[Killercrush]

You may want to ask Alex aka [AK]Zip, he did recable a pair a short while ago.

 

[virusvoodoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leqin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mine hasn't arrived yet, but it can't be long before the postman bounds up the drive eager to push a package into my hands - in the meantime its nice seeing it fits and I'm glad I was right in thinking it looked like it should, but Jant71 does it make wearing the UE's a more comfortable experience by comparison with the series 2 cable?

Please post how well it works with the Super.fi 5 Pro's and how the new sound is like. If it turns out to be positive, I may opt for the same "mod".

-Thanks

 

[jant71]

I don't know of many cable options. Most of the pics I see of high end customs use this cable or one with slight variations at the Y. If you go to order one from Westone/Futuresonics they all look the same and come in the same lengths.

http://futuresonics.vista.com/store/..._-_CARMEL.html

http://www.westone.com/cgi-local/Sof...html?E+scstore

UE-10 pics from headroom appear to be the same cable as Futuresonics.
http://www.headphone.com/productPhot...icn=0020380001

These are the cables you get with the customs and they make a big difference with the Ultimate Ears at least.

 

[jant71]

Of course, adding impendance helps as well. If it works for the ER4S and the PK1 it should help with all the others as well. I have an Oelbach on the way so I can shed about a foot off the cord length; the Ety adapter is 13" long plus the 50" cable is a bit much at times.

 

[theory_87]

Is it possible to show a much detail pictures on the UE with ES cable? I'm looking to replace the UE v2 cable with Westone Cable.

 

[sorrick]

One question. Why did you choose to go with the westone cable instead of ordering one of the cables UE sells for their custom molded IEMS. Does anyone know the sonic/quality/overall differences between futuresonics, westone, and UE custom cables since they apparently will all fit into the UE universal IEMs? The cable upgrade sounds like an interesting way to eek out that extra bit of awesomeness out of the triple.fi's (who knows, maybe it will even bring the mids a little more forward which wouldn't bother me either)

 

[lisztian420]

Hi,

Sorry I don't really understand the benefit high impendence over the low. I realized that most dynamic headphones are power hungry and have high impedance level and they do generally have much richer sound and wider soundstage. But how will an s adaptor that drives up the impendence level on IEMs help the overall sound quality? Sorry for such a noobie question but can someone please explain this to me?

Charlie

 

[lisztian420]

Hi,

First of all thanx Jant71 for the info and links. I think what you said about sound improvement with better cable makes a lot of sense to me. Cables are pretty affordable and if it can lead to a major sound improvement it's definately worth trying. Now,.. I see that there are a few choices: UE custom cable, Future Sonic able and ES cable. I can see that the UE and Future Sonic cable should be able fit in my Superfi 5Pro easily but the ES cable seems to have a different connector to the Superfis. So how will that work? Can anyone enlighten me on this...

 

[leqin]

lisztian420 - the ES cable fits because the pins that make the connection have the same spacing, so my guess is that we are looking at a industry standard, even if the housing is slightly different in shape the actual connecting metalwork is the same.

I forget who it was who said that Westone's cable was a tight fit, but whoever it was they were right and on my UE Super-fi 5 Pro's you have to give the connector a good hard shove because it is slightly tighter. I'll get my digital mike out at some point and measure it, but it isn't something that is going to break anything and I've plugged and unplugged my ES cable several times now without any sign of a problem... actually the standard series 2 cable that came in the box with my UE's is so slack a fit that at one point it actually spontaneously unplugged itself on the first day back from RMA leaving me thinking oh no not a- bloodie-gain.

I see the thread seems to have been changed onto something to do with sound quality and tweaking the sound with different cables. That wasn't and never would have been my priority, in fact my starting post should make it obvious that over here in the UK the UE series 2 cable is IMHO far inferior from a comfort point of view by comparison with the series 1 cable UE replaced it with, even if the series 1 was rubbery and prone to tangle... it at least allowed the driver housings to remain independent of cable movement and their much acclaimed series 2 cable in colder environments can result in very sore ears that get so tired and burned that you just cannot use the earphones any longer.

