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AleXileD
9
Jun 4, 2015
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Question: since I will be using these headphones a lot with my phone Xperia Z2 (and maybe an partable amp if needed? Fiio e11k?) I was thinking the standard cable is going to be overkill and the excess cable is going to annoy me while studying.
Can anyone reccomend what cable options are out there?
Is there a difference in SOUND quality assuming I dont buy the cheapest 5euro cable i can find on amazon?
On some audiophile sites/reviews I have read recommendations for 800dollar cables... Whicht to be honest seens absolutely stupid...
I am almost an industrial engineer (last semester ^^) and have a decent understanding of celectricity, electronics and signals (including everything to do with interference and shielding...)
But I am always willing to learn more since audio signals and audio equipment are still new to me.
wowsers
37
Jun 4, 2015
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AleXileDThe standard 10' cable is on the 'regular' side on the amount of shielding, any cable that's about as thick as the 3,5mm jack or thicker is usually shielded enough for most everyday use (a shorter wire usually picks up less electrical noise as well). The problem is the end of cable on the K7XX's, it ends with a mini-XLR connector. One thing you can do is to either to buy a 3,5mm normal audio cable, a male mini-XLR, and then solder it together, buy a complete 3,5mm to mini-XLR cable (link from amazon, prices from 1m to 3m is about the same): http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-upgrade-HD-9999-HP-980-Headphones/dp/B00OTAX1AS/ref=sr_1_6?s=audio-video-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1433436339&sr=1-6
Your last option is to just use a cable management tie to simply tie up the excess cable, this is by far the simplest approach and the least costly of them all (but it will most likely look the most ugliest of them all)...
Prada
75
Jun 6, 2015
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AleXileDThe headphone cable included is "Oxygen free copper", this is ususally classed as the best type of cable for its price. Try and find an AKG cable made from the same material and it will hold the same sound signature, £20 - £40 is the usual price bracket for a high quality cable like the one shipped.
Long answer regarding sound quality below since you're knowlegable in engineering! > Solid Silver: Allows electrons to move through the wire easier, thus less loss in sound quality, however they naturally have a colder sound signature and suit expensive Reference rigs. > Silver Coated: ~95% as good as Solid Silver as AC current likes to pass the outer edge of the cable (dubbed: "skin effect"), some companies don't produce pure silver for this reason. > Copper: Warmer and cheaper than silver, and most likely the best for these headphones. Slightly worse at conducting, but a high quality Copper cable > low quality Silver cable and will still be cheaper. Silver is only about 8% more conductive, but sound is quite sensitive. > Litz: This is a type of braid used with audio cables, instead of one solid cable, it is many thinner cables wound together in a sinusoidal shape. Thus making use of the "skin effect" and following the shape of sound. I'm not 100% sure about the science behind the braid's shape, but it makes a measurable change in sound quality. > Teflon coating: This is one of the best sound insulators for audio cables, only being beaten by vacuum sealed cables. In a normal environment Teflon is the best, but not 100% necissary as it can be 4x more expensive than other plastics depending on cable length.
TL;DR: Look for oxygen free copper, and if your budget allows it, a Litz braided wire. There is no reason to buy $800 cables unless you are creating a reference grade rig or are tyring to get a specific sound signature, and if so, read above!
>If I'm incorrect in my science, please correct me! I'm studying a different side of Physics ^^
Long answer regarding sound quality below since you're knowlegable in engineering! > Solid Silver: Allows electrons to move through the wire easier, thus less loss in sound quality, however they naturally have a colder sound signature and suit expensive Reference rigs. > Silver Coated: ~95% as good as Solid Silver as AC current likes to pass the outer edge of the cable (dubbed: "skin effect"), some companies don't produce pure silver for this reason. > Copper: Warmer and cheaper than silver, and most likely the best for these headphones. Slightly worse at conducting, but a high quality Copper cable > low quality Silver cable and will still be cheaper. Silver is only about 8% more conductive, but sound is quite sensitive. > Litz: This is a type of braid used with audio cables, instead of one solid cable, it is many thinner cables wound together in a sinusoidal shape. Thus making use of the "skin effect" and following the shape of sound. I'm not 100% sure about the science behind the braid's shape, but it makes a measurable change in sound quality. > Teflon coating: This is one of the best sound insulators for audio cables, only being beaten by vacuum sealed cables. In a normal environment Teflon is the best, but not 100% necissary as it can be 4x more expensive than other plastics depending on cable length.
TL;DR: Look for oxygen free copper, and if your budget allows it, a Litz braided wire. There is no reason to buy $800 cables unless you are creating a reference grade rig or are tyring to get a specific sound signature, and if so, read above!
>If I'm incorrect in my science, please correct me! I'm studying a different side of Physics ^^
wowsers
37
Jun 6, 2015
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PradaYou know how the magnetic fields is created clockwise in the direction of the current, when two or more insulated(non shorting in this sense) wires are next to each other and the current flows at the same direction the magnetic fields will try to cancel themselves out, also flat wires tend to give off less magnetic field because the circular magnetic field is hard to create around a rectangle instead of a circle. an audiophile friend of my dad explained to me that the flat multi-wire audio cables he used for his speakers at one time were really transparent, maby that's why?
All the physics I've done is just simple rules, I also think the break in magnetic field MIGHT make it a teeny bit harder for electrons to flow through too, but I can't recall anything about that...
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