[Wildcatsare1]

Hi folks,

I just pulled the trigger on a new HE-560 with my dealer. I want to complement my LCD-2.2.

Is the stock cable a silver/copper hybrid or pure copper? And is it worth upgrading the cable?
I'm not a fan of after-market HP cables. I likely will get the stock cable reterminated to a 4p-XLR for my BHA-1, eventually.
I want to maintain the relative neutrality of the 560. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it's more neutral than LCD-2.2.

Have the Norne Draug 2, adds even more bass quantity and quality. Improved dimensionally, and sweet extended highs.

There are others who swear by Norne's SolvX for their 560's.

Who rewired your Grades for you? Grado said the charge to get Draug 2 installed on my PS1000's would be $200.00.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Grados:  Connector changed to 4pin XLR from a TRS plug. Not simple, but a qualified tech can do it for $25. Had PS500 done by Grado Canada's Michel Girard.
 
560: Not interested in a small improvement in SQ, as most cabling on HPs will do in my experience. Stock with balanced out of BHA-1 and BDP-1/BCD-1 as sources will be fine. I'm not a basshead anyways. If I were, I wouldn't be doing the "flagships". Just imo. 

 

 

[slambanna]

  Hi folks,
 
I just pulled the trigger on a new HE-560 with my dealer. I want to complement my LCD-2.2.
 
Is the stock cable a silver/copper hybrid or pure copper? And is it worth upgrading the cable?
I'm not a fan of after-market HP cables. I likely will get the stock cable reterminated to a 4p-XLR for my BHA-1, eventually.
I want to maintain the relative neutrality of the 560. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it's more neutral than LCD-2.2.

I'm curious who you're dealer is.  The closest Hifiman dealer I know of is the Headphone Bar in Vancouver.  I'm in Alberta though.
 
I'm happy to see the HPB has the HE-1000 listed for 3499 CAD with free shipping. Unless our dollar improves dramatically in the near future that will be significantly cheaper than ordering via head-direct.
 
To keep this on topic... I will also be pairing the 560 with the Liquid Carbon.  Looking at DAC's right now.  The Yggy seems unavoidable at the moment.  The HE-1000 will probably be unavoidable after that.
 
Damn you HF! Damn you!

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  I'm happy to see the HPB has the HE-1000 listed for 3499 CAD with free shipping.

For 3499CAD I can set up a second 2-ch system. With decent speakers.
 But I digress.
 
 

 

[lucidreamer]

  Hi folks,
 
I just pulled the trigger on a new HE-560 with my dealer. I want to complement my LCD-2.2.
 
Is the stock cable a silver/copper hybrid or pure copper? And is it worth upgrading the cable?
I'm not a fan of after-market HP cables. I likely will get the stock cable reterminated to a 4p-XLR for my BHA-1, eventually.
I want to maintain the relative neutrality of the 560. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it's more neutral than LCD-2.2.

Yes, to me it is worth upgrading the cable to something more transparent with these great phones, either some better DIY one or something ready to buy online. To me the stock HE-560 crystalline cable ($150) does not sound close to silver, it is probably still copper with some silver plating or some silver added to copper alloy. It is still a great cable overall but not the perfect one, the wires seem to be pretty thin inside. I made my own silver cables using the coax plugs from eBay for 10 bucks and some thicker silver bulk wire wrapped in parachord. Soldering the wire into the coax connectors is not for everyone though, takes some steady hand and proper soldering tips but is feasible.
Makes a huge difference now with richer and quicker sound, more transparency and especially the bass is tighter too. I am planning to make a split DIY USB shielded cable from these wires soon.

 

[DreamKing]

  Hi folks,
 
I just pulled the trigger on a new HE-560 with my dealer. I want to complement my LCD-2.2.
 
Is the stock cable a silver/copper hybrid or pure copper? And is it worth upgrading the cable?
I'm not a fan of after-market HP cables. I likely will get the stock cable reterminated to a 4p-XLR for my BHA-1, eventually.
I want to maintain the relative neutrality of the 560. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it's more neutral than LCD-2.2.

 
It's absolutely more neutral than the LCD-2. 
 
The cable is prone to kinks too so if you're not into that like I am, another cable is worth it just for that reason.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  To me the stock HE-560 crystalline cable ($150) does not sound close to silver, it is probably still copper with some silver plating or some silver added to copper alloy. It is still a great cable overall but not the perfect one, the wires seem to be pretty thin inside.
 

