# 8 braid vs 4 braid difference for custom cable



## potatoe94

Hi all !
 I am currently using the Noble Savant with a default cable , 
 and would like to know what are the obvious difference between a 4 braid and 8 braid 24awg OCC copper cable ?
 I've tried the 4 braided one and i pretty much liked the slightly richer mids . 

 However i would like to know how would a 8 braided one sound ? 
 Would it be any cleaner ? wider or deeper in soundstaging ? or a more exaggerated warmth ? 
 There were no demo available for the 8 braid one , hence im wondering if anyone knows about this ?


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## cuiter23

potatoe94 said:


> Hi all !
> I am currently using the Noble Savant with a default cable ,
> and would like to know what are the obvious difference between a 4 braid and 8 braid 24awg OCC copper cable ?
> I've tried the 4 braided one and i pretty much liked the slightly richer mids .
> ...


 
  
 An 8 braided cable will sound better for sure. Better RF rejection and preservation of source signal.
  
 The stock 4 braid actually branches out to only 2 cables per channel while the aggregate 8 braid splits with 4 wires to each ear. The difference isn't going to be night and day, especially on headphones but you should hear an improvement in spatial separation and better bass control. That said, everything depends on your gear.


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## Speedskater

cuiter23 said:


> Better RF rejection and preservation of source signal.


 
 I don't think so.
 Do you have any references from RFI experts like Jim Brown or Henry Ott?
  


cuiter23 said:


> An 8 braided cable will sound better for sure.


 
 I don't think so.


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## 1TrickPony

.


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## cuiter23

speedskater said:


> I don't think so.
> Do you have any references from RFI experts like Jim Brown or Henry Ott?
> 
> I don't think so.




I don't wanna get into another argument about cables. There are tests done. Check out Kimber Kable OSCaR.

They thoroughly test capacitance, resistance, etc etc on their cables before going into production. You should go to a HiFi store and compare some speaker cables you will be surprised to hear the difference, whether the difference is good or bad that's personal preference.

Headphone cables I've found are less noticeable/ important in this regard.


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## Speedskater

What are you connecting with the huge Kimber Kable OSCaR cables?  Aren't they the size of automobile jumper cables?


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## potatoe94

ah ~ i've settled for a 4 braid copper litz . thanks anyway guys ~


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## cuiter23

speedskater said:


> What are you connecting with the huge Kimber Kable OSCaR cables?  Aren't they the size of automobile jumper cables?


 
  
 Kimber Kable makes everything from tiny 1ft rca cables to massive speaker cables. And OSCaR is not a line of cables, it stands for (Objective, Subjective, Correlation and Results). The OSCaR tests are done on every cable regardless of how much they cost.
  
 You should know that thicker speaker cables are important... especially if you are going to do long runs.


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## 3294 (Sep 8, 2017)

Bump,

actually in the same situation right now and can't find any thread which can lead me to a final decision.

The cable is a 26AWG 4ft. long copper cable for a 2-Pin CIEM - 4 braids vs. 8 braids - what's "better" (= difference) and why?

Thanks alot in advance!


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## Speedskater

Is this for a headphone cable?
26AWG is rather fragile for a headphone cable and rather small.


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## potatoe94

Its for my iem , Beyerdynamic Xelento


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## potatoe94

3294 said:


> Bump,
> 
> actually in the same situation right now and can't find any thread which can lead me to a final decision.
> 
> ...


 All i can say is , try them out and see what you like best . Sonically and for daily use


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## 3294

potatoe94 said:


> All i can say is , try them out and see what you like best . Sonically and for daily use



Sounds nice but still looking for an answer for my actual question. 

You did ask it too to save money and also to avoid a cable lying around for nothing, right? Same here.

The thread is somewhat old - were you able to try out both variants by the time now? 

Thanks for the fast replies!


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## artpiggo

Having double conductor will tend to thicker bass and smoother treble.

That is what I tried with Brimar Sup Ref x4 vs x8

I don't see much beneficial on increasing soundstage. Just different tonality. 

So if one similar brand, they provide option for 4 or 8, I usually choose 4


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## 3294

artpiggo said:


> Having double conductor will tend to thicker bass and smoother treble.
> 
> That is what I tried with Brimar Sup Ref x4 vs x8
> 
> ...



Thanks for the reply. 

Did you ever compare a 4 or 8 braided silver cable as well, or maybe a SPC one (best would be of the same brand)?


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## artpiggo

3294 said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Did you ever compare a 4 or 8 braided silver cable as well, or maybe a SPC one (best would be of the same brand)?



I tried Beat prima donna cable which is silver cable. The same result, having double conductor makes more warmth and smoother treble. Soundstage is not nights and days.


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## 3294

artpiggo said:


> Having double conductor will tend to thicker bass and smoother treble.
> 
> That is what I tried with Brimar Sup Ref x4 vs x8
> 
> ...



Mhmm I can't stop thinking about this statement. In fact going double braided will make the overall signature warner? Not higher resoluted or more controlled etc?


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## artpiggo

At least that is what I trial and perceive. 

Upgrading earphone is more distinct for more resolution perception.


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## 3294

artpiggo said:


> At least that is what I trial and perceive.
> 
> Upgrading earphone is more distinct for more resolution perception.



