Sennheiser 800: Time to go balanced. Options.

[postjack]

the OII MK1 or MK2 is available pretty regularly on the used market, or new at elusivedisc. I think Moon Audio is a stax retailer as well. of course a meet would be the best idea.

[Eric5676]

the OII MK1 or MK2 is available pretty regularly on the used market, or new at elusivedisc. I think Moon Audio is a stax retailer as well. of course a meet would be the best idea.

Noted. I don't see any Stax mentions on Moon Audio. Perhaps I missed it?

Audio Cubes II - High Fidelity Audio Products

^^ What's the story on these guys? Look at that (supposed?) inventory.

[postjack]

Noted. I don't see any Stax mentions on Moon Audio. Perhaps I missed it?

Audio Cubes II - High Fidelity Audio Products

^^ What's the story on these guys? Look at that (supposed?) inventory.

audiocubes is legit, as is pricejapan. I think pricejapan typically beats audio cubes in price, but its been a while since I browsed the two sites.

the problem with ordering from either of these japanese web sites is warranty repair. at best you are shipping back to japan for warranty repair, at worst you won't get warranty coverage at all. which is why i'd rather just save $700 or so and buy used.

[Eric5676]

audiocubes is legit, as is pricejapan. I think pricejapan typically beats audio cubes in price, but its been a while since I browsed the two sites.

the problem with ordering from either of these japanese web sites is warranty repair. at best you are shipping back to japan for warranty repair, at worst you won't get warranty coverage at all. which is why i'd rather just save $700 or so and buy used.

Indeed. But I'm a long ways from buying anything along those lines.

[deepak]

My 2c. There was a definite change in sound switching from stock cable to Cardas on my old HD600. I wouldn't necessarily say it was better or worse though.

[Eric5676]

My 2c. There was a definite change in sound switching from stock cable to Cardas on my old HD600. I wouldn't necessarily say it was better or worse though.

^^ That's interesting. That's the kind of mixed feedback I see out there a lot. Some people hear a change and then they're not even sure if it's a good change or not.

[postjack]

i definitely went through a headphone cable period where I tried lots of different cables on different headphones, and in the end I can say I heard differences, but shit, who knows right? Its not like the difference I hear between a Millet Minimax and Beta22, or Quad CDP-2 and Squeezebox Touch DAC, so it could all be in my head. In the end I came, I listened, I analyzed, and the difference in cables isn't enough for my ears to spend money on the boutique stuff. IMO, YMMV, etc.

[blessingx]

^^ That's interesting. That's the kind of mixed feedback I see out there a lot. Some people hear a change and then they're not even sure if it's a good change or not.

Hell, I had an old Zu Senn cable that I sounded better SE than stock SE and worse balanced (same reterminated) than stock balanced. Others testing thought the same. Edited September 11, 2010 by blessingx

[tyrion]

I did a comparison between a couple of aftermarket cables with the 650's using a GS-1 and the differences between cables was easy to hear. When it comes to IC's, I've never heard much of a difference.

[deepak]

And the SAA Equinox was an improvement over the HD650 stock cable with the HD650. Bigger difference than the Cardas/HD600 cable. For how much those SAA cables cost I agree other improvements could be made to ones system first.

[tyrion]

I always liked the SAA cables but bought them used.

[atothex]

I do prefer the sound of a nice HD650 recable over stock as well, but that doesn't really say anything about HD800. Stock HD650 is pretty bleh to me anyways. I don't mind recabling in general too much, but I always first ask myself if that $200 can be parlayed into a fancier source or something. Honestly, I'd rather invest in jitter reduction before recabling: an RME or Lynx card or Squeezebox, for instance.

So it's like: "OK, I have $200-300ish to blow. I am perfectly content with my source/amp, and that money won't improve either of those at all. OK, I guess I'll try a new headphone cable then."

[tyrion]

I don't think I would recable the 800's. They sound just fine with the stock cable.

[mypasswordis]

Have someone else swap cables on your headphones for you to run an ABX. Problem solved.

[manaox2]

And the SAA Equinox was an improvement over the HD650 stock cable with the HD650. Bigger difference than the Cardas/HD600 cable. For how much those SAA cables cost I agree other improvements could be made to ones system first.

I had the same experience and thought process.

[Eric5676]

It's an amazing variety of opinions in this thread. On page 1 we went from "lolcables" and such to look at the last several posts on this page and page 2. It's come full circle.

[mypasswordis]

It's an amazing variety of opinions in this thread. On page 1 we went from "lolcables" and such to look at the last several posts on this page and page 2. It's come full circle.

Have someone else swap cables on your headphones for you to run an ABX. Problem solved.

My challenge still stands.

[Eric5676]

My challenge still stands.

Who and how should I go about doing that? What'd you have in mind exactly?

I want to make sure I understand you so I don't make any mistakes.

[Nebby]

My challenge still stands.

But it's easy to tell the cables apart by weight alone, you'd have to weigh down the stock cable to feel the same as the audiophile cable

[Eric5676]

But it's easy to tell the cables apart by weight alone, you'd have to weigh down the stock cable to feel the same as the audiophile cable

LOL

Here's what I might do for fun, like some others suggested: I'll buy some cheap crap that I can scuttle and experiment with to hell and back and get my DIY skills up from practically zero to something halfway viable.

Whatever I do, I do NOT want to mess with the 800s stock cable.

[Nebby]

I'm rather impressed with the 800 cable; blasphemy I know, but I think in build quality alone it's better than some of the aftermarket cables out there.

[Eric5676]

I'm rather impressed with the 800 cable; blasphemy I know, but I think in build quality alone it's better than some of the aftermarket cables out there.

Quite frankly: So am I.

For me, any curiosity here is strictly "I wouldn't mind trying balanced just to see if it's worth anything" and has no negative reflection on what I already have including the 800s in their present form.

In contrast, I remember the stock cables on my previous cans, the AKG 701s. Those needed a little help.

[morphsci]

AKG 701s definitely need a cable mod as dual entry circumvents the stupidity of AKGs single entry design. I use the word design in the broadest possible sense.

[Voltron]

Quite frankly: So am I.

For me, any curiosity here is strictly "I wouldn't mind trying balanced just to see if it's worth anything" and has no negative reflection on what I already have including the 800s in their present form.

In contrast, I remember the stock cables on my previous cans, the AKG 701s. Those needed a little help.

But this is the whole reason why people have suggested that you get the stock cable re-terminated with a balanced 4-pin connector. Whoever does it for you can cut off a few inches at the end and turn the current 1/4" plug into an adapter. If it will get you over the top, I will send you mine and you can compare.

[Eric5676]

But this is the whole reason why people have suggested that you get the stock cable re-terminated with a balanced 4-pin connector. Whoever does it for you can cut off a few inches at the end and turn the current 1/4" plug into an adapter.

This I will have to look into more seriously.

Pardon me if I'm being too dense here (probably) but here goes:

http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gsx/images/gsx_k1000_high.jpg

See the front? Won't I need two 3 pin XLRs to connect into that properly? One for the left, one for the right?

Or am I missing you here somewhere? (Again, probably)

If it will get you over the top, I will send you mine and you can compare.

A kind offer but you needn't be troubled.