What I learned testing audiophile cables

[@SuperReview]

Shoutout to the folks at Effect Audio for sending in the cables for this testing. They're fun people and open-minded themselves. If you go to a CanJam or other audio show, they'll probably be there -- stop by and listen (or roadie wrap) for yourself.

[@JohnDoe-iv5ns]

Why does it say edited 4d ago but was also uploaded an hour ago? Glitch lol?

[@mikesoke]

@@JohnDoe-iv5ns Maybe it was released to the patreon users first?

[@JohnDoe-iv5ns]

@@mikesoke oh, hadn't thought of that

[@SuperReview]

@ Nah, I published the video for paid supporters a few days ago, just made it publicly available today and KZbin uses that as the publish date I guess.

[@t.dsmith8619]

no words. just eye contact and roadie wrapping

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

I appreciate your candor. I share your skepticism about the benefits of high-end cables as it relates to hi-fi audio. At least at the super high end. Other than just maximizing durability and aesthetics it's just not a priority

[@SuperReview]

Yeah I like swapping cables for aesthetics and ergonomics, though TBH a lot of the time I end up preferring cheaper cables for those attributes.

[@scotteaton963]

​@SuperReview can you recommend some good inexpensive cables?

[@SuperReview]

@@scotteaton963 Moondrop Chu 2 and Truthear Gate cables.

[@scotteaton963]

@@SuperReview do you have other cable recommendations for just cables without IEMs?

[@spicychile]

@@scotteaton963I got the ivipQ from AliExpress as a replacement for my Moondrop S8 cable. Not too thick, has a cinch, has low impedance to not distort the IEM, and less than $20.

[@luckyupyours]

Great video Mark. But, what you are calling impedance in your multimeter testing is actually resistance. Impedance can only be measured with an AC signal passing through the cable. In order to measure the real impedance of the cable you would have to measure the AC voltage drop it creates on the output of your amplifier. That would require some very expensive test equipment though because the impedances are so low. Just wanted to clear up the differences between resistance and impedance, cheers

[@SuperReview]

One day I will understand electricity.

[@atarisidequest]

Of course you're right but to fully understand the difference between resistive and reactive loads is pretty far beyond what we shuld expect from most people who love audio. That said, any introductory speaker building book with a section on passive crossover design will have enough info to get a good understanding without having to get deep into EE theory.

[@Dream-jx3fs]

Effect Audio Eros S, this cable, unlike the budget ones, gives the sound transparency. This is clearly felt at high and medium high frequencies. Almost any cheap cable in comparison will produce turbidity. This is the main difference. If you have good, expensive headphones and you want to get the most out of your bundle, then this cable can give you an increase in sound clarity.

[@markn866]

Fancy expensive cables are more jewelry than anything that will affect sound. If you want to change the sound, learn to EQ, find optimal tips for comfort, etc.

[@SuperReview]

Yeah and IMO no problem with wanting expensive jewelry. Cables could change sound if they have high impedance, TBH I'm surprised no one seems to sell intentionally high impedance cables for that purpose.

[@TheHulksMistress]

​@@SuperReviewI'm the same. I've zero issue with people spending money on expensive cables. The only thing that bothers me is when people tell others it 'upgrades' the sound quality, making people waste money and time on something that doesn't make much difference As long as they don't misinform others, they can spend their money however they like

[@Darknight-d9o]

But isn't this a problem and will it harm even users who just want something good because these things affect the market price, and if the top category is, for example, $5000, a company will consider something compared to $2500 average, and something under 1k will be considered cheap, so whoever buys these wires will be affected. On everyone​@@SuperReview

[@markn866]

@@SuperReview Completely fair, I buy things on looks all the time.

[@mykytabutsenko3534]

If it's about "jewelry", then why not just get something more "jewelyrish" and maybe more mainstream and therefore impressive? I mean if you buy an IEM cable to impress somebody, then my congratulations - nobody gives a sheet about wired IEMs and cables in general🗿 just buy some fancy watch strap or ring or whatever

[@kirytsu6549]

Great review! It's nice to see someone that actually providing objective measurements for this hobby.

