Low end. Cheap. Generic. Otherwise bang for buck cable thread!

[Dsnuts]

That is a tough question cuz I seen some very high end crystal copper cables and some higher end UPOCC cables. They have slight variances in materials and accessories on them but it more or less comes down to what earphone you plan on pairing said cable with. UPOCC or crystal copper works really well with neutral well balanced earphones. Silver on top of the copper cables will brighten up treble end and gives a better sense of treble detail but if your earphone already has that it is not a good idea to add another aspect that will enhance an already extended treble for example. Unless that is what you want.

NiceHCK C4-1 is a silver plated UPOCC. There are a few on the banned site that are silver plated UPOCC that cost around $70ish right now.

 

[Dsnuts]

Cables are a bit tricky. Just because something cost a lot and looks premium does not mean it is the best suited for your particular earphone. A lot of times my cheaper Aliexpress bought cables end up being perfect for a more expensive earphone I own vs the more premium cables. It all depends on how the cable influences and meshes with the sonic character of the earphone.

Having a variety of types of cables is a good thing to have just because of this. You never know which of your cables will be exactly what your earphone needs until you try it.

There is no exact science behind sound synergy and cables but if you have a good idea of what a pure copper cable vs silver and a mix there of usually does for earphones that is a good starting point.

 

[Slater]

What do you guys do with your stock cables that you never use? I have too many stock cables that I never use...but throwing them away feels like a waste....

I use many of them for recabling Sony MH755 (like the stock KZ cables for instance).

I also take some apart and use the short pieces of wire when building IEMs and headphones.

I’ve also cut the plug off of some nicer stock cables and changed out the stock 3.5mm SE plug to a 2.5mm balanced plug.

 

[iron2k]

Hi, not yet, sorry. I'm a bit ill now and near zero free time. Hope I'll do it during my vacations, on August.

Hi Hakuzen, hope you're doing well and already on vacation.

Any chance that you were able to compare cable #198 to Super Copper from CEMA ???
I'm looking for a "basshead" cable.

Thanks a lot

 

[hakuzen]

Hi Hakuzen, hope you're doing well and already on vacation.

Any chance that you were able to compare cable #198 to Super Copper from CEMA ???
I'm looking for a "basshead" cable.

Thanks a lot

hi, thanks. i'm adding effect audio vogues series measurements and impressions to the database right now. very good cables, my favorites now, together with CEMA cables.
but i couldn't measure nor test super copper cable from CEMA yet, and the other new cables (gs series gold+palladium plated occ, gold+palladium+siver+copper alloy) neither, because i have to first finish my measurements of the etymotic er2se tour, which is very urgent. sorry. i'll try those cables and faeal litz copper then

 

[JEHL]

Is there enough silver in an SPC cable for Slater to detect?

 

[Slater]

Is there enough silver in an SPC cable for Slater to detect?

For the plating, yes. But what would that accomplish?

I mean, I gold and rhodium plate stuff dozens of times a week. Electroplating is literally a few microns thick. I’m not sure what good testing it will do though.

 

[JEHL]

For the plating, yes. But what would that accomplish?

Beats me. I'd think I'd prefer nickel plating (or whatever else remains inert when exposed to air) just in case the cable is not perfectly free of air. Does silver protect copper like nickel would?

Edit: And then I've seen some copper cables turning teal and yet, they still drive our headgear just fine. Or am I wrong in this regard?

 

[Slater]

Beats me. I'd think I'd prefer nickel plating (or whatever else remains inert when exposed to air) just in case the cable is not perfectly free of air.

That’s the point of litz cable; every strand is enameled, which completely seals it from exposure to air.

Also, gold is inert; it lasts forever and doesn’t oxidize. That’s why they made the record in the Voyager gold plated copper

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/golden-record/

 

[JEHL]

That’s the point of litz cable; every strand is enameled, which completely seals it from exposure to air.

Also, gold is inert; it lasts forever and doesn’t oxidize. That’s why they made the record in the Voyager gold plated copper

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/golden-record/

I wonder... Is isolating individual strands expensive? Or at least expensive enough to double the cost of the cable?

 

[Slater]

I wonder... Is isolating individual strands expensive? Or at least expensive enough to double the cost of the cable?

Yes, that’s why litz cable is expensive.

 

[PhonoPhi]

That’s the point of litz cable; every strand is enameled, which completely seals it from exposure to air.

Also, gold is inert; it lasts forever and doesn’t oxidize. That’s why they made the record in the Voyager gold plated copper

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/golden-record/

Is not litz just a special intervowen construction. Enameling is expensive, and it is usually brittle, which does not work for flexible wires.

The big irony is that copper must be protected from oxidation, and it is largely done by electroplating (gold, palladium, silver, tin, nickel, etc.)
So when the sound of "pure copper" is distinguished from "spc", it is charmingly hilarious

 

[Slater]

Is not litz just a special intervowen construction.

No, litz is individually insulated strands, which reduces the skin effect of a cable in high frequency transmission.

 

[PhonoPhi]

No, litz is individually insulated strands, which reduces the skin effect of a cable in high frequency transmission.

Insulated because of requirements of the interwoven design, but not necessarily enameled, right? Can IEM cables be enameled?

 

[Slater]

Insulated because of requirements of the interwoven design, but not necessarily enameled, right? Can IEM cables be enameled?

Sure, lots of cables are enameled. It’s extremely common.

Usually, the bundles of individual strands are enameled as 1 group. Litz is unique in that each individual strand is separately enameled, before being bundled into a group.