Thanks for the info. Didn't know it was a "crystalline" cord. Will live with the stock.
 
btw, wire thickness has little to do with SQ. Some of the most musical, transparent cables have high gauges (thin diameters). Geometry and metallurgy of the wire and connectors matter more than thickness. True for interconnects, and likely HP cabling.
 
cheers,

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
It's absolutely more neutral than the LCD-2. 
 
The cable is prone to kinks too so if you're not into that like I am, another cable is worth it just for that reason.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

My favorite cable with my 560's is the Norne Draug 2, a fairly high gauge all copper lots cable, with the grill mod and Focus A Pads received rave reviews at the Nashville Meet. Honestly they gave the Ethers a run for their money, actually preferred by several attendees.

Another of Trevor's cables, the SolvX has received rave reviews with the 560 and HE6. It is an extremely supple, user friendly cable.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Good to know, thanks.

I think I mentioned this but if you find the HE-560 too aggressive, it may be the stock Focus Pads. Wildcatsare1 mentioned the Focus Pad-A. They give a more balanced, relatively more relaxed sound with more bottom end. I use the A on my HE-500; they might be a worthy investment for you although I confess I have never heard the Focus.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Many thanks, Liu and Wildcats. I shall tuck your recs away for future use. ETA for my 560 is 2-3 wks, so it will be a while.
I may do a balanced Cardas HP cable for it, if the stock doesn't satisy. Have one on my 650, and it's very fine. Quite neutral, with more smoothness in the highs.
 
The pads seem like a more dramatic change, potentially, so will look into that in due time.
 
thanks both.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Many thanks, Liu and Wildcats. I shall tuck your recs away for future use. ETA for my 560 is 2-3 wks, so it will be a while.
I may do a balanced Cardas HP cable for it, if the stock doesn't satisy. Have one on my 650, and it's very fine. Quite neutral, with more smoothness in the highs.
 
The pads seem like a more dramatic change, potentially, so will look into that in due time.
 
thanks both.

 
Pads will definitely affect the sound more than a cable.  I've tried plenty of both! 

  I'm all about my light and supple DIY cable, not to mention my perfect DIY pads 

 

[DreamKing]

  Many thanks, Liu and Wildcats. I shall tuck your recs away for future use. ETA for my 560 is 2-3 wks, so it will be a while.
I may do a balanced Cardas HP cable for it, if the stock doesn't satisy. Have one on my 650, and it's very fine. Quite neutral, with more smoothness in the highs.
 
The pads seem like a more dramatic change, potentially, so will look into that in due time.
 
thanks both.

 
I got a Cardas cable arriving soon for my HE-560 so I will let you know what I think about it.

 

[Hifi59]

I got a Cardas cable arriving soon for my HE-560 so I will let you know what I think about it.

I've had both Cardas and Gotham cable (both balanced) with se adapters if I choose to use them. Both these cables make a positive difference to the sound. Worth the 60.00 (Gotham) and 100.00(Cardas) investment. Switching back to the original cable just kind of looses a bit of punch to the bass and air overall. Not major by any means. I also have the
focus-A pads in addition to the original Focus pads. I have settled on the focus -A pads . They do make a bigger difference for the better than just an aftermarket cable does. They just kind of smooth out the Freq response. I believe they tame that 4khz bump somewhat. The Bass is still all there but the phones do have more kick to the deepest notes with the Focus pads.

So in my case, the focus -A pads and a good aftermarket cable have made these phones an even more neutral, yet engaging experience.

As a side note, I also own the he-400i phones. An aftermarket cable makes a much bigger difference than the stock cable!
They tame that mid bass bloom and seem to extend the high end. It takes them much closer to the HE-560s. So much so that if someone choose the 400is over the 560s, I wouldn't argue. I still prefer the 560s though.

 

[DreamKing]

See, I hear the HE-560 differently and it is very probably my current amp but I don't hear the 4khz bump. The high mids in general don't grate in any way. It's actually the opposite, the consonants and vocal characteristics are smoothed over quite noticeably but this doesn't make them dull. I love how female vocals and strings sound in this part of the frequency as much as the others. Focus-a pads would be a problem in this case.
 
Though, the H10 I'm awaiting is gonna change up the sound and maybe the Cardas cable is gonna add some air and presence up top as I did hear it can do that with some headphones. Maybe the focus-a pads would be needed in that case, I'll have to see.
 
What amp/source do you have?