The Moon Audio Blue Dragon, conveniently enough falls right in the middle of the Apuresound and the Equinox. This is a good choice if you can’t decide if you want forward or laid-back. Since the Blue Dragon in our review was a DIY one, its total cost is under $100, and it probably is the best bang-for-the-buck cable here.
If I said that the Equinox is forward by 2 steps, the Headphile cable is forward by 4 steps. The Headphile cable, however, sounds slightly less refined compared to the Equinox, the Blue Dragon, or the Apuresound. Its construction is also less professional. Looking at the cable, we are surprised to see so many joints in its construction. It utilizes what seemingly to be a salvaged connector from the HD650, and from the headphone connector to the termination, there are an additional 4 joints.
The Kimber AGSS/Jena combination is what I would nominate as the most technically capable cable of the bunch (and to some that means the best cable). The Presentation is very much like the Equinox. If you take the Equinox, add better instrument separation, better impact at the bottom end, you end up with the Kimber AGSS/Jena cable. Truly a good cable indeed. And it better be, for almost $400 and being DIY too.
The Double Helix cable is an interesting alternative. It is the only cable in this test that offers increased body at the bottom end. This is a new cable on the market (www.doublehelixcables.com), and not many people have heard of it, but its build quality is actually very good, very professional, and it has a fancy aluminum housing for its Y-split. It is also being offered at a lower price than the Equinox/Apuresound.
I am not going to put the cables in a ranking system, since that would put my subjective preference into the review. Each cables has their own sound signature that can be good to some system and not-so-good to others. What’s clear is that the replacement cables do offer significant improvements over the stock cable. However, the sound variations between the cables are actually very minimal and as I have said, the different sound signature is more for fine tuning and not for changing your headphone’s sound signature. If you don’t like the sound of your current headphone, the answer is to try another headphone, as a recable won’t dramatically change your headphone’s character. Now if you know that the sound variations are actually very small, price and service becomes a big factor in purchasing decision.
For the budget minded, I would recommend going DIY. The CAT6 is actually very good for the price, but you still have to buy the Cardas Sennheiser plugs, the TRS headphone jack, and heatshrinks and cable sleeves. Being a solid core wire, it is also very inflexible, and I would still recommend spending a little more and getting the Blue Dragon instead. If you don’t want to do DIY, you can go for the lower priced cables like the Headphile and the Double Helix. For the money-is-no-object buyer, you can be very specific about the sound that you want, choosing maybe between the Equinox and the APureSound. Finally, the DIY Kimber AGSS/Jena is superb even compared to the Equinox, but it’s almost $400 and it is a DIY cable.
System for auditioning:
Headphones: Sennheiser HD25-1, HD650
Source: CEC CD5300 CD Player
Amplifier: Beta22 3-Channel
Thanks to Dayak, Wildkatze, Martinz, and Harlin for making this review possible.
dw1narso
Hi Mike,
The Double Helix part might need some more information… about it’s characteristic… You only mention about it’s increased base…
But none the less… terrific review…
Two Thumbs UP!
Shawn L
Just reviving this old 'review'. The cardas cable is pretty popular. Any reason why it wasn't included?
Mike
Hi Shawn,
We were quite new back then and couldn't find somebody who owns a cardas cable. 🙂
Rick
I am considering a new cable for my HD600's and found this quite interesting. I would like to see a comparison of the Zu Mobius cable to the others here and possibly the Cardas. I may even go the DIY route and would like further impressions on the Double Helix too.
Mike
Hi Rick,
There are so many cables at the moment. I've heard the Cardas and I think it is good. Never heard the Zu though. At the moment I'm particularly liking the Whiplash TWAg, and not because they are a sponsor. 😀
Tony
Hi Mike,
Hope you don't mind that I continue your conversation with Rick.
What makes TWag good? Any impressions upon sound signature?
Is it even better than APS or SAA Equinox in terms of sound quality and flexibility/softness?
Have you heard the new SAA Endorphin?
Thanks.
Tony
Mike
Hi Tony, I was typing an answer to your question, but I was typing a 1,000 words before I know it, and so I think it's better to make it into a post format. Check back later, I'll publish the post later today.
Cheers.
