[Benno1988]

What's the go-to reliable budget cable maker on AliExpress? Too many to sift through.

 

[Slater]

What's the go-to reliable budget cable maker on AliExpress? Too many to sift through.

The ‘bang for buck budget cable’ thread is the gold standard in budget cables:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low-end-cheap-generic-otherwise-bang-for-buck-cable-thread.891911/

hakuzen maintains a huge database of budget cables (assigned individual numbers to make them easy to refer to). He includes actual, real data on them (vs just trolling with generic and inaccurate blanket statements like some people).

 

[Benno1988]

The ‘bang for buck budget cable’ thread is the gold standard in budget cables:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low-end-cheap-generic-otherwise-bang-for-buck-cable-thread.891911/

hakuzen maintains a huge database of budget cables (assigned individual numbers to make them easy to refer to). He includes actual, real data on them (vs just trolling with generic and inaccurate blanket statements like some people).

Isn't this the thread we're in?

I'm looking for a middle ground. Not $8 or $500. $80-150 kind of area. Be for full sized cans too.

 

[Slater]

In case anyone is interested, I received one of the new TRN 4-core SPC “rope” style cable today.

Its resistance measured 1.40ohms consistently on all pins, which is awfully high IMO.

I can only imagine this high resistance was intentional, because their previous 4-core SPC cable measures a fraction of that.

Other than that, the build quality of the cable is as expected for the price range.

Due to the high resistance, I will be saving the cable for special case scenarios (such as using it to reduce sharp BA treble for example).

 

[Slater]

Isn't this the thread we're in?

I'm looking for a middle ground. Not $8 or $500. $80-150 kind of area. Be for full sized cans too.

Yeah sorry about that. I had lost track of what thread I was in when I typed that

 

[fokta]

In case anyone is interested, I received one of the new TRN 4-core SPC “rope” style cable today.

Its resistance measured 1.40ohms consistently on all pins, which is awfully high IMO.

I can only imagine this high resistance was intentional, because their previous 4-core SPC cable measures a fraction of that.

Other than that, the build quality of the cable is as expected for the price range.

Due to the high resistance, I will be saving the cable for special case scenarios (such as using it to reduce sharp BA treble for example).

looking forward for that...

 

[vinzoo]

I've using T800s for around two months and is looking for a cable recommendation. (Apologies i know this have been asked a lot)

Went through this thread as well as the budget cable thread, came out with these three cables at three different price point.

1) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000009633191.html

2) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32997339497.html

3) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000007909452.html

Anyone who own this cables maybe can drop some insight?

I'm not entirely sure if the most/more expensive cable really that much of a difference so would like the opinions of you guys here.

Appreciate your help

Note: (I'm using my Huawei P20 Pro as source and not looking to get a DAP, but waiting for E1DA 9038D as DAC)

 

[Cevisi]

I've using T800s for around two months and is looking for a cable recommendation. (Apologies i know this have been asked a lot)

Went through this thread as well as the budget cable thread, came out with these three cables at three different price point.

1) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000009633191.html

2) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32997339497.html

3) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000007909452.html

Anyone who own this cables maybe can drop some insight?

I'm not entirely sure if the most/more expensive cable really that much of a difference so would like the opinions of you guys here.

Appreciate your help

Note: (I'm using my Huawei P20 Pro as source and not looking to get a DAP, but waiting for E1DA 9038D as DAC)

Number 2 works for me better then the ea 175 cable for the t800

 

[fokta]

Number 2 works for me better then the ea 175 cable for the t800

Its 165...

 

[progdvd]

EA 175 in da house

 

[Dsnuts]

I found out something this weekend. Kind of an Aha Ha moment. ISN cables probably take the record as being the thickest brawniest looking cables on the market. Having all 3 now in my collection, I didn't realize exactly how these big 16 core cables really fit in the whole scheme of things. That is until now. Initially the first cable I bought was the ISN C-16 pure copper in both 2 pin and mmcx. For the most part I wasn't too keen on how warm and full they made some of my iems sound, for the most part they got the bench. I have only used them on a few iems thus far and I couldn't figure out how they benefited my earphone collection.

