blessingx Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Have read repeatedly the HD650 shows one of the largest gains in going balanced. Just curious what cable (DIY, Mobius, Blacksilver, etc.) people are going with when moving balanced? Especially curious if you have any thoughts of synergy direct from DA10. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edisonwu Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 would you consider Equinox cable? I fould myself love it so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessingx Posted March 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Considering any cable. The Equinox 2 1/2 month wait though may be a bit much for my patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elnero Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Doesn't Grand Enigma make balanced Sennheiser replacement cables? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CD44hi Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I have the Cardas, Mobius and equinox. The equinox is a middle ground betwen the other two. I would like to try the moon audio cables, since some prefer those to any of the ones I have. Are the moon audio senn cables still in production? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayt999 Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I use the one I made myself. bare cardas sennheiser pins, solid silver wiring, and other stuff. btw blessingx, the links in your signature are not configured properly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CD44hi Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Ah, and I forgot, I would like to try the ayt999 balanced senn cable as well. Hey where are those ICs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessingx Posted March 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 btw blessingx, the links in your signature are not configured properly.... Ooops. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 The Blue Dragon is still in production... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edisonwu Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Yeah, if you can do it yourself, then do it yourself. Friend of mine made one unbalanced 600 cable for me. It sounds pretty good on the tube amp. I am not going to tell you the cost, since you wont believe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiberian Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 zu mobius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I'd get whatever cable you wanted Single ended and get it retermed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkless Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 That would require that the single-ended cable actually had wires inside for balanced operation, which wouldn't make much sense for a single-ended cable in the first place. However, the stock Senn replacement cables do have the needed wiring making a balanced retermination job possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Enigma Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 That would require that the single-ended cable actually had wires inside for balanced operation, which wouldn't make much sense for a single-ended cable in the first place. However, the stock Senn replacement cables do have the needed wiring making a balanced retermination job possible. The nature of the dual entry on the Senns requires all Senn ables to have four wires. So you could reterminate any of those to XLR. I think toddy has a nice silver aloy Senn cable which might be worth checking out...its even balanced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATB Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Zu Cable will reterminate for a fee, which I believe is $40. Stefan Audi Art will NOT reterminate. I was told the configuration of their balanced and single-ended Equinox cables is different, whatever that means. As to which I prefer? Depends on the system. I have both balanced Equinox and balanced Zu Mobius. In that past, I have owned single-ended versions of both cables. I prefer the Zu Mobius with certain tube combinations and the Equinox with others. With the HR-2 and Prehead MK-II SE, I prefer the Equinox to the Mobius. The Zu is the more forward of the two and tends to go the Grado direction, whereas the Equinox enhances the sonic qualities of the stock cable without altering it that much. Pick your poison. The stock cable is so close to the Equinox that it would be prudent to reterminate that to XLR before spending $$$ on a balanced aftermarket cable. If you are not the DIY type, I am sure you can convince our friend GE to reterminate your stock cable for a nominal fee Once you hear the stock cable for a month, post what you like or don't like about it and we can talk about the next round of spending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiberian Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Zu Cable will reterminate for a fee, which I believe is $40. Stefan Audi Art will NOT reterminate. I was told the configuration of their balanced and single-ended Equinox cables is different, whatever that means. As to which I prefer? Depends on the system. I have both balanced Equinox and balanced Zu Mobius. In that past, I have owned single-ended versions of both cables. I prefer the Zu Mobius with certain tube combinations and the Equinox with others. With the HR-2 and Prehead MK-II SE, I prefer the Equinox to the Mobius. The Zu is the more forward of the two and tends to go the Grado direction, whereas the Equinox enhances the sonic qualities of the stock cable without altering it that much. Pick your poison. The stock cable is so close to the Equinox that it would be prudent to reterminate that to XLR before spending $$$ on a balanced aftermarket cable. If you are not the DIY