[@isaiahschell]

What an amazing video man! Very honest, fair approach to testing everything and excellent explanations for everything. I do think that some cables have improvements sonically over others, but in most cases the improvements only come in appearance and feel. It would be interesting to see a comparison with some of Penon’s cables; in my experience they have a very obvious effect on their IEMs - again, probably down to resistance values.

[@wiesolos]

Mark is my go-to cable reviewer because he likes cables that aren't memory-prone, pliable and easy to handle. I wish there would be a video with regard to his top 10 cables.

[@Kekdouble]

I used to be skeptical about IEM accessories changing how they sound, from ear tips, different DAC/AMPs and cables. So far I tested a few DAC/AMPs and they really do have different effects on the IEM. For the ear tips, there was no difference in using a different one for Kefine Klean, but when I changed my Aful P5+2 to memory foam, it sounded significantly better so I'm sold to the idea that ear tips do matter. Now for the cables, I tried window shopping online and saw Effect audio selling them for ridiculous prices and got me thinking maybe they also matter. This video just gave me all the information I need about the cables, thanks! I'm still kinda new to this audiophile stuff, hope I get to see more videos like these.

[@MML66]

‏‪4:47‬‏ Also, this IEM hangs all the weight on your ear, so why would you want a thick or heavy cord if it were a headphone cord that might make more sense? I did not expect the wire to be this important, but I had an IEM and I liked its sound, but because of the wire, I hated using it, but there comes a point where the wire becomes just nonsense and its price is the same price as the IEM. I end up playing with a good wire. What is the logic in this? Or putting a gold wire to convince people? With a difference of voice or in order to be convinced of owning something expensive

[@RadoDani]

FYI, gold is a worse conductor than copper and silver. Gold is used because it can be hammered into very thin sheets and it is non reactive with air. In electronics it is used to coat silver or copper terminal to protect them from corrosion. Anyway, the whole IEM business has become ridiculous at the high end. I personally hate too thick cables because they are uncomfortable for mobile use.

[@hunteer963]

Appericiate your feedbacks regarding cables bro. Good video.

[@taidee]

Very well done Mark, this is good work.

[@MarcelMTBMX]

Thank you Mark, much needed video for the whole community

[@chef_executioner]

Great video sir! ☺️ Finally. We learned about IEM cables Thank you !

[@DrStorm-pm6oj]

Perfect review as usual 👌🏼

[@PL4Y3R_0n3-]

One thing I wish you had shown was a measurement with the Dusk on the 10 ohm adapter but otherwise I liked the approach here. I will say that it’s worth mentioning that IEMs- especially multi driver IEMs- can have non-linear impedance and different impedance per driver. Regardless, your mental approach has been the best so far and I appreciate that.

[@SuperReview]

Yeah that would've been a good idea.

[@iisakei2369]

Great video! I can see everyone's interest in this issue. Of course, so am I.

[@Ksn228]

It is the stiffness of the earhook, size of the connector and weight of the cable which makes the difference, because it all affects the fit and insertion depth. As an extreme case I was able to fit one big IEM properly so that the shell would touch the ear only with EW200 stock cable featuring particularly small plastic termination near the 2pin connector. And it did make a huge difference acoustically.

[@SuperReview]

Small plastic 2-pin connectors FTW

[@marksr12]

Great video, the best I've seen about higher priced cables. I buy cables cause they look cool...$100 is about tops for me. Those do look fabulous...

[@SuperReview]

Yeah for an IEM I really like, I could see myself spending $100 for the perfect cable. Main limit is that the perfect cable is hard to find, especially without feeling it in person.

[@NotTheOnlyMattAround]

I have lots of cables and have never heard a single difference between any of them... but I still own lots of cables because it's nice having a good quality cable that matches your IEM's appearance.

[@Sintrania]

Usually expensive stuff make things better, but I always say it’s the opposite when buying cable. Good cable aren’t making your audio better, but bad cable make your audio worst. The comfort from cable and form factor are important too, find a good cable you’re happy with and it will be worth the money.

[@finweisilra]

When I saw the video title, I was really scared, oh noooooo, Mark got to pour snake oil like all other reviewers, but I'm really glad I was wrong. You're one of the very very few honest audio reviewers for me and that's worth something, so thanks for that. There is absolutely place for expensive cables in the market, to everyone each own, some are beautiful and jest a jou to touch and look at, but let's be serious, I can't stand to hear again and again, that if you spend xxx bucks or more on a cable, your gear will sound completely different (better of course).

