Idk about headphones but there's definitely a difference between cables when I listen to sensitive IEMs like Andromeda. Sound change by cables aren't inherenly improvement imo, more like slightly different seasoning.

I have thick green Periapt cables on my 660Ss. Makes absolutely no difference to the sound, but it looks cool.

It all depends on the impedance curve of the headphones... But in practice, you can expect generally no perceptible difference in the majority of cases.

minimal to none.

> I have a pair of Senheisser 660

No difference at all.

Probably none

The only time you realistically hear a difference with different cables is with sensitive IEMs. Otherwise it'll just look prettier/more comfortable/feels better. And anything that makes you feel better is a W in my book.

Sound quality differences? Unless these are extraordinarily long cables, only the imaginary sort.

None

The reason to buy aftermarket cables are for everything but "sound improvement"

They look and feel nice

No

As long as the cable isn’t too expensive it will make some difference but only if your headphones are detailed enough to tell. A super expensive cable makes no sense since headphones don’t cost that much to begin with. Better to spend your money somewhere else. My headphones are around $500 and I can tell a very clear difference in digital cables so an analog cable with that big of a difference in specs should be pretty noticeable.

Yeah a custom cable won't make any difference for HD600 unless it's a balanced cable that will give you more power. Very revealing headphones like my HD800S or LCD 4 will show sonic differences with different cables.

None whatsoever - This has been a marketing gimmick for decades , whether its speaker cable or HDMI, etc...

Little to no difference in sound between 2 cables that function as intended in 99% of consumer applications

May I refer you to a test comparing professional cables to a coat hanger, where the results were pretty inconclusive of any audible difference ; https://www.soundguys.com/cable-myths-reviving-the-coathanger-test-23553/

(note that roughly 1/3 said the coat hanger sounded better and 1/3 said the cable sounded better)

Is there a difference? Yes but it's very minor and possibly inaudible, If there's already diminishing returns when comparing a coat hanger to an actual cable that tells you all you really need to know

--

This isnt to say to completely cheap out on cables either but there's no needs to be spend $100s or $1000s on snake oil cables

if you want a nice custom cable there's plenty of makers around and that'll run you around $80-150 depending on seller and terminations and such . Recommendation from me if you go that route is fogcityaudio on etsy

There was a booth at CAF this year that was trying to sell HiFi ethernet cables with a demo to show that it "improved the sound"

Hmm 🤔 all of my cables are $15-25 from Amazon. Mainly they’re labeled as 6N OFC or something.

But recently I got to try something “pure silver”. Somebody was selling this used French X-Symphony cable for $20 on eBay so I grabbed it.

I’ll tell ya this. I use it on my M1060C(planar) and it might of provided maybe a 1-3 extra reverbs on some piano keys or guitar plucks, and that’s if I was really trying to be picky.

I’m so glad 😃 I haven’t been missing out on anything. Love ❤️ them Amazon cables.

You might have better build quality which will enhance your comfort which will enhance your listening experience

You'll get all the "soundbetta" your heart can conjure, and exactly nothing that would show up on a graph. But I won't knock "soundbetta," as all sound is imaginary.

If it looks cool, it sounds betta.

No, no they will not. That's not how it works.

I don't want to just shit all over "soundbetta" and mock people who go in for it, but you can buy real things with money.

Yeah man they’re real. Love affordable quality. Cheap Amazon cables are amazing 🤩.

There’s more choices now that there’s custom wrapped cables produced for the masses from over seas.

Isn’t it weird how you like Custom wrapped cables that cost $50-120 for no perceived sound quality yet you would call it “sound betta” for people that are willing to spend THE SAME AMOUNT of $$ for perceived quality?

If you’re really for NO SOUND quality in cables, then there’s no point in paying some American $$ to wrap the same $ cables from overseas.

Too many people in this sub in promote these expensive cables from companies like Periaptcables, and then absolutely sh1ts on anyone who would spend the same $$ if did it for perceived sound quality.

