[Echalon]

@Echalon Just coming back to your advice, which I've found very helpful thanks. I've been using the PurpleSE on my Zero Red (with the stock tips) and I'm much happier with them now. Just a bit nicer to listen to and I'm spending more time enjoying these IEMS. With the EW200, the Blackcat is also an improvement and I'm been trying some KBear 07 tips on them which have been good too.

So I'm now looking at the next cable/tip upgrades as I can't justify the expense of some EA500LM's as yet (and I'm happier with the IEMs I have now).

For the Zero Red's I'm thinking of taking your advice and ordering a Penon OS133 cable.

For the EW200's I've ordered a pair of Spinfit W1 tips (which arrive tomorrow) which @Click recommended in the post below. I'm also considering the Penon CS819 cable for the EW200 but that would have to wait another month (from a budgeting point of view).

Any other suggestions appreciated! Especially for cables/tips that might get the best out of the EW200s - that are up to £40. I'm wondering about the Penon PAC480 as well - partly due to it's "special" price. Many thanks

I’m delighted you like them! Do listen to others here too - we all have our preferences and biases. For example, I like a warm thick musical sound, but others prefer more details and technicalities.

You might want to keep using the PurpleSE until you have tried more eartips. Tips are the interface between IEM and your ear, and it takes a while to find what works best for you. Once you know how the IEM sounds with a really good seal, you’ll have a better idea what you might want from a cable. And there is nothing wrong with a cheaper cable if you are satisfied with the sound.

If you need more suggestions of cheap, popular eartips to try, I’m sure lots of us would be happy to give suggestions.

To my ears, the OS133 is an upgrade to the PurpleSE. Slightly better in most ways, but like the PurpleSE it mostly leaves the IEM’s tonality unchanged. Whether it’s worth the cost is up to you.

The PAC480 (“Penon Audio Custom 480 cores) is a lovely cable if you want a thicker sound. The price is not discounted, it has said that for a very long time. The negatives are that it is heavier and stiffer than many cables, and there are more detailed cables. It’s one of my favourites, but you’ll have to decide whether it sounds right for you.

I’m less keen on the CS819. It is light and comfortable but far too bright sounding for my taste. Again, that brightness might be a positive thing for some people.

I don’t have the E200 but would be happy to advise if you describe the sound changes you want (if any).

 

[flightlessbird]

I’m delighted you like them! Do listen to others here too - we all have our preferences and biases. For example, I like a warm thick musical sound, but others prefer more details and technicalities.

You might want to keep using the PurpleSE until you have tried more eartips. Tips are the interface between IEM and it takes a while to find what works best for you. Once you know how the IEM sounds with a really good seal, you’ll have a better idea what you might want from a cable. And there is nothing wrong with a cheaper cable if you are satisfied with the sound.

If you need more suggestions of cheap, popular eartips to try, I’m sure lots of us would be happy to give suggestions.

To my ears, the OS133 is an upgrade to the PurpleSE. Slightly better in most ways, but like the PurpleSE it mostly leaves the IEM’s tonality unchanged. Whether it’s worth the cost is up to you.

The PAC480 (“Penon Audio Custom 480 cores) is a lovely cable if you want a thicker sound. The price is not discounted, it has said that for a very long time. The negatives are that it is heavier and stiffer than many cables, and there are more detailed cables. It’s one of my favourites, but you’ll have to decide whether it sounds right for you.

I’m less keen on the CS819. It is light and comfortable but far too bright sounding for my taste. Again, that brightness might be a positive thing for some people.

I don’t have the E200 but would be happy to advise if you describe the sound changes you want (if any).

Thanks for your thoughts again. For my Zero Reds I'm looking for a bit more "life" in the sound - especially in the mids and treble and ideally a touch more bass. The PurpleSe has been a nice small improvement. For my EW200, I'd quite like to take the edge of the treble without reducing the fun factor. They're a bit V-shaped to my ears with a nice full bass but probably lacking a touch in the mid's and a little bright in the treble, so I'm looking to boost the mids, keep the nice bass and take a touch of the edge of the treble.

