As someone who had been hoodwinked by audiophile forums for a while on “cable upgrading can change sound”, after a year or so into this hobby, I can confirm that cables do nothing on the IEM’s tuning 🤣 I get better results by tip-rolling. I did get a Tripowin cable for my MD Aria just to make it pop and a little flashy and premium looking ✌️
False. Back in the day, tell me that a in the box KZ cable sounded as good as a 8 strand silver cable? Hell no...and to say otherwise says either your ears are busted or you're deaf. KZ stock cables sounded damn bad out the box...same with Blon's cables.
@@DJ_BROBOT My very first IEM was the KZ ZSN Pro. Got into the cable voodoo hype and replaced the stock into a Yinyoo 4-core and then an 8-core shortly after; and it still sounded horrendously piercing 😬 Got myself Acoustune eartips and it immediately did the trick and blunted the highs. Got tired of KZ and replaced it the BLON 03 within 2 months. The only reason I replaced the stock cables with my old Yinyoo 8-core is because the original was just so stiff and prone to tangles, and I still didn’t notice any significant sound change. Realistically, our budget ChiFi gear are usually in the low end of materials in a manufacturing mill, tbh. They’re not Westone, Ultimate Ears, or Campfire levels of drivers and armatures to be super sensitive enough to pick up changes in impedance based on cables. Got KZ ZSN Pro, BLON-03, BLON-01, Tin T2 Plus, and I’m currently using Moondrop Aria. It was around the time using BLON-01 when I got another KBear cable and didn’t notice any changes with my Yinyoo, and I stopped cable shopping altogether when I realized it was such a waste of money to invest on cables. I would rather shop for eartips 🤣
@@PotatoFarmer656 so glad to hear that you finally realized it. The most important part of an iem is the tuning. And then there's the THD. No matter what cable you used, cheap or expensive it still gonna sound worse because of the default tuning. Take KZ iem as an example. The majority of their releases iem tune into V-Shaped. Also there's also a lot of peak found in the treble area which cause it to sound harsh and piercing. You can atleast tame the treble by using another eartips like silicon, spinfit, foamtips etc. You could also try frequency sweep, find all of the peaks and eq'd it using small Q value. But if you're trying to improve the sound using cable, it's just wasting your money.
@@hyper0505 Exactly. If you want all the killer buzzwords of “wide soundstage”, “sparkly highs”, “controlled bass”, “clarity”, invest on higher end IEMs, not cables. I’m more of a silicone girl so I’ve never tried foam tips before, but I might give it a shot ☺️ Currently using Radius Deep Mount tips from Japan for my Aria and I highly recommend it! It sort of removes that weird splashy highs that Spinfits have especially when listening to cymbals.
Audio science review did a nice video about fancy upgrade cables. Measurements show, that they absolutely don’t change the sound quality. You can get a new cable because of aesthetics, feeling or build quality, but don’t waste your money and expect better sound quality!
Well that is indeed what I read everywhere ALTHOUGH I can absolutely assure you I have 3 cables for my Fiio FH7 (sensitive high end items) and you can absolutely easily hear a difference
Leyding, dromi and gleipnir were the three shackles used in an attempt to control Fenrir. The gods knew Fenrir would kill Odin and played a big role in Ragnarok so they tried them in succession. I think it has an interesting relation to hobbies like headphones. You start off with a simple setup but you eventually break through and want that next level of complexity. Like any hobby, companies have to find a way to provide that little bit more. It can be difficult for newbies in a hobby or those not in it to fully appreciate a top tier item compared to a lower tier one that's working just fine for them. 2 cables may function identically, but feel, bend, complexity in construction may be more appreciated by some. That's like the whole clothing industry lol.
I would rather buy a 16core cable for my Tinhifi T3+ than buy another IEM like Salnote Zero. That's gonna be a downgrade. Great cables are cheap, IEMs most of the time expensive. IMO Cheap IEMs are not worth it unless it's your first time getting into this hobby and want to test the waters or just broke.
Hi Timmy. Thank you for bringing up this topic. I was expecting to learn more about a few things - Weight : can they contribute to the weight of the iems? - Microphonics : touching them create noise while listening, how does it impact the different models, or is it only a problem with stock? - You could also have talked about detachable cables, and their compatibility among different models. - Lastly, some iem like Sony have android compatibility, which allow the cable to answer calls, have a microphone and sometimes even last/next track.
I upgraded the cable on my MD B2 because, as he mentioned, the stock cable isn’t the greatest. It has a memory and gets tangled easily. The TRN cable did wonders. And along with switching out the stock tips for MD’s spring tips, I can wear these comfortably for hours.
I’ve never heard a change in sound by switching cable’s. I have the Ace cable on my Moondrop Kato’s and it’s a pretty good cable for sure. I like the feel, looks, and connector options. I’m glad this video mentions them because more people should know about them.
@@nukefoodsofficial5849 its not expensive... I used my cheap kz zsn pro x with stock cable for about one ear.. After that i got TRN T2+ cable for it.. Just to see what happened.. It makes the sound more wider and clearer... Im just a poor nooby.. And sorry for bad english ❤️
Finally, someone spoke up about this myth. I feel like this is the most snakeoil-y thing in community even more than amp or dac etc. I saw many "audiophile experts" says the cable matters and spending like hundreds of dollars in cable (some case even thousands) with the prove being "it sounds different" and no graphs or whatsoever. Thing like this is gatekeeping many of my acquaintances to explore this rabbit hole.
Have u try different cables? I had tried a lot of cable and it changes sound bigger than u think. I would say some cables can really change around 30 percent of sound by both sound signature and technical performance. Yes of course, u need great dap and high end iem to understand.
@@remy7210 No. It's all snakeoil. I had tried like 10 or 20 of them, even to the point that I asked staffs to blind test for me (the shop is one of my go-to) and I found nothing change. The only "scientific" reason I could think of is the conductivity of these cable "maybe" matters but that's extreme level of changing in sound. And if the iem is on that level of sensitive to the cable, I don't need them.
Wanna bet 1000$ if it is different or not?? I will only show u just 2 cables. Spc and pure silver. If u think it is the same, your ear is dumb as fuck.
