[PLUSSOUND]

Today (4/3/2020) marks our 8 years in operation. We would like to thank everyone on Head-Fi who has supported us throughout the years.

To commemorate this special occasion, we unveiled this week our new high-end wire for custom cables called Palladium Plated Hybrid. It features an industry first palladium plated copper and palladium plated silver bundled together in our signature Type 6 Litz configuration. Also, includes our proprietary dampening cores and outer insulation for maximum conductivity, durability, and flexibility.

It is available now for all custom (IEM, headphone, bluetooth) cables on our website.

If you reside in Hong Kong or South Korea, our distributor Soundcat and dealer Let's Go Audio already have units in stock for immediate audition and purchase, so stop by their store and try them out. Other authorized dealers will receive their demos soon, so check with them for an ETA.

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First two reviews have just been published, with more on the way.

"This is a very smartly ‘tuned’ high performing cable from PLUSSOUND. It takes the technical prowess from the Tri-Silver and adds more body, smoothness and an altogether sweeter sounding timbre."
- Marcus Downey, Headfonics

Full review: https://headfonics.com/2020/04/plussound-x6-palladium-plated-hybrid-cable-review/

"...In my testing of PS Palladium plated hybrid, I found common changes with a noticeable improvement in soundstage expansion, creating a nearly 3D holographic spacing. Also, in some pair ups it added more analog flavor and extra impact to the bass and more body to lower mids. And it kept mids/vocals relatively transparent, still layered and detailed, and quite natural without any exaggerated coloring. Plus, to my ears it also sharpened the definition of treble, but in a more natural and a controlled way."
- Alex @twister6

Full review: https://twister6.com/2020/04/03/plussound-palladium-plated-hybrid-cable/

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Photos

 

[PLUSSOUND]

Reserved.

 

[killaHz]

So, why Palladium?

 

[Spidermanxd]

So, why Palladium?

Everyone using it, so why not

 

[killaHz]

Well, take Gold, e.g. Some cable makers won’t use it, because it’s a lesser conductor than Silver or Copper. But it’s not that far behind, and you get terrific corrosion resistance. But Palladium is a lot further down the rankings for conductivity, so the trade-offs aren’t as clear to me:

 

[PLUSSOUND]

So, why Palladium?

We look into different metals and approaches in development to see what can enhance performance in cables. In a wire, the surface is where the high frequencies comes from and the core is where you’ll find the mid and low frequencies. Yes, palladium is not as conductive, but has great properties (i.e. resistance to oxidation). When having it plated over highly conductive cores such as copper and silver, you’ll still have a conductive cable but also has unique sound characteristics just not found in pure copper and silver wires. So it's not all about conductivity, but how it is implemented.

 

[507385]

Do you have any credible scientific research or studies which verify that any frequencies travel through a cable the way you describe? Also, is there any measurements via CSD waterfall, frequency response chart, or any other valid measurement with controls in place, and that are repeatable, which demonstrate cables make a significant or measurable difference in sound quality?

 

[glassmonkey]

Congratulations on the anniversary! Couldn't have happened to a better company and better people. PlusSound produces great cables at very reasonable prices.

I once had a conversation with a rep from Supra Cables, who manufacture substantially for European militaries and other professional use cable situations. I asked the rep if different metals sound different and he said yes. They make many of their cables with tin plating, so precious metal isn't always required. Vertere Acoustics make expensive cables with multiple platings (tin and silver) and variable wire diameters and geometries. Wire on Wire make silver plated copper cables that have adjustable geometry that definitely changes the sound. Chord does a cable demo at shows that is incredibly revealing. Atlas Cables actually has fairly scientific manuals on their website. Cables make an audible difference, and for many factors that can't be pointed to in a scientific paper or basic electrical engineering and physics.

I've covered cables for a bit, but doing comparisons in reviews is hard and heavily caveated for me, because I don't have a testing setup that allows instant switching. But my blogmate @Jackpot77 did an Effect Audio cable tour and did have a near instant switching setup. If you want to read, the link to my blog is in my signature.

I don't think PlusSound is going to do materials research and physics beyond trying out different combos and seeing if they sound better, hopefully with blinding. What PlusSound does do is make nicely finished cables at a reasonable price with American labor out of Los Angeles. I think they are even an affordable wage company. This is a company people should support. They are truly excellent people and make excellent products.

 

[human bass]

Frankly, the amount of pseudo science here is a bit mesmerizing to put very politely. Using such a inferior conductor because you imagine some metals to sound cool and magical is what i imagined as a kid, thinking that creating an alloy 33% titanium 33% palladium 33% iridium would create a super armour.

 

[leeperry]

Rhodium is the most conductive metal in the Platinum group, very sturdy and reason why Furutech and so are using it to protect pure copper plugs.

What's so much better about half less conductive Palladium?

 

[ScrofulousBinturong]

In a wire, the surface is where the high frequencies comes from and the core is where you’ll find the mid and low frequencies.

You can't possibly be serious.

 

[glassmonkey]

You can't possibly be serious.

What he's describing is the skin effect. Higher frequencies do tend to travel on the surface of the wire, hence why plating is so often used on wires. This doesn't mean that any frequencies exclusively travel in other parts of the wire, but he's not wrong about high frequencies' tendency.

There is a reasonable argument to be made that changes in sound are down to conductivity alone, Double Helix Cables has made this argument. I personally don't believe that music needs perfect conductivity. My generic copper plated aluminum wires bought off Amazon for a tenner for 10m have sounded better than silver plated copper wires from QED on my living room speakers. Cables can sound different for a variety reasons: cable size (bigger is generally better, to a point), geometry (I've done a blinded test with Wire on Wire), dielectric composition, and wire material (I don't know if equally conductive alloys sound the same).

I'll pretty much guarantee that Marcus Downey and Alex Twister are hearing real differences, as they have two of the best ears in the industry. I only wish a manufacturer would set up a blinded lineup test with multiple reviewers. Then this question could be put to rest. It makes for tons of stupid arguments where people shout their perspectives and take pseudo-scientific perspectives on both sides. The cable believers argue that you can't measure everything and the cable non-believers argue that everything is measured, that ear testing is total bunk, and that people who've actually listened and compared are deluding themselves. There is some validity in all these points, with some limitations. One of these sides is more corrosive than the other. True scientists acknowledge that they don't know everything. Empirical testing needs to be done, but cable manufacturers don't have an interest in doing it, because high end cables are largely a luxury product for people with extra money (just like high end IEMs). Gold and palladium aren't cheap, irrespective of their effect on sound.

 

[Imusicman]

Just looked this up on their website for my Meze Empyrean out of curiosity. Got to say I have always had TOTL headphones but in all honesty I think you'd have to be out of your tiny mind to pay these kind of prices for any cable. IMHO of course YMMV

 

[killaHz]

Just looked this up on their website for my Meze Empyrean out of curiosity. Got to say I have always had TOTL headphones but in all honesty I think you'd have to be out of your tiny mind to pay these kind of prices for any cable. IMHO of course YMMV

There’s no way you can cram enough metal into 26AWG wires to be worth $1K, no matter what metal you’re talking about. Assuming that electrical transmission is your only concern, anyway. Some of these cables do look fantastic, I have to admit. But since I listen by myself, for myself, I’m not all that concerned with looking dope.

 

[Spidermanxd]

When it come to cables, it is a rabbit hole there is no scientific prove that such material is superior to other, it either you with it or against it, ALL VENDORS will describe their cables with some type of expensive materials or something that 99% of us here have no idea of, the 1% that know what it is, is the one that did the reviews and come up with bs terms no most of us don't know that they talking about, but it do sound great