[Aerathion]

Just to clarify, I bought the Nuforce cable because I hate the button and mic on the orange cable and it was just a tad microphonic. And it was orange. Any change in sound was just by the by.

my reason for waning a new cable, is that the standard cable has a 2 band on one side, and a 3 band on the other side.
 
the 3 band sinks in too far into my audio equipment, distorting the sound, i could flip it, but id rather have another, somewhat longer cable.

 

[Red Jacket Mike]

So what is the best option for a plain, no button cable that is flexible, doesn't kink, no micro phonics, and is something I can order in the USA?  I like the NuForce, but can't find it available anywhere except in a too-short length.

 

[ratinox]

my reason for waning a new cable, is that the standard cable has a 2 band on one side, and a 3 band on the other side.

Tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) and tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS). Contact issues like this are pretty common.

The V-MODA audio only cable is basic TRS stereo. No buttons, no microphones, just audio, and twelve bucks is a reasonable price for a good audio cable.

 

[Aerathion]

Tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) and tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS). Contact issues like this are pretty common.

The V-MODA audio only cable is basic TRS stereo. No buttons, no microphones, just audio, and twelve bucks is a reasonable price for a good audio cable.

ill get the nuforce

 

[Solrighal]

No buttons, no microphones, just audio, and twelve bucks is a reasonable price for a good audio cable.

I tend to agree. I might have went with the V-Moda cable too but I'd have to factor in shipping to that cost. The Nuforce cable definitely doesn't kink though. I like that.

 

[martybm5]

  So what is the best option for a plain, no button cable that is flexible, doesn't kink, no micro phonics, and is something I can order in the USA?  I like the NuForce, but can't find it available anywhere except in a too-short length.

It appears to be available on the Amazon UK site. It costs more just because its coming from the UK but its definitely better than the OEM V-moda cable in my opinion. I was one of the lucky ones who got it for a steal before they ran out in the US. 

 

[martybm5]

I was at a friends house the other day with my M-100's. He's not fussy about music but after trying the cans with my rig (SGN3 > E18 > good music) he plugged the cans into his iPhone, dialled in some music and started bopping. I had a listen and couldn't believe how bad the sound was. I took them off and asked him if he had seriously EQ'ed the sound to his taste. He had no idea and so we had a dig around in the settings and found the bass reducer setting. What! Kinda demonstrates the demographic Apple are aiming at, no? Surely a bass enhancer makes more sense? Nah, I guess not in this Beats Generation. Anyway, turned the bass off and the M-100's were singing.

 
I will say, the M100's are awesome in terms of their efficiency as well. I bought the ALO National to push my Mad Dogs and was really disappointed. Simply didnt have enough power for them. When I used it to push my M100's they sounded AMAZING. Everything was that much clearer. The bass was that much stronger and fuller. I thought long and hard about keeping that amp just to use exclusively with my M100. In the end I sent it back but it left a lasting impression on me. 

 

[indieman]

Speaking of cables, anyone seen this video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QH3H_i09LwE
Shows how tough the v-moda cable is. Pretty interesting!

 

[epithetless]

  So what is the best option for a plain, no button cable that is flexible, doesn't kink, no micro phonics, and is something I can order in the USA?  I like the NuForce, but can't find it available anywhere except in a too-short length.

 
I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to re-mention the no-name cable I've been happily using with my M-100 for many months now. Picked it up on ebay from the seller worth-buy -- the current listing is this one (under the heading "Universal JACK 3.5mm Stereo AUXILIARY CABLE CORD CAR AUDIO AUX WIRE Male to Male" in case the listing expires and someone needs to do a search).
 
I bought mine because I was looking for a basic, mic-less, button-less entirely black cable in a sensible length (V-MODA's audio-only cables are too long for me to use portably without resorting to obnoxious bundling tactics) to match my Matte Black M-100s...and it's done its job admirably.

Lightweight, markedly less microphonic than the stock V-MODA cables, and with no degradation in sound quality that I can sense. Note that the ebay description says they're 38 inches long, but mine (I've purchased a few) are actually 48" tip-to-tip, which is perfect for my needs. The black version looks to be out of stock at the moment, but hopefully that's just a temporary thing and not a NuForce-style discontinuation issue.

 
The only downsides to the cable that I've encountered are: 1) I needed to rub the metal plugs with a cloth initially to remove whatever invisible factory coating made them sound scratchy when rotated (much like some of Sennheiser's brand-new IEM cables), but once that was done, the problem has gone away; 2) like many cables, I did notice it stiffening in some of our extremely cold Boston weather this winter, but not to the point that microphonics were a huge issue; and 3) I would have preferred a right-angle termination at the source end, but no dice.
 
