[Ryokan]

Been struggling for several months listening with my new iem's which came with a silver cable, harsh transients and just not very pleasurable to listen to: giving me headache/fatigue quite quickly. Put on a cheap copper cable and the harshness has gone.

 

[bigshot]

That is almost certainly bias, just to let you know.

 

[Ryokan]

I'm just saying what I hear Bigshot. So I've got this expensive silver cable now doing nothing and put it on my other iem's which sound really good. After 20 minutes they sound like the other set, harsh and thinner sounding, so I put the cheap copper cable back on and they sound warmer and more musical/correct.

 

[bigshot]

What you hear is probably expectation bias and perceptual error. If you make no effort to eliminate those, what you hear doesn’t mean much. No offense, but you’ve been told this before and you didn’t register it. You just keep making the same mistake over and over.

I can’t think of any reason why silver should sound any different than copper. Maybe you had EQ engaged with one and didn’t realize it. That would explain it.

 

[Ryokan]

What you hear is probably expectation bias and perceptual error. If you make no effort to eliminate those, what you hear doesn’t mean much. No offense, but you’ve been told this before and you didn’t register it. You just keep making the same mistake over and over.

I can’t think of any reason why silver should sound any different than copper. Maybe you had EQ engaged with one and didn’t realize it. That would explain it.

I was hesitant to post my findings as was sure people would think I'm trolling. All I know is for a few months expensive iem's were very disappointing and actually caused physical discomfort. That has gone after changing to a different cable. Also when I received my Szalayi iem's they didn't sound great, bass was woolly, 'luckily' I damaged the jack and the only replacement I had was a cheap copper cable and straight away the sound was clearer the bass sounds more controlled.

 

[bigshot]

If you want to post your findings for others to read about, it would be good to make an effort to make sure what you’re saying is accurate.

A little research on the things you’re talking about might help too. Google is your friend.

 

[Ryokan]

Well whether I've deluded myself or not, I'm happy as my iem's now sound. What more can I say Bigshot? the iem's sounded crappy now they sound worth owning.

 

[bigshot]

It isn't delusion. Bias is a normal human reaction. Bias helps us make decisions quickly. It isn't a bad thing unless you let yourself be controlled by it exclusively. There are two ways to avoid that... applying controls to minimize it, and to educate yourself about how your equipment works so you can recognize bias when it makes you think you hear something you aren't actually hearing.

 

[castleofargh]

Been struggling for several months listening with my new iem's which came with a silver cable, harsh transients and just not very pleasurable to listen to: giving me headache/fatigue quite quickly. Put on a cheap copper cable and the harshness has gone.

The cases that could actually make this happen would almost all have the impact to depend on the IEM and amp used. Silver doesn't have a sound any more than a wire gauge or an impedance number has its own sound. They all participate in a circuit that will decide if and where the consequences can reach audible values.
An anecdotal uncontrolled impression really does nothing to validate sound change, how much, how, or that it's audible. @bigshot isn't giving the nicest of replies, but from an observer's point of view, psychological biases are very likely to cause part, or all of your "sound" feelings. Leaning toward another possibility without some efforts to first disprove biases would be a mistake.

 

[Davesrose]

It sounds like bias or change in perception if you say the IEM changes character after 20 minutes. Theoretically, there can be a measured difference with driver and cable gauge based on its resistance and sensitivity. Where it could be more important is long speaker cable runs in your home. I read some recommendations for recommended gauge and how long the run is going to be. The Amazon Basics in wall cables are great since they're jacketed and come in long spools. There's no point spending more than that: there can be some quality control issues with other types of small brand "audiophile" cables and their connectors.

 

[Ryokan]

The cases that could actually make this happen would almost all have the impact to depend on the IEM and amp used. Silver doesn't have a sound any more than a wire gauge or an impedance number has its own sound. They all participate in a circuit that will decide if and where the consequences can reach audible values.
An anecdotal uncontrolled impression really does nothing to validate sound change, how much, how, or that it's audible. @bigshot isn't giving the nicest of replies, but from an observer's point of view, psychological biases are very likely to cause part, or all of your "sound" feelings. Leaning toward another possibility without some efforts to first disprove biases would be a mistake.

Ok, but one thing which might back up my stance is that when I bought this particular iem I read up first about it and the expensive cable, it is a beautiful cable, very well made and luxurious, and was very keen to listen to it, believing as another model is highly revered here it would be like nothing I've ever experienced before. Well the weeks went by and I kept thinking 'is this it? my much cheaper iem's sound better'. Surely I'd be biased toward liking it because it cost so much?

 

[Dogmatrix]

Ok, but one thing which might back up my stance is that when I bought this particular iem I read up first about it and the expensive cable, it is a beautiful cable, very well made and luxurious, and was very keen to listen to it, believing as another model is highly revered here it would be like nothing I've ever experienced before. Well the weeks went by and I kept thinking 'is this it? my much cheaper iem's sound better'. Surely I'd be biased toward liking it because it cost so much?

Sounds like your bias suggesting silver will boost high frequency (it does not ) has trumped your bias that more expensive will sound better

Anyway the sound science section requires evidence so if you have evidence by way of measurement or other data that shows difference ante up otherwise you have no stance to back up

 

[dingogyffe]

Been struggling for several months listening with my new iem's which came with a silver cable, harsh transients and just not very pleasurable to listen to: giving me headache/fatigue quite quickly. Put on a cheap copper cable and the harshness has gone.

I have had it like that, and i think it comes down to overall synergy and/or “weak links”. Synergy between components and cables is a funny thing.

 

[dingogyffe]

Ok, but one thing which might back up my stance is that when I bought this particular iem I read up first about it and the expensive cable, it is a beautiful cable, very well made and luxurious, and was very keen to listen to it, believing as another model is highly revered here it would be like nothing I've ever experienced before. Well the weeks went by and I kept thinking 'is this it? my much cheaper iem's sound better'. Surely I'd be biased toward liking it because it cost so much?

I have experienced “good” and “expensive” cables being a bad match on some cheaper components and the total opposite on other components. Ofte. More expensive stuff. But its not always like that and it can be easily generalised.

 

[ptodorov0]

I have had it like that, and i think it comes down to overall synergy and/or “weak links”. Synergy between components and cables is a funny thing.

If there was such thing as human audible "boosted treble" or "worse low frequencies" with certain cables that would be easily visible as a difference on FR measurements, but it's not. I doubt that a 5 digit measurement setup "hears" less precisely than the human ear (actually nerve and brain). It's all about perception and expectation bias, otherwise it would have been measured. Anyway, audio is a personal journey and it's ok to try such things as switching cables. If you like one better than the other and you feel satisfied at the end why not. We are not launching spaceships to the Moon so it wouldn't hurt anyone to experiment disregarding science