[Young Spade]

^Have you tried custom cabling? 
But yea concerning the recabling thing; lots of people do this and it proves to be better than just buying another detachable cable. Going balanced in the future (hopefully if the money works out) then I'm sure it will be better than just buying a silver cable. 

 

[Katun]

I'm still undecided about my preference to these two types of cables.
 
I like fixed, because it removes another mechanical failure, that being the connector. But I also liked detachable, because not only is it great for storing/displaying your headphone, but you can replace the cable if it breaks as well. The thing is, I wouldn't be so sure with taking the cable in and out of the headphone over and over again over time. It seems like something would get loose, or the connection would some how get weakened. Generally speaking, detachable cables seem to slightly out weight permanent cables in their favor. It just all depends on the headphone and cable I guess.
 
As for the K701 vs K702, I think I'll be getting the K701 instead. I have a better feeling about that cable.

 

[Achmedisdead]

No need to even think about it....detachable all the way. I would love to be able to walk around my house with my SR60i's on, connected to my DAP in a shirt pocket. With the standard cable, that just is not happening.

 

[leeperry]

Drivers are highly sensitive, they just need as little middle-men as possible....when you compare opamps in sockets against soldered opamps, you quickly get to realize that nothing beats a proper soldering joint...no poor contact(a cheap power cable hardly offers 5% of actual contact for instance) and no diodes in the signal path(like on some Ultrasone?) pay in cash and provide a clearer signal.

I've had the same hard wired phone for the past 15 years, I've brought it everywhere w/o a carrying case, it fell a dozen times...still working as new, and after some deoxit the plug is as shiny as new too.

 

[palindrom]

Quote:

Drivers are highly sensitive, they just need as little middle-men as possible....when you compare opamps in sockets against soldered opamps, you quickly get to realize that nothing beats a proper soldering joint...no poor contact(a cheap power cable hardly offers 5% of actual contact for instance) and no diodes in the signal path(like on some Ultrasone?) pay in cash and provide a clearer signal.

I've had the same hard wired phone for the past 15 years, I've brought it everywhere w/o a carrying case, it fell a dozen times...still working as new, and after some deoxit the plug is as shiny as new too.

Can You tell the difference between opamp in socket and soldered directly into the PCB? And what do You mean 5% contact?
I'm just asking as an really surprised engineer...

 

[666_Pounder]

I'd prefer detachable if it was universal and could be used to balance headphones a lot easier, finding someone to balance headphones in the UK is impossible to my knowledge, would help the situation.

 

[leeperry]

 

 
Can You tell the difference between opamp in socket and soldered directly into the PCB? And what do You mean 5% contact?

 
Did you look at a gold plated Neutrik plug recently? very very poor machining, the actual contact when you'll fit it into a female connector will be very low. A Furutech plug is a clear night and day. Furutech also sell fluids to increase the actual contact area.
 
And yes, you can try to fit two high speed opamps such as LT1363CN8 in this adapter and then solder them onto this one...and compare them, you'll see exactly what I mean.

 

[Katun]

Quote:

Drivers are highly sensitive, they just need as little middle-men as possible....when you compare opamps in sockets against soldered opamps, you quickly get to realize that nothing beats a proper soldering joint...no poor contact(a cheap power cable hardly offers 5% of actual contact for instance) and no diodes in the signal path(like on some Ultrasone?) pay in cash and provide a clearer signal.

I've had the same hard wired phone for the past 15 years, I've brought it everywhere w/o a carrying case, it fell a dozen times...still working as new, and after some deoxit the plug is as shiny as new too.

I can see what you mean. I've never really thought of it that way.
 
So I guess, you are on the 'permanent cable' side? And I'm guessing if you had to choose between the K701/702 you would get the K701? (Mainly talking about cable here, not color or anything else)
 
They just seem so temperamental. Plugging them in, taking them out, plugging them in, over and over again. Just doesn't seem like it would last as long.

