However, the TWAg is more than just about soft and flexible. A lot of the pure silver cable available on the market is either very stiff or very fragile. The stiff ones are mostly single core, designed to be used for internal amplifier wiring. The other ones are flexible 30AWG or smaller wires, but they have very fragile strands that doesn’t stand to the abuses of headphone and IEM use. I have a few DIYer friends who’s tried many things from the solid cores to the tiny tonearm cables. Most of them are detail freaks, with lifetime love to the Etymotics ER4. Yet, even with their physical limitation, most of them still deliver a sound that is inferior to the TWAg.
Most of the other brand cables are either pure copper (ie Jena) or silver plated copper (ie APS). The Moon Audio Silver Dragon is a very good cable too, but it’s designed primarily for headphone use. So, the reality is, the TWAg is the only cable that I know that offers the superb performance and yet remains quite flexible for IEM use. The only other wire that betters the TWAg is the Crystal Piccolino, also silver, reference class performance, and also very flexible. But the Crystal Piccolino sells for a $1,068 for a typical custom IEM length, which makes the TWAg quite a bargain.
A good cable first and foremost should lets you hear more of the music, and that normally includes better detail levels, bigger soundstage, more open sound, clearer separation. Yet the technicalities shouldn’t get in the way of the music. Some cable can do all of what I mentioned and yet sounding cold or harsh, lacking musicality and refinement. Using the TWAg cables for the JHCustoms, from the JH5Pro to the JH16Pro, the sound is more open, more airy, and the midrange to treble transition is smoother. With the HD800, I’m just hearing more detail and more transparency on the music. I don’t think the TWAg affects bass in any way. However, if most silver wires I’ve tried have the tendency to sound dry and bright (mostly I prefer copper wires, or silver plated copper over pure silver), the TWAg has a slight hint of warm and is very organic sounding. So in that sense the TWAg’s sound signature is quite different than most silver wires I’ve tried
To be frank, there are a lot of other cable offerings that I haven’t tried. I know that SAA makes a $1,400 cable for the HD800, but I don’t think I’ll be using that cable anytime soon. I also know that cable manufacturers constantly develop better variants of their cable, and since I’m not keeping track of all of those developments, I really won’t say that the Whiplash TWAg is the best cable there is. But for all practical purposes, and among all the experiences I have with cables, consider me very impressed with the TWAg cable.
jendol
I have been using many replacement cable trying to find better synergy and better sound with my gears, and I agree that flexibility is a must, more so for IEM
Mike
Thanks, Peter.
Albert
Hey Mike,
I own HD650 with APS and Equinox as well. In your opinion, would this TWag be a significant improvement sound quality wise? In what sense the differences are?
I agree that soft & flexible are preferred, but I'm afraid that it would be too flimsy.
Thanks.
Mike
Hi Albert,
Between the APS and the TWAg, both of them balanced for the HD800, the TWAg has better clarity. I wasn't really making detailed observations, but the difference in clarity is quite noticeable. Hence the TWAg is the cable I use now for the HD800. It can be too flimsy without sleeving, but with the sleeving on, it's quite fine for a full size headphone cable.
I never really compared it A-B to the Equinox.
Tony
Thanks Mike for your post. Great review!
Sorry I’ve been really busy lately, haven’t checked your site for ages.
So, even with sleeving it’s still more flexible and comfortable than the likes of APS or Equinox? Since I don’t own IEM.
Thanks.
Tony
Mike
Tony, for full size headphones the flexibility of the TWAG, APS, or Equinox shouldn't be a problem. The choice is totally yours.
Jimmy
Hi Mike,
Do you think this TWag is the answer to counter-balance the Sennheiser HD650's darkness? Would it be better in lifting the darkness compared to APS and SAA Equinox?
Your reply to Albert stated that this TWag has more clarity, do you mean more details that never been noticed before in the recording? Or it sounds more open and less veiled?
I'm wondering whether the TWag with sleeving is more comfortable to use and less microphonic than APS Supernylon for your HD800?
Thanks a lot.
Mike
Hi Jimmy, I don't think the TWAg cable, or any other cable, will change the fundamental signature of a headphone. Yes you can hear more things, but ultimately the HD650 is a dark sounding headphone. Sometimes cable owners tend to over emphasize the improvements, making it sound like a total miracle solution.
The TWAg cable will add both an airier sound and more detail. The TWAg sleeving on my cable is not quite as flexible the APS Supernylon, but Craig said he has another sleeving that is even more flexible.
Josh
Hi,
My system is a tad too warm, do you think this silver TWAG might bring some treble, brightness, details & speed with no fatigue/sibilance like any other silver cables? Anyway, my cans are the HD650.
Have you compared the TWAG against any other silvers?
Cheers.
Mike
Josh, what silver cables have you tried, and what are your impressions?
b3dz
Mike,
Does the twag cable (Whiplash) improve the sound's signature a bit over the regular Westone wire since i found out the price gap was significantly huge?
Will the Plugs fit all the way into Westone IEMs?
I was confused abt gettin either basic or protector balanced twag
# Oyaide Right Angle 3.5MM
# CryoParts Custom Cryo'd XLRs
# Furutech XLR
# CryoParts Custom Carbon 1/4"
Have you had any experience about these kind of cables ? Does the furutech connector hve an L-shape pin?
Mike
Hi b3dz, it will definitely be an improvement. I don't understand what you mean about "fit all the way", but if you order a Westone cable, then it should fit your Westone IEM. (I assume you have one with the removable cables?). Don't get confused about the connectors. The XLRs and the 1/4" won't be needed for an IEM. You can either go with the Oyaide right angle for 3.5mm, which is a very nice connector, or the Protector connector if you want to use it with the Protector.
Cheers.
b3dz
Yo,
I'm wondering whether twag cable's plug fit properly to my Iem which is conceal the plug connector.
Btw, do they offer other colors instead of silver?
Thx for your quick response.^^
Mike
B3dz, not so sure about how the cable will hide under the plug connector. I think you should email Whiplash instead. 🙂
quanmer
How do you describe the sonic differences between Crystal Cable and Whiplash TWag on JH 16Pro? Regardless of their price.
Mike
I'm not too familiar with the Crystal Piccolino, but I think it has a cleaner grain than the TWAg, and a smoother midrange.
Reckoncile
What source (the DAP) is pictured in the image?
Andy
That’s not a DAP. It’s a Pico Slim.
Anonymous
Yes that’s right.
Pete
Hi mike
Im deciding what cable i should get for my custom iem,
Do you think the alo or twag are worth it over the stock custom cable such as westone or ue?
And i have heard that copper wire is better for dynamics and bass, silver better for details, is it true?
Anonymous
Pete,
Copper is generally warmer and gives a fuller bass and mids. Silver usually better for treble, details and soundstage.
As for worth the price, how much money do you have in the bank account? 😉
Dennis
Hi Mike, I highly recommend you to give the DHC Symbiote CM cable a try~
It’s as flexible as TWag and it sounds a little richer and aggressive than teh TWag cable.
Mike
Hi Dennis,
I’ve tried the DHC cable a while ago, though not sure which type. It’s a good cable. 🙂
Ed
Hello
I want to upgrade the cable of the sennheiser IE8 and am considering the whiplash elite TWag V2.
Does anyone have any experience with these cables?
If yes what improvements can I expect.
Kenny
Hi Mike, I’m wondering which if you have any experience with a Westone 4R, and what whiplash cable you would recommend, the TWag or TWspc.
Mike
Hi Kenny,
Sorry I don’t have any experience with the Westone + Whiplash cable pairing.