🤙

I'd say headphones that are $999 and below will benefit from an aftermarket balanced cable around $50 and headphones costing more will only see a difference spending $200 or more. I know I'm going to get slack and down voted but this is my experience and you're asking a question.

Haha!

>sn’t it weird how you like Custom wrapped cables that cost $50-120 for no perceived sound quality yet you would call it “sound betta” for people that are willing to spend THE SAME AMOUNT of $$ for perceived quality?

Probably the best investment as far as improving your listening experience is reefer, although there too...is the High Times centerfold really worth more than good ol' Reggie?

It's entirely possible that, with a blindfold on, you might not notice any difference between Nonni's secret recipe and Hunt's out of the can, but then...you don't eat spaghetti with a blindfold on, do you?

Likely none at all. Not having to send as much power is fun for balanced but most people have short cable runs so it isn't going to matter. Would be more fun to use that money on beer.

I go with Hart Audio cables because of the inter connect system. Makes it easy to use different headphones with different amps. This isn’t generally an issue for sane people with 1 or 2 sets of headphones and a single amp.

From a sound perspective the cables make no noticeable difference.

Can you tell a difference between a FLAC file and 320kbps mp3's? Really? Honestly? I am not doubting you can. A lot of people can't and that is fine.

If you can, that's great. If not, there is absolutely no reason to get aftermarket cables.

If you can, then know that aftermarket cables will have an even more imperceptible better sound quality. They may be technically better (99.9% silver or whatever other marketing gimmick they will throw at you), but it will be extremely hard to tell any difference.

The only good thing about aftermarket cables is that it means you can replace your original cable if it gets damaged.

Kind of like how Roon ($800+ music player software) has "bit perfect sound". You can't tell how many times I just stop listening on my device thinking to myself "That bit sounded like a 1 but it REALLY should have been a 0. FUCK THIS SHIT".

Except USB-C cables. My mortal enemy that I hate beyond all reason. I have 8 on my desk, 2 transfer data 10Gbit/s, 1 transfers 480Mbit/s, 2 do not transfer data at all. but 1 of them turbo charges my phone the other one charges only at normal speed, also out of all of them only 1 of them works with my computer monitor.

They are all the same, all black cables with usb-c on one end and uncolored usb 2 / 3 /3.1 looking end at the other end. No markings of anykind on anyone of them...

you can tell a difference in digital signals? really?

you do understand digital signals are literally just binary, 1's and 0's. You aren't going to tell any fucking difference if that 1 is going across a copper wire or silver wire.

Ohhh I heard of this. lol only got high maybe 2x in my life but never thought to put on my headphones. 😋

Jeez people are so quick to crap on anything related to cables I think it’s hilarious. Remember everyone I’m not spending your money, so calm down! Also, digital signals are passed via analog voltages and they are sampled and passed through to an analog output stage by the DAC so noise in the signal path can and does carry on to the output. Better DACs do a better job at recreating the analog wave and shaping the noise but obviously it isn’t perfect so the less noise on the input, the better. I encourage people to listen, try things, and learn with curiosity. If you don’t want to learn and try, then pick a different hobby. Happy holidays!

Zero

I've blindly A and B tested multiple cables and it wasn't surprising at all that there was no difference at all between them.

A friend insists that his weird cotton wrapped cable enhances treble and whatnot.. I would say it only enhances the seller's bank account.

Hey man. I used to have an all silver system for a bit - tonearm wire, interconnects, and speaker cable. There was definitely a change in the sound. It sounded exactly as you would expect. Very clear and airy in the top end. Unfortunately it also had a bit of a "sheen" that always bugged me. I eventually sold it all and went back to Blue Jeans. When I did the change was also very apparent. Night and day actually. It was an interesting venture but cost a lot of money and I ultimately couldn't justify keeping it. Silver definitely sounds different if you have a system that can resolve it.

Totally agree. Just wouldn’t pay for the msrp $200-400 these X Symphony’s probably were.

But now I know if I ever come across another amazing deal like these pure silvers, I’d probably get it. 😋