It's no myth. The thing is, a lot of people, even in this hobby, just don't pay that much attention. I can't believe how many people are unable to tell the difference between the various low-pass/reconstruction filters. Of course this type of folks won't know a sonic difference between different cables - it's relatively minuscle. Is it negligible, though? I, personally, would not say so. Is it worth hundreds of dollars? Again, it depends. It absolutely should not be, though. You can get an absolutely great quality cable for, like, $40-50 these days, and it won't be a "no-thrills" type either. And then you can pay $1000+ for some TOTL cable that may be able to provide a 3-5% increase (or decrease) in perceived sound "quality". The changes in sound from getting a slightly different fit every time after you take out/off the -phones to change the cables in the process of direct comparison are likely going to be much more significant. That's why it may take MANY hours of truly autistic A/B listening to discern a pattern if there is one. I've never had any expensive cables and I would not get any of those boutique ones, but from my experience there is always a room for improvement with IEM/Headphone cables. Those I have are still too vulnerable to channel crosstalk and other interferences. Most people would not ever notice and if they did, they would not care. You should not forget that people are very different. And that is not just an effectively meaningless trivia, it has a ton of implications. Some people have an obsessive personality, some have a literally have OCD, some are on an autistic spectrum. It's not just the "golden ear" pretension, although it should be a common knowledge for audiophiles that hearing differs b/w people in various ways (different HRTF, varying degrees of partial hearing loss in different frequency bands, tinnitus etc). The same can be said about human palate. There is a majority, there are "foodies", there are gourmets, and there are connoisseurs. People tend to focus on the competence, expertise and abilities with such examples. But there also has to be a predisposition of some kind - a passion (and one has to care A LOT, sometimes to a degree that is unhealthy), or a talent. All these notions get invoked and then it is about our ego all of a sudden. Hell, even passion becomes a contest of some kind. I'm able to discern between two different batches of cigarettes of the same brand, or between two brands of dirt-cheap vodka. A lot of people are not, it all feels basically the same for them. Shitty taste, shitty smell - that is all. Is it a reason for me to feel pride? Is it a reason for them to feel insulted by my claims? What are the chances that someone makes this issue a matter of a proper scientific inquiry to disprove/verify them? What are the limits that will be imposed by the methodology most likely to be employed? I suppose that, as audiophiles, we both know about the scientific stance on a matter of an optimal headphone frequency response curve. The infamous and highly contentious Harman Target. Indeed, it is about subjective preferences more than anything. But it is nevertheless quite representative of the fact that the science in it's current state has limited ability AND interest in establishing "truth" in such matters. It's an even better example on how easily and readily scientific findings can be misinterpreted and how fundamental scientific principles and notions can be misunderstood.
personal note here, I have a pair of salnotes zeros, the original cable went stiff, so I bought a pair of new TRN 16core silver plated cables, it had a slight reduction of the soundstage and it sounded narrower
S12 cable is well built. But the connector was creating torque on the IEM and moving the driver around, ruining the seal in my ear. Had to replace it with a cable that has an angled connector and is smaller. Now the seal on my ear isn't compromised when I move around.
Just wanted to put this out here. I have an campfire andromeda and an older shure 846. If you pair with high end silver cable (effect audio thor or leonardis) over the stock cable, its honestly transforming the sound of your IEM. Like a significant difference!!! X2 better everything. I know this is a rare opinion but just my experience
Likely because their drivers run at a lower impedance than most others, it's the only real situation in which a lower impedance cable is going to improve the sound or loudness at all. Shouldn't affect the tone, or even the quality that much but it does work well for lower impedance drivers to be paired with lower impedance cables. Any higher impedance driver will see negligible to no change from changing the impedance of the cable.
Yea these people test too much units that the sound start to blend together.. If you spend enough time with only one iem..only then you can notice change. And even then, for some iem only but true nonetheless.. Same goes with burning in.
Two reasons to ever upgrade. 1) Looks 2) You bought HiFiman headphones and realized just how awful those dangly rubbery cables that refuse to straighten out are to deal with.
Hifiman cables are really trash both in terms of sound and quality… their headphones are great tho. I have Ananda, get an upgraded cable and it sound even better
They can because the IEM, cable are a circuit. Impedece varies within the whole system. It also presents capacitance to the circuit which varies with frequency. The match will be better or worse with various cables.
@@Gilliboy82 No. No after market cable is worth the price. BUT. If you want a nice cable that doesn't tangle and behaves well then after market is the way to go and Leyding is great.
Personally, imho, the Limum cables (from estron) are the best Upgrade Cables you can get, at all. They are insanely strong, but at the same time ultra thin and comfortable to wear (the most comfortable so far), they are available with an T2 connector (probably the best that exist) and so have IP67 rating (only in T2 variant). They even give measurements on how strong the cables are (I think 180N for UltraBaX which is insane, especially for how thin they are) And they are the only company i've found, who give impedance ratings for their cables so you can know/check for yourself if and how they change the sound. BaX: 1.5 Ohm SuperBaX: 0.75 Ohm UltraBaX: 0.6 Ohm They are the most transparent cable company telling you everything about their cables so you don't have to trust, you can just know for sure
Yeah i agree to some extent. Cables is all about the comfort and the looks. Sound change is a bonus. Also best stock cable under 50 usd iems is moondrop ssr/ssp stock cable
I have not heard any appreciable difference in cables either. Where they do make difference is in comfort for me. I would love to have a dozen of the Mele cables.
I've actually found that the most important thing in an IEM cable is a mic and pause/play button. Volume control is also very nice but it's not as essential as the other two. I think it's unfortunate that more default IEM cables don't come with at least a mic and pause/play button because of how IEM's are meant to be portable and easily driven out of a phone. When you're on a crowded bus, being able to pick up and have a call without even taking your phone out of your pocket is an incredible convenience.
