[mofolepo]

I ordered a silver litz in the new year and received it super fast. I ordered it on a Saturday and received it by Thursday! Ted was really easy to communicate with and was no nonsense about everything.

When I first received my cable, I complained that it sounded empty and the sound would cut in and out when I turned my head. Ted had me shipped it back and he discovered that some of the connectors were looser than others. He found me a set of tighter connectors and shipped my cable back.

I received it on Friday and I've been listening to my Shure SE846 with them, and for me, the debate isn't between whether the custom cable is the same or better than the stock, but just the opposite. I don't know how to describe it, but it sounds like the earphones are drastically less pronounced in the plane below my ears. Another point of displeasure is that it seems the vocals are centered around my right eye. I'm not an audiophile, so I'm explaining my issue in layman's terms. I'm actually debating if these cables make my earphones sound worst than stock.

I just want everyone's input before I bug Ted again. I'm disappointed with the sound, but the cable looks and feels nice. Reading this entire thread inspired me to make my purchase, so I'm thinking my situation is more the exception than the norm. Help?

 

[mofolepo]

If it'll help my description, it kind of sounds like I'm partially going deaf from my ear down.

 

[Zenifyx]

I ordered a silver litz in the new year and received it super fast. I ordered it on a Saturday and received it by Thursday! Ted was really easy to communicate with and was no nonsense about everything.

When I first received my cable, I complained that it sounded empty and the sound would cut in and out when I turned my head. Ted had me shipped it back and he discovered that some of the connectors were looser than others. He found me a set of tighter connectors and shipped my cable back.

I received it on Friday and I've been listening to my Shure SE846 with them, and for me, the debate isn't between whether the custom cable is the same or better than the stock, but just the opposite. I don't know how to describe it, but it sounds like the earphones are drastically less pronounced in the plane below my ears. Another point of displeasure is that it seems the vocals are centered around my right eye. I'm not an audiophile, so I'm explaining my issue in layman's terms. I'm actually debating if these cables make my earphones sound worst than stock.

I just want everyone's input before I bug Ted again. I'm disappointed with the sound, but the cable looks and feels nice. Reading this entire thread inspired me to make my purchase, so I'm thinking my situation is more the exception than the norm. Help?

 
That sounds like it could be a phase issue.
Check the polarity on your cables, and check that your IEMs are connected in the correct polarity (I believe Ted has them wired such that the R/L lettering should face towards your head)
If they are already correct, try reversing them and see if that would fix the problem.

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

That sounds like it could be a phase issue.
Check the polarity on your cables, and check that your IEMs are connected in the correct polarity (I believe Ted has them wired such that the R/L lettering should face towards your head)
If they are already correct, try reversing them and see if that would fix the problem.

I had this exact issue, switch them around, and problem solved

 

[mofolepo]

Thanks a lot. This seems to have fixed it. I never knew that it would matter at which angle the earphones is connecting to the cable in relation to my head... just wondering, why is this so?

 

[Watagump]

  Thanks a lot. This seems to have fixed it. I never knew that it would matter at which angle the earphones is connecting to the cable in relation to my head... just wondering, why is this so?

 
Not an angle issue, it was having positive and negative wrong, if I am understanding the issue.

 

[fiascogarcia]

  Thanks a lot. This seems to have fixed it. I never knew that it would matter at which angle the earphones is connecting to the cable in relation to my head... just wondering, why is this so?

Don't know much about it, but I think a ba driver requires a positive current to properly charge the coils and magnets driving a moving membrane inside, and the iem sockets are wired accordingly, as only one of the wires in the cable flows a positive current.

 

[Watagump]

  Don't know much about it, but I think a ba driver requires a positive current to properly charge the coils and magnets driving a moving membrane inside, and the iem sockets are wired accordingly, as only one of the wires in the cable flows a positive current.

 
Come to CanJam fool, go to dinner with us, I am buying. 

 

[Zenifyx]

  Thanks a lot. This seems to have fixed it. I never knew that it would matter at which angle the earphones is connecting to the cable in relation to my head... just wondering, why is this so?

