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NAD Viso HP50 - Replacement Cables
May 10, 2014 at 3:03 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 66
droid23

droid23

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Hi there,
 
some of us complain about the original cable options which come with the NAD Viso HP50. With this thread I'd like to offer all owners a contact point if you're looking into a perfect aftermarket cable solution that fits your needs.
 
So far there are two cables which seem to work with the NAD Viso HP50:
 
1) original V-Moda audio only cable
 
2) 3.5mm Red Replacement cable V-Moda (ebay)
 
[Oh, just found that cable-mod on the net....have a look: http://hybridaudio.ru/photo/CID_110.html]
 
 
If there are more, especially ones from higher quality, please post your findings here and feel free to write a short review about them!
smile_phones.gif

 
Many thanks in advance,
 
Mike
 
May 10, 2014 at 4:35 AM Post #2 of 66
Tried both these cables in store before purchasing the headphones and they worked fine.

ADL (by Furutech) iHP-35 - http://www.adl-av.com/products/cables/headphone/
RC-MH1 - http://fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000047199928&MenuID=105026014

Still looking for some more options...maybe longer?
 
May 13, 2014 at 2:18 AM Post #3 of 66
Just confirming that the NAD HP50's did work with the FIIO RC-MH1 headphone cable. Reason being I contacted a retailer to confirm this and they said no. Mind you they only quoted what was on the FIIO website re compatible headphones.
 
This would be a suitable replacement for my flimsy NAD cable.
 
Cheers.
 
May 13, 2014 at 3:39 AM Post #4 of 66
oldmate said:
  Just confirming that the NAD HP50's did work with the FIIO RC-MH1 headphone cable. Reason being I contacted a retailer to confirm this and they said no. Mind you they only quoted what was on the FIIO website re compatible headphones.
 
This would be a suitable replacement for my flimsy NAD cable.
 
Cheers.
Click to expand...

Yes, definitely worked in store. Mind you it is unidirectional, while the furutech cable is bidirectional. The ends are different though so it is easy to distinguish. 
 
May 14, 2014 at 3:15 PM Post #8 of 66
V-Moda also has a good 1/4 & 1/8 12' coiled cable which works with the HP50 - http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Coilpro-Extended-Cable-Black/dp/B00D3EGSI8
 
Aug 7, 2014 at 4:30 PM Post #10 of 66
Worth the investment? For that kind of cash you're quite literally doubling the cost of the phone from what I can tell. What kinds of improvements did you see vs other types of upgrades (e.g. DAC/AMP)
 
Aug 17, 2014 at 2:36 PM Post #11 of 66
dmixamont said:
  Worth the investment? For that kind of cash you're quite literally doubling the cost of the phone from what I can tell. What kinds of improvements did you see vs other types of upgrades (e.g. DAC/AMP)
Click to expand...

Really, double the investment?  Are you saying that cable costs between $250-300? I know it's a personal thing, but I find it hard to believe that the vast majority of people would find that to be a cost effective upgrade. You would think that almost any $5-600 headphone with it's stock cable would provide a much bigger improvement for what would be virtually an identical investment as the HP50's and that cable.
 
I recently purchased the ADL iHP-35 cable and I am questioning the value of the upgrade as i have mixed feelings, so far, about the results of this cable using it with my FiiO X5 and my HP50's and this cable retails for just under $100. To be absolutely honest I can't reliably confirm that this aftermarket cable is an improvement over the stock cable NAD provides. In fact initially I felt that it sounded worse than the stock NAD cable. There was a sense of restriction to the sound. That's the best way I can describe it. It was like the dynamics, and the clarity, and the resolution I had heard previously with the stock cable were all being restricted, held back, suddenly. It is almost as if the much larger gauge of this cable is somehow choking the output power of the X5 making it difficult for my portable to drive the HP50's properly. It's like the sound is struggling to get out. The sound did seem to be somewhat smoother and less fatiguing with the ADL cable and the bass had the impression of going a little deeper and being slightly more resolute. As of today i only have about 10-15 hours of use with the ADL cable so perhaps some more break-in is needed. I also have been careful to heed the directionality of this cable as recommended by my dealer and the manufacturer. These results are a little disappointing as this very combination was recommended, and is being used on a daily basis, by the dealer who sold me the cable, and I had very high hopes for better results. Reverse expectation bias perhaps?
 
I no longer hear the restricting of the sound i did initially, but that is much more likely just my acclimating to the sound of the cable. I have yet to re-introduce the stock cable for another direct comparison which is something i will definitely do once I feel the ADL cable has been fully cooked. The cable itself is extremely well built and Furutech, ADL's parent company is well known in the audiophile community as producing top notch products so hopefully the next time I compare this cable with the stock one I will laugh and wonder how i could have ever thought that it was not a significant improvement.
 
Aug 18, 2014 at 10:14 AM Post #12 of 66
good sound said:
 Really, double the investment?  Are you saying that cable costs between $250-300? I know it's a personal thing, but I find it hard to believe that the vast majority of people would find that to be a cost effective upgrade. You would think that almost any $5-600 headphone with it's stock cable would provide a much bigger improvement for what would be virtually an identical investment as the HP50's and that cable.
 