There is a good fat reason too. The iem units that are sold in my country is paired with cables like you have mentioned, the volume controls , music skip and other functions work real laggy, but the main issue is that they cause channel imbalance. i verified this by switching the cables to opposite iems , the sound came out low on the cable side having the mic attached. right now i thinking weather to invest on a good bluetooth module or better quality 8-16core cables.
i do hear a change but not everyone will, thats arguably a good thing because you can just but the cheapest cable that way. my only advice is to buy a cable after you find your end game because if you spend a shit ton of money for a cable to make an iem sound better but then later you decide to switch, thats a lotta money wasted
I have well over a dozen chfi iems and have purchased quite a few replacement cables. Tips have the biggest impact on sound. DACs have their own sound signature. Cables absolutely make a difference in sound. The impact is not as great as tips but cables will typically accentuate treble or bass. In addition, some cables will carry micofonics from moving around the cable. Also the cables impediace will affect sound.
You can either hear and perceive it. Or not. Tips, source etc etc … it can be subtle or not. And higher end IEM’s often easier to discern. VFM personal
I’ve been looking into getting an interchangeable cable like the Ace. Right now I’m torn between the Ace and the Tripowin Noire. Both have reviews saying that the cable noise becomes noticeable after a while/ stop working after a few termination swaps. Have you had any of these issues while using them?
I just can't believe that people still believe that expensive cable increased the sound quality ROFL. I only bought the cable for the durability not the increased in sound quality, soundstage, sweetness and the other cope terms because it was so obvious that cable doesn't matter 🤣🤣. Anyway, stock cable for iem these day is more than enough tho. So Frequency Response, THD and Ear Canal Resonance is all what matters. Cable was just pure snake oil,period. Unless you bought it for anothee reasons, like comfort, durability etc. If you wanted to change the sound basically just use different eartips that most suited to your ear and reduce the ear canal resonance.
I believe that everything in your system can change the sound, because sound is very sensitive. However, is it audible? no, I can't hear a thing when I change cables. In my experience, at least 80% of the audio quality depends on the headphones or IEMs, the last 20% depends on everything else (amp, dac, DAP, earpads, eartips, fit etc...)
Well Im just building my first hifi setup (new to it) and so far I have a questyle M15 dac. Im waiting for MoonDrop to release the Blessings 3 dusk. But my question is, wpuld upgrading those cables to a 4.4 balanced be an upgrade or just a waste of money. Or not worth it?
Regardless if it "improves" the sound or not... Wire gauges(mass or strands) of copper wire and its insulation(thickness) does change sound comparatively. This is a fact and there is no arguing about it. If you're really interested, go read about Resistance, Capacitance, and Impedance. Whether if you can hear the difference or not, it depends on how different the cables you are testing(how much more copper one has over another), how good your speakers(IEMs) reproduce frequencies, and how good your ears are(both physically and neurally). All that being said, I think it's probably snake oil if you're paying more than 50 bucks on a single cable unless you really like the way it looks, which I think is up to you.
i have bought 7hz salnotes zero earphones from india the original wire replacement i found is 600 same as old crappy one that came with the iem should i continue with it or should i buy JCALLY - TC08 Pro(I don't want to spend too much this is my first iem)
As long as the cable isn’t cheap crap that’s microphonic the only other considerations is the durability and the ease of use (tangling) Any cable that’s more than like $5 will give you virtually as high of a sound quality as possible. It’s like pass/fail. Either a cable works or it doesn’t, and the price threshold for basically max performance is very low.
I might be unlucky. My Kato has a bad cable. 6 months in and the right IEM sometimes make a sound and sometimes don't. I'm buying a new cable because of that and I honestly don't know what's good (durable and such).
I got some performer 5s on your recomend and i feel the cable is real solid on these, a bit different then a lot of the ones i see here, least it seems like it
Well.. I used to run my kz zex on the stock cables and then the cables got connections issues at the welds so I had to use kbear lark cable on my zex And I noticed the sound suddenly became wider and increased in depth like the sound was deeper I'm all confused roght now
as a professional audio engineer . i I've been analyzing/referencing song and sound of course . i believe my pairs of ears and i can noticably hear at a fraction of 0.5 db +/- differences in frequency or phase . i noticed on my IEM using balanced configuration, that copper and hybrid/mixed alter the sound by at least 15 percent ( signature and technicalities wise ). my answer for if cable swapping changes sound. i totally agreed (yes)
@@resottolamontagna904 wow you answered on behalf of me? "genius" for you that is or might be a " Sound ENGINEER"? good if you are. and such a shame if you aren't, keep on being the keyboard warrior, read copy paste all over again. good day to you consumer audio guy
New to the iem game. I purchase the moondrop kato. My question is there a specific cable with maybe a link to a balance cable you could recommend for the kato
Good cable can give solid connection, comfort, soft , looks, tangle free and rubbing noise but question about sound signature or improvement I'd say go take a hike 😂🤣😂
I actually really like the Aria's fabric cable! It's not too thick, it's obedient so it's easy to roll up to fit into the small included case, but most importantly for me, the ear hooks are SMOOTH! I get so much discomfort from the bumpy ones because they create pressure points, and in this case, it was a KBear "8-core" upgrade cable that made me realize this. It actually did slightly improve the sound of my KZ ZS10 Pro compared to the stock cable, but while the stock cable was thin and "cheap", it was comfier than the thicker KBear cable because of that fact.
These people test too much units that the sound start to blend together.. If you spend enough time with only one iem..only then you can notice change. And even then, for some iem only but true nonetheless.. Same goes with burning in.
I searched out for IEM cables, with the gizaudio tag because I knew I could trust a more sensible opinion, what I want is a better cable for utility. I want something like 6ft tho @.@
Cables change the frequency response due tu electric resistance but there are many cheap cables with the best posible audio (bc of lower resistance), for example KZ Silver Blue Cable ($15). They had to be really bad to change the sound that much. Its not worth it to waste for expensive cables (if all you're looking for is better sound)
If it's microphonic, it changes the sound. Otherwise no. I have a Moondrop X Crinacle Dusk 2 on order. I'm also ordering K Line Silver Plated upgrade cable b/c I plan to use the EQs you published with your Dusk review to set the PEQ on my phone's USB Audio Player app, and I want something that looks cooler than its stock analog cable. That all silver cable ought to complete the aesthetic look of the Dusk, though I hardly think it will improve the sonics one whit.
