# Charleston Cable Company Headphone Cables and Interconnects



## texastrader

So this is my first post in Head-fi and hello to everyone! I've been a lurker, researcher and general Head-fi reader for the last few months, trying to make some good choices for my new headphone system. Thanks to the vast and varied array of knowledgeable folks here on Head-fi, I was finally able to make some decisions and ended up with a Burson HA-160 Amp (Totally Sweet!) and a PS Audio Digital Link III DAC to feed it.(Even Sweeeeeter!). I have a set of LCD-2.2s on order, but haven't received them yet. Anticipation isn't all it's cracked up to be - dang! I want 'em NOW!...but I digress....
  
 In the mean time, I've been "making due" with a nice set of AKG K702s and Beyer DT-880-250s, which I must say sound every bit their good reputation via the Burson 160. My portable rig is an iPod 160GB feeding an RSA SR-71A, which does an admirable job driving both these cans, as well as my Shure SE425 IEMs. Since the arrival of the Burson this is strictly my portable rig now. Good 'nough. But I didn't start this thread to talk about my new rig for my new found headphone habit, I started it to talk about the awesome *cables* I just got in the mail from Chris at *Charleston Cable Company* on Ebay. Who knew?
  
 Before I go into this, full disclosure here, I have nothing to do with Charleston Cable Company other then being a _really_ satisfied customer. I'm not associated with them in any way, didn't get anything free from them and I'm not being paid by them to say any of this. Heck, no one here really knows who I am so I guess my credibility could be called to the carpet, but that's okay, you can take this or leave it. I'm still gonna write my little "review" nonetheless, because to me, turning you on to Chris at Charleston Cable Company and his peerless custom headphone and interconnect cables is my way of thanking all of you for the great help and [passive] advice I've gleaned from you over the last few months.
  
 Now I think there's some real value in good cables and I know I'm not alone on this. I think that well crafted, high quality "components" like headphone cables and interconnects have a lot to offer for your money, including, but not limited to, some very definite sonic improvements. Or maybe it's better to say: good cables really let your good equipment show it's potential. I don't think the cables alone do anything really. (That's a little wry humor, sorry..)  I think it's also partly about quality for quality's sake too.You've invested a significant amount of money in a high-end system and now your gonna route that delicate, refined signal you worked so hard to get through some $1.99 Wal-Mart cables? _Or maybe a coat hanger, for those of you who read that article?_ I think not! I also think there's a lot of snake oil out there too, for those with either deep enough pockets or not enough.....I won't say it, I'm a budding "Audiophile" myself, so I won't be too critical here. I'm just saying that dropping more than a grand on any cable just doesn't make much sense to me. Unless maybe it's _solid gold_, but then silver is a _much_ better conductor, go figure. If you think it's worth it and you have that kind of cash, more power to ya. It's just not my idea of the best place to stick the really big bucks into your system. Anyway....I'm gettin' there!
  
 So after all that lengthy preamble, soapbox speech, what have you, I will finally come to the point: After much searching, I finally, on Ebay of all places, saw something like this: "Cardas Cable, 6' for K702, $159". Huh? The photo looks good, maybe this is somebody's old used cable that's all beat up and they're getting rid of it. No. This one looks to have a shiny new Furutech 1/4" on one end, a really nicely done braiding over the cable and a tidy mini-XLR on the other end for the K702. Cardas for $159? ((((Click; See Seller's other items))))---_Dang!_ Here's _another_ Cardas cable for my soon to be LCD-2, same deal and also less than $200! And RCA interconnects for, like sixty bucks! Kimber RCAs for even less! Oh I know what it is, this is from Shanghai or Hong Kong or somewhere and I'll wait until Christmas for it to get here and then it won't be at all what it appears to be in the listing. Nope. Ships from S. Carolina, USA. And the listing says "Welcomes custom orders!". I gotta call this guy! So I email Chris my number and he gets right back to me and I spend almost an hour on the phone with him.
  
 Oh, by the way - I'm not all hung up on brand names, per se, but names like "Cardas" *do* get my attention. Just thought I'd throw that in there in case you were thinking this guy is just taking some Mouser.com control cable and dressing it up with some Radio Shack connectors to make it look nice. Nope, not the case here. Chris is a _brand name_ guy all the way...
  
