[MartinB]

I am thinking of buying a very good headphone extension cable for my RS-1's.

The cables that's on my list are the following:

Sonic Horizon Hurricane
Sonic Horizon Daybreak
Dimarzio Big Red
Stefanaudioart headphone extension
Kimber PBJ
Teds Earcandy headphone extension

1. Which one do you think I should go for?
2. Do you have any other suggestions?
3. Can the extension cable actually improve sound compared to without headphone extension cable?

 

[markl]

Forget the Kimber PBJ. Not great sonically and very flimsy. Do a search on "headphone extension thread" and you'll find a long thread with impressions of different cables from lots of members. Cheers.

Mark

 

[MartinB]

markl: Then I will erase Kimber PBJ from the list.

 

[immtbiker]

The Grado extension is very good:

http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?...tID=0050090000

 

[MartinB]

immtbiker: I already have the Grado headphone extension. It's included when you buy the RS-1..

 

[mclaren20]

Can you hear any sound degridation when using the grado one?

 

[MartinB]

Quote:

Can you hear any sound degridation when using the grado one?

I compared with and without extension today and to be honest i didn't hear much difference between with or without extension. But without extension was a little better. I should also say that I currently don't have a headphone amp.
I drive the headphones with my Rotel RA-1070 amp.

 

[markl]

Hi MartinB,
You probably already know this, but just in case, headphone extension can never "improve" sound only further degrade it. Everything extra component you put in the signal path has the potential to cause some loss of signal. Best extension is the one that causes the least degradation. On that score, the Sonic Horizons Hurricane is the winner of the ones I've tried.

But you may want to take that $150 and put it away to save up for a new amp instead (then again, I have no idea how good the Rotel is, maybe it's just fine?). Anyway, $150 is an awful lot of cable, IMO. Just a thought.

 

[MartinB]

Hello markl!

Thanks for the info but I already know. I have been into hifi and cables for a while now.

A headphone extension cable can never improve the sound but it is possible that it can change the sound to a sound that I might prefer over no extension cable.
But I know that it can never never improve sound...
I have money both for amp, a very good extension cable and much more if I want to at the moment.
I previously owned a Sugden Headmaster which I regret I sold. But I know that the headphone jack on my Rotel is pretty damn good...but I would want to compare it to a dedicated headphone amp...
I will probably buy the Grado RA-1 because it is cheap, portable and a good match for RS-1...

 

[MartinB]

markl: I wrote wrong in the topic...

 

[markl]

Hi MartinB,
Sometimes the jacks on integrated amps and even better quality Home Theater receivers can be surprisingly good, doesn't surprise me the Rotel works well. If you are looking for a portable amp (that can also be used at home), take a look at the Ray Samuels XP-7: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=52135

XP-7 would likely be a nice noticeable upgrade from the Rotel, it has a seprate power supply that can be used in an electrical outlet at home, plus it can be used portably with batteries. Cheers.

 

[MartinB]

markl: I have given the XP7 some thought.
It's one of my candidates...
I read something about Creek OBH-21SE should work really well with RS-1 but I am not sure...

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

immtbiker: I already have the Grado headphone extension. It's included when you buy the RS-1..

I bought mine with 50 hours on them, and they came with the extension, bowl pads, and the mini adapter (I bought the flat pads extra), so I thought the extension was a freebie from the seller...not OEM!

...However, if it comes with the extension, then why look for an aftermarket. The extension probably is the same quality that is fixed on the cans, so adding a better cable would still default to the weakest link, just B4 it reaches the mahogany.

 

[Anders]

As far as I can understand Grado's information, the cable in the extension is the same as for the headphones up to SR225 while those higher in the line have better quality cable.
Anyway, the extension removed some detail and compressed the soundstage in my system. It was only burned in 50 hours so it might improve, but I felt disappointed by the degradation. So I moved the armchair instead but the cable still is a little short.

I am not shure of how much this has to do with the quality of the cable and connectors and how much has to do with a more or less unavoidable degradation by adding cable + more plugs.

 

[MartinB]

Anders is right! The RS-1 cable is of a little higher quality than the extension cable.
Even if the extension cable was the same quality of the RS-1 cable I would go for an aftermaket extension cable like the Dimarzio or Sonic Horizon.
However the Grado extension cable has to be good value.