[Ufanco]

Sorry if I caused any confusion the cable I bought is the 2pin type that works with variation. I’m enjoying it much more than the stock cable. Hard to do a b test with cables since need to switch them and don’t want risk damaging the variations. This has made it a bit harder to pinpoint the what the differences in sound I’m noticing from memory.

What differences I have most noticed is the soundstage is wider and overall the sound is clearer, cleaner and more detailed. When I add that to the bonus of having a working chin strap and colored marks to determine what’s left or right side I’m really happy with this purchase.

I bought this cable due to it being recommended earlier is this thread so wanted give a shout-out to @saldsald for recommending it. Thanks!

I still think the 2-pin socket is flawed. I compared it with the ultra budget KZ EDX and the EDX's sockets are a lot more robust and don't wobble like those in the Variations. So I used UV resin to reinforced them hopefully they will last forever. Just rape the sockets with the stock cable until you feel comfy to insert a XINHS cable and unplug every time after use for storage and you should be fine.

Please get this cable for the Variations and update your analysis if you can. I have a feeling the Variations can get a few more S's under your scheme.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100....store_pc_groupList.8148356.17.718a4cbb9cGlzZ
I tried these cables and I thought the Variations was just really good but with the cable above I feel regret buying all my other IEMs, seriously.

 

[saldsald]

Sorry if I caused any confusion the cable I bought is the 2pin type that works with variation. I’m enjoying it much more than the stock cable. Hard to do a b test with cables since need to switch them and don’t want risk damaging the variations. This has made it a bit harder to pinpoint the what the differences in sound I’m noticing from memory.

What differences I have most noticed is the soundstage is wider and overall the sound is clearer, cleaner and more detailed. When I add that to the bonus of having a working chin strap and colored marks to determine what’s left or right side I’m really happy with this purchase.

I bought this cable due to it being recommended earlier is this thread so wanted give a shout-out to @saldsald for recommending it. Thanks!

Glad you like it. This cable is quite unique in my collection. Vocal is smooth yet very detailed. Sub bass dives deeper as well as there is good treble extension. The background is darker or filled with a pleasant atmospheric sound. For classical/instrumental tracks you can hear the stage to be taller not just wider and there is a greater 3D effect. However it has slightly less mids than a typical copper cable but it is not a big deal.

 

[14christ]

This cable is quite unique in my collection. Vocal is smooth yet very detailed. Sub bass dives deeper as well as there is good treble extension. The background is darker or filled with a pleasant atmospheric sound. For classical/instrumental tracks you can hear the stage to be taller not just wider and there is a greater 3D effect. However it has slightly less mids than a typical copper cable but it is not a big deal.

I had a very similar experience with the stock cable on the variations. Everything seemed a bit more refined but it could not handle larger amounts of power. The DD would start to clip above a specific volume whereas compared to my 24 core it handles volume with ease and zero clipping. Strange how these cables affect the sound signature. In some ways it's more satisfying for me to swap cables on a particular iem than it is to listen to completely separate sets of iems.

 

[cenix]

I decided to see if I could measure any channel imbalance on my newly arrived Aria, and sadly it's present on lower volumes. Whenever I play THIS <70db, there is a channel imbalance of around 0.5db, with the right channel being slightly louder. I measured with an android sound meter, using foam tips, pressed onto my phone's microphone. I know that this isn't the best method to measure it, but it does yield consistent results across multiple volumes. The strange thing is that when I turn the volume >70db, the channel imbalance seems to be gone. I did this test with multiple devices, and the 0.5db differential holds.

You have any idea as to why this could be the case, other than there being an imperfect matching? Also, is the 0.5db imbalance enough to the point I should return it for another pair?

Edit: I also swapped between cables, and this didn't help.

 

[14christ]

I decided to see if I could measure any channel imbalance on my newly arrived Aria, and sadly it's present on lower volumes. Whenever I play THIS <70db, there is a channel imbalance of around 0.5db, with the right channel being slightly louder. I measured with an android sound meter, using foam tips, pressed onto my phone's microphone. I know that this isn't the best method to measure it, but it does yield consistent results across multiple volumes. The strange thing is that when I turn the volume >70db, the channel imbalance seems to be gone. I did this test with multiple devices, and the 0.5db differential holds.

You have any idea as to why this could be the case, other than there being an imperfect matching? Also, is the 0.5db imbalance enough to the point I should return it for another pair?

Edit: I also swapped between cables, and this didn't help.

Channel imbalance at lower volumes is unfortunately quite normal but it's not to do with your iems but your amplifier. 0.5db is almost inaudible. That's like moving your ear from right up to a speaker and then moving your head a couple inches away from the speaker(loudspeaker).

Some amps that have significant channel imbalance are around 2-4db which is audible even to the untrained ear so 0.5db is not bad at all.

