Hey don't know if this is the right thread to ask this but are cables more or less meaningless when it comes down to sound quality? Hear a lot of people say that cables worth $$$ are a scam and a few others say that cables sometimes may improve sound quality but are more or less just for aesthetics and build quality.
1 - sound isn't everything. If the cable that came with your IEMs, turns into a tangled mess if you so much as look at it, then you have a good reason to upgrade. It may even make it difficult to keep the IEMs in place to get a good seal. Cables can be downright uncomfortable, especially if you wear glasses. You may not like the appearance, and want something else for aesthetic reasons. All valid reasons to get another cable.
2 - What effect they have on sound is less significant than a whole heap of other things. What IEM you bought in the first place? What eartips you are using and whether you get a good seal? How good is the music recording you are listening to (bad recordings are bad recordings)? Is it an MP3 or a lossless file? I'm sure someone will try to sell us DSD1024 soon enough. What are you playing your music through? A phone or a dedicated audio player? How quiet is your listening environment?
3 - Yes the cable can make a difference, but since most of us don't buy multiples of the same IEM, it's hard to do an A-B comparison. Cable changes aren't that fast.
4 - People have strong opinions on cable effects. At one end are people who don't care, as long as it connects a circuit, and you can hear something. If you go to the other extreme, people will claim that their cables costing multiple hundreds of dollars, add some esoteric effect to the sound. The truth is somewhere in the middle.
5 - Cables are what will probably fail first. So having a spare cable or two isn't a silly idea. Buy something upmarket at the next sale and see if it improves the sound. You probably want to test the cables when you get them, rather than throw them in a drawer, and only find out they're faulty, after the warrantee expires. Don't buy a $70 cable for a $30 IEM, you'll get better mileage out of buying a $70 IEM (or save towards a $100 IEM). Better IEMs (usually) come with better cables, so may not need an upgrade!
TRN are worth looking at, they are very well priced. XINHS and ivipQ offer good quality for a fair price and include nice carrying cases with their cables. Tripowin and NiceHCK do good cables too, but getting a bit more expensive. TRI are good and KBEAR should be, since they are the same manufacturer.
Don't over obsess over your audio gear, take time out to enjoy what you're listening to!