[@Star1933-y8w]

Thanks for explaining the use of the impedance adapter. I have the Red adapter and didn't like how it made the IEM sound. I was also under the impression it only would increase the bass. Now I will try it on more IEMs along with playing with EQ. Happy Holidays!

[@SuperReview]

Yeah, impedance adapters are fun to play with on IEMs! But more fun when you have a measurement rig so you can confirm what's happening because it's hard to predict.

[@JaRaBaaa]

ついについにやってくれた！ありがとう！ ただ、周波数特性にZ軸方向のインパルス応答を加えたウォーターフォールのグラフを見てみたかったです。

[@JaRaBaaa]

あとはケーブルのインピーダンスは周波数によっても変化するかもしれないのでそれも測定して欲しかったのと、ケーブルの持つ静電容量も測定して欲しかったです…

[@Blakeoffire]

THANK YOU for this honest and detailed video on this topic that reaffirms my findings as well... 👌

[@Alepap.]

Another thing that might change sound on a cable is by altering the fit. I've definitely experienced this with the hola cable, on U12t, it just sits in a weird angle due to the earhooks being different from the stock cable(and the protruding socket on the iem) That makes treble more glarey.

[@erickruse4679]

I've noticed a difference when I accidentally ordered CCA that took me about 30 minutes to figure out. I noticed a difference once when moving, couldn't find my cables, and wired in some CAT5. But I haven't noticed a difference between appropriate, purpose-built copper cables. I personally think the differences between cables exist only when you dumpster dive for the cables.

[@stephendenagy3396]

Nice review! Those appear to be very nice cables, but the assertion that they alter sound is ludicrous. Thanks for confirming my impressions. Their contribution is fit, finish, durability and a pretty unique way to adapt to MMCX and two pin. That does allow for added value. It astounds me that someone would pay more a cable than a headphone or IEM. Mind blowing. But I suppose if you can afford to pay $5,000 for a handbag…

[@私気に成ります]

Cables definitely can alter sound and provable by science, but the catch to that statement basically involves absurd designs like a quite sizeable capacitor in an IEM crossover, terribly designed cable, or tube amps of absolute radical measurements. In other words, such fringe cases that it's safe to assume cables don't affect sound unless you try extremely hard at a science experiment.

[@mickymeltdown]

I think cables are snake oil with a caveat of looks and build, can add a feelgood factor to the user, a more important thing to consider is tip rolling, Now that matters it may improve the sound, also it could make it sound worse thats the nature of the hobby imo!

[@SuperReview]

Yeah tips (and pads for headphones) make a multiple-orders-of-magnitude bigger difference than cables, but for some reason don't get nearly as much mythology behind . That's actually a really interesting point to think on.

[@humanbass]

As you pointed out very well, impedance is what matters. Same impedance = same electrical signal = same sound

[@TheMatrixxProjekt]

I really like Effect Audio cables for all other aspects aside from sound. Cables not really make much of a difference sonically except for every specific iems, but Effect Audio does everything else right. They look beautiful, feel nice, and are built like they will last for a very very long time. In addition, they seem to have a very aggressive earhook that just adds a lot of fit security for the shape of my ears that no other cable company seems to do (the biggest factor to me, but depending on your ear shape, it can be a con as well).

[@H-4-D3423]

In terms of function and looks, after-market cables can be a nice upgrade on cheaper end IEM's for sure. Even to match the color of the IEM's themselves is nice.

[@Miserereion]

Nice….using IEM FR to describe how cables transmit signal. Very smart of you 😂

[@noxalbus]

oh I have bought so many more cables for iems just to make them look nicer and feel more special and hey, if I see the iem with the cool cable, it makes me happy and music sounds better

[@nyaaanderthal]

Another thing to consider when measurement resistence: These 0.2Ω could just be the resistence between the multimeter tips, if so, "no resistence at all".

[@SuperReview]

I am definitely sub-layman with a multimeter.

[@sonusancti]

The braid construction was pioneered by Kimber Kable a US company started by Ray Kimber back in 1979. I suggest you try their entry level model and do a video on that. I can assure you it will be worth your while.