 Needless to say, as my system grows I'll never have to look further for any kind of analog cable again! For less than the price of *ONE* of (Insert the big name of your choice) _least expensive_ headphone cables, I get a custom, 6' extension plus two 3' 'stingers' for both my K702s and LCD-2s that connect neatly to the main cable via min-4 pin XLR, all with high-end Cardas Litz type wire and terminated with no B.S. Furutech and Switchcraft connectors. To save me some cash, Chris suggested he make this custom "universal" cable, rather than buying a dedicated cable for each set of cans - great idea and saved me at least $100! I didn't go for the additional adapter so I could run my LCD-2s balanced, but that was offered too. I also got a _*beautiful*_ set of 18" RCA interconnects, as well a couple more little adapters with 1/8" minis for my RSA amp to boot. All with the nice braiding, Cardas cable and nice connectors. And *still* for less than the price of the *ONE* cable from you know who...Chris will also do these with Canare cable for even less if you've allready spent all your cookies on other gear. Whatever you want. It don't get better than that.
  
 So I got the cables on Friday - like 4 days after I ordred them - and I've spent just about every waking hour since then evaluating what Charleston Cable Co made for me. It really didn't take an eagle eye (or a golden ear, for that matter) to see that this stuff was _all the way right__!_ First of all, what came out of the envelope when it arrived made me giddy! These things are *soooo* nice! I mean prefect in every way. Everything appeared completely consistent and "manufacture made" looking. Just the right 'feel' if you know what I mean. Perfect, soft, dense and flexible braiding, not too heavy (for the HP cable) and perfectly terminated with the best connectors available - Chris installed exactly what I asked for, Furutech and Switchcraft. Whatever you want, he'll do. So enough about the great looks, I wonder how they'll perform?
  
 I had been making due for a several weeks with some, let's say, "less than audiophile grade" interconnects to get from my DAC to my amp and the 10' stock cable to get from my amp to my 702s. First I swapped out the RCAs and loaded a very familiar track - Tori Amos' Jackie's Strength. It's one of my references for it's clean, bright piano highs, VERY deep bass and Tori's distinctive vocals in the middle. Anyway, let's say the difference between the stock interconnects and the Charleston Cables was "discernible" to say the very least. Especially in the farthest bass regions, which might have surprised me if I was a more seasoned "evaluator". Nonetheless, it was *definitely* there! I even did a few back 'n forths to make sure I wasn't imagining things. I was really afraid I wouldn't notice anything at all and then all those "cable naysayers" (you know who you are) would have been proved right! After this I really think I'd feel confident subjecting myself to a blind A/B between these nice Charleston CC jobs and my old junkers. The point here is, there is a _no-doubt_ improvement in the general...._timbre_, that's it! The _timbre_ is the difference, or at least my definition of it.I'm sure what's actually happening here is the new interconnects are really letting my DLIII DAC sing to it's full potential through to my amp and I'm hearing it at the other end. _Well_ worth the, what? $60 or so I paid for these gorgeous RCA cables? (I was about to drop a reasonable $200 on a set of these from Hong Kong before I found CCC. I'm *so* glad I waited!) And I haven't even installed the K702 cable yet!
  
 And then the acid test. I installed the new cable on my K702s. The high quality 3 pin snapped right in with a confident click. Nothing sticky or loosey-goosey here. I connected the custom 702 'stinger' to the longer 'extension' cable and plugged the Furutech 1/4" into my Burson. Que Tori Amos..here come the opening piano chords and....*Ahhhhhhhh!* Oh yeah! It's all there! I can hear Tori's feet on the piano's pedals for cripe sake! I can hear her take in a breath before she begins to sing!....I spose I could hear most of this before, but now, well, it's more..._defined?_ I wrote an emial to Chris after I'd had a chance to try out the cables and I told him the same thing. _*I love em*_, but I'm really having a hard time defining the difference I'm hearing. It's definitely there and I refuse to use the tired old *"veil has lifted"*, because that's not exactly it. Is there more "treble extension"? Yeah. Maybe? Is everything just a little richer and with a little more "Presence"? I guess that's the word I'd use if I _had_ to use a word - presence. It's more perceptible with this new cable. Really? Yeah, really. I can close my eyes and imagine I'm in the front row looking up at Tori preforming. Okay, not that I couldn't do that before, just now it's just a tad _clearer_ in my minds eye. Maybe the "soundstage" opened up just a little? I don't know. So was it all worth it? *Oh hell yes.* _And twice on Sunday. _
  
