[HiFi47]

The Trios are very sensitive on cable swapping. So much that I can say with certainty, that different cables can have an essential impact of the sound quality.
So far the stock cable did an excellent job, only the mmcx connection gives me headache..

Now I would like to know if someone can recommend a cable with a more sturdy mmcx connection without any loss or even improvement of the sound quality?

 

[Griffith]

The Trios are very sensitive on cable swapping. So much that I can say with certainty, that different cables can have an essential impact of the sound quality.
So far the stock cable did an excellent job, only the mmcx connection gives me headache..

Now I would like to know if someone can recommend a cable with a more sturdy mmcx connection without any loss or even improvement of the sound quality?

Cables do not improve sound quality. If you notice any difference between one cable to another with the same set of earphones it is a difference in impedance, a difference in volume. Nothing else.

What it seems like you are experiencing is a connector issue. MMCX connector is finicky and prone to issues if you repeatedly remove and reinsert the cables. The connector is fragile and prone to issues if it is inserted and removed too many times.

If you have basic soldering skills you might be able to solve your issue by replacing the MMCX connector on the cable, assuming that the Trio's connector hasn't been damaged. If the Trio's connector has been damaged you might have to replace it and re-shell the unit.

Either way, my recommendation is that if you have an MMCX that does not give you issues, I would keep that one plugged to the IEM rather than repeatedly plugging and unplugging it from the IEM.

 

[HiFi47]

Thanks for your reply. May I ask, do you own a pair of trios? And did you try to change the cable? Next to the stock cable I tried a oyaide cable and a cheap bgvp cable with good working mmcx connectors, and the difference is not in the volume rather in the clarity and the amount of details received. For my ears it's audible. I'm curious what other trio owners have to say..

 

[Griffith]

Thanks for your reply. May I ask, do you own a pair of trios? And did you try to change the cable? Next to the stock cable I tried a oyaide cable and a cheap bgvp cable with good working mmcx connectors, and the difference is not in the volume rather in the clarity and the amount of details received. For my ears it's audible. I'm curious what other trio owners have to say..

Like I said, that is a connector issue. One of your cables has a connector that is working properly and the other is not.

 

[HiFi47]

Like I said, that is a connector issue. One of your cables has a connector that is working properly and the other is not.

This has nothing to do with the connectors. I could hear the difference before one the connectors got loose, and the stock cable is way better than the other cables I mentioned.
You didn't answer my question; do you own a pair trios? And did you try to change the cable?
Before I got the Trio I would have agreed with you that a cable doesn't change the sound. But this iem is so highly sensitive imo, like a audio stethoscope. Perfect to analyze audio gear and recording quality.

 

[Griffith]

You are misinformed and seemingly beyond convincing, so I will leave the conversation at this.

 

[HiFi47]

You are misinformed and seemingly beyond convincing, so I will leave the conversation at this.

You still didn't answer my question. But anyway, not much of a conversation possible here. I agree with you that mmcx connectors are prone to issues.

 

[Griffith]

You still didn't answer my question. But anyway, not much of a conversation possible here. I agree with you that mmcx connectors are prone to issues.

I did answer your question, but I didn't say what you wanted to read.

You asked if I had the Trio and if I had tried replacing the cable on them and the answer to those questions is irrelevant because the answer I previously gave you is universally true, whether it's the Kumitate Trio, a KZ or other chifi IEM with removable cable or a Moondrop Blessing IEM.

Cables only impact, at most, the impedance (ie: the volume or, in some cases, how forward sounding high and low frequencies are) of the sound reaching your ears. Provided the MMCX connectors are not broken, you will get the same sound quality from a $20 cable as you will from a $1000 one.

The issues you are describing, and this is the last time I will say this, are a result of the connector of one of your cables connectors' either being overused or damaged in some way. You can not get more detail out of any headphone by changing a cable.

If you want people to give you honest answers you need to be comfortable in accepting answers you might not want to hear, but if you want someone to recommend you purchase a cable that costs as much as a cheap second-hand car to solve an issue that you've mischaracterized, then you should have said so from the start.

There are many reasons to spend more money on a better cable: better build quality, customization, comfort, less microphonics, etc. Audio quality is not one of them.

If you believe otherwise, more power to you, I am not trying to stop you from enjoying your audio products in whichever way you prefer but I am not in the business of selling snake oil to others.

I hope you manage to solve your issue, and I hope you'll consider my sincere advice before making a needless expensive purchase.

 

[glassmonkey]

I did answer your question, but I didn't say what you wanted to read.

You asked if I had the Trio and if I had tried replacing the cable on them and the answer to those questions is irrelevant because the answer I previously gave you is universally true, whether it's the Kumitate Trio, a KZ or other chifi IEM with removable cable or a Moondrop Blessing IEM.

Cables only impact, at most, the impedance (ie: the volume or, in some cases, how forward sounding high and low frequencies are) of the sound reaching your ears. Provided the MMCX connectors are not broken, you will get the same sound quality from a $20 cable as you will from a $1000 one.

The issues you are describing, and this is the last time I will say this, are a result of the connector of one of your cables connectors' either being overused or damaged in some way. You can not get more detail out of any headphone by changing a cable.

If you want people to give you honest answers you need to be comfortable in accepting answers you might not want to hear, but if you want someone to recommend you purchase a cable that costs as much as a cheap second-hand car to solve an issue that you've mischaracterized, then you should have said so from the start.

