[CrackBerry9000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see many, many posts where the re-cable they've had done gets extolled to the heavens......their headphones/IEM's are incredibly better. Then, a month or two later - their much-praised re-cabled headphone/IEM is on the F.S. pages. Huh! (small chuckle ensues). The re-cable will rarely provide more than a subtle change. The subtle change may be better, .......and sometimes, it's worse. IMO, if a headphone/IEM needs a transformation - the transformation will be to a different headphone.

Fenixdown110 This is what I was refering to. Not sure you are reading my post the way I intended.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenixdown110 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Silver cables on a HD650 lift most of the veil. It's one the most apparent changes you notice.

I've heard the veil on Senns cabled with a variety of cables.

I've also heard the veil lift on a quality amplifier, regardless of cable. If an amp has sufficient power and a good impedance match with Senns, the veil goes away. I imagine it would also work with a coathanger.

I still haven't heard the difference between cables. I'm not alone, either. No one else can hear a difference, either. That is unless they know what they're listening to. If people don't know what they're listening to, they can't tell the difference.

Standard electronic test gear produces same result, as well.

 

[Acix]

The cable mostly will effect the sound separation and the clarity/definition of the sound.
You need to know your hps and to have some experience to what to listen too, in term of frequencies, anyway take some time to get this experience.

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've heard the veil on Senns cabled with a variety of cables. I've also heard the veil lift on a quality amplifier, regardless of cable. If an amp has sufficient power and a good impedance match with Senns, the veil goes away. I imagine it would also work with a coathanger. I still haven't heard the difference between cables. I'm not alone, either. No one else can hear a difference, either. That is unless they know what they're listening to. If people don't know what they're listening to, they can't tell the difference. Standard electronic test gear produces same result, as well.

Some people have done DBTs, and people have succesfully identified cables. It depends on the type of cable, power cables, not so much, but with interconnects and headphone cables there are differences.

 

[khaos974]

Once upon a time I had an HD 650 recabled with a Stefan AudioArt cable, it seem that sometimes I could become more easily in the music (sometimes but not that often). However, whenever I sight tested, I never managed to say what qualities the Stefan AudioArt had compared to the stock cable.

Ultimately, unless you cable is really bad, I don't think its influences more than 1% of the final sound.

PS: The Stefan AudioArt was better looking way, I guess it still made a notable difference in the end.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaos974 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Once upon a time I had an HD 650 recabled with a Stefan AudioArt cable, it seem that sometimes I could become more easily in the music (sometimes but not that often). However, whenever I sight tested, I never managed to say what qualities the Stefan AudioArt had compared to the stock cable. Ultimately, unless you cable is really bad, I don't think its influences more than 1% of the final sound. PS: The Stefan AudioArt was better looking way, I guess it still made a notable difference in the end.

It's around 10-15% and up, on the K701/2. Some hps drivers are more sensitive.

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's around 10-15% and up, on the K701/2. Some hps drivers are more sensitive.

This, it also depends on the headphones as well as the cable and the stock cable of the headphones.

However, HD650 reputedly benefits more than many other headphones from recabling, so you should hear differences with a decent cable and good equipment.

 

[fenixdown110]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrackBerry9000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Fenixdown110 This is what I was refering to. Not sure you are reading my post the way I intended.

Okay. It makes sense now. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've heard the veil on Senns cabled with a variety of cables. I've also heard the veil lift on a quality amplifier, regardless of cable. If an amp has sufficient power and a good impedance match with Senns, the veil goes away. I imagine it would also work with a coathanger. I still haven't heard the difference between cables. I'm not alone, either. No one else can hear a difference, either. That is unless they know what they're listening to. If people don't know what they're listening to, they can't tell the difference. Standard electronic test gear produces same result, as well.

It very well could be due to the amp, however, there definitely was a lifting of the veil after the cable change while using the same amp. I switched to the stock cable a few times to make sure I wasn't having some placebo experience. However, I suspect the HD650 is a special case where the veil is especially bad when stock.

 

[Joelby]

I recable for balanced or to rid myself of crappy cables that tangle or will fail (Grado Y-Split, anyone?)

Seriously guys, give the percentages a rest. You can't quantify sound quality.