[@Musicophile-p5l]

Cable is the least of my priorities, eartips can change sound a lot more.

[@SuperReview]

Agreed, but maybe ear tips don't look as cool or something.

[@Musicophile-p5l]

@SuperReview Agreed, hope the manufacturers don't start making cool looking eartips and charging us double prices lol.

[@SuperReview]

@@Musicophile-p5l 🤣

[@kaavik47]

I've seen very little difference in cables overall as well, other than the annoyance factor involving cheap or microphonic cables. However, I recently bought a graphene cable for a particular high end and sensitive IEM that made a huge difference. That plus a change in tips transformed my experience from probably sell to definitely keep.

[@7in1]

I also have noticed that audible difference between a graphene and copper cables

[@hkmrsrg1367]

I already know that cables pretty much do nothing in terms of "sound upgrade" to the IEM as I tried it myself with 3 cables (cheap as they may be). However, I used to always use my Tripowin Zonie cable over my KZ and Moondrop cable just because 1) it's prettier 2) more manageable. I think a lot of people see expensive pretty cable and couldn't justify buying it for the looks alone thus they fool themselves into thinking that it upgrades the sound. That's my guess anyway. That matte cable looks gorgeous btw. I wish I could buy expensive cables for my P7 but the stock cable do just fine (and it looks good too). What I would wish from the cable market though is pretty cables with microphones at the 10-2p0 USD price range since I listen to music on my phone and it sucks when you have to unplug the IEM to be able to answer the call.

[@SuperReview]

Oh man, inline mics on cables, we might fight over that.

[@hkmrsrg1367]

​@@SuperReviewat least for people who listens on the phones. 😅😅

[@rawrj]

Good stuff!

[@Maver1ck911]

*impedance is total restance with capacitance and inductance taken into account. You measured resistance which is not sensitive to frequency* Adding 10 Ohms to a cable is a 100x difference on a cable discrepancy of 0.1 Ohms 😅 Overal impedance with LCR in consideration is not going to affect FR of audio band between two cables of 1.2M for 1< Ohm units.

[@pjmt29]

I do buy cables which go up to around £150 & honestly this is because I want nice looking cables, I have heard a difference on a couple of cables but it's very slight & I find tip rolling to give more of a difference in sound compared to cables.

[@RadoDani]

“The word on the street is” … that the big thing about cables is copper vs silver content. Silver is the best conductor. Of the top four conductors (Silver, Platinum, Copper, Gold), copper is the most economical.

[@dixter1652]

could you tell me the model and where I can buy the measurement rig you use.... I have a special use that I think this would work Im seeing it at marker 15:51 thanks

[@SuperReview]

It's a standard IEC 711 clone coupler, but held in one of these: capraaudio.com/product/iec-711-iem-holder/

[@ywsx6489]

Any one knows if the left and right channel wires are interwoven on purpose? Is it to increase crosstalk? I listen to stereo speakers most of the time and we keep L and R channels far apart.

[@mykytabutsenko3534]

The funny thing is that most cheapo cables (like that one from Gate or smth like Tripowin Grace ~15$ cable with mic) are probably going to have less microphonics than these thickkk cables. Yeah they look nice, but is it worth 200$+? Maybe some owners could elaborate on it?

[@JohnDoe-iv5ns]

19:21 hey, kinda like a noob question but can you make a lil video on the differences of basslining a frequency response as opposed to graphed normal? Like, what would be use case of doing that. 19:29 And ALSO, what is the use case of exaggerating FR graphs a bit to where certain 20hz frequencies start at 90dB or 100dB? Does it affect the sound starting in different dB? ☝️🙄 Because i tried to EQ different IEMs graphed from available websites using the same new Bruer 5128 to EQ to my liking but they start in different dB & am confused on how that affects things for me lol

[@binchsoda]

