[SilverEars]

ZOYI ZT109 meter in da house!

I measured my first two cables. My stock Hidition iem cable's right side was .85_ ohms. I subtracted .1 ohms from .95 because my alligator clips was about .1 ohms.

And then I measured Y*ny** (we cannot name, you should know who I'm talkin about) measured pretty consistant except right negative wire. (R+R-,L+,L-) = (.48, .25, .48, .48) Edit:these measurements aren't precise, and it's probably due to using provided leads.

Edit: This doesn't seem to be that reliable. The resistance is dropping continuously. You need a good clamp on the metal to get a solid reading. How hard you apply the lead changes the resistance. I think what is needed is something that is reliably grasping the metal to make stable measurements. I will have to get those micro clips.

 

[SilverEars]

i come from and live at Spain; i know some excellent guys from Denmark, and the guy from the links is an extraordinary measurer and reviewer of power gear, his site is highly recommended.
yeah, GRAS is Danish, and also is Brüel & Kjær. great country for accurate measurers

these are the cables (banana 4mm), retractable cover, stackable:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32798647058.html

you can plug the 4mm bananas into these quality copper alligators:
https://www.ebay.es/itm/One-Pair-of...ps-Alligator-Clips-Red-and-Black/200877470970

these are small copper clips (they don't scratch plugs, they are softer but less secure clipping):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32798691680.html

i also own and like these DMM leads:
https://www.ebay.es/itm/Brymen-Sili...bes-for-Multimeters-CAT-IV-1000V/171162377470

For the stackage banana plug leads, does it matter what type it is? AWG matters right? For lowest resistance? What would be a good AWG? What about conductor material?

For the banana plugs, as long as they are copper, they should be lowest resistance, correct?

What kind of lead terminations do you use for MMCX connections? They are so tiny!

 

[musicphotolife]

OK friends, I have a few more budget cable dissections:

1. TRN black 16-core, 2.5mm balanced, 2-pin ends




Thoughts and notes about this batch of cables:

I'm happy to report that all 4 cables I dissected were legit (including the TRN), with all cores soldered to BOTH the source end AND the IEM end.

This just goes to show that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get real 16-core cables. My hats off to the companies making the legit 16-core cables. I am in awe that they are able to solder all 16-cores, and get it all to fit neatly inside of the plugs (mmcx, 2-pin, 3.5mm, 2.5mm). To build one of these cables is quite time consuming and requires a decent amount of skill to ensure they’re constructed properly. The fact that we can buy real 16-core cables as cheap as $8-$10 is mind blowing.

Wow I bought the TRN-T2 16-core but was dubious about the sound impressions. So I googled and found the "TRN Impressions Thread" then followed the link to this thread. I started reading from page 108 to my dismay that TRN cables could be a scam. I went page by page and finally came to this post where @Slater dissected the cables to positive outcomes! Thanks! Nevertheless, the sound is not as impressive as I would have expected, but that is another story. Just want to share my appreciation here.

 

[hakuzen]

For the stackage banana plug leads, does it matter what type it is? AWG matters right? For lowest resistance? What would be a good AWG? What about conductor material?

For the banana plugs, as long as they are copper, they should be lowest resistance, correct?

What kind of lead terminations do you use for MMCX connections? They are so tiny!

Lowest resistance is preferred. Bought many cables for measuring, measured them, and found these were the best. They are 13AWG and gold plated copper plugs; result: 4-5 mOhms! for a 25-30cm cable (the lowest I found). If you want even lower resistance, you can stack them. A big advantage is you won't have to subtract leads resistance, because it will be lower than the resolution of your DMM (you'll subtract nothing or 0.005 ohms). They are also useful for other kind of measurements.

For measuring positive signal in MMCX plugs, I use MMCX to 2pins adapters, which add 1-2 mOhms. That's the best solution for such small contacts. Like these:

 

[rustyvinyl]

Hi looking for L angle plug2.5mm balance mmcx cable below $100.
Not many L angle ones I noticed.
Thanks.

 

[hakuzen]

Hi looking for L angle plug2.5mm balance mmcx cable below $100.
Not many L angle ones I noticed.
Thanks.

my recommendation: cable 170 (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/-/1000007909452.html , 4 cores version), with this plug: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/-/33054928246.html
message the manufacturer to do this.

if you prefer up-occ silver wire, instead of up-occ copper wire, you'll have to go a bit higher than $100

 

[randomnin]

I have asked this question at least twice in these forums (not in a relevant topic, though ) and no one has answered me yet, so I'd like someone with an ample amount of gear to humour me.

The thing is that I'm hearing clear differences between cables in terms of stereo crosstalk, which further impacts imaging - some cables make for an unclear, dirtied sound. There's a simple test I do to ascertain this. It goes like this:
1. get left\right channel test sounds from somewhere, for example, https://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php
2. Listen to one of the tracks in a loop, but with only the opposite side of the IEM to the track you're playing.
3. without changing the volume in the source, quickly swap the cables of the IEM (or add an extension cord, that's quicker) and check if the perceived loudness has changed.

