[RikudouGoku]

@Dsnuts I do agree that EA cables are very good and stuff under it can't compete. But I do believe they are over priced, probably due to supply and demand. More people buying cables than there are people making them, especially cables of quality like EA.

 

[adgun]

@RikudouGoku : i think its not overpriced, its fair, in my opinion
but our opinion maybe differ

i mean, if you bought the material yourself and build it yourself it'll could be pricier and the result might not be as good as the prebuild.

 

[ShinAyasaki]

@RikudouGoku : i think its not overpriced, its fair, in my opinion
but our opinion maybe differ

i mean, if you bought the material yourself and build it yourself it'll could be pricier and the result might not be as good as the prebuild.

material usually cost less, but heck, soldering mmcx connectors is such pain in the ass.

 

[Dsnuts]

@Dsnuts Have you ever compared 4 core vs 8 core of the same cable? Particularly single-ended? I'm thinking of picking up the 175 for my M7 but I'm not sure what added benefits there will be!

Good question. I only went for the 8 core EA cables and not the 4 core variety but. One thing I am starting to understand though is thickness of the cables matters. I have a few 4 core cables that are actually thicker than some of my 8 core cables. Thicker cables seems to give a more expansive fuller sound. This is just observation on my part but for example I have the ISN S8 cable that came with my ISN H40 hybrid earphones. The phones was tuned with the S8 and if you attach the 16 core version to it the S-16. The sound expands and is thicker fuller sounding like the thickness of the cables indicate. Now will a 4 core 175 sound like a 8 core? Cant say. I bet it will be like 95% identical but them added 4 cores should in theory add a bit more of what the cables do well. I remember Hakuzen mentioning and recommending 8 cores I forget what he said about that. But there seems to be a real reason why thicker cores/ more cores adds a bit sonically. I do own some higher end cables that are thinner 4 core cables that sound great. Penon Fiery and Neo cables. Both of which are excellent cables.. I could be full of poo but hey that is my observation at least. Lol.

The AG8 cables. Thickest pure silver cables I have ever used. These are just as thick as the S-16 H-16 ISN cables and these don't have that thinner Ag sound like a lot of pure silver cables that can throw out great detail and imaging but ends up leaning out the sound. The AG8 cables don't skimp out on the bass end either. I do notice sub bass especially actually gets better textured due to the AG8 which was a surprise to me.

 

[Dsnuts]

As per the 175 for the M7. Hmm. Based on my own testing with all BA earphones. More expansive wider stage. Cleaner instrument separation. Better textured sound. Blacker space. Which is what it does for my Andromeda S.

Makes your higher end earphones sound more higher end actually is the best way to describe it.

 

[adgun]

material usually cost less, but heck, soldering mmcx connectors is such pain in the ass.

example with cable 175 4 core
wire > 46.25 + 26.25 (@2.5m) / 55.55 + 31.5 (@3m)
plugs 2pins + slider > 8.30 + 5.90
jack rho 3.5mm > 13.20

the material itself to build cable 175 4 core from scratch
100$ - 114.45$ and if we just bought it, it cost 119$

but it different if you bought the boutique cable.

 

[ShinAyasaki]

example with cable 175 4 core
wire > 46.25 + 26.25 (@2.5m) / 55.55 + 31.5 (@3m)
plugs 2pins + slider > 8.30 + 5.90
jack rho 3.5mm > 13.20

the material itself to build cable 175 4 core from scratch
100$ - 114.45$ and if we just bought it, it cost 119$

but it different if you bought the boutique cable.

I was comparing with the brand name obviously. Indeed buying prebuilt cable from chinese vendor is much more convenient, because they sourced their materials in bulk, so they don't cost that much more. Building by yourself also require tools and solder. Sometimes I do enjoy making cable myself so I can control the whole process, but getting so much busy lately, prebuilt is the better option.

 

[RikudouGoku]

I believe that @hakuzen said that more cores equal lower resistance ( 175 as example) and that it was more important to use 8 Core instead of 4 core if you do not go balanced. Might remember it wrong though.

 

[audio123]

After how the ISN AG8 pairs so well with my TOTL IEMs, I decided to pair it with the H40 and I am really impressed. The AG8 injects more body to the overall sound, there is better bass rumble, more bodied midrange & smoother treble. There is improved soundstage for both width and depth.

 

[Dsnuts]

So first thing I did this morning was open my newly acquired AG8.
I remember a headfi buddy of mine who is a cable maker. Loves using silver. In fact that is how I met this guy. I ended up buying a pure silver headphone cable on the sale forum from a guy that claimed he made his own cable. It was and still is stunning looking. Guy is an engineer by trade and let me put it this way. This guy never leaves his cans alone. He rewires everything internally with silver solder and silver wires and in balanced even if there is a single termination. No question the guy knows his stuff. Guy can put boutique cable makers to shame. In any case. If I have any cable issues he is the guy I go to.

I remember him telling me when I got his silver cable This gorgeous thing right here. He said something to me that was a bit odd. Told me to run it through music for at least 200 hours. Lol. Ok OK. I am a cable believer as you all know but cable burn in? Common really?

Well I can confirm this guy knows what he is talking about. Until now I have never been able to confirm silver cable burn in. First thing I did this morning is open up my new AG8. Threw on my mmcx adaptor. Listened to one of my familiar vocal tracks Vittorio Grigolo -Magia de amor using my FDX1 with my well burned in AG8. Then I switched to the new AG8.

At first I didn't hear the difference. It was when I changed back to the burned in AG8.. Well call me a new believer of cable burn in. It is subtle but I clearly heard a wider more expansive stage with greater depth and slightly better texture of sound as well. It wasn't night and day different but when I switched back and replayed the track it was definitely audible. Sonically the definition of the track is the same but the stage is where the burn in seems to expand the sound.

