[nc8000]

NC8000 how are you able to go balanced with linum. thought that they don't have any 4.4mm yet...

Had a friend reterminate it to 4.4 mm

 

[twister6]

I'm considering purchasing my upgrade cable from this site. Mostly due to high customisability the site offers.

http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html

But there are too many options. Would someone kindly help me please? What should be my selection for maximum 150 $.

I could jut get this one for 50 $, but I really care about the color of the cable and white or copper color doesn't look nice to me. Is this product on a par with the plussound products?

If you are choosing a cable as a color-matched accessory to your WM1A, figure out a color and ask @PLUSSOUND to make a pure copper cable with 2pin standard connector, 4.4mm termination, and a sleeve color of your choice. That shouldn't be a problem to fit your $150 budget.

 

[Gilles De Rais]

Swapping the cable too often on the iem end can eventually result in the female plugs on the iem getting loose with intermittent or permanent loss of connection

I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years.

My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.

regards,

Giles

 

[Aliv3]

Hello! I have my wm1a for almost a week with100 hours of burn-in. I came from a walkman x1060 with a sennheiser ie80. but maybe it is my imagination or any kind of placebo effect that I think because wm1a is a device more capable than the x1060 I feel the ie80 with a more congested sound I do not know how to explain I think the wm1a is exposing the limitations of the my sennheisers. I have the curiosity to try the balanced output so Im here to ask for a recommendation for some new in-ears. most of my music is rock / pop / blues and I'm looking for some in-ears that cause no fatigue that are fun to hear (I do not like those very analytical ones) and do not cause me bankruptcy.
Thanks!

 

[kubig123]

Hello! I have my wm1a for almost a week with100 hours of burn-in. I came from a walkman x1060 with a sennheiser ie80. but maybe it is my imagination or any kind of placebo effect that I think because wm1a is a device more capable than the x1060 I feel the ie80 with a more congested sound I do not know how to explain I think the wm1a is exposing the limitations of the my sennheisers. I have the curiosity to try the balanced output so Im here to ask for a recommendation for some new in-ears. most of my music is rock / pop / blues and I'm looking for some in-ears that cause no fatigue that are fun to hear (I do not like those very analytical ones) and do not cause me bankruptcy.
Thanks!

Campfire has a nice interesting range of earphones, what's your price range?

 

[Aliv3]

Campfire has a nice interesting range of earphones, what's your price range?

Thanks for the Reply! I would say 500€.

 

[gerelmx1986]

Thanks for the Reply! I would say 500€.

Try Sony xba-z5 they retail for $499 in some sites
They don't sound analytical and are fun to listen to, they are balanced ready (in the box there's a dual 3.5mm balanced cable)

 

[Fsilva]

Anybody selling 4.4 mm 2 pin cable? Want to go balanced....

i´m selling a Silver Poison from Toxic Cables with 2 pin connectors and 4.4mm plug. PM me if you´re interested.

 

[nc8000]

I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years.

My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.

regards,

Giles

Indeed. I personally have my cable terminated to 4.4 as that by far is my main use and then have a 4.4 to 3.5 pig tail for when I need to use my iem with a pc, phone or tablet

 

[productred]

I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years.

My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.

regards,

Giles

From my own experience with 2 pin connectors from all major brands (ES, 64, Empire, Noble universals and certain CMs) they female socket wears out MUCH faster than your named timeframe. If you change cables once or twice a week the socket would become loose within, say, 2 months. Not that they'd fall off or fail to hold the male pins at once, but you'd consciously feel it's becoming looser than before. And if the frequent cable swapping continues after that, it would soon after another a month or two becomes loosen to an extent that your iem may fall off mid-usage.

It may sound horrifying at first but not so if you think carefully. Gold is a soft metal and plating gold on pins and sockets is for its anti-corrosion properties as well as its fairly good conductivity, not for ultimate durability. From the beginning the design of cable change systems (2pins and mmcx alike) are NOT for frequent plugging and unplugging - at most it's designed for, during its lifespan, a swap or two at first i.e. when you first acquire the iem and pick a fav cable to go with it, AND another swap when the cable dies after, say, a year or two. Maybe another swap after that. But definitely not swapping week in week out. The whole idea is to prolong the life of your iem. In the long run swapping cables too often would only significantly decrease the lifespan of your iem and increase costs in that sense. On the other hand there are lots of affordable 2.5 cables and lots of very affordable and well made 2.5mm-3.5mm and 2.5mm-4.4mm adaptors.