I tried a lot of cable with my IER-Z1r, and to be honest, from cheap ali-express cable to Effect Audio cable that cost almost 3 times of the Z1r. And it did nothing to me, they all sound the same. I only spend money on expensive cable for 2 reason, they look nice or if they have one of those interchangable connectors.
The only reason I got another cable because stock KZ cables tend to break in a few weeks (in my experience), so I ordered an upgrade cable along with the new pair of IEMs. Does the cable sound any different? Well, yeah but it wasn't that significant. The IEMs pretty much sounded the same, the only thing the cable "improved" is the separation and the positioning of the instruments.
Can someone recommend a good non-microphonic cable -- that is, one that doesn't transfer a lot of noise rubbing on your jacket or clothes etc.? Thanks!
I don't care if it makes it sound better to me a better cable just make it feel better against my body the cable that came with the blessing 2 dusk annoyed me it was uncomfortable
High-end audio cables use higher quality materials. Materials matter. Better materials mean better performance and longer life. The materials used in premium headphones and audio cables are irrefutably better quality than the materials used in OEM cables. This can translate to a number of improvements including better shielding, lower noise floor, natural dB boost, and overall improvement in clarity, soundstage, and definition of audio.
The cable from SSP/SSR and now Aria Snow, is the best cable for comfort. Not those Anaconda style that weighs a ton and hurts my ears. Both KATO and S12 have a very cool cable to look at with the ear hook termination round which is good, but the S12 is quite stiff. Both are super heavy and annoying to use.
I use a Tripowin Jelly balanced cable with my 7hz Timeless and like it so far. Might get a different cable soon just to see if there's any difference at all.
I bought a 7NOCC cable for 55$ and the sound is cleaner compared to a TRN cable. I think that cables really matters if the stock cable is made of copper of poor quality but it will not change the sound of the IEM. However, there is a chance that you'll get the most of your IEM if the quality of the cable is very good.
Anyone has any recommendations for thin/light cables then? Mostly to be used for travelling purposes.. Many of those cables are thick, although aesthetically good looking, but are heavy when walking around with it.
KZ cable is fine. The only common problem is the green copper rust after using for a short while. It's not effect on the SQ but it's kinda eye sore. If you can live with that then it's ok.
@Jesse Are those cables able to be bought seperately? I currently have a hana 2021, the stock cable that comes with it are currently quite ideal to what Im looking for. Trying to find similar style of cables for my other iems as well. Had a tripowin c8 and faaeal hibiscus cable, tripowin one was a little too thick and chonky, faaeal one was ok-ish thickness wise and pretty decent . So, trying to search for recommendations on other thinner and lighter ones .
When I bought my Blon Bl03s it came with the replacement cable and I have never used the stock one until the upgrade cable broke down. And yes, there was a huge difference as far as the sound. Stock cable was providing a dull sound compared to the upgrade cable, so I won't agree with you on this matter. Cables make difference.
As someone who had been hoodwinked by audiophile forums for a while on “cable upgrading can change sound”, after a year or so into this hobby, I can confirm that cables do nothing on the IEM’s tuning 🤣 I get better results by tip-rolling. I did get a Tripowin cable for my MD Aria just to make it pop and a little flashy and premium looking ✌️
False. Back in the day, tell me that a in the box KZ cable sounded as good as a 8 strand silver cable? Hell no...and to say otherwise says either your ears are busted or you're deaf. KZ stock cables sounded damn bad out the box...same with Blon's cables.
@@DJ_BROBOT My very first IEM was the KZ ZSN Pro. Got into the cable voodoo hype and replaced the stock into a Yinyoo 4-core and then an 8-core shortly after; and it still sounded horrendously piercing 😬 Got myself Acoustune eartips and it immediately did the trick and blunted the highs. Got tired of KZ and replaced it the BLON 03 within 2 months. The only reason I replaced the stock cables with my old Yinyoo 8-core is because the original was just so stiff and prone to tangles, and I still didn’t notice any significant sound change.
Realistically, our budget ChiFi gear are usually in the low end of materials in a manufacturing mill, tbh. They’re not Westone, Ultimate Ears, or Campfire levels of drivers and armatures to be super sensitive enough to pick up changes in impedance based on cables.
Got KZ ZSN Pro, BLON-03, BLON-01, Tin T2 Plus, and I’m currently using Moondrop Aria. It was around the time using BLON-01 when I got another KBear cable and didn’t notice any changes with my Yinyoo, and I stopped cable shopping altogether when I realized it was such a waste of money to invest on cables. I would rather shop for eartips 🤣
@@beegest_yoshi yes.
@@PotatoFarmer656 so glad to hear that you finally realized it.
The most important part of an iem is the tuning. And then there's the THD.
No matter what cable you used, cheap or expensive it still gonna sound worse because of the default tuning. Take KZ iem as an example. The majority of their releases iem tune into V-Shaped. Also there's also a lot of peak found in the treble area which cause it to sound harsh and piercing. You can atleast tame the treble by using another eartips like silicon, spinfit, foamtips etc. You could also try frequency sweep, find all of the peaks and eq'd it using small Q value. But if you're trying to improve the sound using cable, it's just wasting your money.
@@hyper0505 Exactly. If you want all the killer buzzwords of “wide soundstage”, “sparkly highs”, “controlled bass”, “clarity”, invest on higher end IEMs, not cables. I’m more of a silicone girl so I’ve never tried foam tips before, but I might give it a shot ☺️ Currently using Radius Deep Mount tips from Japan for my Aria and I highly recommend it! It sort of removes that weird splashy highs that Spinfits have especially when listening to cymbals.
Audio science review did a nice video about fancy upgrade cables. Measurements show, that they absolutely don’t change the sound quality. You can get a new cable because of aesthetics, feeling or build quality, but don’t waste your money and expect better sound quality!
Timing effects sound
Well that is indeed what I read everywhere ALTHOUGH I can absolutely assure you I have 3 cables for my Fiio FH7 (sensitive high end items) and you can absolutely easily hear a difference
@@yves-thomasriant5833 you can't tho
Oh omg its 2023 and still people believe that cables change sound ? WTF that was a very very old myth.