Until recently. So I got 2 earphones the DUNU DM480 and the new JVC FDX1. Sound on these 2 have something in common. Both have a neutralish tuning to them meaning the mids has a more neutral or thinner profile to them. I discovered trying out these cables on these that they now have a fuller more musical presentation to them vs the stock cables they came with.

The C-16 has the warmest profile but ends up taming earphones with a bit much in the way of treble the best of any cable I have tried them on. These are about the full low end thicker fuller mid range and smoothing out the treble.

The H-16 is the best of both SPC and the pure copper- works best with good balanced phones that need a fuller sound while retaining the balancing of the stock sound profile. I am using this on my JVC FDX-1

lastly the S-16. SPC S-16. Using this cable on the FDX1 leans a bit more torwards the treble end vs the bass end. Still has that thickness of sounds these cables add but mids seem slightly cooler sounding due to cable enhancing the upper registers more. SPC cables if your phones has a bit too much warmth to balance out that tonality.

S4 cable up top is the thinner higher end SPC from ISN. Definition of the earphone it is attachd to is its stength. I noticed bass definition is very good using this cable and while the fuller sound of the previous cables are no longer applicable this cable is about detail with full bass. It is a good cable and adds a bit of definition to your earphones in all regions.

So the whole purpose of this post. ISN 16 core cables has its place. They work for phones that need some added meat to the sound is the best way to describe it.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

Checking those cables on Ali, are they really single crystal for that price?

 

[Dsnuts]

Seems to be. I would base your purchase of the ISN 16 core cable based on how you want it to synergize with your earphones. As I described above. The H-16 is the best balanced cable tuning out of the 3 cables so if you like the sound balancing of the particular earphone you want to use them on the H-16 is the safe bet. If your phone leans a bit bright go for the C-16. A bit too warm and needs a slight uptick in the treble energy try the S-16. All 3 cables again adds a bit of a fuller sound on the phones they are attached to.

So these arent going to drastically change the sound tuning of your earphones. No cable does, But they certainly can influence a part of the sound that you feel is a weakness to your phones. Which is a good thing.

This being said. Some will not like how these sound on your phones. For example adding one of these to a phone that already has full slightly forward mids. The C-16 sounds terrible on my Andromeda S and Solaris. Terrible. lol. So if your happy with whatever sounding earphones you got and only want a higher resolving sound with the exact same balancing. That is where the higher end cables comes into play. C4 and S4 from ISN or the many that Hakuzen lists on his thread.

The best aspect of these 16 core cables from ISN is that they add that fullness that you can't get from just about any other cable I tried. NiceHCKs C-16 cable is more like a 8 core cable. Thinner cores. Does not have the same effect as the ISN cables. That is where these cables are beneficial.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

Seems to be. I would base your purchase of the ISN 16 core cable based on how you want it to synergize with your earphones. As I described above. The H-16 is the best balanced cable tuning out of the 3 cables so if you like the sound balancing of the particular earphone you want to use them on the H-16 is the safe bet. If your phone leans a bit bright go for the C-16. A bit too warm and needs a slight uptick in the treble energy try the S-16. All 3 cables again adds a bit of a fuller sound on the phones they are attached to.

So these arent going to drastically change the sound tuning of your earphones. No cable does, But they certainly can influence a part of the sound that you feel is a weakness to your phones. Which is a good thing.

Thanks for the explanation ofc, was just wondering on the technical details.

For sound i would lean towards the C16 for the Ikkio OH1 as the base is good but the highs can be a little bright, same goes for the CCA C10. Currently my Bl-03 is on NiceHCK c16/ Kbear/they shall not be named version of the cable. And sounds a tat warm imo. the H-16 might help there.

But first waiting on my CEA RX Series and RS series cables to see what they bring.

 

[Dsnuts]

Adding that fullness to the sound is either beneficial or negative based on the earphones. Anything with a leaner mid range and these can be very beneficial. Neutral phones that need a bit more depth and fullness of sound instead of being ruler flat and thin sounding for example.

Anything that already incorporates a fuller body of sound and forget these ISN cables. Lol.. I would go 8 core or 4 core cable here.