By the way, thumbs up to you for your testing method. Like you said not the most accurate but repeatable. Nice job

 

[saldsald]

I had a very similar experience with the stock cable on the variations. Everything seemed a bit more refined but it could not handle larger amounts of power. The DD would start to clip above a specific volume whereas compared to my 24 core it handles volume with ease and zero clipping. Strange how these cables affect the sound signature. In some ways it's more satisfying for me to swap cables on a particular iem than it is to listen to completely separate sets of iems.

Yea for a 520 set the stock cable really sucks so bad. I agree it is more satisfying to swap cables on my favourite IEMs than swapping to another IEM that is why I have 40 cables. No more for me I have yoo many.

 

[cenix]

Channel imbalance at lower volumes is unfortunately quite normal but it's not to do with your iems but your amplifier. 0.5db is almost inaudible. That's like moving your ear from right up to a speaker and then moving your head a couple inches away from the speaker(loudspeaker).

Some amps that have significant channel imbalance are around 2-4db which is audible even to the untrained ear so 0.5db is not bad at all.

By the way, thumbs up to you for your testing method. Like you said not the most accurate but repeatable. Nice job

Thanks. I have decided to send it back (Amazon) for another one. In the right nozzle, it appears that a part of the acoustic filter is stuck to the metal filter. Though I am not 100% sure if that's the acoustic filter, it's white, so I can't imagine what else it could be. Possibly due to this, the right channel also sounds a bit "off".

This is quite weird, because the acoustic filter is a little bit farther down in the nozzle. Or could it be some kind of a white glue? I didn't remove the steel filter to check for it, because I don't want to already replace parts on a new product.

 

[Shinigami76]

Well well..
Have chosen the most suitable tips and cables for myself after the rolling
Tips: Radius Deeps Mount and E-pros
Cable: PW Audio 28 copper v2 and Dunu duw02 for bass
Kbear Limpid pro pure sliver for treble and vocal

 

[14christ]

Well well..
Have chosen the most suitable tips and cables for myself after the rolling
Tips: Radius Deeps Mount and E-pros
Cable: PW Audio 28 copper v2 and Dunu duw02 for bass
Kbear Limpid pro pure sliver for treble and vocal

You got your limpid pro in?!? I'm still waiting on mine. Are you happy with the purchase or disappointed?

 

[rulerofrecords]

Well well..
Have chosen the most suitable tips and cables for myself after the rolling
Tips: Radius Deeps Mount and E-pros
Cable: PW Audio 28 copper v2 and Dunu duw02 for bass
Kbear Limpid pro pure sliver for treble and vocal

Pardon my ignorance - that would be for Variations? IEM-Cable-rolling is something I have to get used to

 

[Shinigami76]

You got your limpid pro in?!? I'm still waiting on mine. Are you happy with the purchase or disappointed?

Yes.. it's looks very clean on the variations.. I'll post the picture when I swap this cable. Currently using the Dunu duw02

 

[Shinigami76]

Pardon my ignorance - that would be for Variations? IEM-Cable-rolling is something I have to get used to

I like the cables that matches well with the variations

 

[Shinigami76]

I think @AmericanSpirit has the cable

 

[Ufanco]

Well well..
Have chosen the most suitable tips and cables for myself after the rolling
Tips: Radius Deeps Mount and E-pros
Cable: PW Audio 28 copper v2 and Dunu duw02 for bass
Kbear Limpid pro pure sliver for treble and vocal

Great info thanks for sharing, the stock variations cable and tips are ok and variations sound really good as packaged. I feel
getting a better cable and eartips are worth the cost granted you have already have a good dac amp to drive the earphones. Tried using the apple dongle with new cable and it was much harder to notice the differences in sound quality vs using the w2.

Makes sence that people can hear cable improvements or lack of depending on the rest of equipment in use. To me found doesn’t make sense to spend tons on cable then use apple $10 dongle dac with it. Granted of course everyone hears differently and my insight from my own perception of how it sounds.

I like the cables that matches well with the variations

Agree not sure what I was thinking when I order the 2nd cable with gold instead silver connections. Guess I’ll see once it ends up delivered and hooked up to the variation. Might just end up in classified if there no improvements in sound compare to the current cable. Ah well least the usb c to c i ordered with it has silver connections.

 

[14christ]

Great info thanks for sharing, the stock variations cable and tips are ok and variations sound really good as packaged. I feel
getting a better cable and eartips are worth the cost granted you have already have a good dac amp to drive the earphones. Tried using the apple dongle with new cable and it was much harder to notice the differences in sound quality vs using the w2.

Makes sence that people can hear cable improvements or lack of depending on the rest of equipment in use. To me found doesn’t make sense to spend tons on cable then use apple $10 dongle dac with it. Granted of course everyone hears differently and my insight from my own perception of how it sounds.

Agree not sure what I was thinking when I order the 2nd cable with gold instead silver connections. Guess I’ll see once it ends up delivered and hooked up to the variation. Might just end up in classified if there no improvements in sound compare to the current cable. Ah well least the usb c to c i ordered with it has silver connections.

Exactly my opinion as well! All other bottlenecks in a system need to be removed before we can really see the true potential of an iem cable. That includes power cables, USB cables, good amp/dac, etc...