@@Tripokaridos22 lol because they are dumb and have to justify their purchase
Leyding, dromi and gleipnir were the three shackles used in an attempt to control Fenrir. The gods knew Fenrir would kill Odin and played a big role in Ragnarok so they tried them in succession.
I think it has an interesting relation to hobbies like headphones. You start off with a simple setup but you eventually break through and want that next level of complexity.
Like any hobby, companies have to find a way to provide that little bit more. It can be difficult for newbies in a hobby or those not in it to fully appreciate a top tier item compared to a lower tier one that's working just fine for them. 2 cables may function identically, but feel, bend, complexity in construction may be more appreciated by some. That's like the whole clothing industry lol.
Cables might affect an iem's sound quality a bit, but it sounds better to buy a better iem for the money that would otherwise be wasted on that cable.
Yes, 100 agreed.
Just buy an iem with proper default tuning than upgrading cable, hoping that it would increase sound quality.
this is just the truth
I would rather buy a 16core cable for my Tinhifi T3+ than buy another IEM like Salnote Zero. That's gonna be a downgrade. Great cables are cheap, IEMs most of the time expensive. IMO Cheap IEMs are not worth it unless it's your first time getting into this hobby and want to test the waters or just broke.
Hi Timmy. Thank you for bringing up this topic. I was expecting to learn more about a few things
- Weight : can they contribute to the weight of the iems?
- Microphonics : touching them create noise while listening, how does it impact the different models, or is it only a problem with stock?
- You could also have talked about detachable cables, and their compatibility among different models.
- Lastly, some iem like Sony have android compatibility, which allow the cable to answer calls, have a microphone and sometimes even last/next track.
I upgraded the cable on my MD B2 because, as he mentioned, the stock cable isn’t the greatest. It has a memory and gets tangled easily. The TRN cable did wonders. And along with switching out the stock tips for MD’s spring tips, I can wear these comfortably for hours.
As a S12 owner I luv the stock cable as much as the sound of these IEMs.
I’ve never heard a change in sound by switching cable’s. I have the Ace cable on my Moondrop Kato’s and it’s a pretty good cable for sure. I like the feel, looks, and connector options. I’m glad this video mentions them because more people should know about them.
I did...
@@amldesh how cheap was the cable
@@nukefoodsofficial5849 its not expensive...
I used my cheap kz zsn pro x with stock cable for about one ear..
After that i got TRN T2+ cable for it..
Just to see what happened..
It makes the sound more wider and clearer...
Im just a poor nooby..
And sorry for bad english ❤️
Finally, someone spoke up about this myth. I feel like this is the most snakeoil-y thing in community even more than amp or dac etc.
I saw many "audiophile experts" says the cable matters and spending like hundreds of dollars in cable (some case even thousands) with the prove being "it sounds different" and no graphs or whatsoever. Thing like this is gatekeeping many of my acquaintances to explore this rabbit hole.
Have u try different cables? I had tried a lot of cable and it changes sound bigger than u think. I would say some cables can really change around 30 percent of sound by both sound signature and technical performance. Yes of course, u need great dap and high end iem to understand.
@@remy7210 No. It's all snakeoil. I had tried like 10 or 20 of them, even to the point that I asked staffs to blind test for me (the shop is one of my go-to) and I found nothing change.
The only "scientific" reason I could think of is the conductivity of these cable "maybe" matters but that's extreme level of changing in sound. And if the iem is on that level of sensitive to the cable, I don't need them.
@@remy7210 you literally just did exactly what he said is so wrong in this community
Wanna bet 1000$ if it is different or not?? I will only show u just 2 cables. Spc and pure silver. If u think it is the same, your ear is dumb as fuck.
It's no myth. The thing is, a lot of people, even in this hobby, just don't pay that much attention. I can't believe how many people are unable to tell the difference between the various low-pass/reconstruction filters. Of course this type of folks won't know a sonic difference between different cables - it's relatively minuscle. Is it negligible, though? I, personally, would not say so. Is it worth hundreds of dollars? Again, it depends. It absolutely should not be, though. You can get an absolutely great quality cable for, like, $40-50 these days, and it won't be a "no-thrills" type either. And then you can pay $1000+ for some TOTL cable that may be able to provide a 3-5% increase (or decrease) in perceived sound "quality". The changes in sound from getting a slightly different fit every time after you take out/off the -phones to change the cables in the process of direct comparison are likely going to be much more significant. That's why it may take MANY hours of truly autistic A/B listening to discern a pattern if there is one. I've never had any expensive cables and I would not get any of those boutique ones, but from my experience there is always a room for improvement with IEM/Headphone cables. Those I have are still too vulnerable to channel crosstalk and other interferences. Most people would not ever notice and if they did, they would not care.
You should not forget that people are very different. And that is not just an effectively meaningless trivia, it has a ton of implications. Some people have an obsessive personality, some have a literally have OCD, some are on an autistic spectrum. It's not just the "golden ear" pretension, although it should be a common knowledge for audiophiles that hearing differs b/w people in various ways (different HRTF, varying degrees of partial hearing loss in different frequency bands, tinnitus etc). The same can be said about human palate. There is a majority, there are "foodies", there are gourmets, and there are connoisseurs. People tend to focus on the competence, expertise and abilities with such examples. But there also has to be a predisposition of some kind - a passion (and one has to care A LOT, sometimes to a degree that is unhealthy), or a talent. All these notions get invoked and then it is about our ego all of a sudden. Hell, even passion becomes a contest of some kind. I'm able to discern between two different batches of cigarettes of the same brand, or between two brands of dirt-cheap vodka. A lot of people are not, it all feels basically the same for them. Shitty taste, shitty smell - that is all. Is it a reason for me to feel pride? Is it a reason for them to feel insulted by my claims? What are the chances that someone makes this issue a matter of a proper scientific inquiry to disprove/verify them? What are the limits that will be imposed by the methodology most likely to be employed? I suppose that, as audiophiles, we both know about the scientific stance on a matter of an optimal headphone frequency response curve. The infamous and highly contentious Harman Target. Indeed, it is about subjective preferences more than anything. But it is nevertheless quite representative of the fact that the science in it's current state has limited ability AND interest in establishing "truth" in such matters. It's an even better example on how easily and readily scientific findings can be misinterpreted and how fundamental scientific principles and notions can be misunderstood.
personal note here, I have a pair of salnotes zeros, the original cable went stiff, so I bought a pair of new TRN 16core silver plated cables, it had a slight reduction of the soundstage and it sounded narrower
S12 cable is well built. But the connector was creating torque on the IEM and moving the driver around, ruining the seal in my ear. Had to replace it with a cable that has an angled connector and is smaller. Now the seal on my ear isn't compromised when I move around.
