RS-1 with apuresound V3

[postjack]

Pictures taken by Alex:

http://apuresound.com/images/cables/v3/rs1/

This is set #2 of RS-1s for me, the are serial number 3279. I am really looking forward to comparing them with my serial number-less stock cable RS-1. I've the cans on my head as we speak; I've listened to the standard Genesis track, some Johnny Griffin, and now trey band on vinyl, and all impressions are positive. Its possible the cans are brighter then the older RS-1, as is popularly alleged, but I'll need to do a direct comparison before I can officially claim that (old RS-1 is away getting retermed). But honestly it seems the midrange is a bit richer, and the soundstage a tad deeper; there is zero muffling of any of the instruments, very nice! All this of course with flat pads.

I'll give more impressions later, just wanted to share my new toy.

[n_maher]

Pardon the potentially dumb question but how do you tell which XLR is right and which is left on Alex's cables? I suppose it's easy enough to plug and find out but I always thought it just a bit odd that he doesn't appear to use an identifier.

[n_maher]

I didn't see a dot on the W5000s that I tried in NYC, but it's possible I missed it on those as well.

Just ran through some of the pics on the site, see the red dot now, all set.

[deepak]

It's on the part of the XLR with the small circular Neutrik logo, that's where I've seen it in previous recables.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Sweet, I should have sent my rs-1's to apuresound. ^^

Biggie.

[lupus]

when the v3 was first released, i was under the impression that he was not going to recable wooden grados because of the delicate work involved.

is he now accepting all rs-1s and rs-2s, or was this a special request?

[postjack]

when the v3 was first released, i was under the impression that he was not going to recable wooden grados because of the delicate work involved.

is he now accepting all rs-1s and rs-2s, or was this a special request?

I had communicated several special requests to Alex that he recable my RS-1s. Perhaps at my insistence, and the insistence of others, he came up with a procedure to recable the wooden body Grados in house that he is comfortable with. Check out his site, you'll see that he now does RS-1s, RS-2s, GS1000s, and MS-Pros.

[milkpowder]

They look incredible. How stiff is the cable?

[postjack]

They look incredible. How stiff is the cable?

Pretty thick cable, and pretty stiff as well. Bending the cable exhibits an almost clay-like feel, meaning the cable seems to every so slightly retain its shape after bent. I don't want to risk trying to bend it to far, though.

[milkpowder]

I was just gonna say your RS-1 cables look especially thick, even when compared to other pictures of balanced recables.

[postjack]

I was just gonna say your RS-1 cables look especially thick, even when compared to other pictures of balanced recables.

The cable really fills out the techflex, unlike the Black Dragon which still has plenty of space between the actual cable and the techflex.

[milkpowder]

Probably because of the thick cotton dielectric/sheath.

[apnk]

Wow, nice! How light is that cable?

[lupus]

I had communicated several special requests to Alex that he recable my RS-1s. Perhaps at my insistence, and the insistence of others, he came up with a procedure to recable the wooden body Grados in house that he is comfortable with. Check out his site, you'll see that he now does RS-1s, RS-2s, GS1000s, and MS-Pros.

thanks for the information...i'll check it out.

i was hoping for a lighter, more flexible solution than the stock cable, but "clay-like" doesn't sound very promising.

is the black dragon much thinner and more flexible? are there any other options out there for wood grados?

[postjack]

thanks for the information...i'll check it out.

i was hoping for a lighter, more flexible solution than the stock cable, but "clay-like" doesn't sound very promising.

is the black dragon much thinner and more flexible? are there any other options out there for wood grados?

The Black Dragon's internals are thinner, but since both cables use the same techflex, the end result is they are the same width. The V3 is significantly heavier then the BD (as far as cables go, anyway), and neither cable is flexible.