Tony
Thanks a lot Mike, glad that you made my questions into a full review/comparison/post 😀
Can't wait to read it :p
Anyway what's the post titled as? I couldn't find it even on the homepage?
Thanks again.
Tony
Mike
Sorry man, I had to do something else yesterday. Every new post will be listed on the front page. Gimme a week to post that okay? 🙂
Tony
Sure Mike, not a problem.
I'm sure a lot of readers will rave over that post, especially me who's looking out for good cable at the moment 😀
Anyway, what's your recommendation for great XLR interconnects? Any impressions Mike?
Thanks.
Tony
Mike
Hi Tony, the post is done. I just have to find some photos to get it online. 🙂
I am quite a newbie on XLR interconnects. Most of them are too expensive for my wallet. 🙂 At the moment I'm using mainly the Transparent Musiclink Plus XLR, which is a few thousand dollars cable. (Don't ask me how I got it).
Budi, who loaned me the Omega2 and KGSS rig, uses a DIY XLR interconnect that sounds pretty good as well. It uses silver plated copper wire that's designed for amplifier hookup wires, and the bang for the buck ratio is fairly good. My RCA interconnects are also DIY stuff with pure copper amplifier hookup wires. Perhaps you want to find a good DIYer that can build you a good cable. Where do you live?
Mike
Hi Tony,
Here is the article. Sorry for the delays. http://www.headfonia.com/whiplash-audios-twag/
Tony
Hi, what a quick response, LOL
Glad that the post is done 🙂
I live in New Zealand at the moment.
Wow! You said you're newbie but you got a few thousand bucks cable, I envy you man 😀
How's yours sound like?
Yeah there are so many brands of interconnects & most of them are hilarious $$$, let say Van Den Hul, AudioQuest, Cardas, Monster, Nordost; each claimed to be the best and has patent of their own well-researched technology. It's either quality or bull****.
Any recommendation of DIYer?
Or maybe what's your colleague audiophiles use for their XLR interconnects?
Thanks a lot Mike, nice to know you.
Tony
Mike
Well, I really don’t know of any “recommended” DIYer. Most of my friends here, and I, we built our own cables. Let me ask around if someone is willing to make you a cable. What’s your budget, and what length? Normally 1 meter is a good length.
Michael
Wow!
So there's going to be a new cables shootout, interesting!
Looking forward Mike.
Mike
Nope, sorry there won't be any. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression with the previous comment.
Bagus
Hi Mike,
What a good review you have there..
I have one question in mind :), it is about SCSCag. I know that SCSCag is for interconnect cable, not for headphones cable. But, what makes it so interesting is (you have mentioned in your previous article) that SCSCag is the best silver interconnect wire that you've tested.
I am curious what if SCSCag is used for headphones cable?
Or maybe you've ever heard some comments or impressions from people that use SCSCag for headphones cable?
Thanks Mike for your response.
Mike
Hey dude, I know that some people apparently made headphone cables from the SCSCAg wire. I don't know about them, but the SCSCAg wire is a solid core wire. I really don't think it would stand up to the abuses and frequent bending of a headphone cable.
Think of a solid steel wire, and the SCSCAg is like that, just a little softer.
Bagus
Wow prompt reply!
Ah i see, so SCSCag is lack of flexibility.. Hmm.. I can't imagine if my little brother/sister play with the cable and suddenly bent it up sharply.
What about Silver dragon? Have you ever tested it? I want to increase the detail of HD650, and i think silver-based cable is a good choice.
Waiting for used Equinox or silver-based cable on sale then 😀
Thanks Mike.
Mike
I've tried the Silver Dragon with a HE5 and it actually smooths out the treble over the stock cable. With HD650, I've tried both the Equinox and Blue Dragon, and both are nice for adding details.
I want to increase the detail of HD650
The HD650 is VERY detailed. You just have to learn to listen to a dark headphone. It has very high low level detail level, more detailed than some electrostatic set ups and only loses to the top Dynamics such as HD800 or Beyer T1.
What you want is not detail, but perhaps a brighter presentation, a treble boost.
Bagus
Perhaps you're right.. a treble boost.
Time to hunt Dragon or Equinox.. 😀
Thanks bro!
Mike
Yep. I won't recommend the SCSCAg wire for headphones.