If there is a difference, I would MUCH rather see it measured and displayed in numbers, preferably proving it makes more of a difference than sub millimeter difference in how you fit your headphones in each listen I like hi-fi audio stuff, but I typically take a very analytical approach, cables matter to a point, but I think it's impossible to make a better sounding cable than over 50 euro or so, 100 if you include build quality, and honestly, this is ofc analog, but audiophiles will happily tell you that 2 digital signals sound different, even though, well, they're digital, there is no question in any scientific way if the signals are identical - they absolutely are (for example, I2S vs anything else) Besides, this raises a question - if everyone who made and produced the sounds you're listening to used regular, decent cables on reference headphones, what is the real sound even, which is the original, is there any value gained, and even if the cable makes it sound different, what, objectively, makes it better and not worse? In the same circles vintage gear and vinyl is the craze and both of those usually are provably worse than a good digital reproduction 100 euro would be an extortionate price for a cable, and I would expect a premium, durable AND REPAIRABLE cable for that money, hard for me to imagine any realistic gain from something that's more premium than, for example, the Tripowin Zonie I've been using, its bendy, light, not noisy, sounds good, doesn't tangle, costs less than 20 euro Any cable over 100 is, well, not a scam maybe, but exploitation of rich audiophiles beliefs for sure

[@SuperReview]

But obsessing over millimeter-length movements of the headphone on my head isn't as fun as copper vs. silver.

[@binchsoda]

@SuperReview that's real tho

[@HelloFellowMellowMarshmallow]

I'm actually more curious about the cheap cable you just showed (white one) because it looked similar to the one that came with the Aful Explorer. I loved that cable and was looking for an extra just in case.

[@FabioKasper]

20:47 this is not an audiophile certified multimeter.

[@SuperReview]

That's OK, I don't know how to use it anyway.

[@culastor]

18:27 lmao, thought for a moment that only one of the cables measurements were on screen

[@SuperReview]

Yeah watching it back, I should've made the point that you're looking at three different-colored graphs right now 🤣

[@michaelsegel8758]

I agree that build quality and features are key. But the difference in materials also plays a part in it... Unlike speaker cables... due to the length... some of the benefits in terms of geometry are insignificant when looking at IEMs. Shorter cables don't have to worry about interference like longer cables, so less need for shielding although the weave looks cool. Edit: Just to add. You do have a measurable difference between your cheap cable and these... however it is so small that you cannot distinguish between them. You also asked about the differences in material. High grade copper vs silver coated copper. The idea is that the better copper 5N is better than lesser grade copper. Then the silver coated will have lower impedance over copper because the silver has a lower impedance. And a step further would be pure silver wiring. But cost goes up. Where you do have a greater impact is on component and build quality. Also in terms longevity. Personally its the features that will drive my decision. The changeable connections for example.

[@shaunbrady15]

Not sure if it’s mostly with high end iems, but I think cables definitely matter. Copper vs silver, for example, sounds different

[@SuperReview]

It doesn't.

[@shaunbrady15]

@ respectfully disagree, but that’s ok. All good

[@chaniibak7702]

disrespectfully disagree. but that’s ok. All good

[@shaunbrady15]

@chaniibak7702 but who are you disagreeing with 🤔

[@heyking8583]

That's what people tell you, not your own ears

[@baaltroth1957]

Do good cables help prolong the source batteries of daps by at least increasing analogue signal efficiency?

[@SuperReview]

Highly doubt it.

[@natevirtual]

The only reason for me to buy an expensive cable (over $100 that is) is if I have extra money to burn, and want something that is tangle-free, comfortable (earhooks and Y splitter weight) soft, aesthetically pleasing, and quality build. As long as it's properly shielded, a more expensive cable won't "improve the sound"

[@Xerpocalypse_]

Mark reviewing cables was not on my 2024 BINGO card 😂. I'm pretty picky about cables' handling characteristics. The Eros looks nice but it's out of my price range atm and the connectors are a tad tall. I wish these custom cable companies also offered thinner 2-wire weaves that were just as well behaved for those of us who prefer a lighter cable. I'll stick to the Gate cable for the time being. 😉 I appreciate your integrity and honest approach as always.

[@SuperReview]

Glad I'm not the only one who notices connectors being excessively tall.

[@land_walker]

I find impedance adapters only work best with single DD IEMs & headphones. Multi driver IEMs and BAs have produced weird effects with impedance adapters. but I do like like what they do for the Tanchjim Origin, IE600, and the softears Twlight.