You forgot the cable of Kinera's sister company QoA Rum. It's good as well.
Just wanted to put this out here. I have an campfire andromeda and an older shure 846. If you pair with high end silver cable (effect audio thor or leonardis) over the stock cable, its honestly transforming the sound of your IEM. Like a significant difference!!! X2 better everything. I know this is a rare opinion but just my experience
Likely because their drivers run at a lower impedance than most others, it's the only real situation in which a lower impedance cable is going to improve the sound or loudness at all.
Shouldn't affect the tone, or even the quality that much but it does work well for lower impedance drivers to be paired with lower impedance cables.
Any higher impedance driver will see negligible to no change from changing the impedance of the cable.
Yea these people test too much units that the sound start to blend together..
If you spend enough time with only one iem..only then you can notice change.
And even then, for some iem only but true nonetheless..
Same goes with burning in.
@@lifeisgood7462 despite literally all evidence and professional experience to the contrary, lol...
@@transcendkira which professional experience?
The ones supporting or the ones who doesn't
It's just louder not better lol
I've noticed planars really do care what you use. I put gu craftsmen silver and graphine. Transformed my 7hz timeless.
Two reasons to ever upgrade.
1) Looks
2) You bought HiFiman headphones and realized just how awful those dangly rubbery cables that refuse to straighten out are to deal with.
Hifiman cables are really trash both in terms of sound and quality… their headphones are great tho. I have Ananda, get an upgraded cable and it sound even better
Durability and aesthetics are the only things I consider. 🤣
They can because the IEM, cable are a circuit. Impedece varies within the whole system. It also presents capacitance to the circuit which varies with frequency. The match will be better or worse with various cables.
Right, so, the iems with lower resistance will be affected the most, those with 30+ohms, not so much.
I's got Kinera Leyding on my Olinas. It's an immensely brilliant cable.
Is it worth the price? It's almost as expensive as the Olina's itself..
@@Gilliboy82 No. No after market cable is worth the price. BUT. If you want a nice cable that doesn't tangle and behaves well then after market is the way to go and Leyding is great.
Personally, imho, the Limum cables (from estron) are the best Upgrade Cables you can get, at all.
They are insanely strong, but at the same time ultra thin and comfortable to wear (the most comfortable so far), they are available with an T2 connector (probably the best that exist) and so have IP67 rating (only in T2 variant). They even give measurements on how strong the cables are (I think 180N for UltraBaX which is insane, especially for how thin they are)
And they are the only company i've found, who give impedance ratings for their cables so you can know/check for yourself if and how they change the sound.
BaX: 1.5 Ohm
SuperBaX: 0.75 Ohm
UltraBaX: 0.6 Ohm
They are the most transparent cable company telling you everything about their cables so you don't have to trust, you can just know for sure
What a timing bro. I just received my Kinera Leyding cable for my S12 and this video pops up.
Yeah i agree to some extent. Cables is all about the comfort and the looks. Sound change is a bonus. Also best stock cable under 50 usd iems is moondrop ssr/ssp stock cable
I have not heard any appreciable difference in cables either. Where they do make difference is in comfort for me. I would love to have a dozen of the Mele cables.
I've actually found that the most important thing in an IEM cable is a mic and pause/play button. Volume control is also very nice but it's not as essential as the other two. I think it's unfortunate that more default IEM cables don't come with at least a mic and pause/play button because of how IEM's are meant to be portable and easily driven out of a phone. When you're on a crowded bus, being able to pick up and have a call without even taking your phone out of your pocket is an incredible convenience.
There is a good fat reason too. The iem units that are sold in my country is paired with cables like you have mentioned, the volume controls , music skip and other functions work real laggy, but the main issue is that they cause channel imbalance. i verified this by switching the cables to opposite iems , the sound came out low on the cable side having the mic attached.
right now i thinking weather to invest on a good bluetooth module or better quality 8-16core cables.
Off-topic Question: what is going to have better noise isolation; a custom IEM or an IEM with Comply foam tips?
can you make a video like this on eartips as well. It'll be really helpful
Hey bro your opinion on moondrop chu 2...I have chu 2 with default 3.5 jack I was thinking of upgrading it with moondrop free dsp... Your thoughts ?🤔
The cables are nice and all but....that wallpaper behind you, looks so good!
Can u provide me the link to it?
i do hear a change but not everyone will, thats arguably a good thing because you can just but the cheapest cable that way. my only advice is to buy a cable after you find your end game because if you spend a shit ton of money for a cable to make an iem sound better but then later you decide to switch, thats a lotta money wasted
Thank you for this video!! What are your opinions on balanced vs unbalanced cables for iem’s?
The only reason i ever bought upgrade cables were because they were tangle-free and because I needed an inline mic
Is tripowin cable good? I don't want to spend like a half or over half price of my IEM.
I have well over a dozen chfi iems and have purchased quite a few replacement cables. Tips have the biggest impact on sound. DACs have their own sound signature. Cables absolutely make a difference in sound. The impact is not as great as tips but cables will typically accentuate treble or bass. In addition, some cables will carry micofonics from moving around the cable. Also the cables impediace will affect sound.
FYI, that Monarch Mk2 cable can be purchased separately.
Where? The exact same, or similar?
You can either hear and perceive it. Or not. Tips, source etc etc … it can be subtle or not. And higher end IEM’s often easier to discern. VFM personal
Kinera Ace is the best cable I have used, great quality
I’ve been looking into getting an interchangeable cable like the Ace. Right now I’m torn between the Ace and the Tripowin Noire. Both have reviews saying that the cable noise becomes noticeable after a while/ stop working after a few termination swaps. Have you had any of these issues while using them?