Mike
Perhaps if you think the HD650 is not bright enough for you, it'll make more sense to change the headphone, rather than the cable. Try something like the HE5 or the HE5LE.
Robbie
Hi Mike, I just found this old post while browsing.
Do you think SAA Equinox able to lift the Sennheiser HD650's darkness?
Other than being forward or laid-back, what other sonic traits differentiate SAA Equinox and APS V3?
What do you think of their soundstage, imaging and separation?
Thanks.
Robbie
Mike
The Equinox helps in adding a slight treble sparkle, but the rule of thumb in cables is that they'll never be able to change fundamentally how a headphone sounds. Hence, I think you'll still find the HD650 mostly dark sounding. It's been a while since I did this comparison, but from what I remembered, the brand name cables have roughly a similar soundstage/separation performance.
donunus
Just stumbled upon this review and i agree with the sound of the equinox (The only aftermarket senn cable Ive owned). I felt that the equinox on my hd600s vs the stock cables were like hd600s with worn pads even on the new stiff pads. For some reason though, when the hd600s pads got worn I ended up liking the stock cable better 🙂
Chuang Wei
I heart that Stefan AudioArt Endorphin is a quite good upgrade for HD650. And I was wondering is that upgrade as good as Beyerdynamic T1 itself? Because now I have A1 as amplifer and I guess I have soundstage problem with HD650, which gives me a upper soundstage.
Anonymous
Yes I heard the Endorphin is a good cable too. I think the Equinox is the same cable before they changed the name?
Chuang Wei
I guess yes. Should be the same cable, just new models. The upper soundstage really make me sick and I am not sure which part of the system cause this problem.
As to the cable, I thought the price for HD650 with aftermarket cable would be as much as T1, which is an idea partner for A1. So if HD650 does not work, I will switch to T1 and forget everything about cables.
Anonymous
I don’t quite understand the part where you say “upper soundstage making
you sick”.
Chuang Wei
Oh, I mean that the image is not horizontal, I feel that the positions of instrument are in my upper front. I don’t quite like that position.
And the vocal part, well, it is too close to my ear. As a result currently I am not satisfied with my setup and I do not have a clue.
Anonymous
I am not sure if a cable can fix those issues for you. Perhaps be best
to change headphones.
Chuang Wei
Thx Mike!
iamidaho
Hi Mike,
Do you think that your findings here on recabling headphones with DIY cat 6 would transfer to interconnects made with CAT6 as well? I’m not very handy with a soldering iron but cat6 cable is easy enough to come by and would be great practice before trying on more expensive cable. Also, do you have any suggestions on sites detailing DIY headphone recabling technique?
Thanks!
Anonymous
Yes, you can use CAT5, 6, or even 7 for interconnects. A few friend has
used them with good results.
A headphone recabling guide?
Basically you need to open the housing, desolder the original cables,
and solder in new cables in. I don’t think a beginner should attempt to
do it, since it’s very easy to overheat the voice coils and you’d kill
the driver that way. But if you’re confident you can do a quick, clean
job, then by all means go ahead. I normally desolder one terminal on the
driver, then wait a few minutes before going to the other terminal, to
give time for the voice coil to cool down. You don’t want the voice coil
to overheats — that’s the most important thing.
Also, CAT6 cables are very stiff and not recommended for headphones.
It’s much better for interconnects. We just throw it out there to see
how it would perform against the others.
iamidaho
Thanks for the replies Mike. I was only inquiring about making Sennheiser HD25-1 cable with the Sennheiser connectors. I wouldn’t attempt to recable headphones that don’t have detachable cables until I get skilled at using a soldering iron. 🙂
I was mainly asking for a guide to get an idea of what materials to use such as type of solder.