[@SuperReview]

They can work well with some multi-driver IEMs, it's just unpredictable without measuring.

[@blorg8206]

The vast majority of single DD IEMs, impedance adapters do absolutely nothing as single DD IEMs as a rule have entirely linear impedance curves. Single DD headphones usually have a non-linear impedance curve with a boost in the bass. I THINK this may be related to the respective size of the drivers, but don't quote me on that. For the Tanchjim Origin and IE600, impedance adapter does nothing except reduce the volume. I have these and I've measured this, with a 20Ω adapter.

[@TheHulksMistress]

Some of these comments kinda crack me up. Youve basically done the audiophile equivalent of claiming that Jesus wasn't real. You're attacking audiophiles faith. (Keep it up. The more people that come to their senses, the better)

[@Newtypexz]

seems far and away the consensus take here

[@heyking8583]

Audiophile can't even tell fake FLAC and the real one 😂

[@heheh9271]

12:49 do you have a link or name for this cable?

[@SuperReview]

TRI Grace Pro

[@MaLaMayLay]

Also, have you ever looked at the wires inside the iem that goes from the connector to the drivers or crossovers... the cheapest cable ever made... so this stays no matters what

[@johnmcvicker6728]

Nice feel is important. But also less feel too. I like a lighter cable, so I am using the soft Tripowin Zonie most of the time. Light, soft and not plastic coated. And inexpensive. Chevy Malibu vs. Cadillac. Both are cars to get you there. Enjoy an expensive cable if you want, but not much benefit audibly.

[@sasquatchcrew]

I would also test other IEMs Reason being is like for crossovers that IEMs can use it might get in the way.

[@absolitude3]

I’ve these cable for a while, I love the feel and the termx and conx system where I can use these cable with most of the iem. As for the sound, I don’t hear any difference on any iem I own. I only got these for esthetics and feel. Meanwhile in my community they start talking about burn-in your cable to open up the sound stage and anyone arguing is just a hearing loss idiot. 😂

[@SuperReview]

The ConX feature is pretty unique 👍

[@RadoDani]

Maybe they affect driver decay? Rather than frequency response.

[@7in1]

I personally with my mind don't believe iem cable is affecting the sound perception besides it's resistance value, but I clearly hearing or maybe thinking I am hearing the difference with my ears 🤕

[@SuperReview]

It's fun.

[@Alepap.]

18:04 And i really hate how the marketing of cable manufacturers always eludes to the cable making anything and everything it's connected to more detailed, more rich, more bassy etc.

[@GoufinAround_]

Until I got the the 6-8k spot at 19:05, I didn't think you were showing all of the lines yet, but red peaks out just a teeeeeeny bit. The point of "upgrade" cables for me, is purely for a comfort and visual perspective. For example, the garbage stock cable on the Kato was shorter than every other cable for an iem I owned at the time, it was stiff with loads of memory, and thus super uncomfortable. A $20 tripowin cable fixed all of that and I actually used it afterward

[@SuperReview]

Yeah I should've made that graph overlap clearer. Funny enough, I just yoinked my KATO cable to put on my Dusk (replacing the cable I showed in this video).

[@verboten8]

The important things concerning me purchasing cables for my iems are microphonic, swappable termination, and how they feel and behave when worn or stored. Moondrop's cables are atrocious, imho, and my main reason for me getting upgrade cables for their iems. Getting more than 100 USD for cables, unless they have really, really great qualities for what I stated before, is a waste of money imho. Thank you for doing this review. It just shows how snake-oily things in the audiophile world can be.

[@kilosierraalpha]

After doing tests myself, they do not matter wrt sound quality. At all. They only matter for comfort.

[@1TechCritic420]

I would suggest you could compare the two options using an A/B switch and consider using two or three of the same IEM for them. I understand that comparing with 15-20 seconds of audio gap is challenging, which is why an A/B comparison would be more effective. I believe that cable quality is overhyped. While a higher-end cable may offer some physical benefits, such as a flat design or reduced microphonics, these differences are often subtle and not significant enough to justify the additional cost. I am in the same boat. I might spend up to $80. That's about it. So far found some good aftermarket cables for about $25 that are fantastic. $300? Ya hell no. lol.

