I'm certainly a cable believer, but who on this thread can spend over £200 quid on a cable. The majority of members and particularly guests, who usually are the bulk of thread viewers, would like to know about them, but not over saturation. The Renata is nice looking but prohibitive in price....to ordinary people. There is no Penon product tour of the UK, even amongst Penon regulars/fans, so you might as well be talking about a slice of toast.
Before I was really into cables I purchased 2 $160 cables then one more Pure Copper Kimber for my MDR-Z1R. So I always thought that they did something, yet never as focused as I am now. The thing is money is also dependent on how much you have. Still I learned how much value you put on something changes that $ value. Meaning if it was the only piece of gear you purchased in a year, well the RENATA would be not so expensive. But if you understand how it changes your gear, you may look at it different, where it almost becomes a necessity....,strangely enough?
Yep, I’ve just started to skin past cable posts where it’s over £40. I’m fine paying £300 for an IEM but I’m not paying that for a cable, or even remotely close to that.
I haven’t had any experience in a cable changing anything myself, I’m very skeptical. But from what I’ve read, even believers say it’s a very minor adjustment in sound. If I had £200 to spend, I’d be looking at buying a better IEM, not using £200 for a very minor increase in sound quality (if that’s even a thing with cables).
Ya, but if you heard a difference......the cable could in fact change the IEM character of an IEM you already have and maximize it. Sure probably stay with $300 to $600 IEMs and add a 200+ cable, there is nothing wrong with that, but yes, only half of Head-Fi believe in such things. I get where your coming from.
Yep, I’ve just started to skim past cable posts where it’s over £40. I’m fine paying £300 for an IEM but I’m not paying that for a cable, or even remotely close to that.
I haven’t had any experience in a cable changing anything myself, I’m very skeptical. But from what I’ve read, even believers say it’s a very minor adjustment in sound. If I had £200 to spend, I’d be looking at buying a better IEM, not using £200 for a very minor increase in sound quality (if that’s even a thing with cables).
I definitely agree with you completely. My ceiling on cables would be no more than $70. Adding that just playing with different types or models of eartips can substantially change the entire musical panorama and anyone can notice it and adjust it to their liking, you don't have to be an audiophile by any means. And the best thing is the ridiculous price they have, although in some models they are abused.
Likely to have no measurable effect on sound quality
Subjectively perceived differences may be heavily influenced (if not entirely created) by top-down effects of cognitive processing
No guarantee any sound quality changes will be to your liking
Requires swapping cables to alter the profile, also making A/B comparisons difficult and less reliable
Could break and become useless
Cost
Parametric EQ
Price:
With DAC: variable, but can be had as cheap as $100
For Android: $8 (e.g. Poweramp)
Windows: free (e.g. Equalizer APO)
Pros:
Produces measurable change in sound quality
Allows full control of changes you want to make, making sure they fit your gear, the music you're listening to, and your personal tastes
Multiple profiles can be made and changed between at a touch of a button
Profiles can be backed up and restored in case of device change, as well as freely shared with others
Can be auto EQ'd to other sets, to add versatility to your existing gear and give an (albeit imperfect) taste of what other sets would be like before or instead of purchasing
Likely to have no measurable effect on sound quality
Subjectively perceived differences may be heavily influenced (if not entirely created) by top-down effects of cognitive processing
No guarantee any sound quality changes will be to your liking
Requires swapping cables to alter the profile, also making A/B comparisons difficult and less reliable
Could break and become useless
Cost
Parametric EQ
Price:
With DAC: variable, but can be had as cheap as $100
For Android: $8 (e.g. Poweramp)
Windows: free (e.g. Equalizer APO)
Pros:
Produces measurable change in sound quality
Allows full control of changes you want to make, making sure they fit your gear, the music you're listening to, and your personal tastes
Multiple profiles can be made and changed between at a touch of a button
Profiles can be backed up and restored in case of device change, as well as freely shared with others
Can be auto EQ'd to other sets, to add versatility to your existing gear and give an (albeit imperfect) taste of what other sets would be like before or instead of purchasing
To a very limited extent, you can, although it's not what I would use it for and it is something best addressed by better tech.
