$360 for the Whiplash, $39 for the iBasso....IMO, a no-brainer!!!! Does anyone really think they are going to hear $321 difference between these cables???? The iBasso cables are not cheap imported DIY cables, but genuine Sennheiser HD650 cables. How do I know? I shipped them to iBasso.
$360 for the Whiplash, $39 for the iBasso....IMO, a no-brainer!!!! Does anyone really think they are going to hear $321 difference between these cables???? The iBasso cables are not cheap imported DIY cables, but genuine Sennheiser HD650 cables. How do I know? I shipped them to iBasso.
Have you auditioned the Whiplash cable? The phrase "genuine Sennheiser HD650 cable" doesn't carry a lot of weight with me since I'm well aware of the how restrictive it is on the stock HD6xx cans. Mass-produced cables will always be cheaper than custom-made pro cables even discounting the difference in the cost of source materials.
Anyway, the OP asked for options, so I provided one that I'm personally happy with and can recommend. On a purely cost-driven basis, the iBasso cable is clearly a better choice.
Well I mean really is there $xxx difference between most things in this hobby? Some ppl don't think cables make a difference. Some do. Personally I think they do and to me, a cable can make a world of difference. Maybe just as much as a $xxx upgrade.
To op. I'd get the boomslang and id find a cable inbetween $40-350. There are plenty of options.
$360 for the Whiplash, $39 for the iBasso....IMO, a no-brainer!!!! Does anyone really think they are going to hear $321 difference between these cables???? The iBasso cables are not cheap imported DIY cables, but genuine Sennheiser HD650 cables. How do I know? I shipped them to iBasso.
Have you auditioned the Whiplash cable? The phrase "genuine Sennheiser HD650 cable" doesn't carry a lot of weight with me since I'm well aware of the how restrictive it is on the stock HD6xx cans. Mass-produced cables will always be cheaper than custom-made pro cables even discounting the difference in the cost of source materials.
Anyway, the OP asked for options, so I provided one that I'm personally happy with and can recommend. On a purely cost-driven basis, the iBasso cable is clearly a better choice.
$360 for the Whiplash, $39 for the iBasso....IMO, a no-brainer!!!! Does anyone really think they are going to hear $321 difference between these cables???? The iBasso cables are not cheap imported DIY cables, but genuine Sennheiser HD650 cables. How do I know? I shipped them to iBasso.
Have you auditioned the Whiplash cable? The phrase "genuine Sennheiser HD650 cable" doesn't carry a lot of weight with me since I'm well aware of the how restrictive it is on the stock HD6xx cans. Mass-produced cables will always be cheaper than custom-made pro cables even discounting the difference in the cost of source materials.
Anyway, the OP asked for options, so I provided one that I'm personally happy with and can recommend. On a purely cost-driven basis, the iBasso cable is clearly a better choice.
Sorry, Ron, my question was poorly phrased. I should have asked, whether you have auditioned this particular Whiplash TWag Reference X cable, not just TWag in general. I've found that on some headphones it makes a bigger difference than others. The HD6xx cans are in the first group along with the Qualias, and in my opinion the difference is well worth the investment, but it may not be for others for a variety of reasons.
@debitsohn is right; there are many choices to fit almost any preference and budget
Has anyone with the Boomslang DB1 and PB1 compared using the PB1 with the balanced input from the DB1 and using it with a single ended line in from another DAC? I'm interested in the difference having a balanced source makes when using a balanced amp.
A blind test would be fantastic - you could get someone else to switch the DAC and write impressions of the two unknown sources before finding out which they are.
I know I'm asking for a lot, but I am planning a similar experiment myself. When my PB1 arrives I'll try the same headphones (HD650s) with the same cable from the balanced out and the single ended out (adding an adaptor to use the single ended out) and write my blind impressions of each. I'm also planning to do a blind comparison of the stock HD650 cable and the Headphile Blacksilver cable (both used single ended with the PB1 amp).
I have listened to my PB2 about equally using my Boomslang balanced DAC output and the output from my desktop DAC. I can hear very little difference that I can attribute to the balanced input vs SE. Most of the differences are due, I think, to the differences in the DACs themselves.
There is more audible difference when using the SE output vs the balanced output than the differences between the inputs.
Thanks for the feedback. I already had the uDAC2, but will look into the Boomslang... I think it was out of my budget when I shopping for DACs.
I ordered the balanced cables from iBasso along with the PB2 Pelican. Waiting to receive these! So now the proposed set up is:
MacBook Pro 13" -> uDAC2 -> Pelican -> CB09 cable -> HD 650
Now the question is how to connect the DAC to the amp. Will a simple RCA output from the DAC to 3.5mm input to the amp do the trick?
After that's sorted, I'll look into optical out from the MacBook Pro to feed into the DAC.
Yes, the RCA > 3.5 cable will work just fine. I think you are going to be very pleased with your setup. IMO, the sound rivals that of desktop rigs costing hundreds of dollars more.
Thanks for the feedback. I already had the uDAC2, but will look into the Boomslang... I think it was out of my budget when I shopping for DACs.
I ordered the balanced cables from iBasso along with the PB2 Pelican. Waiting to receive these! So now the proposed set up is:
MacBook Pro 13" -> uDAC2 -> Pelican -> CB09 cable -> HD 650
Now the question is how to connect the DAC to the amp. Will a simple RCA output from the DAC to 3.5mm input to the amp do the trick?
After that's sorted, I'll look into optical out from the MacBook Pro to feed into the DAC.
I really don't think the SQ changes significantly with burn-in from what I have been able to hear with my iBasso amps, but I would highly recommend running your custom IEM's balanced. IMO, it is not necessary to spend big bucks on a custom cable, rather re-terminating your stock cable with the Hirose connector should enable you to enjoy the benefits of running balanced. You could always pick up a 2nd stock cable for when you want to use a SE output.
The benefits of balancing are most apparent in improved imaging and stability of the soundstage. More expansive and dimensional would also be a good description. These improvements can be heard easily from the stock cables, at least the stock cables used with high-quality custom IEM's.
Just as a side note, some stock cables will not allow conversion to balanced due to a shared ground conductor. In those cases a custom cable may be the only (easy) option.
IMO, it is not necessary to spend big bucks on a custom cable, rather re-terminating your stock cable with the Hirose connector should enable you to enjoy the benefits of running balanced.
Just received the PB2 today, and my set up is sounding pretty good.
MacBook Pro 13" -> (usb to) uDAC2 -> (Mogami Gold RCA to SE to) PB 2Pelican -> balanced CB09 cable -> HD 650
The 650 veil is lifted, but I do hear more noise is the silent ranges (sorry, do not know the technical term). I don't have pitch black silence. Maybe rolling some of the buffers and/or opamps would resolve this, but I have no knowledge on what the best combo would be.
Also, is there an ideal volume ratio setting for MacBook to DAC to AMP? I have the Mac volume maxed, DAC volume a little past 12 o'clock and then play around with the volume on the PB2 amp (usually past 12 too.)
I don't know of any IEM's that use a shared ground anywhere but at the plug, at least none that I am familiar with. Most headphones with single-sided cable entry need recabling, but dual entries are common at the plug and can easily be reterminated for correct balanced operation.
Just as a side note, some stock cables will not allow conversion to balanced due to a shared ground conductor. In those cases a custom cable may be the only (easy) option.
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