There are many reasons to spend more money on a better cable: better build quality, customization, comfort, less microphonics, etc. Audio quality is not one of them.

If you believe otherwise, more power to you, I am not trying to stop you from enjoying your audio products in whichever way you prefer but I am not in the business of selling snake oil to others.

I hope you manage to solve your issue, and I hope you'll consider my sincere advice before making a needless expensive purchase.

On paper, mathematically, cables shouldn't make a difference on sound quality. A good sized copper cable should sound as good as a the same sized silver cable. Silver plating shouldn't affect sound or data transmission under basic electrical engineering. At short distances, we shouldn't observe any difference between lamp cable and litz cable.

However, cables do make a difference, and sound character (not necessarily quality) is affected by cable material. I recommend everyone to just buy a well-made, inexpensive, appropriately sized, copper cable; but silver can certainly sound different at the same guage and geometry.

If you won't try a couple cables--don't break the bank, go to a show, buy entry level stuff, try a friend's gear--to try to test this with whatever revealing IEM or headphone you have (not all iems/headphones are sensitive to cable changes--it can be due to low points in impedance curves), then your science is lacking. The difference might be impedance (especially low impedance dynamic drivers), but there are other reasonable explanations. Observation is the bedrock of science. Save your entreaties and go make some observations.

 

[o0genesis0o]

This has nothing to do with the connectors. I could hear the difference before one the connectors got loose, and the stock cable is way better than the other cables I mentioned.
You didn't answer my question; do you own a pair trios? And did you try to change the cable?
Before I got the Trio I would have agreed with you that a cable doesn't change the sound. But this iem is so highly sensitive imo, like a audio stethoscope. Perfect to analyze audio gear and recording quality.

Why do you even waste time to argue with folks who think they have the right answer for everything.

Maybe try something from NiceHck? I grabbed an MMCX cable from them for my Andromeda. Fingercrossed that the impedance would match the annoying swing of the Andromeda.

Another good source of affordable MMCX cable is FiiO. I am quite happy with their interchangeable plug cable. I think I got mine for Aud $100. There is a gimmicky version with magnet plugs for even less.

 

[HiFi47]

I didn't want to enter the general rabbit hole discussion if upgrade cables are snake oil or not. I asked here in this specific thread, hoping to get shared experiences that trio owners have with changing their cables. I'm open for discussions and I think this makes this hobby interesting, as long as we keep a respectful dialogue. In this case it's about observations (as Glassmonkey mentioned) that people have about this specific iem. I can take critics and it's ok. So let's keep it cool.
Regarding my personal observation, the now "faulty" stock cable sounded the best compared to my other two cables that where new at the time I tested them.


Here an interesting video about occ and ofc cables and their physical properties.



Many thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and believes

 

[glassmonkey]

I didn't want to enter the general rabbit hole discussion if upgrade cables are snake oil or not. I asked here in this specific thread, hoping to get shared experiences that trio owners have with changing their cables. I'm open for discussions and I think this makes this hobby interesting, as long as we keep a respectful dialogue. In this case it's about observations (as Glassmonkey mentioned) that people have about this specific iem. I can take critics and it's ok. So let's keep it cool.
Regarding my personal observation, the now "faulty" stock cable sounded the best compared to my other two cables that where new at the time I tested them.


Here an interesting video about occ and ofc cables and their physical properties.



Many thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and believes

You'll find that there are very few Kumitate Lab owners outside Japan. Especially since Ito-san has focused exclusively on Japan for several years. He was so in demand in Japan that he couldn't consider adding international orders. He's such an artisan, just consider yourself lucky to have one of his pieces.

I still want a KL-Ref. It lives as mythology in my mind.

 

[HiFi47]

You'll find that there are very few Kumitate Lab owners outside Japan. Especially since Ito-san has focused exclusively on Japan for several years. He was so in demand in Japan that he couldn't consider adding international orders. He's such an artisan, just consider yourself lucky to have one of his pieces.

I still want a KL-Ref. It lives as mythology in my mind.

You should try to contact Ito-san. As I recall from this thread he is doing some exceptions. Probably you get on a waiting list. I think it gives more value to his work, that you have to wait, but you get rewarded with a timeless master piece.
Did you had a chance to audit the KL-Ref? I'm very curious how it sounds, also compared to the trio or the new "overpriced" flagships that are in the market now.

In case you want a mint second hand 1st gen Trio, I saw a shop here in Asia (where I'm living) that is selling a pair for around 850 USD. I could try to help you getting it..

Here a picture of that set:

 

[glassmonkey]

You should try to contact Ito-san. As I recall from this thread he is doing some exceptions. Probably you get on a waiting list. I think it gives more value to his work, that you have to wait, but you get rewarded with a timeless master piece.
Did you had a chance to audit the KL-Ref? I'm very curious how it sounds, also compared to the trio or the new "overpriced" flagships that are in the market now.

In case you want a mint second hand 1st gen Trio, I saw a shop here in Asia (where I'm living) that is selling a pair for around 850 USD. I could try to help you getting it..

Here a picture of that set:

That's very kind of you. I have a direct line to Ito-san from reviewing the Sirius. I'm not looking to buy anything at the moment as I'm basically retired from the hobby. Two young kids and a full time job makes it hard to afford the time and expenditure for audio gear, especially when you've got over $20,000 in gear already from reviewing.

 

[HiFi47]

Maybe Ito-san will make you a nice Christmas present