 

[Echalon]

Thanks for your thoughts again. For my Zero Reds I'm looking for a bit more "life" in the sound - especially in the mids and treble and ideally a touch more bass. The PurpleSe has been a nice small improvement. For my EW200, I'd quite like to take the edge of the treble without reducing the fun factor. They're a bit V-shaped to my ears with a nice full bass but probably lacking a touch in the mid's and a little bright in the treble, so I'm looking to boost the mids, keep the nice bass and take a touch of the edge of the treble.

For the Zero Reds, the Penon OS133 might work for the treble and bass but it might not have the mids you want. @Uprox ’s idea of an ivipQ graphene cable is a good one. If your budget doesn’t stretch to the one suggested, the ivipQ 502 is often ~$20 in sales and might well do all you want. It has that effect on my Orvetti OD200.

For the EW200, that whole list of mid-focused cables should do what you want.

I should add: cables will only take the sound so far. You clearly see the benefit of finding cable that is a good match, but please don’t expect too much. I have bought several expensive cables only to be disappointed.

 

[flightlessbird]

For the Zero Reds, the Penon OS133 might work for the treble and bass but it might not have the mids you want. @Uprox ’s idea of an ivipQ graphene cable is a good one. If your budget doesn’t stretch to the one suggested, the ivipQ 502 is often ~$20 in sales and might well do all you want. It has that effect on my Orvetti OD200.

For the EW200, that whole list of mid-focused cables should do what you want.

I should add: cables will only take the sound so far. You clearly see the benefit of finding cable that is a good match, but please don’t expect too much. I have bought several expensive cables only to be disappointed.

Thanks very much for the further thoughts. I appreciate that cables aren't going to fundamentally change the sound .... but I like cables, so at sub £40 cost, I think they're interesting to experiment with.

Looking through the Nicehck store, they have the EW200 listed with this cable: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006064272953.html and this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006246637897.html

I've seen people leaving positive comments about the Artti Clear too and I'm intrigued by some of Hakugei's cables as well (as Penon's)

I will watch the ivipQ (and Nicehck) stores in the Chinese New Year sales in Feb. It's not long to wait now. Thanks again.

 

[Barncore]

Recommendations for Hifiman Ananda Stealth (v3)

 

[cerbatillo]

Recs for sound rhyme dte900? I believe from what others have said that pure copper is the best for ones that are looking to reduce that extra energy in the upper/mids that can cause fatigue. For what I've read here the isn c2 would be a good option ?

 

[hxd2ODR]

Hi everybody! I am looking for an oxygen-free copper IEM cable between $30-40. Could someone help me? Thank you

 

[Nas Volokin]

Hi everybody! I am looking for an oxygen-free copper IEM cable between $30-40. Could someone help me? Thank you

Penon OS133: https://penonaudio.com/penon-os133.html?sort=p.price&order=ASC
It's a steal at roughly $40! You can't go wrong with this one

 

[Yunal3sca]

Any recommendation for a budget 0.78mm 2-pin cable with detachable/boom mic?
Budget of <$20 USD

Looking to pair this with 7hz x crinacle zero 2 or a Moondrop chu II.

 

[Ballheadv1]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and so happy to see there are lots of threads discussing things about audio. Just posted a similar topic on the discovery thread but would also like to see if someone has tried to purchase cables from Etsy shop by any chance.

Right now two shops caught my attention, the first one is Scandisound (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandiSound?ref=l2-about-shopname), informative thumbnails to show all the connectors and terminations, tried to search for website of the shop but nothing could found, seems to be a pretty popular shop on Etsy as I can see lots of comments and feedbacks on their shop. The second one is NMD Audio (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NMDAudioShop?ref=l2-about-shopname), which gets cables at different price ranges and some cables with uncommon materials like injected graphene, oil-soaked materials etc., the only thing is that it seems to be a pretty new shop. Have tried to search on Google and seems that they have an official website (https://www.nmdaudio.com).