In my experience, you can make a greater perceived improvement to soundstage with EQ than you can with cables (although it is still marginal). Of course, others here will disagree.
I don't expect nor want to change any existing views about what cables do, but only to provide a bit of diversity of views for those outside the community who will read this thread.
To a very limited extent, you can, although it's not what I would use it for and it is something best addressed by better tech.
In my experience, you can make a greater perceived improvement to soundstage with EQ than you can with cables (although it is still marginal). Of course, others here will disagree.
I don't expect nor want to change any existing views about what cables do, but only to provide a bit of diversity of views for those outside the community who will read this thread.
Yes! We can create an image that goes beyond your imagination. By manipulating frequency levels, a broader soundstage can be achieved that immerses the listener in a three-dimensional (3D) audio environment.
But all this can divide us into two fractions, and we shouldn't let that happen, right?
Because everything in the signal chain affects the outcome. Including if you went swimming and cleaned out your ears. Our hearing is affected by our mood, by our overall health, it even changes slightly day by day.
But the resistance of the cable build affects the signal and that is proven. That’s why often you will hear about an IEM being released with a different rating as they know it will change the IEMs character. A different material (as shown above) changes the IEM tone as the character of the material has personalities. Some people hear the changes and some don’t but it is also a learning thing. Like knowing correct instrument tone, that’s not something you’re born with, but learn as you go. Also you can learn to hear better, but some folks naturally are able to judge IEMs and cables. Don’t know if you have given audiophile IEMs to normal people to try but some regular people are great at hearing them, only they don’t use audiophile terms because they don’t know any, instead they use their hands to describe the stage or will use crazy off descriptions, yet you realize they have totally figured out the three IEMs you let them try. So yes, cables are passive except 1/2 the people at Head-Fi believe in them, but one step further we can agree among ourselves in groups how the parallel traits of different metals affect the signal. Thus there is no confusion as to Dsnuts list here.
To me (just stressing that) we know that cable resistances can effect sound. Science would say that all there is is current passing through a cable and that is it.....are there other factors that could change sound? Not that we know scientifically, although quantum theory may have something to say as we really get to know it.
Many of the people of the world though, carry the hermetic/alchemical/symbolic notion, instinctively. As above so below. If one just considers this, because we have no overt evidence, then accordingly the Sun is related to Mg, the Chlorophyll element, which burns bright white and is argued to be Solar connected, Venus is related to Copper, the Moon to silver. Our existence and Cosmos are highly interrelated/interconnected. The whole universe shines on us, do we know anything about reality?
I hear differences between my pure copper and pure silver cables. I don't know if it is resistance or something else. Placebo very possible. But I don't side with any theory because I don't know directly. If it gives me enjoyment then that is good, and for a moment makes me forget that I am dying every moment....because I got born.
Likely to have no measurable effect on sound quality
Subjectively perceived differences may be heavily influenced (if not entirely created) by top-down effects of cognitive processing
No guarantee any sound quality changes will be to your liking
Requires swapping cables to alter the profile, also making A/B comparisons difficult and less reliable
Could break and become useless
Cost
Parametric EQ
Price:
With DAC: variable, but can be had as cheap as $100
For Android: $8 (e.g. Poweramp)
Windows: free (e.g. Equalizer APO)
Pros:
Produces measurable change in sound quality
Allows full control of changes you want to make, making sure they fit your gear, the music you're listening to, and your personal tastes
Multiple profiles can be made and changed between at a touch of a button
Profiles can be backed up and restored in case of device change, as well as freely shared with others
Can be auto EQ'd to other sets, to add versatility to your existing gear and give an (albeit imperfect) taste of what other sets would be like before or instead of purchasing
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