[Barndoor]

Received the NiceHCK CoaxialSir today. Paid about US$55 in the recent sales. Looks pretty, but not very flexible due to the plastic coating on the cable. It has a second layer for ear guides, but I removed that.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004458712294.html

 

[Mr.HiAudio]

Haven't bought any budget cables for a while so I bought this Hakugei Big Rice. First impressions are it's really clear sounding, everything is closer to the ears and has pretty good bass response but not a lot of sub-bass response, treble extension is great. The cable is really well made with nice metal parts. The PVC skin is also really thin so the conducting copper wires look really close to the surface and it's thinner than all of my 22- 24awg cables. I lately realised it's just hard to go wrong with a nice and thick(er) (this is 22awg per core) copper cable, even a cheap one can sound quite decent.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003765546551.html

hmm, my Big Rice was in round box.

Cable so wonderful...

 

[saldsald]

hmm, my Big Rice was in round box.

Cable so wonderful...

Yup, it's good, clarity and bass + mid resolution on par or even better than some of my $200-300 cables. Just a bit forward sounding as compared to them and not a lot of space between notes as a result. But seriously I really like the low distortion and zero coloration and it's really good for studio pop/rock music.

I bought the Healer after hearing the Big Rice as I was told it's 3 times better (and also 3+ times more expensive, lol) and hopefully I can get it this week.

 

[r31ya]

Haven't bought any budget cables for a while so I bought this Hakugei Big Rice. First impressions are it's really clear sounding, everything is closer to the ears and has pretty good bass response but not a lot of sub-bass response, treble extension is great. The cable is really well made with nice metal parts. The PVC skin is also really thin so the conducting copper wires look really close to the surface and it's thinner than all of my 22- 24awg cables. I lately realised it's just hard to go wrong with a nice and thick(er) (this is 22awg per core) copper cable, even a cheap one can sound quite decent.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003765546551.html

I often see discounted Hakugei, still bit pricy for me tough
is it nice?
my go to is still the ol Faaeal Hibiscus

 

[saldsald]

I often see discounted Hakugei, still bit pricy for me tough
is it nice?
my go to is still the ol Faaeal Hibiscus

Yup, it's good, clarity and bass + mid resolution on par or even better than some of my $200-300 cables. Just a bit forward sounding as compared to them and not a lot of space between notes as a result. But seriously I really like the low distortion and zero coloration and it's really good for studio pop/rock music.

I bought the Healer after hearing the Big Rice as I was told it's 3 times better (and also 3+ times more expensive, lol) and hopefully I can get it this week.

Impressions above.

Serisouly the Hibiscus I have two of them and ...hmmmmm, the treble sounds a little harsh to me sometimes, depending on the IEM. I think I should AB the Big Rice and the Hibiscus. I think apart from being more detailed and textured, you probably won't hear too much of an upgrade from the Hibiscus but the Big Rice is definitely better here.

 

[saldsald]

Impressions above.

Serisouly the Hibiscus I have two of them and ...hmmmmm, the treble sounds a little harsh to me sometimes, depending on the IEM. I think I should AB the Big Rice and the Hibiscus. I think apart from being more detailed and textured, you probably won't hear too much of an upgrade from the Hibiscus but the Big Rice is definitely better here.

I would like to add a little comparison between the Hibiscus and the Big Rice. As I said the Big Rice is definitely better here. Better resolution and clarity and much better texture. The Hibiscus is more relaxed with a bigger stage but everything is a little blurry compare to the Rice. The Rice is more energetic and has a more focused sound with very low distortion and dispersion. And due to such properties it's also more 3D sounding (but not exactly holographic, just 2.5D) while the Hibiscus is more 2D. The down side of it is average separation between notes due to the focused sound. So overall the Hibiscus is a little relaxed sounding without much character while the Big Rice is about clarity and texture.

 

[Barndoor]

Another pretty new cable has arrived today!

Came with a luxurious pouch

AU $48.25 39%OFF | Hi Class 8 Core 6N OCC Cable HIFI Earphone Cable DIY Headphone Cable For MMCX Or 2Pin 0.78 cable
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOmoMBI

 

[saldsald]

Received my Hakugei Healer and I am not sure I like it OOTB.

It is for sure the most crazily tightly braided cable I have and I have ever seen. 8 cores 22 awg so it's not a light weight cable but not stiff either.

The cable is very well made but there're no L/R markings on the 2 pin connectors. The box on the other hand is like pretty ugly. Not gonna bother me thou as I won't use it anyway. Also, like Sen-fer they applied old people's fragrance to the box so it has a rather odd smell.