 I realize I took the long way around to talk about some really great, affordable cables that I found from a guy with an Ebay store and I hope I didn't wear you out too much with my long and rambling observations. But to me, it made sense to give you a little (okay, a lot) of backgorund in order to properly convey my experience with Charleston Cable Compnay. If I sound like some schill for CCC, no dice. It's just like I said, I've gotten quite a bit of help and guidance here on Head-fi and I am *really* enjoying my new system thanks to many of your posts, comments and equipment reviews. I would be remiss not to let you know about Charleston Cable Company on Ebay. That this guy will gladly make you up some _really nice,_ custom cables for a relative song and that I'll just bet can keep up with any of the big boys you can name costing - the sky's the limit - more than Chris is asking. He's a Headfier himself. He know what quality is and he knows what you're looking for. He's a real nice guy and will actaully answer your email. And he'll make you whatever you need, the way you like it and his products *sound great!* What's better than that?
  
 Look up Charleston Cable Company and see for yourself!
  
 Best Regards and Good Sound to you!
  
 - The Texas Trader


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## Cassadian

Very nicely done.  I like the familiar feel to it and the impressions of a budding audiophile are a lot more intimate as opposed to the strict format you usually see of mids highs and low treble etc.


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## texastrader

Hey! Thanks for the comment Cassadian! You know, after I posted that and then spent the twenty minutes it took to re-read it, I felt like kind of an idiot for going on and on like that. I really meant everything I said, but I know I can get carried away and wind up with a novel - case in point. 

I just hoped SOMEONE would take the time to read through it and maybe even risk a little and check out CCC for a new headphone cable or something. The guy really did me right and I wanted to make sure to pass him on to others here. Once you see what he's got, I feel like all that would have been worth it. 

Anyway, I appreciate your comment and I hope it all works out for you! 

- The Texas Trader


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## bob81pizza

This was very well written and I did like the emotional side as well. I am looking for a cable for my HE-500s and I found the CCC site through Google. Their site is set up quite nicely with a good amount of information on it. I just came here to check to see if anyone had dealt with them before, and it seems as though you had a very positive experience. If I do buy a cable, I will definitely get one from them. Thanks for your impressions.


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## Solitary1

This is a notch-top company, sure enough. Excellent service and high quality parts. I bought a AKG K 702 cable with Auric cable and Furutech plug and could not be happier. The Auric cable is the best, beats the Cardas by a large margin. Highly recommended!


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## project86

I use Charleston Cable Company cables extensively in my system and they are great. I have Auric speaker, AC, interconnect, and USB cables, as well as Auric Ohno interconnects, power and LCD-2 cables. Charleston is up there with Toxic Cables as far as being my favorite all around cable makers. The y both have their own unique approaches, both have tons of passion and both offer great customer service.


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## Suopermanni

I've bought a few of their cables before and I haven't had any problems with them so far. The support is excellent, I must say.


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## tphillips63

I just received a cable for HD 650 ending in balanced 4 pin XLR and an XLR to 3.5mm TRRS balanced for the HM-901.  Wow!
 The cable is very well built, sounds superb.  
 He told me the TRRS was on back order so I just assumed a week or two for arrival, nope took maybe a week to arrive.


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## Subsequence

Just received a canare HD800 cable and it's solid and well made. I went from SE stock to balanced and the improvement is quite noticable, no more nasty spc sound and being balanced adds up to a nice improvement.


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## Mambosenior

Great cables at a great price! I buy from them exclusively and receive my orders in less than a week.


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## shultzee

Just received a Audeeze "audiophile" UPOCC headphone cable from Charleston Cable Co.   Wow,   love it.  Well constructed and provides detail that just wasn't there with the stock cable.  From order to delivery I had it in six days. I will buy from them again.


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## DoubleMusic

shultzee said:


> Just received a Audeeze "audiophile" UPOCC headphone cable from Charleston Cable Co.   Wow,   love it.  Well constructed and provides detail that just wasn't there with the stock cable.  From order to delivery I had it in six days. I will buy from them again.


 
 how much is it ?


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## shultzee

doublemusic said:


> how much is it ?


 
 I purchased a 5' cable and it was 235.00 .