 

[dallan]

Recabling three headphones had different results, and done for different reasons. Senn HD-650s with Zu mobius-silver cable really opened them up and like said above lifted the veil and brightened them as i hear silver does. It was a big difference from the crummy stock cable.

On the HD800s which come with silver cable which I don't think is that horrible, I was convinced to try hefty copper cable. It took off some of the sparkle and brightness and replaced it with smoothness, bass and a real fullness of sound-more musical some would say(fixes up some of the complaints I have read with the HD800s). Going back to the stock, even though I like the clarity and starkness at times with some recordings, I can only bare them for short listening before they feel too shrill. At that point I go back to the full, smooth hefty copper cables-Doublehexilcable Complements.

The other recable was the SR225 and the fact that 1) it was gone so long at Apuresound and 2) I can not switch back and forth..... thus a/b ing is impossible and I don't trust my audio memory for that length of time, so unable do distinguish the difference, although there probably was one. I mainly got these recabled for portable use with V2 type portable cable that is shorter and easier to deal with than the long Grado tubey cable that the SR225 comes with.

So varied but overall positive recabling experience. I haven't recabled my DX1000s and think I won't. I want to be able to go back and forth with stock thus needs to be removable from headphones. Then if i don't like the change I can send them back or sell them. Got to know what you want to do, brighten them, silver for instance.

 

[JMIJohn]

Recables are honestly one of the biggest wastes of money in audio that I know of. I am an electrical engineer by profession, and I can tell you that (even though I haven't been in the hi-fi game as long as some of you veterans) if the cord isn't stretching hundreds of feet or an incredibly small guage copper wire, its ability to carry audio signals is entirely unaffected. Headphone manufacturers know this and even overshoot what is necessary in order to placate the image-conscious. If you want to recable for aesthetics or ruggedness fine, but don't say that it'll even get those "last few percent" out of a pair of cans because they simply won't. Trials with straightened-out coathangers used in place of cables showed that listeners couldn't differentiate between the coathanger and the snake oil that is "high-end" cables. I know a lot of recable-believers don't want to hear this, and I can understand that based on how much I've seen some of you spend on cables, but it's the truth. Take five minutes of your time to just do a little academic searching on the web and try to find proof that "better" cables = better audio.

End of rant.

 

[cyberspyder]

Oh sh1t

/hides/

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMIJohn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Recables are honestly one of the biggest wastes of money in audio that I know of. I am an electrical engineer by profession, and I can tell you that (even though I haven't been in the hi-fi game as long as some of you veterans) if the cord isn't stretching hundreds of feet or an incredibly small guage copper wire, its ability to carry audio signals is entirely unaffected. Headphone manufacturers know this and even overshoot what is necessary in order to placate the image-conscious. If you want to recable for aesthetics or ruggedness fine, but don't say that it'll even get those "last few percent" out of a pair of cans because they simply won't. Trials with straightened-out coathangers used in place of cables showed that listeners couldn't differentiate between the coathanger and the snake oil that is "high-end" cables. I know a lot of recable-believers don't want to hear this, and I can understand that based on how much I've seen some of you spend on cables, but it's the truth. Take five minutes of your time to just do a little academic searching on the web and try to find proof that "better" cables = better audio. End of rant.

Where exactly is the coathanger test you speak of? Because I believe that was done with digital cables, where the opinion of most cable believers is that it makes absolutely no difference.

 

[z50j]

I recabled my K518 just to make it single sided and detachable

I did that to lessen the cable length (3m to 1m) and to reduce stress on the cable when accidentally pulled (it'll just detatch instead of snagging)

 

[stang]

I have never been able to tell the differences between a good cable and a pile of junk one. I have a very thick Coax cable that is made from pure copper and looks VERY well made and I did a test against the $0.05 USB cable that the Zero DAC comes with and could not tell one bit of difference. Maybe my ears aren't trained enough? Maybe my gear isn't high-end enough? But I think re-cabling headphones (from my experience with interconnects) would be purely for aesthicit reasons. You may need it re-terminated and need a shorter, stronger cable. Your stock cable is breaking or has a short in it. Re-cabling really should be the last resort, especially re-cabling you headphones. Headphones like the HD 650, K701 and especially Denon D2000 are worth re-cabling IMO but I think anything over $300 for a re-cable job is ridiculous. The shorter the cable the better there will be no need for a $500 5ft cable where a stock cable like the Grado's would be just as good.