[Ridleyguy]

There is a current thread on sound related benefits from recabling (or not!), plus other recabling issues that the OP should read and form his own opinion.

The Stefan AudioArt site (under Tips) and the HeadRoom site (according to the thread mentioned above) also give opinions of the Sennheiser HDxxx cables, but of course they are selling them.

 

[fjrabon]

I've personally never found this to be the case. I think the main reason they get recabled so much is just because they're so easy to recable. When I auditioned some HD600 and HD580's, the person who let me audition gave me 5 different cables to try out. The HD580 cable, HD600 cable, HD650, a moon audio cable and another one that I can't remember the name of, but was an expensive aftermarket cable. I personally couldn't tell any difference whatsoever, as evidenced by the fact that the one time I thought I heard a difference, it turned out that the difference I thought I heard was inf act the same cable.

 

[gbacic]

recabling doesn't do anything
sell the HD580 and use the extra money that you would have used on a cable for HD650's or HD600's

 

[Necrolic]

More than likely it's the amp causing this. Recabling can have an effect, especially on Senns, but not enough of an effect to drastically change the sound, just minor improvements.

 

[downsize]

Whew ... I was really hoping for some more positive answers about re-cable, and here is why :

I tried the 580s that were at the meet on my Rudistor amp, and they sounded GREAT !!!

So what does that process of elimination leave ? The recable itself.

My source is just fine, and the Rudistor is an awesome amp that sounded great with almost ALL of the headphones at the meet.

It simply is not the amp

Promise you my amp is MUCH better than the wonderful 801 portable !

 

[Necrolic]

What are you listening to your music from? CD? FLAC? MP3?

It also may have been the power of suggestion under meet conditions, as it's hard to tell exactly what a headphone sounds like at a meet, especially open headphones.

All I can say is that I've tried recabling Senns before with a few different cables, and while the difference was more obvious than with most headphones, it was by no means a night and day difference.

 

[downsize]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif What are you listening to your music from? CD? FLAC? MP3? It also may have been the power of suggestion under meet conditions, as it's hard to tell exactly what a headphone sounds like at a meet, especially open headphones. All I can say is that I've tried recabling Senns before with a few different cables, and while the difference was more obvious than with most headphones, it was by no means a night and day difference.

I was listening to the Hifiman 801 straight to the Senns at the meet, I then took the phones over to my set-up with CD player also.

At home, I am listening with a CD player.

Good news is this : Being an avid DIYer for amost 2 decades, I have TONS of great wire laying around, and know how to Litz braid of course.

So I will probably just make up a set of UPOCC silver cables, and give it a try.

I do not know this, but I DO have trouble believeing a really good silver cable will not really open up the veil I hear on the HD580s ... The frequencys are there, just too subdued, and a shielded cable of too small, and inferior copper conductors CAN cause this effect.

I just wondered how many others may have had a similiar experience to me regarding Senn's phones and recabling them.

 

[hawat]

Just dont recable them with cardas

I have those cable and the difference is quite small is there is any.

 

[Justin Uthadude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ Amp sounds more of the problem...... Your current statement that they NEED recabling is just a very weak one right now.

apatN - that's funny

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by downsize /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good news is this : Being an avid DIYer for amost 2 decades, I have TONS of great wire laying around, and know how to Litz braid of course. So I will probably just make up a set of UPOCC silver cables, and give it a try.

Was the pair that you heard at the meet recabled with silver? Personally, my tastes have always leaned to pure copper cables for the HD600, with silver and silver-plated-copper for the HD650.

UPOCC is definitely what you want though, whether you go the copper or the silver route. There's a review in my profile on the Twisted Cables Vortex, which uses UPOCC copper, compared against the Equinox and Cardas aftermarket cables, if you're at all curious as to how the wire stacks up.

It should be noted though, that one variable you may be overlooking between your pair and the one that was at the meet is burn-in, and pads wear-in. My HD600's are almost 5 years old, and over that time not only have the drivers had a few thousand hours of burn in, the pads have softened and contoured to the shape of my head. Many head-fi'ers at meets have commented that my HD600's seemed to sound better and be more comfortable than theirs for some reason, and I attribute it to how long they've been worn.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by downsize /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just wondered how many others may have had a similiar experience to me regarding Senn's phones and recabling them.

Me, e.g. – I've experimented with several DIY cables (different ultra-thin magnet-wire gauges and types: copper, silver, mixed, SPC) with good results, but ended up with liking Zu Mobius and Silver Dragon even better.
.

 

[clarinetman]

No headphone NEEDS recabling. Recable is purely psychological, IMO.

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarinetman /img/forum/go_quote.gif No headphone NEEDS recabling. Recable is purely psychological, IMO.

This discussion is teetering dangerously close to falling into a cable DBT flamewar.

 

[atothex]

Recabling is silly at this price point when the price difference gets you to a higher tier of phones.

Also, I would expect the Hifiman to sound better than an iPod + Rudistor.

 

[tamahome77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawat /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just dont recable them with cardas I have those cable and the difference is quite small is there is any.

On the contrary, when I switched from stock to blue cardas on a pair of HD600 I used to own, it made a huge positive difference. Really opened up the sound.