[@SuperReview]

Agree an A-B switch would be a good way to close the gap, but (1) you'll still have a gap as you switch earphones, and (2) the unit variation between multiple models of the same IEM or headphone is orders of magnitude more significant than the difference between the cables.

[@1TechCritic420]

@@SuperReview Why you Gotta make sense and shit.... 🤣

[@EngrRomero]

Cable Impedance is not necessarily the same as cable resistance. Impedance takes to account as a minimum the resistance, inductance, capacitance of the conductor.. For very high frequencies other factors are taken to account as dielectric resistance of the insulation and so on.

[@momonone]

Bro any chance of reviewing the tangzu legend and simgot et142?

[@SuperReview]

Don't think so.

[@tkpenalty]

Different cables are just for comfort and aesthetics. I didn't mind spending over a few hundred dollars on a nice cable to make my favourite set of iems feel more special. Its like fashion. Its fine if people sell some at luxury goods prices, and i wouldnt doubt that theyd be nice and comfortable/aesthetic as well. They won't change anything for sound and I wish more companies would admit that at least... The only time it'd matter is if you're running high voltage stuff (phantom power or powercon) over large distances, and this has nothing to do with iems at that point, rather more like either mics, or thousands of watts of live PA.

[@marisstiglics1524]

A Tripowin cable for 15$ is of excellent quality and non-microphonic and will just do the job.

[@Prxyshj]

Recommendations on headphone cables?

[@forsenzplocka]

Softears VolumeS review next week?

[@hartyewh1]

Expecting to hear a difference makes it almost impossible to give an objective opinion. Yet to meet the person I'd trust doing sighted tests as the amount of negative bias to try and avoid a positive one would be enough to hide reasonable differences. Assuming I wouldn't I heard anything when I tested expensive speaker cables, a thin silver one and a heavy thick one, I still heard exactly what you would expect based on the description. Doing it blind showed no difference with the cheapest Amazon speaker cable.

[@SuperReview]

Blind testing is no fun, but it is the way.

[@fuffy442]

Impedance. It's all about impedance. If cable manufacturers would measure the impedance of their cables, consumers could accurately choose a cable to achieve a specific effect. Otherwise, it's all horseshit.

[@pigmanny]

19:00 where are you hiding the green mark 😡

[@SuperReview]

That is three identical lines laid on top of each other 🤣 Green is hiding under blue and the barely-visible red.

[@baaltroth1957]

For me, cables dictate the iem i reach for to match my mood and music choice

[@Jaytiss]

ooo Klein tools! That's the good stuff!

[@redgopnik2227]

watching this to see if MSR posted this without also testing audiophile carrots

[@SuperReview]

I saw the audiophile carrot video, but I only have stores with regular carrots.

[@redgopnik2227]

@@SuperReview just finished the video and yeah, no mention of audiophile carrots anywhere 😭

[@louiev.3367]

If i had money id buy them for looks but mainly the future where you can swap 2 pin to mmcx but even then id buy 2 of them

[@cassini7677]

Just littile bit change but yea it will be good buy new iem/headphone or even dap

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

I disagree. There ARE differences between dacs/amps. For example, in my bed table there is FiiO bta 30 pro connected to little bear 4x the little tube amplifier (actually is hybrid). Change it to Ifi Gryphon used as dac amp , through Sundara eyes, and Ifi is much clearer, crisper and more transparent. But the FiiO - little bear makes the sound appear with more body, more flesh. So I used FiiO dac through gryphon as amp versus gryphon as dac amp and so I can see the gryphon as a dac is a step above in clarity and depth. A higher level of sound quality. Audible, but more subtle. The source is an old cd player with optical output. Another example? I bought WiiM pro plus to replace WiiM pro since I needed to put WiiM pro as a streamer in another room. The comparison is between the WiiMs as dac amps using qobuz through Edifier sb2000 active speakers. I heard pro plus uses akm instead of cirrus logic dac. Besides more differences in the circuits perhaps. Is there difference? OF COURSE. pretty impressive for me. The WiiM pro feels at first more clear and with a notable presence in the bass department. The bass is really audible separated from the rest of spectrum of frequencies. That is you clearly can follow bass notes. Switch to the pro plus and all the frequencies are on the same level of cohesive landscape. Every sound natural and I use that word “organic”. I said the pro sounded more clear but that clarity sounds much more artificial compared to the natural sound of pro plus. On the bad side I suspect there is not high resolution coming from pro plus. As if it had a relaxed sound . The differences in both examples are quite apparent

[@SuperReview]

For fun, you should try blind A-B testing the differences, volume matched.