type, I am sure you can convince our friend GE to reterminate your stock cable for a nominal fee Once you hear the stock cable for a month, post what you like or don't like about it and we can talk about the next round of spending zu will reterminate the mobius for $40 + $10 return shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessingx Posted March 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Just got an email from Zu. $50 plus shipping now. ;( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Honestly, the fact that Stefan Audio Arts won't reterminate just means that they win't reterminate. The Equinox single ended cable is perfectly able to be reterminated for balanced usage. I mean I can understand WHY he wouldn't want to reterminate it, but it does not mean that it is not possible. GE has done this in the past with a Equinox cable so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATB Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Honestly, the fact that Stefan Audio Arts won't reterminate just means that they win't reterminate. The Equinox single ended cable is perfectly able to be reterminated for balanced usage. I mean I can understand WHY he wouldn't want to reterminate it, but it does not mean that it is not possible. GE has done this in the past with a Equinox cable so... Who said it is not physically possible? Any idiot looking at it would know it is possible. However, I expect the manufacturer to do so for a nominal fee. BTW, Stefan Audio claims that it uses proprietary, patented soldering technique (so-called "Ultra-Solder Process") to build the Equinox. If you reterminate it yourself, you no longer have an "Equinox" cable. Although this special technique is most likely snake oil anyway, I wouldn't purchase an Equinox that has been reterminated outside the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 BTW, Stefan Audio claims that it uses proprietary, patented soldering technique (so-called "Ultra-Solder Process") to build the Equinox. If you reterminate it yourself, you no longer have an "Equinox" cable. Although this special technique is most likely snake oil anyway, I wouldn't purchase an Equinox that has been reterminated outside the factory. Now that is just semanticv and splitting hairs. I like to save money so that's what I would do as I prefer not to pay the $100+ premium just to have XLR plugs on my cables.. But to each his own. I already have a cable that IMO is better than the Equinox anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATB Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Now that is just semanticv and splitting hairs. I like to save money so that's what I would do as I prefer not to pay the $100+ premium just to have XLR plugs on my cables.. But to each his own. I already have a cable that IMO is better than the Equinox anyways. Well, if you don't believe in the snake oil, why even bother getting an Equinox? I mean, I did a head to head comparison with stock and Zu Mobius -- all balanced, and the Equinox and stock are pretty close to begin with. EDIT: If you are referring to the Grace Five Two, based on reports, that is probably the better match for your MPX3 anyways. With a balanced solid state amp (blockhead), my money is on the Equinox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Well, if you don't believe in the snake oil, why even bother getting an Equinox? I mean, I did a head to head comparison with stock and Zu Mobius -- all balanced, and the Equinox and stock are pretty close to begin with. I never said that cables were snake oil. I don't even really care about Stefan Audio arts patented soldering process. Personally I think that atleast single ended there's a difference, granted it's not necessarily night and day but in the hovvy, we are looking atthe limit of the diminishing returns curve anyways. SO blah I was just orignally poiting out that it is possible, whether Equinox actually is willing to do factory reterms, which they are not is another thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayt999 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 but given their long leadtime on their standard offerings, would you even want to consider parting with your cable for three months for a retermination? http://stefanaudioart.com/StefanAudioArt.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATB Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 but given their long leadtime on their standard offerings, would you even want to consider parting with your cable for three months for a retermination? http://stefanaudioart.com/StefanAudioArt.html This retermination thing from the factory is silly anyways, if the fee is $50 as in the Zu Mobius. I was able to sell my single-ended Equinox at a lost less than $50. Same for my single-ended Zu Mobius. So, even taking shipping into account, it is more cost-effectve to sell the single-ended then get a brand new XLR version if you are upgrading from a single-ended to balanced rig. What PFK is getting at is that the price differential between single-ended and balanced Equinox is $100. So, even if you don't have a single-ended version to begin with, it is cheaper to buy single-ended then reterminate to XLR yourself. I asked Stefan Audio why the hefty price differential and was given the "different configuration" and more expensive connectors excuse. This "trick" does not really work with the Zu Mobius as the XLR and single-ended versions cost the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 And that is why I think that the best way to get a Equinox balanced is to get a Equinox cable from TTVJ and get it retermed by someone. While it then might not be authentic, it's the cheapest and quickest way to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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