[Wobulater]

You are right, any ALO cables would probably be as expensive as the VI itself.

 

[jellofund]

You are right, any ALO cables would probably be as expensive as the VI itself.

ALO did used to sell a Pandora version of their Green Line cable but no longer have it listed. I think it was around $300 from memory so definitely not cheap!
 
They do have the Sonorous VI, VIII & X headphones advertised on the website as 'coming soon' so perhaps we'll see an accompanying range of cables for them too.

 

[MarcinGD]

  Would the Hope VI be a worthwhile upgrade from the Q701? I have the O2 + odac already, and the Q701 bass isn't as prominent as I would like sometimes. I prefer a more neutral sound, so I'm worried about the bass being too much on this set

I just jumped a month ago from Q701. I had Pandora VI on the list for a very long time. Pandora is much more better sounding than Q701. Not so comfortable on the ears like Q701 but sound is so nice that I don't even mind it.

 

[Joeybgood]

Has anyone had balanced cables made for these? Does FAD sell their own or did you have to have them made?

 

[jellofund]

  Has anyone had balanced cables made for these? Does FAD sell their own or did you have to have them made?

 Final haven't offered a balanced cable to date. ALO used to sell one but no longer have it listed. However, a conversation AlterSack had with the FAD guys at the Munich show left him with the impression that ALO have a new one in the works.
 
@WayneWoondirts posted a couple of weeks back to say that he'd be reviewing the VI and would be receiving a balanced cable to test. Might be the aforementioned ALO cable?
 
I also recall a member making his own and providing info on how to wire it up. Can't remember who it was but if you're interested a search of this thread would probably find the relevant posts.
 
Edit: see post #815 on this page (post #818 may be of interest too) : http://www.head-fi.org/t/696821/reviews-impressions-thread-final-audio-design-pandora-hope-vi-interesting-dynamic-ba-full-size-headphones/810 

 

[Joeybgood]

 
 Final haven't offered a balanced cable to date. ALO used to sell one but no longer have it listed. However, a conversation AlterSack had with the FAD guys at the Munich show left him with the impression that ALO have a new one in the works.
 
@WayneWoondirts posted a couple of weeks back to say that he'd be reviewing the VI and would be receiving a balanced cable to test. Might be the aforementioned ALO cable?
 
I also recall a member making his own and providing info on how to wire it up. Can't remember who it was but if you're interested a search of this thread would probably find the relevant posts.
 
Edit: see post #815 on this page (post #818 may be of interest too) : http://www.head-fi.org/t/696821/reviews-impressions-thread-final-audio-design-pandora-hope-vi-interesting-dynamic-ba-full-size-headphones/810

Thanks! I have my cables made by John at SurfCables who said  they(FAD)  use dual 3.5mm mono connectors but they use a proprietary locking device which he can't replicate. So he could make them but no locking feature. They Probably won't fall out, as I have another can(AQ NightHawk) that utililizes the 3.5mm connectors sans locking feature without any issues. I'm thinking unless you turn hard and it gets a hard tug it should never just 'fall out'. ya know?

 

[jellofund]

  Thanks! I have my cables made by John at SurfCables who said  they(FAD)  use dual 3.5mm mono connectors but they use a proprietary locking device which he can't replicate. So he could make them but no locking feature. They Probably won't fall out, as I have another can(AQ NightHawk) that utililizes the 3.5mm connectors sans locking feature without any issues. I'm thinking unless you turn hard and it gets a hard tug it should never just 'fall out'. ya know?;​

 
That's good you've been able to find someone who'll make you one!
 
As long as the connectors John uses are narrow enough to fit inside the hole in the ear cups then I don't think you'll have a problem with them falling out. In some ways having cables that come out with a light tug might actually be preferable in the event of a mishap.

 

[Joeybgood]

agreed! much less chance of any damage being caused. I'll let ya know how they turn out. It's $75 for a 4pin xlr 6ft  terminated cable. He uses silver coated copper.(or pure silver for approx. dbl the price) They sound really nice. www.surfcables.com

 

[jellofund]

Please do and I hope they work out for you!
 