@@briangarrick9693 Ace can be purchased with confidence, I have been using it for two years and have never had a similar problem
@@leokeepgoing1262 thank you!!
I just can't believe that people still believe that expensive cable increased the sound quality ROFL.
I only bought the cable for the durability not the increased in sound quality, soundstage, sweetness and the other cope terms because it was so obvious that cable doesn't matter 🤣🤣.
Anyway, stock cable for iem these day is more than enough tho.
So Frequency Response, THD and Ear Canal Resonance is all what matters.
Cable was just pure snake oil,period. Unless you bought it for anothee reasons, like comfort, durability etc.
If you wanted to change the sound basically just use different eartips that most suited to your ear and reduce the ear canal resonance.
I believe that everything in your system can change the sound, because sound is very sensitive. However, is it audible? no, I can't hear a thing when I change cables. In my experience, at least 80% of the audio quality depends on the headphones or IEMs, the last 20% depends on everything else (amp, dac, DAP, earpads, eartips, fit etc...)
Thanks for the info, grabbed the amber Dunu cables, will pair with the softear volumes pretty great! Not a fan of the stock black.
Well Im just building my first hifi setup (new to it) and so far I have a questyle M15 dac. Im waiting for MoonDrop to release the Blessings 3 dusk. But my question is, wpuld upgrading those cables to a 4.4 balanced be an upgrade or just a waste of money. Or not worth it?
I love using the moondrop ssr cable. It doesnt tangle, light weight and I prefer a straight cable rather than a twirled cable.
Regardless if it "improves" the sound or not... Wire gauges(mass or strands) of copper wire and its insulation(thickness) does change sound comparatively.
This is a fact and there is no arguing about it.
If you're really interested, go read about Resistance, Capacitance, and Impedance.
Whether if you can hear the difference or not, it depends on how different the cables you are testing(how much more copper one has over another), how good your speakers(IEMs) reproduce frequencies, and how good your ears are(both physically and neurally).
All that being said, I think it's probably snake oil if you're paying more than 50 bucks on a single cable unless you really like the way it looks, which I think is up to you.
i have bought 7hz salnotes zero earphones from india the original wire replacement i found is 600 same as old crappy one that came with the iem should i continue with it or should i buy JCALLY - TC08 Pro(I don't want to spend too much this is my first iem)
Hey guys can I terminate all sides in 3.55mm so I can use these sexy cables with NY regular high end headphones
Bro, I didn’t know you had this channel. I watch the fragrance channel
This is the kinda cable video I like to see
Timmy lookin' real fresh, keep it up man 👍
IMO Connector type changes sound a lot (adds height and width) when comparing Balanced v/s Unbalanced
As long as the cable isn’t cheap crap that’s microphonic the only other considerations is the durability and the ease of use (tangling)
Any cable that’s more than like $5 will give you virtually as high of a sound quality as possible.
It’s like pass/fail. Either a cable works or it doesn’t, and the price threshold for basically max performance is very low.
I dunno, I always always make sure I have a balanced cable if I can get one, the sound quality is clearer and crisper however it may just be me.
An upgrade cable It's very important to me just for how they LOOK on my iem's. 😅😅
I might be unlucky. My Kato has a bad cable. 6 months in and the right IEM sometimes make a sound and sometimes don't. I'm buying a new cable because of that and I honestly don't know what's good (durable and such).
Another very good cable to add is the Salnotes Zero's cable. It's silky and it doesn't get tangled easily plus it has the splitter thing
It has bad microphonics tho the sound messes up when you rub up against the cable
Very good channel . Well edited buddy
I got some performer 5s on your recomend and i feel the cable is real solid on these, a bit different then a lot of the ones i see here, least it seems like it
Well..
I used to run my kz zex on the stock cables and then the cables got connections issues at the welds so I had to use kbear lark cable on my zex
And I noticed the sound suddenly became wider and increased in depth like the sound was deeper
I'm all confused roght now
trust your ears bro. Don't trust others or let other's opinions change your mind
as a professional audio engineer . i I've been analyzing/referencing song and sound of course . i believe my pairs of ears and i can noticably hear at a fraction of 0.5 db +/- differences in frequency or phase . i noticed on my IEM using balanced configuration, that copper and hybrid/mixed alter the sound by at least 15 percent ( signature and technicalities wise ).
my answer for if cable swapping changes sound. i totally agreed (yes)
What will you do if someone ask you to prove it?
@@resottolamontagna904 wow you answered on behalf of me? "genius" for you that is or might be a " Sound ENGINEER"? good if you are. and such a shame if you aren't, keep on being the keyboard warrior, read copy paste all over again. good day to you consumer audio guy
@@FMI_TheMixEngineEar can you just answer how would you prove it to others
Why do you like the monarch mk2 cable? The carbon fiber looking part thingy is very heavy and drags the iem down..
New to the iem game. I purchase the moondrop kato. My question is there a specific cable with maybe a link to a balance cable you could recommend for the kato
Good cable can give solid connection, comfort, soft , looks, tangle free and rubbing noise but question about sound signature or improvement I'd say go take a hike 😂🤣😂
Whats the song in the end?
I actually really like the Aria's fabric cable! It's not too thick, it's obedient so it's easy to roll up to fit into the small included case, but most importantly for me, the ear hooks are SMOOTH! I get so much discomfort from the bumpy ones because they create pressure points, and in this case, it was a KBear "8-core" upgrade cable that made me realize this. It actually did slightly improve the sound of my KZ ZS10 Pro compared to the stock cable, but while the stock cable was thin and "cheap", it was comfier than the thicker KBear cable because of that fact.
my moondrop aria cables started dangling up and it doesn't look good
Hi , KZ Q1 MAX ( type s ) it's good for the price or or would you recommend another brand for the same price?
These people test too much units that the sound start to blend together..
If you spend enough time with only one iem..only then you can notice change.
And even then, for some iem only but true nonetheless..
Same goes with burning in.
