[KamijoIsMyHero]

It is for balanced amplifiers, what is typically provided are single-ended cables (ones that terminate into 1/4 inch). You can look up what balanced does and how it works, kinda straight forward. I beleive one of the arguments of just providing a standard cable for a product geared toward "audiophiles" is that it is expected they will replace the cable anyways to something that costs a significant amount compared to the headphones itself. Also, apparently there isn't a lot of evidence balance is different in sound to single-ended. By default, a single-ended cable should be provided.

 

[Kamakahah]

Has anyone added Steve Eddy to the list?

I've read other members praise his cables and straight forward no voodoo approach


http://theaudioguild.com/the-collection/#/q-cables/

The cables look nice and I've heard good things, but the price is a bit steep for the materials. $215 for a 5 foot cable.
You can get that wire they use for $5.25/10 feet. 25ft of 1/8" Nylon multifilament for $5 or the same length 95/micro paracord for the same. Custom acrylic 1/4" TRS and Y-split from someone like Yew audio for $25. A pair of 3-pin mini xlr for $5. This are not even bulk pricing. So $50 in non-bulk priced, custom materials and two hours of time. Skip the custom pieces, use a $.25 macrame bead for the Y-split and a nice $6.50 Neutrik connector and the total drops to ~$33.

Buy a nice Hakko 888 soldering iron, some solder, a mixed pack of heat shrink, some wire cutters/strippers and save yourself hundreds in the long-term.

Even buying all the necessary equipment and materials to build those cables, it would still be $40-60 cheaper than one cable, and you'd be set to build yourself.

It's not for everyone I suppose. Still something to keep in mind when you're spending $200 on a cable.

 

[superjawes]

I could understand spending $200-$300 on a cable for Audeze headphones. Those really only come in "luxury" models, so having a "luxury" cable to go with it at least makes some sense. Of course, it's also going to be a while before I could afford an LCD-2 and accompanying materials...

 

[nanaholic]

The cables look nice and I've heard good things, but the price is a bit steep for the materials. $215 for a 5 foot cable.
You can get that wire they use for $5.25/10 feet. 25ft of 1/8" Nylon multifilament for $5 or the same length 95/micro paracord for the same. Custom acrylic 1/4" TRS and Y-split from someone like Yew audio for $25. A pair of 3-pin mini xlr for $5. This are not even bulk pricing. So $50 in non-bulk priced, custom materials and two hours of time. Skip the custom pieces, use a $.25 macrame bead for the Y-split and a nice $6.50 Neutrik connector and the total drops to ~$33.

Buy a nice Hakko 888 soldering iron, some solder, a mixed pack of heat shrink, some wire cutters/strippers and save yourself hundreds in the long-term.

Even buying all the necessary equipment and materials to build those cables, it would still be $40-60 cheaper than one cable, and you'd be set to build yourself.

It's not for everyone I suppose. Still something to keep in mind when you're spending $200 on a cable.

 
What's a good place online to buy the materials needed to make a custom cable?  I've always wanted to get into making my own CIEM cables because I wanted to make one that has a long-short wire after the Y split like how the Japanese OEM like Sony used to do it with their earphones. 

 

[Kamakahah]

What's a good place online to buy the materials needed to make a custom cable?  I've always wanted to get into making my own CIEM cables because I wanted to make one that has a long-short wire after the Y split like how the Japanese OEM like Sony used to do it with their earphones. 

You mean you want to make a J-cord cable. Normally people hate those, lol. I actually kinda like them.

Lots of information in the DIY cable questions and comments thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/676402/diy-cable-questions-and-comments-thread

There are tons of places to buy materials depending on what your specific needs, wants, time frame and price range. In general overseas is cheaper but has shipping wait time and you need to be picky about the vendor to ensure quality. Most cable makers get there parts from countries in Asia. A few source their own versions of cables and connectors, again from Asia. There are of course exceptions.

 

[nanaholic]

You mean you want to make a J-cord cable. Normally people hate those, lol. I actually kinda like them.

Lots of information in the DIY cable questions and comments thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/676402/diy-cable-questions-and-comments-thread

There are tons of places to buy materials depending on what your specific needs, wants, time frame and price range. In general overseas is cheaper but has shipping wait time and you need to be picky about the vendor to ensure quality. Most cable makers get there parts from countries in Asia. A few source their own versions of cables and connectors, again from Asia. There are of course exceptions.