Anonymous
Mmm… I use a korean brand Dekko solder with a standard 60 Sn 40 Cu
composition, 194 C melting point and 0.6mm diameter. As for the
soldering station, I use an Atten 936b soldering station. But of course
you’re free to use anything else that works and are available locally.
http://static1.www.headfonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matrix_mstage_mod08.jpg
http://static2.www.headfonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matrix_mstage_mod07.jpg
Anonymous
Try browsing Youtube for a soldering lesson video:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=soldering+guide&aq=f
Anonymous
This is a good one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruzyc4&feature=grec_index
Anonymous
Here is a thread discussing the crosstalk issue on the Audio Technica
M-50 and how Earfonia fixed it by doing a recable job with separate
ground cables. It’s in Indonesian language, but if you scroll down the
page you’ll see some pictures that can help you get a sense of what to
expect:
http://www.audiophile-id.com/index.php?topic=6017.0
Here is something else on the Superlux HD669
http://www.audiophile-id.com/index.php?topic=10181.0
Anonymous
This guy torn off the soldering pads on his Grado driver (tough
situation there):
http://www.audiophile-id.com/index.php?topic=2573.0
Again, scroll down the page to see the pictures.
Ed
Hello
SAA has introduced an ultra high end line called Endorphin.
I contacted James(owner SAA) & he believes that the Endorphin are the best upgrade cables bar-none.
Does anyone have any experience with these cables for the HD650?
Mike
Ed,
The Endorphins are very good for the HD650. Can’t go wrong with them.
LzaH
Hey Mike, could you provide a more detailed comparison between the Double Helix cable and the Blue Dragon?
Mike
Aww sorry don’t think I can do that.
Ciarán Maahes Leòghann
very nice review. I’m planning to replace my HD25-1 II stock cable with a custom one for nomad use, is it worth it on such headphones ?
Mike
I can’t answer that for you. Some of the cables are worth the same price as the headphone
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Ciarán Maahes Leòghann
skipping the price issue, i was wondering if it would be an improvement over the stock cable on the HD25
L.
try listening to an aftermarket cable and decide for yourself. I think that’s the best advice we can give you
Ciarán Maahes Leòghann
thanks a lot guys
Mike
Yes definitely
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Calvin Purnomo
Hey Mike, any idea on where to buy the stock Senn 650 cable in Indonesia? Hard time looking for it. Thanks! 🙂
Mike
Check with distributor, and they should be able to order them for you
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Calvin Purnomo
Just called Astrindo’s sales office & service center, and they said that they don’t have the cable, and cannot help me on ordering them from Sennheiser.. what the heck.. hahahaha.. Any other channel Mike? Sorry for the hassle though 🙂
Mike
I’m afraid you’re out of luck. Try sennheiser Singapore
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
thibault
Hi Mike,
Have you tried ALO audio green line cable ? do you think it’s a good choice for Senn 650.
Thanks
Mike
Yes I think it’s a good cable for the price. Good clarity boost without being too bright. Good midrange bloom and relatively spacious. Of course the more expensive cables give an even better sound.
Disclaimer: Just for the record I sell them at my store.
thibault
The more expensive cables on ALO audio (R16, R8 and salty pepper) don’t have the Senn 650 plug option. The green line it is better than moon audio silver dragon V3 cable ?
Mike
I think the green line gives a more all-rounder boost rather than just the treble on the silver dragon. The green line tonality is a bit similar to the blue dragon, but you get more improvements with the green.
Again I feel very bad here making a comparison between the green with the SD. I’m sure people have their preferences. I’m not a big fan of silver cables, they boost the treble and clarity but tend to be shallow in depth and also dry. Personally I like full copper but if I need a bit of a treble boost I’d go for silver-plated-copper rather than pure silver.
Centiel mungiel
hmm nice http://malindo.my.id
dalethorn
Spammer???
Headfonia_L.
yes.
David J. Kozirovsky
Even a DAC isn’t worth the prices of any of these cables, yet alone a cable. Yes, on low level signals over long distances, high quality cables with good shielding can make a difference. For headphones? The only way there can be a noticeable difference in sound that isn’t placebo is with a really bad cable. Maybe the stock cables are that. However, it doesn’t take any of the prices of any of these cables to make one of decent quality, ESPECIALLY DIY. Redco.com should prove that point quite well. If you’re paying over $40 for a headphone cable, you may as well be buying snake oil.
Perfectly good 5 ft Magami cable with Canare 3.5mm connector: http://www.redco.com/Custom-Cable.html?cableid=q4KgR
$24.30 ($21.44 + $2.86 shipping (US)) + $13.60 (http://www.partsconnexion.com/CARDAS-71677.html#1067) for the headphone connectors to solder separately. Redco has them too for ~$20 and you can probably call in to have them attach them for you for not that much more.