$75 seems pretty reasonable to me. I've heard good things about their MDR Z7 cables so think you are in good hands.

 

[moriez]

The VI's have piqued my interest. I was just about ready to pull the trigger on the TH600's when I came across this thread, however is the VI a bright can? I consider the T1, DT880 and K712 as too bright with a lack of bass for my tastes. Cans with bass I like are HD650, LCD 2.2 and HE400. To my ears, I found the HD600 and ESP950 kinda boring, so I guess I like a somewhat colored sound signature? However, from memory, I found the AH-D2000 to be a little veiled with a little too much bass, (never tried the D5000 or D7000).

Do you think the FAD VI or the TH600 would be the better can for me, and why? TIA!

Hi,

Just noticed your post in the TH600 thread. Take all the following with a pinches of salt now but given your preferences I think you may find the TH600 is too bass heavy. To put a number on it it has about twice the amount of what the VI has with in my experience the potential to whip up a headache. Has very good punch to it though not as fast and tight as the VI is. Some will describe it as a slower recovery. From memory the T1 and TH600 have a similar brightness to them. That is, with the gear I had hooked up back then. Some will tell you they don't hear it in the Fostex. Hope VI can come off a little bright too on certain recordings but not in the peaky way the TH600 and T1 for example do. I'm repeating myself here, clarity, speed (tightness) and a slightly warm signature is what you're getting. Other keywords are punchy, dynamic and freaking good. For a point of reference, I listen with these to electronic music. Plenty bass, rarely too much. Many times right on the money. YMMV

 

[0rangutan]

   
Hi,
 
Just noticed your post in the TH600 thread. Take all the following with a pinches of salt now but given your preferences I think you may find the TH600 is too bass heavy. To put a number on it it has about twice the amount of what the VI has with in my experience the potential to whip up a headache. Has very good punch to it though not as fast and tight as the VI is. Some will describe it as a slower recovery. From memory the T1 and TH600 have a similar brightness to them. That is, with the gear I had hooked up back then. Some will tell you they don't hear it in the Fostex. Hope VI can come off a little bright too on certain recordings but not in the peaky way the TH600 and T1 for example do. I can only guess the more linear balancing of the mids relative to the highs on the Hope are responsible for still making it smooth overall. I'm repeating myself here, clarity, speed (tightness) and a slightly warm signature is what you're getting. Other keywords are punchy, dynamic and freaking good. For a point of reference, I listen with these to electronic music. Plenty bass, rarely too much. Many times right on the money. YMMV

 
These observations are absolutely spot on.  I have also owned T1's and TH600's on my journey to the Hope VI's.  The VI's provide great treble without being too bright (T1's) and superb rich bass, without being as overpowering and slow (TH600's).

 

[pat9486]

Does anyone know how the Sonorous VIII compares to the Audeze LCD-XC?

 

[mannkind246]

Thanks! I have my cables made by John at SurfCables who said  they(FAD)  use dual 3.5mm mono connectors but they use a proprietary locking device which he can't replicate. So he could make them but no locking feature. They Probably won't fall out, as I have another can(AQ NightHawk) that utililizes the 3.5mm connectors sans locking feature without any issues. I'm thinking unless you turn hard and it gets a hard tug it should never just 'fall out'. ya know?

How does this custom cable comparing to the stock cable in term of their sound signatures?

 

[Wobulater]

FAD does use mono 3.5 mm plugs into the earphones, but they are a special design and are longer than standard 3.5 mm mono plugs. Therefore, unless you can remove about 1/4" of shoulder on standard 3.5 mm mono plugs, they cannot reach far enough into the earphone to make proper contact. I think the only way to make new cables is to cut the existing earphone cables leaving enough cable to splice a new one onto that end. This is not optimal, but I don't know where FAD source their proprietary 3.5 mono plugs and I don't think they can be disabled without ruining them.

 

[NZtechfreak]

My VI arrived at long last today!

Spent about 10mins getting new low repulsion pads on there, and then just listened straight from my Note 4 headphone jack. Wow. Straight from a smartphone, and yet really impressive. Frankly astonishing how good it sounded considering the source. Will give it a whirl tomorrow night on some better gear and see how much better if can sound...