I have quite a few iems that have loose female 2 pins sockets, and a few more with failed mmcx sockets. Well, I'm a head-fier and I DO LIKE swapping cables around. But at the same time I have to be realistic and understand the mechanics. After lots of trial and errors and bad experiences I have come to live with the rule that once I have the tinniest hint of a female socket becoming looser than before I'd just decide on a cable and let them live together for their lifetime. People have suggested different ways to counter the effects of loose sockets, e.g. flattening the pins or slightly bending them, but I'd rather have the sockets healthy than to remedy its loosening.

The best system so far must be the Fitear 2-pin locking system. Pity only Fitear cares to employ that.

 

[gerelmx1986]

When my sony upgrade cable arrives this will be my 2nd cable swap on my XBA-Z5

 

[blazinblazin]

I improvise when my MMCX is loose. (Do at your own risk)
I notice it shakes around and causes connection issues.

So i thought it would be good if you can stop it from shaking and then you will fix the problem.

I fold layers of aluminum foil together cut a very small slit and then put it on the male plug as a cushion, stuff the aluminum near the plug under the notch of the male MMCX plug... cut off the excess outside of the plug and its fixed. Of cause not blocking the function.

 

[meurglys0]

If you are choosing a cable as a color-matched accessory to your WM1A, figure out a color and ask @PLUSSOUND to make a pure copper cable with 2pin standard connector, 4.4mm termination, and a sleeve color of your choice. That shouldn't be a problem to fit your $150 budget.

Thanks!

In fact I am curious as to which cable and which setting to choose from Plussound. I don't have experience with cables...

I could use some help...

 

[Gilles De Rais]

From my own experience with 2 pin connectors from all major brands (ES, 64, Empire, Noble universals and certain CMs) they female socket wears out MUCH faster than your named timeframe. If you change cables once or twice a week the socket would become loose within, say, 2 months. Not that they'd fall off or fail to hold the male pins at once, but you'd consciously feel it's becoming looser than before. And if the frequent cable swapping continues after that, it would soon after another a month or two becomes loosen to an extent that your iem may fall off mid-usage.

It may sound horrifying at first but not so if you think carefully. Gold is a soft metal and plating gold on pins and sockets is for its anti-corrosion properties as well as its fairly good conductivity, not for ultimate durability. From the beginning the design of cable change systems (2pins and mmcx alike) are NOT for frequent plugging and unplugging - at most it's designed for, during its lifespan, a swap or two at first i.e. when you first acquire the iem and pick a fav cable to go with it, AND another swap when the cable dies after, say, a year or two. Maybe another swap after that. But definitely not swapping week in week out. The whole idea is to prolong the life of your iem. In the long run swapping cables too often would only significantly decrease the lifespan of your iem and increase costs in that sense. On the other hand there are lots of affordable 2.5 cables and lots of very affordable and well made 2.5mm-3.5mm and 2.5mm-4.4mm adaptors.

I have quite a few iems that have loose female 2 pins sockets, and a few more with failed mmcx sockets. Well, I'm a head-fier and I DO LIKE swapping cables around. But at the same time I have to be realistic and understand the mechanics. After lots of trial and errors and bad experiences I have come to live with the rule that once I have the tinniest hint of a female socket becoming looser than before I'd just decide on a cable and let them live together for their lifetime. People have suggested different ways to counter the effects of loose sockets, e.g. flattening the pins or slightly bending them, but I'd rather have the sockets healthy than to remedy its loosening.

The best system so far must be the Fitear 2-pin locking system. Pity only Fitear cares to employ that.

I agree that the Fitear system is best, but I have had some two pins and mmcxs last without any loss of contact. I’d say my Lyras, AKT8iemk ii, Nobles (various both old style and new style) have each survived 20 plus cable changes mainly 3,5mm to 2.5mmm, though lately 4mm has reared its head. Cables are ALO, Onso, AK and Effect Audio. Interestingly, the Alo cables have reinforced cable terminations and the AK had to re-engineer the mmcx sockets from the mk i.

My approach to connection quality had changed after I have issues with Ultimate Ears, particularly the SF5 pro, where the socket metal lining visibly expanded after a dozen insertions - the cable also oxidised real fast so It probably wasn’t the best quality. I think this may be the issue, that some companies qc on these components isn’t as rigid as us users would prefer.

Regards,

Giles

 

[Aliv3]

Try Sony xba-z5 they retail for $499 in some sites
They don't sound analytical and are fun to listen to, they are balanced ready (in the box there's a dual 3.5mm balanced cable)

I can not find them anywhere. Do you know a site where you can buy them in Europe?
I have another question and I'm already sorry, because I'm a complete noob on these issues but the balanced cable should not end in 4.4mm?