[jimmers]

  I bought my HD650 in 2008. Had the HD600 back in the early 2000s. Yes I'm aware that the veil is arguably a misnomer. It's just so much easier to use that term to describe the sound though. Anyway, I'm just curious about the impact of silver plated copper cable on the sound signature. Back in the days before HD650, upgrading the HD600 was the rage. 

I've got one of these cables, I bought it because the 3M lead was inconvenient. Wasn't looking for a change in signature, wasn't expecting one, but it does seem to be brighter/lighter. I haven't been back to the standard cable and am not interested in A/B-ing them.
Edit: I got mine for 35AUD in an auction.

 

[Vitalstatistix]

Yeah, 3 meter cable is kinda annoying!

 

[jimmers]

Yeah, 3 meter cable is kinda annoying!

These days when the amp is often right with you 1.2M is handier

 

[obsidyen]

I like the sound signature of the stock cable though. With Chord Hugo, HD650s sound very transparent and musical.
 
Right now I'm listening to Look Right Through by Storm Queen. Sounds amazing. Just shows the versatility of HD650s, very good at electronic music too.

 

[madwolfa]

  I bought my HD650 in 2008. Had the HD600 back in the early 2000s. Yes I'm aware that the veil is arguably a misnomer. It's just so much easier to use that term to describe the sound though. Anyway, I'm just curious about the impact of silver plated copper cable on the sound signature. Back in the days before HD650, upgrading the HD600 was the rage. 

 
I've used my old HD600 for more than a decade with Cardas cable upgrade. First fed from a cheap CD player, then from a proper headphone amp (X-Can V3).
One year ago I've put some new (silver) drivers to HD600. Few months ago I've sold my HD600, bought a brand new HD650 and now using it with a stock cable.
 
Based on my experience, I can attest the following:
 
1) There is no such thing as veil on either HD600/HD650, neither old or new drivers had that thing.
2) Other than aesthetics and durability, cable upgrade does nothing to your headphones, period...

 

[daltonlanny]

   
I've used my old HD600 for more than a decade with Cardas cable upgrade. First fed from a cheap CD player, then from a proper headphone amp (X-Can V3).
One year ago I've put some new (silver) drivers to HD600. Few months ago I've sold my HD600, bought a brand new HD650 and now using it with a stock cable.
 
Based on my experience, I can attest the following:
 
1) There is no such thing as veil on either HD600/HD650, neither old or new drivers had that thing.
2) Other than aesthetics and durability, cable upgrade does nothing to your headphones, period...

I respectfully disagree with you about the cable upgrade opinion. The Stefan Audio Art Equinox 650 LE is CLEARLY superior to the stock cable.
Had two pairs of Sennheiser HD 650's at one point. One had the stock cable, the other had the Stefan Audio Art Equinox.
My HeadAmp GS-1 headphone amp has two identical headphone out jacks. I plugged both pairs into the headphone jacks on the amp and shut my eyes and had my wife switch them out and not tell me which one had the stock cable and which had the upgrade cable.
I could pick the one with the upgrade cable out every single time with my eyes closed.
The one with the Equinox simply had a deeper soundstage, clearer mids and highs, and better separation of instruments.
Bass was very similar though.
The one with the stock cable sounded slightly darker, more congested, and the sound was flat compared to the one with the SAA Equinox cable.
We also swapped the cables around on the headphones...same results.
So it wasn't just my imagination.
I also found that the HD 650 also sounds different using the HD 580/600 stock cable and vise versa, but its a little more subtle.
The basic HD 650 sonic signature remains though, no matter which cable is used. Its just more refined with the SAA Equinox cable.

 

[AyeVeeN]

I'm not one who believes in the cable hype either (as long as the cable isn't uber ****ty like a $1 eBay cable). Looking to test it if there's any place that offers a return policy akin to Amazon, otherwise I'd buy a cable for its build quality rather than its perceived sonic characteristics.
 
These are crazy laidback though. I was listening to them for a few hours on end (unusual for me since I often find full-sized headphones uncomfortable) and I just didn't feel like doing anything for those two days. The second day I had them (my first long listening session), I got sleepy by 4 PM and slept till 4 AM (I'm 18 and I enjoy my sleep so 12 hours is not unusual for me) even though I woke up at 8 AM that morning.