The cable sounds good, pretty smooth but detailed however I just expected larger stage from it. Hope it will open up with burn-in.

Edit: it doesn't sound 3 times better than the Big Rice ATM, actually maybe the multiplier is less than one.

 

[Edric Li]

So I bought every pure copper cable from XINHS, because I don't know how to choose...

The bottom right is kindly gifted by the shop. It appears to be this model: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256801687782696.html
I've only gone through every cable 2-3 times. Haven't decided which one is my favorite yet. Here are some initial thoughts using my Final B3 and Hugo 2.

1. Build quality is indeed insane for the price.
2. I'm glad the gifted pure silver cable (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256801687782696.html) is my least favorite. Compared to the rest, the midrange is noticeably brighter, even though it does not lack bass. Notes lack weight. Not my style.
3. All cables sound better than my current Final C112 cable (which is superior to B3's stock cable). Compared to them, C112 lacks bass, and its treble sounds glaring, typical for thin-gauge cable. All of them sound different.
4. The second in the bottom row (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802650980379.html) has the best midrange of the bunch. Extremely smooth and warm. It appears to be the best selling pure copper cable from the AE shop, and deservingly so. It doesn't have the best top and bottom end extension, which likely contributed to the perception of midrange smoothness.
5. The only ones I dislike are the second and the third in the top row (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256803106115219.html, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256801551947168.html). The second sound noticeably brighter than the rest. The third lacks bass compared to the rest, and has treble glare issue like my C112.
6. The top left (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802141543601.html) is the most expensive of the bunch. I haven't decided if it is my favorite yet, but it is by far the least flexible and heaviest cable. I feel positive about the overall warmth of this cable.
7. The most portable cable are the top right (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802791450588.html) and the second in the bottom row (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802650980379.html). They are the most flexible, easiest to wrap into small circle.
8. The third in the bottom row (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802131451835.html) has some practical issue. This cable is thick but soft and flexible, don't get me wrong, but the surface of this cable is extremely grippy. Really all three bright-bronze-color cables have this grippy surface, but the fact that this particular cable has the flattest grippy surface (due to each core's thickness) makes it difficult to be taken in and out of pocket. I suspect once it collects more dust it'll be better.

 

[kulidone]

hey guys, kinda new to cables... any recommendations what should I get?
I got the classic tripowin C8 which is already old and green and XINHS silver one, but not really a fan how it changes the sound. Looking for something which doesn't end up coloring my tuning.
Also what you guys looking for in cables? and what's a reasonable price for a cable?

 

[saldsald]

hey guys, kinda new to cables... any recommendations what should I get?
I got the classic tripowin C8 which is already old and green and XINHS silver one, but not really a fan how it changes the sound. Looking for something which doesn't end up coloring my tuning.
Also what you guys looking for in cables? and what's a reasonable price for a cable?

I recommend these two:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000409266368.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.15cb22b7fAK0OZ&algo_pvid=5e5fd165-9b8d-4bb0-9f2a-e57433028895&algo_exp_id=5e5fd165-9b8d-4bb0-9f2a-e57433028895-23&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"10000001688014110"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!HKD!336.25!218.59!!!10.52!!@2101e9d016631248868767170e7d95!10000001688014110!sea&curPageLogUid=GzgIokrpFXwT (oops, it's almost out of stock)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003755893303.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.64d81823lfvszY&algo_pvid=3c5b2e82-85a6-4319-a0ae-b89b38de3bb7&algo_exp_id=3c5b2e82-85a6-4319-a0ae-b89b38de3bb7-26&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000027057146421"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!HKD!437.26!266.71!!!!!@2101d4a716631248607547952e9629!12000027057146421!sea&curPageLogUid=6h8kojuO5kI6

If you want less coloration you should look for cables made of a pure material without any plating.
I personally look for resolution, separation, staging and smoothness, etc. IMHO, many cables suffer from low end congestions and the difference can be night and day when compared to a good cable. Some cheap cables can sound almost as great as cables that cost 10 times more so it's not always about the price anyway.