Yeah I know about that. Right now I'm using the SE5U and just looking for a copper cable which defines the sound signature a little more, with a slight increase in resolution in comparison tobthe stock cable.

Thanks for your replies!

Still looking for more experiences - pls gimme


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## 3294

Looking for more answers - thankful for every helpful reply!


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## 3294

Bump


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## 3294

+


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## Whitigir

cuiter23 said:


> An 8 braided cable will sound better for sure. Better RF rejection and preservation of source signal.
> 
> The stock 4 braid actually branches out to only 2 cables per channel while the aggregate 8 braid splits with 4 wires to each ear. The difference isn't going to be night and day, especially on headphones but you should hear an improvement in spatial separation and better bass control. That said, everything depends on your gear.



This is like the best explanation that you could have regarding this topic


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## 3294

Whitigir said:


> This is like the best explanation that you could have regarding this topic



I see - that just pushes my tendency to get an 8 braided one and will order soon. Too bad it seems like there are not many people who did such a comparison.


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## cthomas

Which is better for ergonomics?


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## 3294

4-Braid, because it's less thick, weights less and therefore better ergonomics.


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## cthomas

Have you tried both? Would it be a huge difference in ergonomics?


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## 3294

cthomas said:


> Have you tried both? Would it be a huge difference in ergonomics?



It really depends on the thickness of the single braid. Lower AWG = more thick.

If you intend to use the cable on the go on a train or something, where you don't move too much, then I recommend you to go 8 braided, since it seems that there are technical/(sonic) advantages.

If you intend to do some sports with the cable, where you move your body ALOT, then you should go for the 4 braided one.

In the end there is no "better". It all depends on your personal taste. As example: while a balanced output gives a "cleaner" output, some people still like the 3,5mm single ended more, although the balanced one is "better".

I did have an 8 braided one, as well as a 4 braided.. but I never had a 4 and an 8 braided cable of the same kind. Don't underestimate the thickness and weight (especially weight) of an 8 braided cable with lower AWG (20 - 24). It's getting reaaally heavy because of the sleeves around the braids.. but I guess it really depends on the material they are using. 35 grams should be max for an IEM cable. I had a 40 grams one and it was a little over the acceptable tolerance for me.

I hope it helps!

Kind regards,
3294


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## cthomas

Thanks, yeah I'll be mainly using at home/work so may not be an issue. Cable weight is something I hadn't considered before so I'll definitely think about that if considering an 8 braid.


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## proedros

maybe @flinkenick  has noticed what differences exist between a 4-braid and a 8-braid of the same cable ?


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## dubbcd

It depends on your headphone and ear to hear the differences, I guess.

Simplily speaking：
Lower gage, more cable/braid allowing more current to pass thru at the same time.

Read below for detailed explanation：
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge
https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm


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## Speedskater (Sep 23, 2017)

Not enough more current to matter. Way less than 1 %.

It's all about Ohm's Law.


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## 3294

Speedskater said:


> Not enough more current to matter. Way less than 1 %.
> 
> It's all about Ohm's Law.



Did you measure it or where does the 1% come from?

Regards,
3294


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## Speedskater

3294 said:


> Did you measure it or where does the 1% come from?
> Regards,
> 3294


It's Ohm's Law for a series circuit. End-to-end impedance of the cable in series with the headphones's impedance.


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## Tanelorn

Hou. I assume Noone else really tried it? 
I asked a famous creator of cables himself and he only stated that 8 wired is better quality wise, but did not want to answer in what way it is really better.
Then I recognizes he said that "people chose it for a better sound quality"..
That was no real commitment that it is better. Just it is bought because people think it is. 

Well.. That makes it even harder to decide


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## dubbcd (Oct 1, 2019)

8 is way expensive than 4 in material wise, of course the seller will claim 8 as the highest quality.
Sound wise depends on your ears and equipment and music source or depending you wanted to spend the most money to earn your inner peace.

One last most important of all is your last cable that you used.

You will prefer your next cable with the sound signature that is missing from your last cable or earphone.


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## music_man

I am using an Axios pure Silver 16 braid on my MDR-Z!R and the sound is sublime compared to other cables. It is a "different" headphone with this cable and someone offered me to trade for their Utopia(which I already own anyways) and I laughed in their face. More braids=better sound obviously. That is just IMO,YMMV.


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## 52203 (Apr 15, 2020)

I have tried 4 and 8 wire acutally with hansound audio aegis 4 & 8 and agni(II) 4 & 8. I end up buying aegis 4, agni 4, agni 8
Sound wise, 4 and 8 does make a difference.
Overall tone of the same cable is the same, but 8 adds a lot more meat to the sound, making it thicker by a lot.
On aegis, which is silver/gold alloy with litz copper. 8 wire just simply makes it too warm and thick like having too much syrup on pancakes or butter in mash potato. 4 wire is just right on spot.
As for agni, which is pure silver, 8 adding thickness to an already bright and crisp tone is just right. But I still bough 4 also just to match with my se846, which is thick originally, and the lean, airy, speed of silver cable can add some more spark to the treble and details.

sum up on SQ: 4 is crispier, lighter  /  8 is meaty and buttery. little more detail
sound stage is similar on both. speed is similar too but since 8 is thicker, "u feel" that its slower. but actually its just that its thicker and has more after-notes of the sound.

Therefore depends on the mix & match of your earphone and cable, together with the tone u prefer.


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