFM HE5LE: hand-made (not by me) canare XLR vs Black Dragon XLR; something must be wrong w/ the canare, it's dull, rolled off at the extremes, not good.
7. MD-X00 Mahogany: just changed SE to XLR on the stock wire, dreadful headphones, bit more controlled bass.
8. Fostex FH500RP: another weak headphone, changed SE to XLR, like #7 bit better.
9. HE-6 6 screw: stock vs Black Dragon v1; only 3 hours to compare. stock is oxydized, highs seem a bit dull. Not huge diff.

The stock HFM cable is made cheaply, is anything but O2 free. I used to make speaker cables. Same advice as store bought - get good quality. Ignore marketing, rumors, hype, price = taste arguments. Buy it/make it and install it, and relax. If you are on the never ending escalator of improvement through spending more money - you might want to try some blind AB testing. Cables have 3 electric qualities - there is no better, just different - for some equipment. Look at Quad ESL's - they like high capacitance cable. Naim used to make this cheap brown stuff that drove them better than any 2.5k for 10' cable. I was in an ultra high end saloon and they had six $5k for 5 feet of AC power cord (1998 I think) I had my trusty Synergistics $250 AC cable (bought used for $125), and there was no obvious or even subtle difference. I asked to see the basement and the breaker box, and a lot of the wiring was circa 1955, lots of bare copper, lots of untight connectors. Please. Guess what I still have the cable 22 years later - because I know it ties $5k stuff - haha - no need to look around again.

 

[bagwell359]

Would anyone who's got the Dekoni nuggets installed mind posting a picture of what yours look like?

My Ananda is on the way and I've got some nuggets handy already and I'm curious how they're used. I've got a couple on my 4XX, and I'm thinking it'll work different on the Ananda due to the headband differences.

I have them on the HEX v2 which is pretty close. If you can imagine a TV cartoon with a Martian with two antenna sticking out at a diagonal, you've got the place to start. I did it without help, just put them on my head (do not peel off the backing yet!) get the headphones on, and playing a fairly bright treble piece, and move them around until it seems you've got the center of the can pointed straight at your ear hole. My nuggets are not mirror imaged because I have some bumps on my head. When you are sure of one pin it with your finger, peel and stick, putback on and relocate for #2, pin it again, peel and stick, Set.

 

[animefreeks]

I've got those NeoMusica cables from Amazon. They sound just as good if not better than the stock ones. My point is that they sound different from stock, slightly more treble microdetails, more solid bass. IDK if the stock cables are OFC, the NeoMusica cables are as per their descriptions.

Just purchased the NeoMusicia cables because I can no longer tolerate the stock cable. Will update on sound differences. Arrives Wednesday, July 29.

Hoping that bass control is tightened like you mentioned. On certain tracks, the stock cables sound "sloppy" and the bass extends into the mids making the whole presentation sound muddy.

 

[Pugzilla]

It's crazy that HFM would use such crap cables for a headphone that originally sold for $1000. They should be embarrassed.

 

[Gordilocks]

Lol, I'll gladly take the crappy cable if they improved the overall build quality of their headphones

It's crazy that HFM would use such crap cables for a headphone that originally sold for $1000. They should be embarrassed.

 

[Bassic Needs]

In this price range, I'm more surprised that one of the two cables isn't balanced.

 

[Gordilocks]

Agreed, but even worse for Arya owners, we only get a single 1/4" cable for our $1600 unit.

In this price range, I'm more surprised that one of the two cables isn't balanced.

 

[animefreeks]

If only the Lyr 3 has XLR outputs. I know magic happens when switching from RCA / SE interlinks to XLR.

 

[bagwell359]

If only the Lyr 3 has XLR outputs. I know magic happens when switching from RCA / SE interlinks to XLR.

Not always, but often.

 

[ezduzit2500]

How does any cable enhance the sound quality unless the original calbe was severely defective to begin with? Honest question here, not trying to start an argument. I can understand if you wanted better aesthetics or durability, that's what I'm looking for. I don't expect any improvement in the sound. Is there any research that shows otherwise?

Cables transfer the signal from one device to another. These signals are comprised of varying voltage and current and are very low in level. Good cables will transfer these low level signals without significant losses to the signal, neither the voltage, the current, nor other less than measurable aspects of that signal (even the best measurement gear has limits). OTOH, bad cables will not transfer the signal without significant loss, robbing your gear of high frequency detail, soundstage, and ultimately the sound quality that you paid for. Bad cables may also introduce EMI, RFI, and other distortions. As a former electrician, copper has been the go to cable for the industry. Not the very best conductor (as opposed to silver) but excellent for the price. Pure OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) is suitable for most applications unless one wants the best of the best, can afford to spend up, and has a system that can reveal the differences. OFC because oxygen and moisture makes copper oxidize and lose it's conducting properties. Impurities (iron, tin, etc.) in the conductor also impede signal transfer. It is the least quality cable that I would shop for. Edited to strike Platinum and Gold...

 

[ezduzit2500]

P.S., I looked at the cables inside the Ananda cable's sheath and I don't know if it is even OFC. Definitely the first thing that I replaced and when I did (used the NeoMusica or New Fantasia cables) it seemed like a veil was lifted from the treble and I heard more details. The bass also sounds more solid and detailed, tighter. Notable differences, if not night and day still better, IMHO.

 

[ezduzit2500]

It's crazy that HFM would use such crap cables for a headphone that originally sold for $1000. They should be embarrassed.

The cheaper the better, as far as they're concerned, I guess. They may assume that they will be instantly replaced or that shoppers on that level have their own better or favorite cables already, who knows? I think that those that stick with the stock cables 'cause cables don't matter' are doing themselves a disservice and aren't getting the most out of their cans, IMHO.

 

[animefreeks]

The cheaper the better, as far as they're concerned, I guess. They may assume that they will be instantly replaced or that shoppers on that level have their own better or favorite cables already, who knows? I think that those that stick with the stock cables 'cause cables don't matter' are doing themselves a disservice and aren't getting the most out of their cans, IMHO.

It's strange that they would cheap out on the cable but yet the case itself is designed with luxury in mind.