 

[kulidone]

I recommend these two:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000409266368.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.15cb22b7fAK0OZ&algo_pvid=5e5fd165-9b8d-4bb0-9f2a-e57433028895&algo_exp_id=5e5fd165-9b8d-4bb0-9f2a-e57433028895-23&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"10000001688014110"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!HKD!336.25!218.59!!!10.52!!@2101e9d016631248868767170e7d95!10000001688014110!sea&curPageLogUid=GzgIokrpFXwT (oops, it's almost out of stock)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003755893303.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.64d81823lfvszY&algo_pvid=3c5b2e82-85a6-4319-a0ae-b89b38de3bb7&algo_exp_id=3c5b2e82-85a6-4319-a0ae-b89b38de3bb7-26&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000027057146421"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!HKD!437.26!266.71!!!!!@2101d4a716631248607547952e9629!12000027057146421!sea&curPageLogUid=6h8kojuO5kI6

If you want less coloration you should look for cables made of a pure material without any plating.
I personally look for resolution, separation, staging and smoothness, etc. IMHO, many cables suffer from low end congestions and the difference can be night and day when compared to a good cable. Some cheap cables can sound almost as great as cables that cost 10 times more so it's not always about the price anyway.

Interesting... is there somewhere a "guide" how plating affects the coloration?
I am quite confused what specs I should look out for when choosing a cable. I do have a general idea the difference between copper and silver cable, but anything pass that I have no clue.
Things like if going for copper/silver cable is the way to go to have "balanced" sound etc.
How number of cores affects the comfort/flexibility or anything else.
If the purity matters etc.

In short, I am kinda interested in all those nerdy technical stuff

 

[saldsald]

Interesting... is there somewhere a "guide" how plating affects the coloration?
I am quite confused what specs I should look out for when choosing a cable. I do have a general idea the difference between copper and silver cable, but anything pass that I have no clue.
Things like if going for copper/silver cable is the way to go to have "balanced" sound etc.
How number of cores affects the comfort/flexibility or anything else.
If the purity matters etc.

In short, I am kinda interested in all those nerdy technical stuff

I don't think there is any guide but from my experience pure copper/silver cables do sound less colored than plated cables.
Copper is "better" than silver for me mainly because copper is cheaper to mine and make and they are much more likely to be real copper. I always doubt if those silver cables are really pure silver on the other hand and they usually have a lower purity anyway (copper 5n, 6n, 7n vs Silver 4n).

Plating and too many cores may contribute to too much smearing/distortion/coloration of the sound IMO. I think 4 cores and 8 cores are better as I have some 16 and 24 cores cable I can hear a lot of smearing in the sound which is too much for me. However, we might sometimes prefer the distortion and coloration of plated cables so it's can be a matter of taste.

It's better to hear them yourself than being too technical. There are way too many factors and very little you can isolate. If you are able to hear the difference the only way to learn how they affect the sound is get risky and buy them to hear them.

 

[Carpet]

hey guys, kinda new to cables... any recommendations what should I get?
I got the classic tripowin C8 which is already old and green and XINHS silver one, but not really a fan how it changes the sound. Looking for something which doesn't end up coloring my tuning.
Also what you guys looking for in cables? and what's a reasonable price for a cable?

Reasonable price for a cable is sale price!

Keep an eye on AE for the NiceHCK Official Store and the NiceHCK Audio Store. They often have broken ranges coming up for sale. If you want 3.5mm jack with 0.78mm 2 pin that isn't good news, as they are usually the ones that have sold out. Balanced cables and other connectors (particularly NX7) are usually what's left to pick from. XINHS and ivipQ usually have a couple on sale too, usually with a full range of options as they manufacture cables, and can customize them if requested.

Interesting... is there somewhere a "guide" how plating affects the coloration?
I am quite confused what specs I should look out for when choosing a cable. I do have a general idea the difference between copper and silver cable, but anything pass that I have no clue.
Things like if going for copper/silver cable is the way to go to have "balanced" sound etc.

As far as I am aware. Copper cables favor lower frequencies. Silver cables favor higher frequencies. Silver plated copper is somewhere in the middle, so a decent default choice. If you like how an IEM sounds, you can just use the same cable material as the stock cable. Gold, other alloys and graphene, I have no idea. Single crystal copper has a different crystalline structure within the metal which may effect the signal. OCC copper is a casting method used to produce single crystalline copper. Litz cables use separate insulation of each strand within each core, that does have an effect on the transmission of signal by making more of the signal travel close to the surface of the conductor. Very thin cables don't seem to sound as good as more substantial cables, probably skewed by most cheaply made cables included with IEMs being thin.

Whether expensive cables made from high purity or exotic materials and claiming superior sound, are worth the money, is hotly debated. If you want to follow this, I recommend stocking up on popcorn. Certainly some cables do sound worse than others and cable rolling can make some difference to sound. But I find IEMs make the most difference followed by tips. Tips are way cheaper than esoteric cables. If you want a better sounding IEM, don't put a cable that costs three times as much on it. Buy a better IEM instead.

 

[hahachah27]

ohhh yeah difficult to drop $1000 on cables but my Leonidas II was so good I had to buy it