I recently purchased the ADL iHP-35 cable and I am questioning the value of the upgrade as i have mixed feelings, so far, about the results of this cable using it with my FiiO X5 and my HP50's and this cable retails for just under $100. To be absolutely honest I can't reliably confirm that this aftermarket cable is an improvement over the stock cable NAD provides. In fact initially I felt that it sounded worse than the stock NAD cable. There was a sense of restriction to the sound. That's the best way I can describe it. It was like the dynamics, and the clarity, and the resolution I had heard previously with the stock cable were all being restricted, held back, suddenly. It is almost as if the much larger gauge of this cable is somehow choking the output power of the X5 making it difficult for my portable to drive the HP50's properly. It's like the sound is struggling to get out. The sound did seem to be somewhat smoother and less fatiguing with the ADL cable and the bass had the impression of going a little deeper and being slightly more resolute. As of today i only have about 10-15 hours of use with the ADL cable so perhaps some more break-in is needed. I also have been careful to heed the directionality of this cable as recommended by my dealer and the manufacturer. These results are a little disappointing as this very combination was recommended, and is being used on a daily basis, by the dealer who sold me the cable, and I had very high hopes for better results. Reverse expectation bias perhaps?
 
I no longer hear the restricting of the sound i did initially, but that is much more likely just my acclimating to the sound of the cable. I have yet to re-introduce the stock cable for another direct comparison which is something i will definitely do once I feel the ADL cable has been fully cooked. The cable itself is extremely well built and Furutech, ADL's parent company is well known in the audiophile community as producing top notch products so hopefully the next time I compare this cable with the stock one I will laugh and wonder how i could have ever thought that it was not a significant improvement.
Click to expand...

 
Interesting that you got adverse result with ADL. I recently tried the Oyaide headphone cable with HP50 and details and resolution goes up two notches. However the sound is somewhat too thin for me and am looking to ADL for a fuller sound. I will be interested in how the ADL goes after more run-in.
 
Aug 18, 2014 at 11:22 AM Post #13 of 66
greeni said:
 
good sound said:
  Really, double the investment?  Are you saying that cable costs between $250-300? I know it's a personal thing, but I find it hard to believe that the vast majority of people would find that to be a cost effective upgrade. You would think that almost any $5-600 headphone with it's stock cable would provide a much bigger improvement for what would be virtually an identical investment as the HP50's and that cable.
 
I recently purchased the ADL iHP-35 cable and I am questioning the value of the upgrade as i have mixed feelings, so far, about the results of this cable using it with my FiiO X5 and my HP50's and this cable retails for just under $100. To be absolutely honest I can't reliably confirm that this aftermarket cable is an improvement over the stock cable NAD provides. In fact initially I felt that it sounded worse than the stock NAD cable. There was a sense of restriction to the sound. That's the best way I can describe it. It was like the dynamics, and the clarity, and the resolution I had heard previously with the stock cable were all being restricted, held back, suddenly. It is almost as if the much larger gauge of this cable is somehow choking the output power of the X5 making it difficult for my portable to drive the HP50's properly. It's like the sound is struggling to get out. The sound did seem to be somewhat smoother and less fatiguing with the ADL cable and the bass had the impression of going a little deeper and being slightly more resolute. As of today i only have about 10-15 hours of use with the ADL cable so perhaps some more break-in is needed. I also have been careful to heed the directionality of this cable as recommended by my dealer and the manufacturer. These results are a little disappointing as this very combination was recommended, and is being used on a daily basis, by the dealer who sold me the cable, and I had very high hopes for better results. Reverse expectation bias perhaps?
 
I no longer hear the restricting of the sound i did initially, but that is much more likely just my acclimating to the sound of the cable. I have yet to re-introduce the stock cable for another direct comparison which is something i will definitely do once I feel the ADL cable has been fully cooked. The cable itself is extremely well built and Furutech, ADL's parent company is well known in the audiophile community as producing top notch products so hopefully the next time I compare this cable with the stock one I will laugh and wonder how i could have ever thought that it was not a significant improvement.
Click to expand...

 
Interesting that you got adverse result with ADL. I recently tried the Oyaide headphone cable with HP50 and details and resolution goes up two notches. However the sound is somewhat too thin for me and am looking to ADL for a fuller sound. I will be interested in how the ADL goes after more run-in.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't characterize my experience with the ADL cable and the HP50's as completely adverse. As i mentioned in my first post I no longer hear the negative characteristics with the ADL/HP50 combination that I did initially. I just, as of yet, have not determined if this is because the cable has burned in, or fully settled, or if it's because i have simply become acclimated to the sound of the cable.
 
Last night I connected my HP50's to my Oppo BDP-105's headphone input via the ADL cable and the results were fantastic. While i did not perform a direct A/B comparison to the stock cable last night, i did listen to the exact same tracks that I listened to a short time ago with the stock cable with this set-up, and I felt that in this application the ADL cable was clearly better in every way over the stock cable. Can't really draw any concrete conclusions from this loose test, but perhaps it matters how, or what, you are driving the HP50's with when the ADL cable is attached. Are you using the HP50's primarily with a portable device?
 
Sep 15, 2014 at 5:22 AM Post #15 of 66
Hi everyone, 
 
ive heard that the NAD viso Headphones have a removable pads, 
does anybody know where it is possible to get replacable pads? any online retail or nice replacable of another brand, 
i even asked NAD support but i didnt get clear answer(more likly ignoring..) . much appricate your help, its somehow undiscussed issue but i think its extremly importent for its value. 
 
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