Is an aftermarket cord really needed for the HD650?

[musicman59]

I just ordered a Sennheiser HD650 headphones. I am planning for now just plug them to my SonicFrontiers Line 2 tube pre-amp. I do not listen to music with headphones that often but when I do I want to have a good sound. I have read some about the aftermarket cords for the HD650 and found 5 so far (Cardas, Zu Cable, AudioArt and Clou Red) ranging from $119.00 to $260.00 for a 10 foot long.

Do they really make a diference? Which one is the best price/performance? Since I don't spend a lot of time listening to headphones, does it worth the extra money?

I will apreciate any help or advise.

 

[Canman]

It's not a necessity. The 650's sound fantastic without the upgrade cable. However the upgraded cable does increase detail so it is worth the money if you can spare the cash and you are looking for an improvement.

My cable of choice so far with the 650 is the Silver Dragon. During a short direct comparison, I liked it better than the Zu Mobius. The bass has a tendency to get out of control with the Zu on tube amps. The Silver Dragon has a leaner sound overall than the Zu, but I find it more accurate and natural. I haven't had a chance to directly compare the Cardas and the Silver Dragon, but I have a feeling that the SD will be hard to beat. The SD costs $200 for a 10 ft run.

 

[Gummy]

Different cables give different sound signatures.
Some can be warmer than the others.

And is it worth it? Most people will say yes.
But, again, it depends on your ear.

Maybe some one on head-fi will loan you a pair to hear if there is a differnce and you can make your upgrade decision on that.

 

[newguy]

I bought the Zu Mobius for my HD650s. I was skeptical in buying them. I only bought them because Zu has a 60 day money back guarantee. I heard the difference right away and immediately knew I would not retirn them. The HD650s do sound nice as they come but better with a better cable.'

If the expense isn't an issue for you I suggest you try a better cable. The only one I tried was the Zu so I can't compare. I'm happy with what I have.

 

[WmAx]

Quote:

Do they really make a diference? Which one is the best price/performance? Since I don't spend a lot of time listening to headphones, does it worth the extra money?

They make a difference for many people, apparently.

The question to consider is are you content with a percieved difference or an actual difference(actual modificatin of the signal within auidlble thresholds)?

If you are happy with percieved differences, then try an aftermarket cable, you may percieve a difference. If you are looking for an actual difference, then I would suggest you look and/or ask for a controlled test(ABX, DBT for example) demonstrating differences whilst removing external factors that can subconsciously effect your judgement/perception. Alternatively, you could also request verified measured differences of a parameter, then request a reference a credible psychoacoustic/neuroscience article/paper that demonstrates the difference is within known JND(just noticable difference) of human subjects, using controlled audibilty tests.

-Chris

 

[gsferrari]

The cables do make a difference but they are not necessary. Spend time with the original cables and see if you find anything lacking. Later when you have the moolah ($$$) do some research and find the cable that will fit your needs.

 

[ipodstudio]

I have the Cardas cable on mine and I have to admit to not yet even testing the stock cable, though to be fair I only have around 400 odd hours on this cable so far.
I'll swap cables one of the days on a whim and see what the difference is.

 

[JaZZ]

An aftermarket cable is not necessary, but it will make the HD 650 sound even better. I have the Zu Mobius and the Oehlbach. Both sound better than the stock cable. The Mobius is very expensive, but it offers the most natural sound and the highest accuracy, just a bit on the dry side. The Oehlbach on the other hand may be the best deal of all Sennheiser replacement cables. Liquid-smooth and spacious sounding, it is more forgiving than the Zu and quite an improvement over the stock cable for (relatively) little money. If you don't know the Mobius, you won't miss anything with it.

 

[xaipemw]

I have a pair of HD650's. For a long time I was not 100% satisfied with the sound coming out of them, so I decided to go for the Zu Mobius. It was around that same time that I decided to upgrade my source from a crappy old Sony CDP from the early 90's to an Arcam CD73. After I did that, I realized that not only did I not like the Zu Mobius at all, but that I was more than happy with the newly "discovered" Senn house sound. It turns out that my CDP was the crappy link in the chain, and that getting the Arcam really did transform my 650's. As for the Zu Mobius, it certainly gave the cans more treble.. but at least for me, it did so at the expense of the sonics in general of the headphones. Things seemed more natural-sounding to me with the stock cable, even if the treble is *still* slighty "veiled" sometimes. I do love these headphones, and the combination of source, amp, and headphones that I have really works for me. It's a joy everytime I listen to music with my setup--and after all, isn't that what it's all about?

 

[ipodstudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xaipemw I have a pair of HD650's. For a long time I was not 100% satisfied with the sound coming out of them, so I decided to go for the Zu Mobius. It was around that same time that I decided to upgrade my source from a crappy old Sony CDP from the early 90's to an Arcam CD73. After I did that, I realized that not only did I not like the Zu Mobius at all, but that I was more than happy with the newly "discovered" Senn house sound. It turns out that my CDP was the crappy link in the chain, and that getting the Arcam really did transform my 650's. As for the Zu Mobius, it certainly gave the cans more treble.. but at least for me, it did so at the expense of the sonics in general of the headphones. Things seemed more natural-sounding to me with the stock cable, even if the treble is *still* slighty "veiled" sometimes. I do love these headphones, and the combination of source, amp, and headphones that I have really works for me. It's a joy everytime I listen to music with my setup--and after all, isn't that what it's all about?

Hey xaipemw, they say the Cardas is one of the most natural sounding of the aftermarket cables; perhaps it's time you got one of those..?

 

[musicman59]

Thanks to everybody for your responses. The configuration where I am going to use the HD650 is: Wadia 20 CD transport connected to a Wadia 27 DAC via glass AT&T cable. The Wadia 27 is connected to my SonicFroniters Line 2 tube Pre-Amp using a pair of MIT MI-330 balanced (XLR) cables. I will eventually connect my Ipod to the Line 2.

My initial inclination was for either the ZU Mobius or the Silver Dragon and most of you are confirming that. Anybody knows the website for the Oehlbach?

Thanks.

 

[ipodstudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman59 My initial inclination was for either the ZU Mobius or the Silver Dragon and most of you are confirming that. Anybody knows the website for the Oehlbach? Thanks.

Right here...

EDIT: At least they sell them there...

 

[ipodstudio]

I think this is the website...

 

[markl]

musicman59, with a system like that, you should definitely hear a difference. If you already love the HD650 sound, it should be a worthwhile upgrade for you. If you are not happy with the HD650, no cable upgrade is going to transform them into a totally new headphone for you. The gains to be had are much more modest than that.

 

[kaitsuburi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari The cables do make a difference but they are not necessary. Spend time with the original cables and see if you find anything lacking. Later when you have the moolah ($$$) do some research and find the cable that will fit your needs.

Ah! There is the catch! You must stay away from these forums in the meantime, otherwise you'll get the urge to upgrade the cables in no time

-kaitsuburi