I think just using your silver cables seems to just automatically does the trick over a period of time but. Gawsh if I didnt just do an A/B with a new AG8 vs a burned in used AG8. I was a bit skeptical myself.

 

[audio123]

So first thing I did this morning was open my newly acquired AG8.
I remember a headfi buddy of mine who is a cable maker. Loves using silver. In fact that is how I met this guy. I ended up buying a pure silver headphone cable on the sale forum from a guy that claimed he made his own cable. It was and still is stunning looking. Guy is an engineer by trade and let me put it this way. This guy never leaves his cans alone. He rewires everything internally with silver solder and silver wires and in balanced even if there is a single termination. No question the guy knows his stuff. Guy can put boutique cable makers to shame. In any case. If I have any cable issues he is the guy I go to.

I remember him telling me when I got his silver cable This gorgeous thing right here. He said something to me that was a bit odd. Told me to run it through music for at least 200 hours. Lol. Ok OK. I am a cable believer as you all know but cable burn in? Common really?

Well I can confirm this guy knows what he is talking about. Until now I have never been able to confirm silver cable burn in. First thing I did this morning is open up my new AG8. Threw on my mmcx adaptor. Listened to one of my familiar vocal tracks Vittorio Grigolo -Magia de amor. This is one of the absolute best test tracks for male vocals and I first listened to the well burned in AG8. Then I switched to the new AG8.

At first I didn't hear the difference. It was when I changed back to the burned in AG8.. Well call me a new believer of cable burn in. It is subtle but I clearly heard a wider more expansive stage with greater depth. It wasn't night and day different but when I switched back and replayed the track it was definitely audible. Sonically the definition of the track is the same but the stage is where the burn in seems to expand the sound.

I think just using your silver cables seems to just automatically does the trick over a period of time but. Gawsh if I didnt just did an A/B with a new AG8 I was a bit skeptical myself.

The ISN AG8 is an amazing cable. Love it with my Campfire Andromedas.

 

[adgun]

well, cable burn-in is does work
it happen before in home audio scene

new cable , just made vs burn in at least 24hrs or 100hrs or more, it does sound different
same with headphone/speaker burn in.

 

[Krassi]

@Dsnuts i am afraid i have to buy this cable.. then my pokemon cable collection is complete.. actually that screams at me to throw money at it..damned i am so lost in this

i really had the no or minor differences between 175 and the super thick new one... but still the silver 174 is .. different.. (EDIT: no its not it was the redwine)
So crap its on my "useless waste of money for non hifi people that actually suck sight, list"

yeahh silver and copper are different on a elemental level.. fact... true... since i dondt like to much bass the tighter bass of silver is real... i compared tapes with 174 with tri i3 with super coppersilver and yeah... welll tri still in burnin pink noise waterboarding but i guess i am a pure silver fan... in the end... buuut its nice that you can have influence on the sound signature with "a cable" ... thats fact if you got some to compare...

 

[progdvd]

I started this hobby as a total cable non believer but as I got some mileage I just had to switch camp. After a dozen budget and low mid tier iems I wanted best that I could find within $500-$700 range so according to my sound preference S8F was logical choice. Still I wanted more, so I kept reading this thread and with the help of @Dsnuts, some owners and mostly @hakuzen who was very kind, and more than happy to explain some things and give me few pointers, EA175 had to be ordered. I must add which was unimaginable before to spend almost $200 on a cable. And what a cable that is. Simply pictures don't do its justice, and sonicly at first I didn't notice much difference but after many hours and after I accustomed to 175 and switched back to previous cable and I got served the truth. I can testify yes there are changes everything tighten up low region seem to have more body and control and highs better clarity and detail but just. And one have to be really into getting that few % of improvement to justify the price. I cannot comment on soundstage and imaging since I don't watch movies or play games with phones. But what I can testify 175s great resistance. S8F paired with powerful source produce quite a lot of white noise between tracks, 175 cleans that up, not all of it but at least enough for semi enjoyable listen, thats just me I need pitch black background, any noise bothers me a lot because I'm listening lots of quiet ambiental, relaxing music.
But now here I am listening to very complex, fast and demanding Progressive Metal completely in a state of euphoria
Symphony X, Haken, Jason Richardson, Vitalism, Dream Theater, Protest the Hero, Opeth...
Insane performance

 

[Dsnuts]

I started this hobby as a total cable non believer but as I got some mileage I just had to switch camp. After a dozen budget and low mid tier iems I wanted best that I could find within $500-$700 range so according to my sound preference S8F was logical choice. Still I wanted more, so I kept reading this thread and with the help of @Dsnuts, some owners and mostly @hakuzen who was very kind, and more than happy to explain some things and give me few pointers, EA175 had to be ordered. I must add which was unimaginable before to spend almost $200 on a cable. And what a cable that is. Simply pictures don't do its justice, and sonicly at first I didn't notice much difference but after many hours and after I accustomed to 175 and switched back to previous cable and I got served the truth. I can testify yes there are changes everything tighten up low region seem to have more body and control and highs better clarity and detail but just. And one have to be really into getting that few % of improvement to justify the price. I cannot comment on soundstage and imaging since I don't watch movies or play games with phones. But what I can testify 175s great resistance. S8F paired with powerful source produce quite a lot of white noise between tracks, 175 cleans that up, not all of it but at least enough for semi enjoyable listen, thats just me I need pitch black background, any noise bothers me a lot because I'm listening lots of quiet ambiental, relaxing music.
But now here I am listening to very complex, fast and demanding Progressive Metal completely in a state of euphoria
Symphony X, Haken, Jason Richardson, Vitalism, Dream Theater, Protest the Hero, Opeth...
Insane performance

Amen brother. This is what it is all about.