[elliot42]

I bought the RE2s not long ago and have been using them at work and also while commuting to uni 2 days a week. They're great when I'm sitting still, but if I'm walking they have awful microphonics. I hear every knock as they move, hit my collar, etc. I also find the cable pretty stiff and it remembers bends from when it's coiled and doesn't hang straight which I find annoying.

I have some wire I bought from navships a while ago (yellow solid 30awg silver / teflon) and thought this might be good to re-cable with. I haven't done any tests, but I think it would be pretty flexible given how thin it is. I'd also be worried about it kinking and damaging the wire inside.

I'm also not going to try and open the drivers, I'd just cut the existing cable short and solder wire to wire and heatshrink it. I can then have some red and blue/black for right/left identification too.

What do you all think about the suitability of this wire for a re-cable job?
Will it still be prone to kinks if I twist 2 wires from each earpiece and braid from the Y?
Will it actually help with the microphonics?

In any case, I think it'd look pretty good with the yellow braided cable

 

[AudioCats]

recabling the RE2 to SPC?

will probably end up being too bright...

 

[elliot42]

Thanks for the reply.
What do you think would be good wire to use for an RE2 recable?

I'm not hung up on the SPC I have, I'm just looking for something more flexible and not prone to microphonics.

Making the cable detachable might be a good option too, but I'm not sure what I could use that's slim and light enough to go on the existing cable at the driver. Perhaps a really slim 2.5mm plug/jack.
I could try a few different cables then, but perhaps working out the best cable first is more important.

 

[AudioCats]

one option is to get a Stax electrostatic extension cable, cut it down, and use the ribbon portion as your headphone wires. The Stax cable is very soft and flexible and light, and the wires, at least in a full size wide ribbon, are OCC copper.

 

[-=Germania=-]

Get some 7 strand SPC in teflon at 30AWG should be very flexible once braided and have very low microphonics.

This might work pretty well on the cheap *dunno about international though* if you don't mind white.

Teflon 30 awg Silver stranded audio hook up wire 100ft - eBay (item 360134992679 end time Mar-28-09 13:55:52 PDT)

 

[elliot42]

Thanks, Germania. Would you use just one wire each for signal and ground? (30AWG is pretty thin).
Navships has some 30AWG at $7.25 for 50', and postage from him is $2.50. More expensive for the wire than the link you gave, but maybe not, depending on what the postage actually is.

The Stax extension cable is a little pricey for me (new, about $100) and getting some of that second hand might be a little harder to source.

 

[-=Germania=-]

I personally like doubled on the ground for my IEM's more than single on each.

It would be a bit more difficult to build and a tiny bit thicker. Still, sound improvement is worth it to me considering how minimal those changes are. I mean, no giant 22AWG wires for your IEM's as that would never fit and be crazy stiff!

 

[elliot42]

I think 2 wires for ground would be easier to put together (perhaps not to solder) as I could then braid normally to the Y and then braid double to the jack.

I'll braid some of the solid SPC I have to get an idea of the thickness and possibly the flexibility and then get some stranded wire. Hopefully the SPC isn't too bright as AudioCats mentioned, given the RE2s are bright to begin with; but I do prefer a clean, even bright sound to something smooth and bassy.

Any thoughts on how to make the cable detachable? I don't want to crack open the case, that could get messy. And even a 2.5mm inline plug would probably be way to bulky. If I go without the detachableness (likely), I'd just solder wire to wire and heatshrink it.

 

[qusp]

Hey Elliot

I have some 30AWG SPC from navships. i'll sen you enough to get the job done. what length cable do you want?? I have it in white and black. my turn to do you a favour and send you some free stuff.

 

[elliot42]

Really? Thanks Jeremy.

I just braided 3 strands of the solid 30AWG I have and I see now how stiff it is

worse than the stock cable. Hopefully the stranded is nice and floppy?
I'd need 480cm in black and 240cm in white to do the cable, that's 120cm long (probably a bit shorter after soldering and braiding) with 2 ground wires (black) and 1 signal (white) per channel.

Easier to put together if I use 2 colours, and better looking too

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elliot42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really? Thanks Jeremy. I just braided 3 strands of the solid 30AWG I have and I see now how stiff it is worse than the stock cable. Hopefully the stranded is nice and floppy? I'd need 480cm in black and 240cm in white to do the cable, that's 120cm long (probably a bit shorter after soldering and braiding) with 2 ground wires (black) and 1 signal (white) per channel. Easier to put together if I use 2 colours, and better looking too

sure its not overly floppy, the stuff from navships. but i'll send it through anyway. i'll send on monday.

 

[elliot42]

I'll have a look around to see if I can find anything particularly floppy as well and let you know if I find anything suitable before you go and send some of the navships stuff.