[Ihmemies]

Hello,

while listening to Tiktak's newest album a couple of minutes ago, I first noticed some distortion, and finally the right speaker lost the signal. After some testing I came to a conclusion: the headphone cable is broken

I don't think there is much point fixing it or buying a stock cable (I lost the original one). I think I might have enough money to spend so I could buy some $/€200 replacement cable. People here say "buy Cardas", "buy Zu", "buy Equinox" etc. and have all kinds of subjective opinions, but...

All I want to know is if there are any objective tests about those cables. Will the cables do what they are required to do: transfer the signal as untouched as possible, or do they alter it and color the sound (perhaps intentionally)? I know many people here talk about huge improvements in sound, but will they hear them because the cable distorts the signal so the music sounds more pleasant, or because the build quality of the cable they had before just sucked so much?

Another problem is, how much microphonics those high end cables cause? I don't have any of that with my current ex. cable, and I don't want any microphonics if that is reansonably avoidable. Anyways, thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Are you sure it's not a loose pin connection in the Senns?

 

[Oliver :)]

You want this thread:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=155077

Sadly, unless you can rule out some of them for the "objective" reasons, it is "buy all, listen for yourself". Or buy one, be happy, and stop thinking about it. As all things in this place.

 

[Ihmemies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiGHFLYiN9 Are you sure it's not a loose pin connection in the Senns?

Well, no, but how I could know? I have no idea how to disassemble the headphones properly, and even if I did, I would just do more bad than good :|

I read now that HD650 cable thread, and conclusion was that Equinox had least microphonics. Anything else is just wild guessing. I thought the professionals could have told if the cables are objectively good or not, but seems I'm wrong. I guess the same subjective attitude will forever rule amongst the hifi reviewers.

Heh, at least the stock cable is cheap and secure investment.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Inside your Sennheisers there are little springs that the grooves in the connector pins latch onto when inserted, after time these become loose and cause a connection problem. Most people automatically assume there is something wrong with the cable rather than the headphones and try and find a replacement cable, however in most cases the cans have to be opened and the spring bent back into shape. Squirt used to have directions here: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10937 but it looks like they are no longer up. If you aren't comfortable doing this I'm sure Sennheiser will let you send it in for repair.

An easy way to find out if the cable is defective is to do a continuity test on it with a multimeter and see if the signal is making its way from the TRS to the pins. If you don't have one, a cheaper one will run you $15-20 or you could borrow one from a friend.

 

[Ihmemies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiGHFLYiN9 An easy way to find out if the cable is defective is to do a continuity test on it with a multimeter and see if the signal is making its way from the TRS to the pins. If you don't have one, a cheaper one will run you $15-20 or you could borrow one from a friend.

I have an access to a multimeter, but I don't have any idea how to use one

Like where to stick those pointy ends and what mode to use?

 

[Ihmemies]

Nevermind, seems I figured it out... turned the multimeter to 2K ohm. http://www.kotiposti.net/ihmemies/tavara/kuvaa2.jpg is a photo. Ignore that setting...

1/4" Plug: ---------|||END||MIDDLE||POINT>

Little ones, upper: ------=
lower ------=

Pointed one head to the end and other to the lower plug of the lower little ones, and after that upper one too. Both gave like 0,01 on 2K ohm setting. Middle on 1/4" plug and upper little one, upper plug = 0,01, point on 1/4" and lower one, upper plug = 0,01. So... I suspect the wire is ok?

Also end and middle part of the 1/4" plug said 1 (I got 1 when I don't touch anything), same for end and point.

 

[Mastergill]

Hey just swap the cable. Put the right cable termination to the left earcup and check if there's still no sound.

 

[Sparky14]

The spring connector error, you can usually get sound to cut in and out by grabbing and wiggling the plug where it enters the earpiece. That'll tell you if you have a good connection or not.

If you do have the spring connector error, contact Sennheiser. I had an old pair of HD-580s that had the problem. I replaced the stock cable with an Oelbach, which helped for a while. But after a year or so the problem returned. I tried the manual spring fix, helped a little, but not much.

Anyway, Sennheiser made the repair at no charge (about 1 month ago). And my phones had to be 4+ years old, well past warranty, and I had long since tossed the receipt.

 

[Ihmemies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastergill Hey just swap the cable. Put the right cable termination to the left earcup and check if there's still no sound.

Oh heh, right. Seems the wire is in fact broken... I'm just so dumb (and maybe er.. exhausted. Clock is 1:11AM).

By the way, there's number "33" embossed in the middle of the driver bubble :-D