I'll come back to sound quality at some point - at the moment I'm waiting on my digital camera to return so that I can post some close up shots of what the ES cable looks like fitted - but the gloss black version I ordered looks drop dead sexy with the new limited edition Super-fi 5 Pro's in cherry red UE sent me and my ears think they are in heaven because the ES cable allows the drivers housing to just float in my ears - the ES cable may move but it doesn't drag the drivers all over the place if and when it does move and thats exactly what I wanted... the tweaked tighter bass and faster transients are just cherry on my cake so far as I'm concerned.

 

[electro house]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leqin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll come back to sound quality at some point - at the moment I'm waiting on my digital camera to return so that I can post some close up shots of what the ES cable looks like fitted - but the gloss black version I ordered looks drop dead sexy with the new limited edition Super-fi 5 Pro's in cherry red UE sent me and my ears think they are in heaven because the ES cable allows the drivers housing to just float in my ears - the ES cable may move but it doesn't drag the drivers all over the place if and when it does move and thats exactly what I wanted... the tweaked tighter bass and faster transients are just cherry on my cake so far as I'm concerned.

leqin,
Can you give a least a sentence or 2 on how you think the SQ changed on the Superfi.5's after your cable swap? I'm thinking of ordering the same cables you did, but I'm doing it to try to tweak SQ some -- the cables physically work fine here in California, where its a bit warmer most the time I guess.

But I'm very interested in your SQ impressions of the cable-swap. Hm. Is that a new thread?

 

[jant71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sorrick /img/forum/go_quote.gif One question. Why did you choose to go with the westone cable instead of ordering one of the cables UE sells for their custom molded IEMS. Does anyone know the sonic/quality/overall differences between futuresonics, westone, and UE custom cables since they apparently will all fit into the UE universal IEMs? The cable upgrade sounds like an interesting way to eek out that extra bit of awesomeness out of the triple.fi's (who knows, maybe it will even bring the mids a little more forward which wouldn't bother me either)

I chose to go with the Westone because UE was charging twice the shipping(~$15) and also the Westone has a good rep for comfort.

I originally planned to just grab a cheap pair of S.f 3's(for exercise) and use the S cable which did make a nice little improvement with treble harshness. I got a first edition Super.fi 3 with the thin cord. Since it tangled so much I thought I would get a new series 2 cable. Then I decided to chance that the custom cables were a bit more $$ for SQ reasons.

I would go with the Westone cable since the UE10 is known to be neutral while most of the Westones are mid-forward. If there is any chance of mid-forwarding it might be with the Westone one. I can't really answer for sure since the Super.fi 3 is the mid-forward one to begin with, which is why I purchased it for the 2nd time.

@Charlie
The internal amp of any portable will produce better dynamics, bass, airiness, etc. at a higher volume level. Many of the sensitive IEMs get loud too early and are actually underperforming and also pick up hiss. The added impendance reduces hiss and allows the internal amp to give more to the sound.

 

[lisztian420]

Hi Leqin,

Thanx for your answer. I looked at the pics from the Westone site and for the ES cables I thought I only saw one large pin, but there are actually two. HAHA! It must be the picture. Okay, but I am also very interested in the difference of the sound quality through your new ES cable. I love my UESF5Pro, but I will be even happier if the ES cable actually brings out the mids in my SF5. So please post your impression... Thanx!

Jant 71,

Thanx for your answer! And I think someone should start a new thread relating to cable swapping and SQ soon!


Charlie

 

[lisztian420]

Hi,

So it's been almost a month since I last reply to this post. I am still waiting for the pictures on this mod leqin

and a breif review on sound quality. I ordered the ES cable but it's taking a long time to have it ship to Asia. I am still interested in what your impressions are.

 

[leqin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisztian420 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, So it's been almost a month since I last reply to this post.

no it isn't - its three weeks from where I'm counting and three weeks isn't a month

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisztian420 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am still waiting for the pictures on this mod leqin

and you'll be waiting some time - my camera' decided to go all wonky and I've got more important things to buy, but don't worry yours should arrive and you'll know what it looks like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisztian420 /img/forum/go_quote.gif and a breif review on sound quality.

I didn't know sound wore underpants or had a lawyer or needed legal representation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisztian420 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I ordered the ES cable but it's taking a long time to have it ship to Asia. I am still interested in what your impressions are.

I do a pretty good Tony Blair, but he's resigned so I'm going to have to practice the bloke in No 11 instead. I can also do a passable Prince Charles.

 

[needanamp]

side note: props to leqin, this funny guy gave me a UE cable for free! good stuff!