Has anyone tried to get cables from any of these two shops by any chance before? I was directed by someone on the discovery thread to this thread, as this thread seems to mainly focus on discussing cables. Will delete this post if it violates any rules on this forum. Thank you everyone and hope you guys have a good day.

 

[Carpet]

Any recommendation for a budget 0.78mm 2-pin cable with detachable/boom mic?
Budget of <$20 USD

Looking to pair this with 7hz x crinacle zero 2 or a Moondrop chu II.

Celeste Wyvern pro has been on sale for $15 including a detachable boom mic, 2 2 pin 3.5mm cable. Otherwise I think TRN, CVJ and Kinera have options.

 

[Uprox]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and so happy to see there are lots of threads discussing things about audio. Just posted a similar topic on the discovery thread but would also like to see if someone has tried to purchase cables from Etsy shop by any chance.

Right now two shops caught my attention, the first one is Scandisound (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandiSound?ref=l2-about-shopname), informative thumbnails to show all the connectors and terminations, tried to search for website of the shop but nothing could found, seems to be a pretty popular shop on Etsy as I can see lots of comments and feedbacks on their shop. The second one is NMD Audio (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NMDAudioShop?ref=l2-about-shopname), which gets cables at different price ranges and some cables with uncommon materials like injected graphene, oil-soaked materials etc., the only thing is that it seems to be a pretty new shop. Have tried to search on Google and seems that they have an official website (https://www.nmdaudio.com).

Has anyone tried to get cables from any of these two shops by any chance before? I was directed by someone on the discovery thread to this thread, as this thread seems to mainly focus on discussing cables. Will delete this post if it violates any rules on this forum. Thank you everyone and hope you guys have a good day.

Hi, mate.
I never heard before about these shops, sorry.
If it would be strong meticulous, this thread about cables under $100. There is more correct thread instead:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mid-priced-iem-cables-thread.927268/
From my own experience no cable can gives something else that IEM hadn't. Thus your IEM must reproduce clean and detailed midrange for clean and detailed vocals. Then you need the cable with overall transparency (maximal for the price) over whole frequency range, maybe with some difference in tonality, note density, timbre and other individual characteristics.
Anyway you can ask seller about characteristics of each his cable.

 

[Eddie C]

Hi everybody! I am looking for an oxygen-free copper IEM cable between $30-40. Could someone help me? Thank you

6N OCC Copper Hakugei Big Rice. I just received mine yesterday.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...o.order_list.order_list_main.5.5c021802hHvrFE

(Select others and choose your termination in message, it is cheaper by a few dollars than ordering through their other ad https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100....new_all_items_2007616048764.1005004986250848

 

[Yunal3sca]

Celeste Wyvern pro has been on sale for $15 including a detachable boom mic, 2 2 pin 3.5mm cable. Otherwise I think TRN, CVJ and Kinera have options.

thank you, would you have a link? the ones i see are around $39 AUD

 

[Ballheadv1]

Hi, mate.
I never heard before about these shops, sorry.
If it would be strong meticulous, this thread about cables under $100. There is more correct thread instead:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mid-priced-iem-cables-thread.927268/
From my own experience no cable can gives something else that IEM hadn't. Thus your IEM must reproduce clean and detailed midrange for clean and detailed vocals. Then you need the cable with overall transparency (maximal for the price) over whole frequency range, maybe with some difference in tonality, note density, timbre and other individual characteristics.
Anyway you can ask seller about characteristics of each his cable.

Hi mate, thank you so much for your reply. Yes, I agree with what you were saying about cables. I can barely find threads or posts discussing these two cable brands, so I would rather try them out with the basic one first. At last, I ordered Nebulous in the beginner series from the website of NMD Audio (https://nmdaudio.com/products/nebulous), as they do have a website and offer a free listening trial without paying any shipping, at least in the UK. It seems to be a very new shop so I would rather give it a try paying with a lower price first (around $100). The status is showing shipped so I believe I can do a quick review on the cable soon.