[keithhr1]

I've replaced my HD600 cables with one of my own design and have thought about upgrading phones but must be able to use my own cables. I've been lurking here for several months and haven't seen any references to any replaceable cables in other than Sennheiser. I would be up to internally rewiring the phones if the junctions are easy to get to. The cable I've designed does virtually nothing in the signal path and I can't use any phones that will not accept it. It is a proprietary design that I am patenting and can't say anything about what it actually is at present. I've been using the Benchmark Media Dac1 headphone outputs and just picked up a Heed CanAmp from Blue Moon audio and feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[vegaman]

If you don't mind opening them and soldering the wires, you could recable any headphones you can open, from what I've seen anyway. This thread should give you an idea of what you'd be soldering.

 

[slwiser]

The new ATH-ANC7 has a replaceable cable design using standard 1/8" plugs on both ends. One could make up a cable with a 1/8 and a standard end.

 

[Icarium]

Qualias/HD580/600/650... think that's it?

 

[Zorander]

If you can create your own Senn cable, you should also be fine with hard-wiring your preferred wires to headphones. You can also install mini-jacks into the headphone chambers for a truly cable-swappable headphone.

Cheers!

 

[Knockturne]

Ultrasone 750s do.

 

[Marco2]

Goldring DR150's

 

[steviebee]

HD 590s...

oops, sorry, Senns again!

 

[3X0]

AKG K240/K271, I think. Non-conventional ones.

 

[Duggeh]

All 3 Goldring headphones.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif AKG K240/K271, I think. Non-conventional ones.

That's right, mini XLR
http://www.zucable.com/mobius_akg.asp

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif AKG K240/K271, I think. Non-conventional ones.

Only the K240S, the K240 has a hardwired cable.

 

[keithhr1]

I appreciate the info guys, it's frustrating to want to consider possible improvements in source signal testing and be limited by this type of consderation. I use my HD600's to test the signal directly from the source (Benchmark media DAC1 headphone jacks ) vs the signal coming out of my speakers(I use a Bandor 50mm driver made of spun aluminum crossed over at 300hz to an Eton , kevlar, 8"woofer and for all purposes my speaker system is as fast as my Senn's. Since all of my listening criteria was based upon recorded information, none of the standard listening parameters were used. I believe this allowed me to be pretty objective. Funny thing, the more recorded info, the more specific imaging, the greater the natural acoustic decay of instrumets etc., the better all standard parameters became in the process. I was beginning to feel that as good as the hd600's are, they are even better with neutral cable and capable of extroaordinary detail. I am going to check out some of the other suggestions in this thread. I did put back in the stock 650 cables last night and was surpised at how sluggish and smeared they sounded. I was surprised at how dark they sounded as well.The ultimate cable does nothing in the signal path and should be able to be routed through other components with minimal signal degradation. Every gauge of wire has it's own sonic signature and I believe that soon, that may be demonstrable on Head-fi. I believe most will be shocked to find out exactly how much coloration, distortion, and phase smearing cable can introduce. It is absolutely fascinating to be able to compare the drivers in a HP vs the drivers in a speaker system.
I started this thread because I need to try and find a HP that can be more accurate and neutral if possible. If anyone is interested in creating a speaker system that can more than rival reference headphones I suggest they check out the 50mm drivers here, http://www.bandor.co.uk/, because most people will say it is not possible to exactly reproduce the quality and speed found in the best headphones, but it is. I believe for most people, having a headphone amplifier in a DAC source would be preferable to running the signal through inferior cables to a headphone amp.
I did want to mention that I used Sennheiser plugs and left approximately 1" of the stock cable to terminate to.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Beyerdynamic DT250, Sennheiser HD25-1

 

[keithhr1]

I guess I should have mentioned that I was looking for an audible upgrade potential, not just any HP that has replaceable cable. My HD600's sound pretty amazing now, but know from reading here that there are possibly better sounding units out there.