 
Yeah, J-cord.  They have a very real practical use, but I think people only hate them because they never figured out how to wear them properly (you throw the long side around the back of the neck, so when you remove one side of your earphone it only hangs chest high instead of dropping to your crouch like normal same length Y splitters).
 
That's a nice list, I'm going to check them out.  Hopefully I might even find some direct from China or something and save even more.     

 

[SilentFrequency]

It is for balanced amplifiers, what is typically provided are single-ended cables (ones that terminate into 1/4 inch). You can look up what balanced does and how it works, kinda straight forward. I beleive one of the arguments of just providing a standard cable for a product geared toward "audiophiles" is that it is expected they will replace the cable anyways to something that costs a significant amount compared to the headphones itself. Also, apparently there isn't a lot of evidence balance is different in sound to single-ended. By default, a single-ended cable should be provided.

Thanks

I don't think "balanced cables" particularly interest me too much tbh

The cables look nice and I've heard good things, but the price is a bit steep for the materials. $215 for a 5 foot cable.
You can get that wire they use for $5.25/10 feet. 25ft of 1/8" Nylon multifilament for $5 or the same length 95/micro paracord for the same. Custom acrylic 1/4" TRS and Y-split from someone like Yew audio for $25. A pair of 3-pin mini xlr for $5. This are not even bulk pricing. So $50 in non-bulk priced, custom materials and two hours of time. Skip the custom pieces, use a $.25 macrame bead for the Y-split and a nice $6.50 Neutrik connector and the total drops to ~$33.

Buy a nice Hakko 888 soldering iron, some solder, a mixed pack of heat shrink, some wire cutters/strippers and save yourself hundreds in the long-term.

Even buying all the necessary equipment and materials to build those cables, it would still be $40-60 cheaper than one cable, and you'd be set to build yourself.

It's not for everyone I suppose. Still something to keep in mind when you're spending $200 on a cable.

Yeah, I guess it's possible to make your own cable at a lower cost if you have the time, tools and know how but it's not something I think I would do as I'd rather leave it to the experts, but that's just me I guess.

You can make your own latte right? But Starbucks make it better.

 

[prot]

Has anyone added Steve Eddy to the list?

I've read other members praise his cables and straight forward no voodoo approach


http://theaudioguild.com/the-collection/#/q-cables/

that is exactly what I call a voodoo cable ... $250 for a $5 wire

 

[prot]

Finally got some time to test those "amazing" silver cables.

USB cables: Viablue vs printercable vs audiophile pure silver cable. NO freakin diffs.

INTERCONNECT cables: Viablue vs TOTL Inakustik vs selfbuilt pure silver cable (TOTL construction with pure "audiophile" silver wire, Eichmann pure silver bullets and the "best" mundorf supreme silver/gold solder). Another win for the NO freakin diffs category.

I'm just gonna stop wasting time & money with cables ... according to my experience it is all just a giant bullsh*t. Of course, YMMV.

 

[bigshot]

Congratulations! You have just graduated to the REAL high end audio!

 

[prot]

Congratulations! You have just graduated to the REAL high end audio!

Maybe
Just had to take that silver cable thing out of my system... gotta admit I had some hopes. With silver being a slightly better conductor I thought it may bring some. But I did everything by the book: solid core 99,99 silver wire, best pure silver connectors and best mega mundorf silver solder. And NADA. I'm quite baffled when I think about the thousands of reviews preaching all those things... lies and damn lies....

 

[bigshot]

There are two parts to science in home audio... the science of how electronics reproduce music, and the science of how we hear. Most audiophiles know a lot about the former and nothing at all about the latter. If you just do a little googling on "thresholds of human hearing", and compare that to the measurements of a silver cable, it's easy to know that there isn't going to be an audible difference. 99% of knowing the truth is asking the right questions.

 

[prot]

There are two parts to science in home audio... the science of how electronics reproduce music, and the science of how we hear. Most audiophiles know a lot about the former and nothing at all about the latter. If you just do a little googling on "thresholds of human hearing", and compare that to the measurements of a silver cable, it's easy to know that there isn't going to be an audible difference. 99% of knowing the truth is asking the right questions.

Gotta admit I did not do the math or any serious research into the silver cable thing. I just went on with hope. We all like hope
Still good that I did learn something from the whole experiment. And it was fun. And since the soldering thing went better than expected I'm now thinking about building a bcrack .
Thanks for the support bigshot

 

[Chris J]

that is exactly what I call a voodoo cable ... $250 for a $5 wire

I agree.

 

[SuperU]

Subbing to stay current with this.