[@gadgetsheriff391]

Try the ie600 with it’s original cable and any other cheap cable and I am 100% sure you will hear a difference

[@SuperReview]

I use a $12 cable on my IE 600.

[@gadgetsheriff391]

@ and you don’t hear a difference between that and the original one?

[@gadgetsheriff391]

I bought 3 types of cables. Even bought a more expensive Null Audio one and nothing comes close to the sound of the original cable

[@Thiccolo]

I thought different cables changed the sound by changing the way crossovers send the audio signal, effect audio saying their copper cable sound "powerful" as a blanket statement just sounds like audiophile snakeoil.

[@FourWasHere]

You might hear a bigger difference when comparing 4.4 cables!

[@SuperReview]

How come?

[@ricenoodles632]

My ears will hurt when I wear them over ears regardless of which cable I use

[@SuperReview]

Bummer.

[@aryaramadhan5755]

This is why i love this channel

[@hareku6676]

What?? Are you saying some that audiophile grade products have no difference in sound quality and are basically snake oil? That cant be! It never happened before!!!

[@ralxzi3794]

🤣

[@restingtester]

My old theory was cable only make a different for multi ba setup. But the deeper your journey into audiophile, the more placebo you can take into account

[@SuperReview]

High impedance can definitely make multi-BA sets sound wonky AF, e.g. the Magaosi K5. Single-BA sets respond more linearly -- maybe not better (e.g. Etymotic gets brighter), but at least llinear.

[@theonlyegg]

I once read a review of the Tripowin Zonie cables on Amazon where the person bought all the different colors and proceeded to wax poetic for a page about the sound characteristics of each one. 🤦🏼‍♂️ This hobby is a train wreck that I can’t look away from.

[@h1a8]

$5000 or even $300 for something that costs less than $10 to make is criminal.

[@SuperReview]

I don't know how much they cost to make. But also, that's not how prices work.

[@h1a8]

@ The high majority of iem cables cost less than $10 to make which includes the materials, the labor, marketing, quality control & packaging, distribution, and research and development. The most expensive iem cables to make is still less than $30. Prices should be around 3-5x the total cost to obtain a fair profit margin.

[@adibkhan4420]

Giveaway?

[@rob8311]

Its a scam. The cable either works or it doesnt.

[@Doobysco0]

Effect Audio 🤢

[@juanraden]

Snake oil

[@marks2c]

"Adding an impedance adapter changes the cable": I'm calling BS. The cable has a characteristic impedance based on its construction. You can match into that impedance but at audio frequencies on a sub 2m cable that does not matter a damn (ie

[@JustDataReviews]

I bought an older 64 audio u12t earlier this year which comes with a god awful cable that tangles worse than fishing line. I bought a cheap tripowin zonie cable and immediately went…”Where did the dynamics of my music go?”. I had my wife who couldn’t care less about this stuff try both cables. She came to the same conclusion.

[@SuperReview]

They forgot to add the dynamics to the Tripowin cable probably.

[@TheHulksMistress]

Might be that you already put that thought in her head. If you make someone expect to hear something, they're more likely to think that they hear it

[@DanKirchgessner]

As Mark mentions in the video, a highly sensitive IEM could certainly display more of these differences. I'm NOT a cable believer, but my Thieaudio Origin sounds like absolute trash on low-end cables. It's the only thing I own that behaves that way. On a cheap cable it sounds compressed and awful. On a high-end cable like the one it ships with it sounds way better, but all this is a attribute of the IEM, not the cable.

[@JustDataReviews]

@@SuperReviewI hear you. People in this hobby can be quite ridiculous. I do my best to remain objective. I appreciate your approach to reviewing things.

[@SuperReview]

@@DanKirchgessner To be clear, a very low-impedance IEM might be more susceptible to tonal shifts from impedance differences in cables, which is not about high-end vs. low-end cables.