Here's a quick pick of it (and a right-angle adapter) in action:
 

 

[ratinox]

Shows how tough the v-moda cable is. Pretty interesting!

It's also show shy the strain relief needs to flex. All that a stiff strain relief does is move the point of failure from the jack or plug to the end of the relief barrel and that's really not the point.

 

[Solrighal]

I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to re-mention the no-name cable I've been happily using with my M-100 for many months now. Picked it up on ebay from the seller worth-buy -- the current listing is this one (under the heading "Universal JACK 3.5mm Stereo AUXILIARY CABLE CORD CAR AUDIO AUX WIRE Male to Male" in case the listing expires and someone needs to do a search).

I bought mine because I was looking for a basic, mic-less, button-less entirely black cable in a sensible length (V-MODA's audio-only cables are too long for me to use portably without resorting to obnoxious bundling tactics) to match my Matte Black M-100s...and it's done its job admirably. Lightweight, markedly less microphonic than the stock V-MODA cables, and with no degradation in sound quality that I can sense. Note that the ebay description says they're 38 inches long, but mine (I've purchased a few) are actually 48" tip-to-tip, which is perfect for my needs. The black version looks to be out of stock at the moment, but hopefully that's just a temporary thing and not a NuForce-style discontinuation issue.

The only downsides to the cable that I've encountered are: 1) I needed to rub the metal plugs with a cloth initially to remove whatever invisible factory coating made them sound scratchy when rotated (much like some of Sennheiser's brand-new IEM cables), but once that was done, the problem has gone away; 2) like many cables, I did notice it stiffening in some of our extremely cold Boston weather this winter, but not to the point that microphonics were a huge issue; and 3) I would have preferred a right-angle termination at the source end, but no dice.

Here's a quick pick of it (and a right-angle adapter) in action:

^ this ^

I'm going to buy something similar for my Q701's.

 

[Nintendam]

just got my XL pads,
 
-awesome. every way better, for me
 
fuller sound, deeper bass(sub) (perhaps because I'm getting a better seal now)
 
I'm still having issues wearing glasses, theres a HUGE difference (with the XL's) with glasses on or off. oversized frames, so where they sit on my ears it actually pushes the XL's off my ears a bit on top. 
 
I can't really A/B the stock/XL but I call it an upgrade in every way possible, extremely comfortable

 

[Red Jacket Mike]

   
I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to re-mention the no-name cable I've been happily using with my M-100 for many months now. Picked it up on ebay from the seller worth-buy -- the current listing is this one (under the heading "Universal JACK 3.5mm Stereo AUXILIARY CABLE CORD CAR AUDIO AUX WIRE Male to Male" in case the listing expires and someone needs to do a search).
 
I bought mine because I was looking for a basic, mic-less, button-less entirely black cable in a sensible length (V-MODA's audio-only cables are too long for me to use portably without resorting to obnoxious bundling tactics) to match my Matte Black M-100s...and it's done its job admirably.

Lightweight, markedly less microphonic than the stock V-MODA cables, and with no degradation in sound quality that I can sense. Note that the ebay description says they're 38 inches long, but mine (I've purchased a few) are actually 48" tip-to-tip, which is perfect for my needs. The black version looks to be out of stock at the moment, but hopefully that's just a temporary thing and not a NuForce-style discontinuation issue.

 
The only downsides to the cable that I've encountered are: 1) I needed to rub the metal plugs with a cloth initially to remove whatever invisible factory coating made them sound scratchy when rotated (much like some of Sennheiser's brand-new IEM cables), but once that was done, the problem has gone away; 2) like many cables, I did notice it stiffening in some of our extremely cold Boston weather this winter, but not to the point that microphonics were a huge issue; and 3) I would have preferred a right-angle termination at the source end, but no dice.
 
Here's a quick pick of it (and a right-angle adapter) in action:
 

Thanks for the info--I might look into one of those.

 

[Solrighal]

just got my XL pads,

-awesome. every way better, for me

fuller sound, deeper bass(sub) (perhaps because I'm getting a better seal now)

I'm still having issues wearing glasses, theres a HUGE difference (with the XL's) with glasses on or off. oversized frames, so where they sit on my ears it actually pushes the XL's off my ears a bit on top. 

I can't really A/B the stock/XL but I call it an upgrade in every way possible, extremely comfortable

Cheers mate, from the bottom of my wallet

I have similar issues with glasses although not so much with the M-100s. My AKG Q701's are a nightmare. The next pair of glasses I buy are going to be sooo slim.

 

[Solrighal]

Wow! I just went through the checkout at V-Moda only to find that shipping this $20 item is gonna cost me $86! That can't be right surely?