 

[JamieMcC]

Going down the aftermarket cable route would be something I would only consider after knowing my amplification and source where top notch.

 

[daltonlanny]

To each his own ....

 

[iancraig10]

I respectfully disagree with you about the cable upgrade opinion. The Stefan Audio Art Equinox 650 LE is CLEARLY superior to the stock cable.
Had two pairs of Sennheiser HD 650's at one point. One had the stock cable, the other had the Stefan Audio Art
I could pick the one with the upgrade cable out every single time with my eyes closed.

The cable is heavy and the plugs almost touch your shoulder, so you could be aware which headphone was on your head. That could swing your thoughts on what you heard.

I tried a Stephan cable a few years ago and found not much difference too. Mine was second hand but still expensive. I tried so hard to detect differences but really couldn't. In the end, I removed it because it was heavy and the plugs into the cups wee touching my shoulders if I moved.

I much preferred the relative 'comfort' of the old lead tbh.

 

[Solrighal]

@ Ian - first off, great avatar. I'm a fan.

I can certainly hear a difference with my Forza cable although it's far from night & day. I'm not so sure the difference I perceive is an improvement though. To my mind it makes the sound somewhat thinner. Yes, some of the darkness is lifted but some of the weight is also lost.

I got to the 650's through a process of elimination and I think I've found my sound. The Forza seems to take me back in that process to a sound I'm less comfortable with. The Forza is also heavier and less flexible than the stock cable which isn't so good. This is why I'd prefer to get the stock cable shortened, then I'd be happy. My 650's would be perfect.

 

[alv4426]

Working with the stock hd650 cable is a little difficult cause it has some sort or resin on it that you have to remove (burning it off works) but other than that making it shorter is a really easy and cheap process. Literally cut it the length you want, strip off the sleeve to get to metal, hold the bare metal over fire for a few seconds(you will be able to tell when the resin is completely burned off), and solder on a new plug (which are pretty cheap from like $4 to upwards of $100 for some crazy unobtainium thunder cat piss edition plugs). It takes like 10min, I've done it twice once to shorten and another to make a balanced cable super easy.

 

[iancraig10]

@ Ian - first off, great avatar. I'm a fan.

I can certainly hear a difference with my Forza cable although it's far from night & day. I'm not so sure the difference I perceive is an improvement though. To my mind it makes the sound somewhat thinner. Yes, some of the darkness is lifted but some of the weight is also lost.

I got to the 650's through a process of elimination and I think I've found my sound. The Forza seems to take me back in that process to a sound I'm less comfortable with. The Forza is also heavier and less flexible than the stock cable which isn't so good. This is why I'd prefer to get the stock cable shortened, then I'd be happy. My 650's would be perfect.

The avatar is the field I worked in for a long time!! Dieter is a character eh?

I use the hd600 cable just for the convenience of the mini plug!! I love the hd650 sound and even use it with an O2 while touring around!!!

 

[Solrighal]

Working with the stock hd650 cable is a little difficult cause it has some sort or resin on it that you have to remove (burning it off works) but other than that making it shorter is a really easy and cheap process. Literally cut it the length you want, strip off the sleeve to get to metal, hold the bare metal over fire for a few seconds(you will be able to tell when the resin is completely burned off), and solder on a new plug (which are pretty cheap from like $4 to upwards of $100 for some crazy unobtainium thunder cat piss edition plugs). It takes like 10min, I've done it twice once to shorten and another to make a balanced cable super easy.

You make it sound so easy I might give it a go. I'll need to buy a soldering iron first and then source a nice plug.

The avatar is the field I worked in for a long time!! Dieter is a character eh?

I use the hd600 cable just for the convenience of the mini plug!! I love the hd650 sound and even use it with an O2 while touring around!!!

He's a character alright, lol. I'm not impressed with his recent solo effort though. In fact I much prefer Boris' effort. I'm intrigued as to what you used to do now, lol.

 

[Eee Pee]

 thunder cat

 
ThunderCats!  Hoooo!
 
 

 
 
 
Neutrik are great plugs for $5  It is pretty easy to do if you can solder small things.