[rgs9200m]

Quote:

I might be in a minority, but I haven't had any issues with the stock cable.  It's a cable and seems to do what it's supposed to do.  

Well, even as a big believer in premium cables, I agree. I like the stock cable a lot as having a nice balance of clarity and ease, and I could easily be happy with it. 
In fact, it's one of the best stock-cable situations around. And I didn't use it for more than a month or so, but I would speculate that it would break in and sound even better
over time, as most cables do IME.
But I did settle on my Balanced Moon Silver Dragon/Furutech-connectors as a great cable for the HE500s.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Yes, by all means DO get a toxic cable.  Be prepared to be strung along every few weeks that it's in the next batch.  Be prepared to wait at least 6 months.  Do NOT consider similar cables for similar prices from people who keep them in stock.

Bob..i dont knowwhat ur problem is with toxic..BUT..yes..i waited 4 months for my new cable as i have a one of a kind cable now..(NOT 6 MONTHS) .but bigger BUT..u have to hear a toxic cable to know its more then worth the wait!!!!

Did i mention already i ordered an amp in may and it will only be delivered in december? Yes DECEMBER!!! Do u hear me moan or complain?? Or any other customer of that brand (which makes amps in the range of 19.000 usd a piece!) Noooo..as we know its worth the wait!! (But the money..yes thats a bit of a big ouch )

But pls..everyone knows the waiting time is long..but i understand that the only alternative for me..norse audio..is having very long delivery times also!!! And for ur info..i had a very expensive double helix cable before toxic..and for that cable i also waited more then 2 months...
All handmade, quality cables take time to make and are very popular nowadays...so u have to wait long...

But ofcourse u can get urself a standardbudget cable which is in stock...and believe it has same sound quality or built quality....its up to u..i prefer quality and soundquality above fast delivery..always...

And another thing..before ur stating things about deliverytimes..get ur record straight! No one waited more then 6 months (r u serious?) on a regular cable from toxic..(or it would be because of a mistake in the order process! or because of transit delayals to USA) AND AM SURE U DIDNT EITHER..we dont like people saying things to make the brand sound bad!!

Yes. The waiting time is long..around 14 weeks now..but toxic is working through their backlog i understand..so it. Will be less soon......

But if u still dont want a cable because of this waiting time..then its ur loss as i tried many cables now..and for the price i didnt find any cable make my he500 better sounding then the cable i have now...and yes i tried more expensive cables also..but for the price its a bargain..

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

 
Yes, by all means DO get a toxic cable.  Be prepared to be strung along every few weeks that it's in the next batch.  Be prepared to wait at least 6 months.  Do NOT consider similar cables for similar prices from people who keep them in stock.

Can you find some examples of similar priced cables? Just asking outta interest, since the raw materials of the silver widow are at least as expensive as if u make a cable with the same specs urself...

 

[Stalker81598]

Quote:

But ofcourse u can get urself a standardbudget cable which is in stock...and believe it has same sound quality or built quality....its up to u..i prefer quality and soundquality above fast delivery..always...
 

 
My Moon Audio Silver Dragon only took about a week to get to me and I'd hardly call it a "budget" cable. Not trying to start an argument, just pointing out that you can get good cables without waiting for months.

 

[BobJS]

Quote:

Bob..i dont knowwhat ur problem is with toxic..BUT..yes..i waited 4 months for my new cable as i have a one of a kind cable now..(NOT 6 MONTHS) .but bigger BUT..u have to hear a toxic cable to know its more then worth the wait!!!!

Did i mention already i ordered an amp in may and it will only be delivered in december? Yes DECEMBER!!! Do u hear me moan or complain?? Or any other customer of that brand (which makes amps in the range of 19.000 usd a piece!) Noooo..as we know its worth the wait!! (But the money..yes thats a bit of a big ouch

)

But pls..everyone knows the waiting time is long..but i understand that the only alternative for me..norse audio..is having very long delivery times also!!! And for ur info..i had a very expensive double helix cable before toxic..and for that cable i also waited more then 2 months...
All handmade, quality cables take time to make and are very popular nowadays...so u have to wait long...

But ofcourse u can get urself a standardbudget cable which is in stock...and believe it has same sound quality or built quality....its up to u..i prefer quality and soundquality above fast delivery..always...

And another thing..before ur stating things about deliverytimes..get ur record straight! No one waited more then 6 months (r u serious?) on a regular cable from toxic..(or it would be because of a mistake in the order process! or because of transit delayals to USA) AND AM SURE U DIDNT EITHER..we dont like people saying things to make the brand sound bad!!

Yes. The waiting time is long..around 14 weeks now..but toxic is working through their backlog i understand..so it. Will be less soon......

But if u still dont want a cable because of this waiting time..then its ur loss as i tried many cables now..and for the price i didnt find any cable make my he500 better sounding then the cable i have now...and yes i tried more expensive cables also..but for the price its a bargain..

 
I would accept your argument if I thought there were truly something remarkable about toxic cables.  They are well made and relatively affordable, but they are not unique in that respect.  There's certainly nothing special about the sound (except they are nicely non-microphonic, unlike the OEM cable).   I think the problem I had was fairly obvious.  As I said, if you think they are worth the wait, by all means, do so.
 