I searched out for IEM cables, with the gizaudio tag because I knew I could trust a more sensible opinion, what I want is a better cable for utility. I want something like 6ft tho @.@
Is there a cheap cable to buy for the Moondrop Arias? My cable broke but im not willing to pay those prices starting at 50% of the Arias price
The tripowin lsc08 in black color 2.5 balanced is best I've used!!
I'm an audiophile but I changed out my cables primarily for aesthetics.
The biggest change: from 3.5mm to balanced 4.4mm, like new headphones
3.5mm > 4.4mm
What do you think about the Moondrop Aria snow cable?
Cables change the frequency response due tu electric resistance but there are many cheap cables with the best posible audio (bc of lower resistance), for example KZ Silver Blue Cable ($15).
They had to be really bad to change the sound that much. Its not worth it to waste for expensive cables (if all you're looking for is better sound)
If it's microphonic, it changes the sound. Otherwise no. I have a Moondrop X Crinacle Dusk 2 on order. I'm also ordering K Line Silver Plated upgrade cable b/c I plan to use the EQs you published with your Dusk review to set the PEQ on my phone's USB Audio Player app, and I want something that looks cooler than its stock analog cable. That all silver cable ought to complete the aesthetic look of the Dusk, though I hardly think it will improve the sonics one whit.
I wish there was a simple, super light and cheap black 2 pin cable to get
Nicehck and yinyoo cables are also the best for a budget cable at $15-20.
Cables don’t matter other than looks and comfort. If you really want to affect sound … just the tip! 😅
This is good to know 👍
I tried a lot of cable with my IER-Z1r, and to be honest, from cheap ali-express cable to Effect Audio cable that cost almost 3 times of the Z1r. And it did nothing to me, they all sound the same. I only spend money on expensive cable for 2 reason, they look nice or if they have one of those interchangable connectors.
@@kylerclarke2689 no, I tried it at trade show, never bought a cable that cost more than 100usd.
The only reason I got another cable because stock KZ cables tend to break in a few weeks (in my experience), so I ordered an upgrade cable along with the new pair of IEMs. Does the cable sound any different? Well, yeah but it wasn't that significant. The IEMs pretty much sounded the same, the only thing the cable "improved" is the separation and the positioning of the instruments.
seriously a few weeks? You seriously need to take care of them better.
@@sushitrash-dj9vq lol yeah. I'm always in a hurry to school everyday so I just shove em in my pockets.
Please advise me of the best cable with mic to mount on fiio fh9 or fh7 headphones?
Can someone recommend a good non-microphonic cable -- that is, one that doesn't transfer a lot of noise rubbing on your jacket or clothes etc.? Thanks!
Are these compatible with my KZ ZNS Pro X and KZ ZS10 Pro X?
what is a good replacement cable for my tanchjim ola?
I bought an cheap Trn t2 16 core, soft and light and I love it. 10€, more than that honestly is just a waste of money.
Does anyone know what I can use to wrap the earhooks on my cable to make them more comfortable?
I don't care if it makes it sound better to me a better cable just make it feel better against my body the cable that came with the blessing 2 dusk annoyed me it was uncomfortable
Damn, I really enjoy my Aria stock cable
High-end audio cables use higher quality materials. Materials matter. Better materials mean better performance and longer life. The materials used in premium headphones and audio cables are irrefutably better quality than the materials used in OEM cables. This can translate to a number of improvements including better shielding, lower noise floor, natural dB boost, and overall improvement in clarity, soundstage, and definition of audio.
i love my blon mini stock cable
but yinyoo still my fav custom cable
Hey Timmy, do you run the stock cable on your Anole VX's?
Yeah, I've been wanting a custom cable for it but haven't found anyone I want to commission lol
What is your daily driver in IEM?
The cable from SSP/SSR and now Aria Snow, is the best cable for comfort. Not those Anaconda style that weighs a ton and hurts my ears.
Both KATO and S12 have a very cool cable to look at with the ear hook termination round which is good, but the S12 is quite stiff. Both are super heavy and annoying to use.
Anywhere that I can buy that cable seperately?
I use a Tripowin Jelly balanced cable with my 7hz Timeless and like it so far. Might get a different cable soon just to see if there's any difference at all.
What cable are you currently using for your 7hz Timeless? Did you like the Tripowin cable or did you change your mind
@@brownwallet942 Still using the Jelly cable. I'll try a different cable whenever I feel like buying another set of IEMs.
@@OpeoAslam you seem to really like it if you've been using it this far. I think im gonna get this one in a different color
I bought a 7NOCC cable for 55$ and the sound is cleaner compared to a TRN cable. I think that cables really matters if the stock cable is made of copper of poor quality but it will not change the sound of the IEM. However, there is a chance that you'll get the most of your IEM if the quality of the cable is very good.
I use FiiO LC-RC cable in my Timeless 😁
Hey guys, Can i get some recommendations for DAP under 250$?
Chrinacle had a kid💀💀
which cable suitable for my $5 MT1 :D
Any recommendation that has mic on it
Anyone has any recommendations for thin/light cables then? Mostly to be used for travelling purposes.. Many of those cables are thick, although aesthetically good looking, but are heavy when walking around with it.
KZ cable is fine. The only common problem is the green copper rust after using for a short while. It's not effect on the SQ but it's kinda eye sore. If you can live with that then it's ok.
@Jesse Are those cables able to be bought seperately? I currently have a hana 2021, the stock cable that comes with it are currently quite ideal to what Im looking for. Trying to find similar style of cables for my other iems as well. Had a tripowin c8 and faaeal hibiscus cable, tripowin one was a little too thick and chonky, faaeal one was ok-ish thickness wise and pretty decent . So, trying to search for recommendations on other thinner and lighter ones .
When I bought my Blon Bl03s it came with the replacement cable and I have never used the stock one until the upgrade cable broke down. And yes, there was a huge difference as far as the sound. Stock cable was providing a dull sound compared to the upgrade cable, so I won't agree with you on this matter. Cables make difference.
What replacement cable did you get? Could you share a link to where I can find it?
Hi
I have thieaudio moonarch mkii
If i change my original cable , is sound better or not??
Plz help me
No