Audiophile quality 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable for headphone rig

Ern Dog
Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
edited April 2012 in For Sale (FS) Classifieds
I'm setting up my first headphone rig and just pulled the trigger on my first amp. It's a portable Ray Samuels SR-71A to go with my Senn HD-600's. I don't use my headphones very often, but when I do, I want it to sound good. Right now it sounds pretty mediocre using the headphone amp in my Macbook Pro laptop. So this should be a nice upgrade.

I'm looking for a short mini to mini cable that is transparent and around 6" long.
Post edited by Ern Dog on
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Comments

  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2012
    Are you open to making your own? Cardas would be my choice for making great cable like you described.
    Jake
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited April 2012
    You should just make your own.
    The solid core OCC copper wire sounds really good in this type of cable.
    There are alot of people using the Cardas wire with great results also.
    Check out PercyAudio for a good selection of both Cardas and other types of wire.
    Micheal is a great guy to deal with and offers flat rate shipping of $8.
    He offers the XLO gold 3.5mm plugs also, and from what I have read they are the best sounding 3.5's you can buy.
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2012
    I don't have a solder gun and no plans to get one, so no DIY for me.

    I have mixed feelings about Cardas. Although I've never owned or heard them, I've read about how warm and colored they can sound. If there was a neutral/transparent Cardas cable then I'd be open to trying it.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited April 2012
    Did you look around on the headphone forums for some recommendations?
    I have made a few, and they sound excellent to me, a large upgrade from stock, but being "transparent/neutral" would be more of a personal opinion, and in the "ear of the beholder".:cheesygrin:

    Moon audio offers such cables I believe, but they tend to be expensive.
    They cater to the headphone guys.

    It is hard to get "neutral/transparent" out of a 3.5mm plug IMHO.:mrgreen:

    I don't use my headphones very often, but when I do

    I have heard that somewhere before.:eek:
    You like Dos Equis?
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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited April 2012
    Audioquest has a new line of iPod friendly stuff.
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited April 2012
    Audioquest:
    http://www.shoplocal.com/detailonline.aspx?productid=119130412
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2012
    pepster wrote: »
    I have heard that somewhere before.:eek:
    You like Dos Equis?

    Lol! Too funny:cheesygrin:

    Those Audioquest cables look nice and would surely do the job. I put up this Wanted post because I'm looking to save some coin and buy something used.

    I have looked on the Head-Fi forum and didn't see anything that fit the bill in their for sale section.

    There is some pretty spendy stuff out there from companies like ALO and Whiplash cables.... way more than I want to spend.

    If I don't get any bites here, I may order a new one from Blue Jean Cables using their MSA-1 cable: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/MSA1.htm One foot terminated would cost $28. I don't know if this would be better than a DIY cable.
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2012
    Well it turns out that Pepster has agreed to build me a custom 3.5mm cable with some high quality solid core copper and some Oyaide connectors for a great price. I'm excited to see and hear how it turns out. He is saying that it will be better than the Blue Jean Cable I was considering.:cool:
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  • praedet
    praedet Posts: 314
    edited April 2012
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution. Talk to Frank. He made one for me exactly like you are talking about and it sounds awesome!
    HT: Ninja Master LSi9s, Ninja Master LSiC, Slightly Modded LSiFXs, Modded LSi7s, Outlaw LFM-1 EX and Polk PSW125
    Outlaw 970 Preamp, Outlaw 7700 Amp, Velodyne SMS-1, Oppo BDP-83,
    2 APC H-15s and a Panamax 5400 for good measure ;)
    Stereo: DIY Alix Music Server, DODD Audio Battery Tube Buffer, Modded DAC-60 and MF V-Link (for now), DIY Silver ICs, Battery Powered Class D SDS-254 Amp, and GR-Research N2X Speakers
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2012
    praedet wrote: »
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution. Talk to Frank. He made one for me exactly like you are talking about and it sounds awesome!

    No need. I've already got this covered.
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited April 2012
    Check out ALO Audio online. Good people focused on head gear.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
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