I ordered the middle of December and waited over 5 months for delivery OF A STANDARD HE-500 CABLE.  Forgive my exaggeration.  Check with Frank if you don't believe me.  If I was told up front the wait would be that long, I would have canceled my order and received a refund.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

But ofcourse u can get urself a standardbudget cable which is in stock...and believe it has same sound quality or built quality....its up to u..i prefer quality and soundquality above fast delivery..always...

 
The placebo is high with this one.
 
LOL just teasing, but seriously I haven't found cables to make any significant difference in sound quality. Once you pass a certain point of quality, they have all sounded the same to me. Even the stock silver cable of HE-500 sounded pretty much like the other one. Although I hated it because of it's poor construction and microphonics. Since then for both Hifiman and Audeze, I have used stock, Norse and Headphone Lounge Cables...they've all sounded the same to me for the most part. Although I waited less than a month for each, so that might be the difference here. If I also waited something like 4 months for a damn cable, I'd better expect it to sound like the best thing in the world. 

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

 
The placebo is high with this one.
 
LOL just teasing, but seriously I haven't found cables to make any significant difference in sound quality. Once you pass a certain point of quality, they have all sounded the same to me. Even the stock silver cable of HE-500 sounded pretty much like the other one. Although I hated it because of it's poor construction and microphonics. Since then for both Hifiman and Audeze, I have used stock, Norse and Headphone Lounge Cables...they've all sounded the same to me for the most part. Although I waited less than a month for each, so that might be the difference here. If I also waited something like 4 months for a damn cable, I'd better expect it to sound like the best thing in the world. 

+1

 

[modulor]

For wires of the same type (OFC, OCC copper/silver, SPC) the biggest things you'll notice between them is the insulation's material (color, material, and flexibility).  An example would be how the stock HE-500 cable's wire is quite stiff and rigid compared to say the type of SPC wire BTG-Audio uses.  Beyond that, you have connector type, sleeving and general construction quality to consider.  At a certain point you are paying a premium for hardware, brand, style, and preparation costs.  I personally believe an OFC cable from one manufacturer to another isn't going to sound any different assuming they are assembled with the same quality.  Now going from OFC to OCC copper may yield some audible differences depending on several factors, obviously the science behind it but I believe the most notable is the source and/or headphone's resolution capabilities (perhaps why many can't hear the differences).  Just my speculations on the subject - in the end it still comes back to personal preference.  If you can hear the difference and can justify the cost or you enjoy the style and build quality, then it is indeed worth it.  
 
Also, I keep reading various places that SPC is not preferable for audio applications because silver and copper both have different resistances - it could just be marketing.  Here is an example: http://www.silveraudio.com/faqs.htm  Any thoughts on this since the HE-500 ships with this type of cable?

 

[rapzoo]

I just want to add that Tyll found nothing audible ( http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/headphone-cable-measurements-part-one ) so I will never buy a non-stock cable in my life. But, you are right about everyone's beliefs. Everyone has different hearing, expectations, money, etc.

I am on the fence regarding cables, but as a scientist I hate to see the results of a study misrepresented. While Tyll's measurements found nothing audible, he does indicate "I've got enough experience measuring things that I know measuring the differences cables make on my headphone measurement system is just the wrong way to go about it." So Tyll found nothing audible using measurement techniques that he himself indicated were the wrong techniques. No surprises or revelations here.

 

[davidsh]

Couldn't hear a difference from stock cable to a cable that is basically the same as the silver poison. On the other hand I tend to think I hear differences between my 2 rca cables with my Stax setup. Really don't know, I'm probably fooling myself anyway, and as of now I believe that cables dont do much of a difference.

 

[Stalker81598]

I find no audible difference between the silver dragon and the stock HE-500 SPC cable.

 

[M-13]

I think the solution is simple. If you hear a difference, great go spend some money. If you don't hear a difference, great you can save some money. But let's not hassle each other about it either way and let's stop derailing this thread.
 
Back to the awesomeness of the HE-500:

 

[davidsh]

I doubt we will get anything constructive out of a cable debate anyway. Some people tend to get grumpy as soon as someone mention sound quality and cables in one sentence...

 

[alota]

Quote:

 
The placebo is high with this one.
 
LOL just teasing, but seriously I haven't found cables to make any significant difference in sound quality. Once you pass a certain point of quality, they have all sounded the same to me. Even the stock silver cable of HE-500 sounded pretty much like the other one. Although I hated it because of it's poor construction and microphonics. Since then for both Hifiman and Audeze, I have used stock, Norse and Headphone Lounge Cables...they've all sounded the same to me for the most part. Although I waited less than a month for each, so that might be the difference here. If I also waited something like 4 months for a damn cable, I'd better expect it to sound like the best thing in the world. 

the cables don´t work miracles, just some little improvements

 

[davidsh]

Suddenly I discover that I am headphone supremus. Don't feel like one, I am not one to look up to, LOL. Want my old title back, much more fitting

 
As of now I am without HE-500, kinda miss it. Left alone with my Stax. They are picky, I am almost afraid I can't feed 'em with proper recordings. They are kinda like a picky infant or something, wanting my attention all the time, and if they don't get what they want, they'll go crazy. Or I will...