The only two games in town for wood Grado recables are Drew @ Moon Audio and Alex @ apuresound. Trust me, I've done my research. Both are a pleasure to deal with, but Alex's turnaround is much, much faster, since Alex does his recabling in house and Drew has a deal with Grado Labs whereby they do the actual recable (takes 2-3 weeks).

[hYdrociTy]

Is it only cotton, or is there some other insulation too? If it were wire covered with cotton insulation then techflex it should be pretty damn flexible, unless there is teflon between the wire and cotton, for then it would be much stiffer

[APureSound]

I just wanted to come in and say I hope you enjoy the headphones. As for bending the cable. Feel free to bend it all you want. You are not going to break it (I am serious). The wire is constructed of a very large amount of strands per wire and the chance of breaking all of them is truly none unless you get a pair of wire cutters out. In any sort of normal use or even abuse you have a better chance of killing your headphones then causing any sort of damage to my cables. I have had a few incidence where customers either had a cat chew on the cable or them closing the cable in a car door and the cable continues to work perfectly so fear not.

For anyone looking for more info on the V3 cable please look HERE.

Thanks,

Alex

http://apuresound.com

[Fungi]

Zip ]

I just wanted to come in and say I hope you enjoy the headphones. As for bending the cable. Feel free to bend it all you want. You are not going to break it (I am serious). The wire is constructed of a very large amount of strands per wire and the chance of breaking all of them is truly none unless you get a pair of wire cutters out. In any sort of normal use or even abuse you have a better chance of killing your headphones then causing any sort of damage to my cables. I have had a few incidence where customers either had a cat chew on the cable or them closing the cable in a car door and the cable continues to work perfectly so fear not.

Now THAT is some hardcore cabling.

[postjack]

Zip ]

I just wanted to come in and say I hope you enjoy the headphones. As for bending the cable. Feel free to bend it all you want. You are not going to break it (I am serious). The wire is constructed of a very large amount of strands per wire and the chance of breaking all of them is truly none unless you get a pair of wire cutters out. In any sort of normal use or even abuse you have a better chance of killing your headphones then causing any sort of damage to my cables. I have had a few incidence where customers either had a cat chew on the cable or them closing the cable in a car door and the cable continues to work perfectly so fear not.

For anyone looking for more info on the V3 cable please look HERE.

Thanks,

Alex

http://apuresound.com

Good stuff Alex, thanks for the clarification. And I am enjoying the cans very much.

[APureSound]

Oh also forgot to mention that the right side is marked on the XLR connector like so:

Thanks,

Alex

[lupus]

The Black Dragon's internals are thinner, but since both cables use the same techflex, the end result is they are the same width. The V3 is significantly heavier then the BD (as far as cables go, anyway), and neither cable is flexible.

The only two games in town for wood Grado recables are Drew @ Moon Audio and Alex @ apuresound. Trust me, I've done my research. Both are a pleasure to deal with, but Alex's turnaround is much, much faster, since Alex does his recabling in house and Drew has a deal with Grado Labs whereby they do the actual recable (takes 2-3 weeks).

thanks again for the informative reply.

you managed to read my mind and answer my next question concerning turnaround times, as well.

if these are the only two players, i will take another look at the single-ended options from both vendors, which i assume would also be [much?] more flexible and lighter than the balanced cables.

[grawk]

thanks again for the informative reply.

you managed to read my mind and answer my next question concerning turnaround times, as well.

if these are the only two players, i will take another look at the single-ended options from both vendors, which i assume would also be [much?] more flexible and lighter than the balanced cables.

Much more likely is that the cable will be the same, and only the connector will change.

[postjack]

I have to say, listening to the slow folksy rock sounds of Wilco, with a Grado cart dragging through the vinyl, into the apuresound recabled RS-1, is a pretty magical experience. And I am intimately familiar with magic, having just been in Disney World a few days ago.

[deepak]

Glad you're enjoying them. Pics of you listening with Mouse Ears

[postjack]

Glad you're enjoying them. Pics of you listening with Mouse Ears

I didn't buy any mouse ears.