 
With your IEM connected with reversed polarity (i.e swapped ground/positive connectors, or positive/negative in the case of balanced cables), you get a waveform that is essentially out-of-phase with the original (in a balanced armature, basically the BA driver is rotating the opposite way).
This results in the effect you have experienced, of which one of the most obvious effects is the change in soundstage.

 

[MrDerrick]

It's not even possible to reverse polarity with MMCX connectors?

 

[Gurashieruro]

It's not even possible to reverse polarity with MMCX connectors?

I think it is. The connections where the wire connections attach to the MMCX connectors still have a positive and negative section.

 

[MrDerrick]

I think it is. The connections where the wire connections attach to the MMCX connectors still have a positive and negative section.

 
MMCX have two contact points, center and outer. Meaning the center point will always be the same as with the outer, it's not like a normal two prong connector.
The only way you can mix polarity is if the connector was soldered incorrectly to begin with. Impossible to reverse polarity when connecting the cable to the IEM unless you force and break the centre pin connector.

 

[Gurashieruro]

   
MMCX have two contact points, center and outer. Meaning the center point will always be the same as with the outer, it's not like a normal two prong connector.
The only way you can mix polarity is if the connector was soldered incorrectly to begin with. Impossible to reverse polarity when connecting the cable to the IEM unless you force and break the centre pin connector.

Sorry, that's actually what I meant. Unlike the 2-pin solution, the polarity cannot be messed up unless if it was soldered wrong. That being said, I swore the guy had some problems and sent it back because of those issues. In that event, he found that the cables had been soldered wrong. I could have read wrong.

Its also another reason why I like the MMCX connector more than 2-pin connections. Its impossible to get the polarity messed up so long as it is soldered correctly. That and it has a satisfying snap that actually stays like that quite well. 

 

[MrDerrick]

  Sorry, that's actually what I meant. Unlike the 2-pin solution, the polarity cannot be messed up unless if it was soldered wrong. That being said, I swore the guy had some problems and sent it back because of those issues. In that event, he found that the cables had been soldered wrong. I could have read wrong.

Its also another reason why I like the MMCX connector more than 2-pin connections. Its impossible to get the polarity messed up so long as it is soldered correctly. That and it has a satisfying snap that actually stays like that quite well. 

 
I read it as that mofolepo was told to rotate the connector to have the L/R indicator facing towards inside by other members of the forum which makes no sense for MMCX connectors as stated by my above post. The only thing I can think of is that the connector was loose and rotating it must have locked it into place forming a better connection. 
 
mofolepo already received the cable back from Ted and was reporting the issue, so no changes from Ted from the time he reported it to sounding back to normal or better than first reported.
 
Just don't want incorrect information/advice flying around. I agree with you about MMCX connectors though, good as you can't mess it up as there is only one way to connect them.

 

[Gurashieruro]

I read it as that mofolepo was told to rotate the connector to have the L/R indicator facing towards inside by other members of the forum which makes no sense for MMCX connectors as stated by my above post. The only thing I can think of is that the connector was loose and rotating it must have locked it into place forming a better connection. 

mofolepo already received the cable back from Ted and was reporting the issue, so no changes from Ted from the time he reported it to sounding back to normal or better than first reported.

Just don't want incorrect information/advice flying around. I agree with you about MMCX connectors though, good as you can't mess it up as there is only one way to connect them.

But if there was never a good connection, sound would be intermittent right? It's like having a positive end but no negative connection, there won't be any kind of flow.

On the MMCX connector, I love them more than 2-pin. People complain they can get dirty, I don't see the concept of that. Sure it might be more susceptible to becoming such because it rotates but it's not that much higher than 2-pin. Besides, these are high end IEMs not workout buds so I don't we are putting them in extremely unfavorable conditions. Personally, I have never had a problem with them getting dirty.
Like I said before, MMCX forms a more solid connection because of its snap ring while excluding any issues with the wrong insertions.
I love the MMCX connection and I have yet to see a really good argument that the 2-pin exceeds the MMCX connection type.