 

[Katun]

Quote:

Drivers are highly sensitive, they just need as little middle-men as possible....when you compare opamps in sockets against soldered opamps, you quickly get to realize that nothing beats a proper soldering joint...no poor contact(a cheap power cable hardly offers 5% of actual contact for instance) and no diodes in the signal path(like on some Ultrasone?) pay in cash and provide a clearer signal.

I've had the same hard wired phone for the past 15 years, I've brought it everywhere w/o a carrying case, it fell a dozen times...still working as new, and after some deoxit the plug is as shiny as new too.

Okay, so I have a good question for you.
 
You say you want as little middle-men as possible when it comes from headphones, and by that you mean 'connection points' correct? So then, the K702 has the 'cable-to-headphone' connection due to it's detachable cable. But, the K701 has the 1/4 to 1/8 plug adapter connection, assuming I would plug it into a 1/8 jack (which I will be doing). Between the two, would you pick a preference, and could you explain? I'm just really curious, because I've never really thought about trying to minimize the amount of connections.
 
Sigh. All this would be solved if the K701 had a 1/8 plug like the K702. (But I can see why it doesn't)

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

Can You tell the difference between opamp in socket and soldered directly into the PCB? ...

Oh yeah, directly soldered to the board sounds slightly clearer with more extension at the extremes, most notably deeper bass/more low bass giving the low end more fortitude.
Well, I guess it would depend on your gear's sensitivity.

 

[leeperry]

 

 
Okay, so I have a good question for you.
 
You say you want as little middle-men as possible when it comes from headphones, and by that you mean 'connection points' correct? So then, the K702 has the 'cable-to-headphone' connection due to it's detachable cable. But, the K701 has the 1/4 to 1/8 plug adapter connection, assuming I would plug it into a 1/8 jack (which I will be doing). Between the two, would you pick a preference, and could you explain? I'm just really curious, because I've never really thought about trying to minimize the amount of connections.
 
Sigh. All this would be solved if the K701 had a 1/8 plug like the K702. (But I can see why it doesn't)

Well, this thing is quite ridiculous because the connection between the 2 drivers is said to be very poor...having a lot of useless components in the signal path. ALO said "yes, but still the SQ improvement is very audible". You can easily find the K701/702 service manuals I think.
 
Ideally, for an unbalanced phone you want to use 4 wires, and solder two of them(signal/ground) to each driver and solder the 2 grounds together in the plug...or, if you can't stand dual ended phones(like me), make two of them longer to reach the right driver through the headband, that's what I did when I recabled my Manufaktur DT770/600Ω w/ the cryo-parts TWcu wire:
  
The stock cable in most headphones is 3 wires and then 2 more soldered going to the right driver...my experience is that as long as it's soldered, the contact is fine.
 
About 1/4" and 1/8" adapters, they're a necessary evil I presume.

 

[leeperry]

 

 
Oh yeah, directly soldered to the board sounds slightly clearer with more extension at the extremes, most notably deeper bass/more low bass giving the low end more fortitude.

 
The center channel is also much wider, anyway nothing beats a proper soldering joint...The Cardas Eutectic solder makes them so good looking, and because its melting point is so low you can really work it like clay...even if you're a total n00b at soldering.

 

[Katun]

So I take it you would prefer a 'permanent' or soldered wire over a detachable one, correct?
 
I'll only be using it on a 1/8 jack, which makes me use the adapter at all times. Unless I picked the K702, then I would have the 'extra connection' due to the detachable cable.
 
Quote:

About 1/4" and 1/8" adapters, they're a necessary evil I presume.

  Can you explain a bit? I don't really understand.

 

[Mad Max]

You can always reterminate it. 

 

[leeperry]

check the K701/702 service manuals...AFAIK the connection between the 2 drivers is really sloppy, so an additional adapter prolly doesn't matter at this point..."you're only as strong as your weakest link".