[kboe]

I would say auditioning a solid silver cables and a pure copper cable would be best.  I wish I still had my Silver cables to send you.  If your looking to buy, PM AudioCats and see if he can make you, or has some silver cables.  These had a very specific sound and should show themselves quickly in your system.  The best copper cables in my opinion are from Cardas.  His Crosslink interconnects can be had for $100.00 for a half meter.  Those would be great "cheapish" cables that would sound very different.

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

That's what I think as well when I'm reading some people's posts. Of course I have no way of knowing if they did listen to custom cables or not but of course it really sounds like they haven't. 

 
My experience:
HD600/650 - ALO SXC Cryo - 18awg, Cardas, (Blue|Black|Silver) Dragon, DHC Cables each compared with stock.
HD800 - Cardas compared with stock.
K702's - ALO SXC Cryo - 22awg compared with stock.
 
I've done my share of trying and with mixed results.
 
I'd be happy to see myself wrong .... really.  Darned pity I live so far away from a meet, but I'll be reading the new evidence as it pops up and hopefully, do my own testing when the HD600 or 650's seem disposable.
 
I mean what I say in my signature............. 

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Quote:

A difference from Blue Jeans. I have a few you can play with? Copper, SPC, or Silver? That Belden cable sounds dark. The Grado copper IC's sound way different. The retail around 45 bux or so. And all copper.

Assuming Belden does not make the cable for Blue Jeans, as apparently Belden is a major cable manufacturer who supply cables to other cable companies.
 
Wouldn't it be funny if two headphone cables that appear to be different and are given different attributes, actually originally came from the same factory. That would be like the tests we cannot mention where people find a distinction between two of the same cable, because they look different.

 

[beeman458]

Young Spade wrote:
 
Damn right. That's quote worthy
 

 

 

[beeman458]

aimlink wrote:
 
I'd be happy to see myself wrong .... really.
 
Now, would you be really happy to see yourself as wrong or would you like to be happy, but really wrong?  I couldn't quite make your point out in your above.
 

 
(Need a whistling emoticon here.)
 

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Quote:

I spent about two years with Cardas and Blue Dragon cables on my HD-600 and HD-650, running either through the Zana Deux or Moth Si2A3, 90% of the time with SACD on the SA8001 or vinyl on the Orbe/SME IV/Fi Yph setup.  I ended up selling the cables to help pay for the HD-800.

Erik, did these cables sound identical to each other and to the stock cables to your ears?
 

 

[rusitnpiece]

This is one long debate that I have enjoyed reading. Thanks to everyone for their input in this discussion. 

 

[aimlink]

 
Quote:

aimlink wrote:
 
I'd be happy to see myself wrong .... really.
 
Now, would you be really happy to see yourself as wrong or would you like to be happy, but really wrong?  I couldn't quite make your point out in your above.
 

 
(Need a whistling emoticon here.)
 

 
Let's say that my overall contentment and happiness doesn't depend on whether or not I discover that psychoacoustics account for the differences that I've been hearing with cables.  I find this all to be quite interesting and even more interesting, are the implications with all things in the audiophile world. 
 
So yes, I'd be fine with being found to be wrong.  I'd be happy actually... i.e., that it's all clear.  The controversy is too great and I'm too involved now not to be curious where it goes.
 

 

[beeman458]

aimlink wrote:
 
Let's say that my overall contentment and happiness doesn't depend on whether or not I discover that psychoacoustics account for the differences that I've been hearing with cables.
 
FWIW, I was teasing you.
 

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Let's say that my overall contentment and happiness doesn't depend on whether or not I discover that psychoacoustics account for the differences that I've been hearing with cables.
 
FWIW, I was teasing you.
 

Gee.... 

 
Oops!
 

 

[beeman458]

The anti-cable guys don't get it.  What is it they don't get?  It's not about them and it's not the cables.  Why?  Because it's about the music in our ears.
 

 
Me?  I'm out exploring music via the CD bins wishing that the music sellers would embrace DVD's and SACD at affordable pricing as around here, we're kinda stuck with 16/44.1 recorded material; Red Book standard.

 

[Yoga Flame]

Spending my money on expensive cables does mean there is less left for buying music with. Just saying.

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Spending my money on expensive cables does mean there is less left for buying music with. Just saying.

Then I'd encourage not buying expensive cables.  However, there are those who are able to buy aftermarket cables and this doesn't affect the desired rate at which they would normally purchase music.  Same for amps, dacs, cans etc.

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

The anti-cable guys don't get it.  What is it they don't get?  It's not about them and it's not the cables.  Why?  Because it's about the music in our ears.
 

 

Very good point and I agree with you on that note. In the end it's about personal enjoyment and the sound that's entering my ears. Now if it sounds better to me with a 200 dollar custom cable and I can plainly hear a difference from the stock AND I feel it's a good value; then who should tell me otherwise? 
 

 

[BIG POPPA]

I spend more on music than headphone cables. The benefit of making my own headphone cables. Nice to have a choice of them.