I find that extension cords make it sound louder, thus worsening the crosstalk of, for example, the stock Sony MH755 (I don't know if it's due to a larger impendance or worse wire insulation, or something else). The caveat is that my source is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which has a below average crosstalk of -55dB (according to gsmarena.com measurements). The difference could be imperceptible with a better source.

 

[subwoof3r]

Looks like Electro Acousti store changed his mind about Eagle Rhodium plugs.
According to their new descriptions (like the pure silver for exemple), those plugs are now only reserved to 8 cores versions of their cables (and no more the 4 cores).
The 4 cores versions will have cheaper plugs, which is not a very good idea I would say

 

[hakuzen]

Looks like Electro Acousti store changed his mind about Eagle Rhodium plugs.
According to their new descriptions (like the pure silver for exemple), those plugs are now only reserved to 8 cores versions of their cables (and no more the 4 cores).
The 4 cores versions will have cheaper plugs, which is not a very good idea I would say

hope you can select any plug, although it supposes an small charge of a few bucks

 

[subwoof3r]

hope you can select any plug, although it supposes an small charge of a few bucks

By default these are now the plugs with "no charge", so yeah you are right, it does means that we can ask for specific in exchange of a little plus
Too bad that we need to pay that little extra now, but understandable if the store is getting more and more popular since few days/weeks.

 

[fokta]

By default these are now the plugs with "no charge", so yeah you are right, it does means that we can ask for specific in exchange of a little plus
Too bad that we need to pay that little extra now, but understandable if the store is getting more and more popular since few days/weeks.

if I put a side the rhodium plate... the Eidolic jack looks very nice, I like...

anyway, I want to make a comparison impression between 173, 165 and 130. But got so busy at work, I don't have the time.. even this weekend...

my point, I bought another 130 mmcx with 2.5 mm Balanced...

will update why...

 

[RikudouGoku]

@hakuzen Hi I really like The Jcally 16 core golden cable for my Zs10Pro, But now I have upgraded to the TFZ no.3 and also the new Fiio M11 Dap. So I wanted to buy a balanced cable preferably 4,4. Do you have any recommendation that is similar to the 16 core Jcally Gold cable? Or can I ask JCally to make it 4,4 balanced?

 

[hakuzen]

@hakuzen Hi I really like The Jcally 16 core golden cable for my Zs10Pro, But now I have upgraded to the TFZ no.3 and also the new Fiio M11 Dap. So I wanted to buy a balanced cable preferably 4,4. Do you have any recommendation that is similar to the 16 core Jcally Gold cable? Or can I ask JCally to make it 4,4 balanced?

guess they can make the 4.4mm balanced plug version for you. iirc, some sellers provide that option in the product's page; if don't, some mention that you can ask for balanced plugs (i asked for 2.5mm balanced plug and they charged me a few bucks for it); even if not mentioning it, message the seller to know if there is a chance. check the links to these cables at my list (various sellers).

 

[fokta]

Physical Impression : 130, 165 & 173


2.5mm TRRS jack (Left-right : 130 - 165 - 173)
130 : Regular
165 : Eidolic (reterminate locally, original is like 130, but 4.4mm version)
173 : Eagle Rhodium (Purdy one)


Y-splitters



The cable it self:
130 : 8 core
165 : 4 core
173 : 4 core



MMCX:
130 : sandy looks, can stand some scratch. average...
165 : Angled, must over ear position, great connector, Plastic looks
173 : Above average material, shiny but easy to be scratch....


will be continue for the sound Impression, but job calling...

 

[courierdriver]

@hakuzen Hi I really like The Jcally 16 core golden cable for my Zs10Pro, But now I have upgraded to the TFZ no.3 and also the new Fiio M11 Dap. So I wanted to buy a balanced cable preferably 4,4. Do you have any recommendation that is similar to the 16 core Jcally Gold cable? Or can I ask JCally to make it 4,4 balanced?

I would first check to see if the JCally cable you already have, will fit over the raised 2 pin connector of your TFZ No.3. I have a JCally 8 core cable on my ZS10 PRO, and while it fits great on the KZ ZS10 PRO, it will not fit on the buds of the No.3. The raised 2 pin on the No.3 is larger and a slightly different shape than the one on the KZ, thus the JCally cable will not fit...at least not the 8 core that I bought a second one for, just for my No.3. I posted about this a few pages back, and @Slater responded to my post. If you wanna use a JCally cable, you may have to do some major mods to the plastic housing of the No.3 connector to get it small enough to fit a JCally cable, which has that shroud over the connectors that plug into the iem itself. I'm certain that JCally can equip you with a 4.4 balanced connector...but I doubt that they can give you a 2 pin, shrouded cable connector to plug easily into your No.3. If they can, please let me know in a post, because I would love to buy one for my own No.3. Right now, I'm forced to use my No.3 in 3.5 single-ended, because no one makes a shrouded cable in 2.5 balanced, that will properly fit the No.3.