So my long over due cables and how they have an effect on the H40 post. If you have never been a believer of cables and what they do the H40 will make you a believer. These scale to cables more than just about any other in ears I own. You can change a lot about how the H40 sounds with a cable tweak I like to call it. These cables were all used in single ended and not balanced so to keep parameters the same using Azla Senda fit tips.
First there is the cable that comes with the ISN D10. The ISN S4.
The S4 is a direct upgrade on the S8 that comes with your ISN H40. You can hear the expansion of the stage for one, gives a greater width and separation of sonics. Slight increase in detail, I also noticed the mids to come more forward in the mix. If the stage of the H40 is represented by a circle due to the full bodied nature of the sonics the S4 makes them more sideways oval. RP $58.90
Higher up in the scale of things is the new ISN SC4. I did a review on this cable you can read about
here.
ISN SC4 is a crazy good iem cable that is a great all rounder due to it using both silver and crystal copper in the inlay of each cores. You get a very refined balanced cable in terms of sonics and what it does for the H40 is substantial. Better imaging, better precision, cleaner treble notes. More in the way of texture with that wider sense of stage. These make your H40 sound like you just spent $500 plus on a premium in ear. The H40 now rivals my IT04 easily using this cable. RP $109
ISN AG8. These are unique pure silver cable but it also happens to be the thickest 8 core pure silver cables on the planet. It has to be. All that silver makes what silver cables do but gives an expansive stage. You can read my review of them
here.
For guys that love them some treble extension and the widest stage possible using a cable the AG8 provides this in spades. This cable does lean out the overall sonics a touch which now skews the balance to be a bit more treble forward. A bit more analytical take on the H40. This cable brings the details. Sound separation is substantial with this cable. RP of $199. I know the cable cost as much as the earphones but this is where if your a stage whore. Hey you pay to play.
Penon Orbit.
This is my newest cable I just got with the package of the D10 recently. So new I am giving an assessment of their sonic ability on the fly. First time I have heard it on the H40. So these are similar type cable as the S4 S8 but much thicker 4 cores. The thicker cores mean these will thicken the sonics on the H40. These not only throws out more detail on the sonics but that full body sound of the H40 now has better density. Bass has full impact. Treble has better extension vs the S4. Stage is similar to how the SC4 throws out stage. This cable I will be getting into a bit more but for now these also make your H40 sound substantial. Love vocals using this cable. RP $140-$150.
Lets not forget copper cables
New to the market ISN CU4. RP$149.
Absolutely superb pure 4 thick cores of Crystal copper. Copper cables are for guys that love them some smoothness, fullness, mid forwardness, bass presence with some natural treble. The CU4 adds to that spacious sound of the H40 with a warm layer of copper. timbre is mellower vs the silver and SPC cables I mentioned earlier. Gives a complete different sonic profile to the H40. Guys that are treble sensitive should look into these cables. Don't mistake this with treble dullness. These don't dull the treble. They don't highlight the treble end like the silver cables do. Treble retains its extension and detail but now has some bit of smoothness to it. Bass has some added texture and extension using this cable. Bass guys would love this cable. This is the cable I have discovered matches perfectly with my Zeus. I like this cable so much for neutral IEMS like my Zeus I bought a 2 pin version for it. If some added warmth, fullness of sonics, added density to the sonics and bass lushness is your jam. These are what to get. Natural sounds even more natural using this. Takes a bit of that edge off of BA timbre and digitalness if you know what I mean. Love love this cable.
Can't forget the more affordable ISN C4. At $58.90.
This is the copper equivalent to the ISN S4 cable that comes with the D10.
This is like the ISN CU4 but to a lesser degree. Lesser in the sense of stage and depth but still retains that copper smoothness and that bass rumble and impact. It is a good option for guys that like a bit more warmth to the H40. It is your standard 4 cores of copper but lacks that stage expansion of the higher end copper and silver cables I mentioned earlier.
Penon Fiery. At $129-$139.
These use crystal copper like the CU4 but thinner in core count. These gives better detail, better sound separation, better sense of stage vs the C4. Stage is not as expansive as silver cables or does it have the same depth as the CU4. These will give out that smooth copper tonality. It is a middle ground between the CU4 and the C4 copper cables. If you don't want the already full bodied H40 to have even more fullness these are the cables to go with vs the CU4 full sound expansion. These uses the exact same type of material that is on the ISN CU4 but thinner. So sonics don't have that fullness quality to it like the CU4. Otherwise they have similar sonic characteristics. Your into your vocal texture. A good copper cable is the way to go.
Lastly. My favorite cable above all these. The Penon Leo Plus. RP $300. I just wrote a review on these by the way
here
These cables are extreme. I mean that in the best way possible. Why do these cost so much you ask? It is due to the material they are using. 8 strands gold-silver-palladium alloy wire. First time I have ever heard anything with Palladium or a bit of gold for that matter. You can read how I was gushing over this cable on that read. Ya and this one breaks my rule of never using a cable that cost as much as the phones. I suppose the AG8 would fit in that category. Really the best value out of all these I feel are the ISN SC4. But this Leo Plus.
Places the H40 into yet another leap in sonic quality due to this cable I mentioned that once you hear how good it gets with this cable you can't unhear it. The widest stage rivaling the AG8 but does one better in that these retain that full bass end now with the best texture possible for the sonics across the board. H40 sounds nothing like what your hearing when you get your H40 using this cable. It sounds like a complete different earphone altogether. Better blacker background. Increase in imagery and detail. Full luscious sound from top to bottom with the widest deepest stage and detail possible using a cable. I was skeptical I was gonna hear an improvement even over the ISN SC4 but my goodness does the sonics improve. It is just dumbfounding how good the H40 sounds with this cable.
Do I recommend this cable? No. Your actually better off getting a brand spanking new ISN D10 and a ISN SC4 and still save $25 or so. Lol. But for guys that have $300 you want to get a premium and I mean that premium cable for the best version of the H40 possible. Why not.