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## Ripvanlink

mambosenior said:


> Great cables at a great price! I buy from them exclusively and receive my orders in less than a week.


 


 Hey, that avatar of yours looks like my man, Rachmaninoff, am I right?


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## Ripvanlink

I'm curious to know, do you guys who acquire headphone cables do some modifications on your phones yourselves to fit these cables or are the phones the detachable cable kind. I am not generally familiar with the phones mentioned. Mine are the Audio-technica A9000s which are not the detachable cable kind and most of the ones I'm familiar with have a cable permanently attached to one side and supplying signal that way, not the kind of design I really am fond of, btw. I would much prefer a 'y' cable connection, one for each channel.  I have been contemplating lately sending my 9000s to some company to change that configuration, as well as being able to choose the best cables and make them detachable. Can anyone tell me if such configuration offers sound improvement and is this what is referred to as balanced?


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## Earbones

If you're looking for Sennheiser-compatible cables, go Signal Cable... Much better bang for your buck than CCC. Hopefully they'll start making cables for other phones as well.
  
 I wish Blue Jeans Cable would start doing headphone cables. Heh. Maybe when hell freezes over.


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## Mambosenior

I own CCC cables for five headphones, even special-made XLR connector cables to use with speaker amps. I recommend this company highly for workmanship as well as customer service. I've always received orders in less than a week!

NOTE: I hold no interests in CCC, simply a very satisfied and long-time customer.


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## CapZap

I've come here for reviews for years and never joined or posted.  That said, your posts on CCC convinced me of the reliability and quality of their cables so I ordered the HiFiMAN Headphone Cable -- CANARE for my HE 300's.  I am stunned by the improvement in sound reproduction over the stock silver ca ble.  Just like a whole new set of headphones.  I was a cable sceptic == small minded I guess -- but no more.  Fast service, great quality and much increased joy of listening.  Have no hesitation in ordering from this company and believe that cables make the headphones.


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## Stereolab42

Another vouch for Charleston Cable. I own the top-of-the-line UPOCC for my Audeze (with the sleeving option) and it's exceptionally sturdy and well-built, and of course sounds great. Not as flashy as, say, Norne cables, but that can be a plus depending on where you want to use it. For example, I will use the Charleston at work where I don't want to draw as much attention to my stuff.


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## analog'd

and another happy Charleston Cable Company customer.
  
 the Audiophile cable for Audeze (LCD-3 later version but non fazer) just smokes the stock cable. it totally opened up the top end for me, unexpectedly. far more extended and transparent highs. sorta lifted a veil across the board (up top the most as I said). I love my LCD-3s ever since they gave me knew drivers in June 2013, but was considering sending them out to have fazer added, although not everyone agrees that it's an improvement, to give me more up top. now I absolutely don't feel the need. and my cans for comparison are senn hd800s, so my reference point for sweetness in the high end are the extremely revealing hd800s (tamed a mite with cardas cables) and my speakers which are KEF 105.2 original versions (famous for great treble). I can now go from my kefs and my senns to my lcd3s and feel no loss in highs as I had been feeling (hearing).


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## Tony1110

I placed the order for my Alpha Prime cable last Sunday and it is with me now 8 days later. I can't say anything about the cable's performance yet - I haven't tested it - but I can say that it is superbly made (in a no frills kind of way). It is also very light and flexible which suits my purposes just fine. 

The speed at which this guy works though... 8 days from the States to the UK. I had to wait 11 weeks for my Norne cable.


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## analog'd

tony1110 said:


> I placed the order for my Alpha Prime cable last Sunday and it is with me now 8 days later. I can't say anything about the cable's performance yet - I haven't tested it - but I can say that it is superbly made (in a no frills kind of way). It is also very light and flexible which suits my purposes just fine.
> 
> The speed at which this guy works though... 8 days from the States to the UK. I had to wait 11 weeks for my Norne cable.


 
 here's hoping you are just as happy with the sound! best of luck with them.


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## Tony1110

analog'd said:


> here's hoping you are just as happy with the sound! best of luck with them.
> here's hoping you are just as happy with the sound! best of luck with them.




I bought the "Audiophile" cable which is a pretty good wire. This is the second time I've bought that cable. It was what I used with my HE-500 with great results. I'm pretty confident I'll be happy with the sound.

I don't know why this guy isn't more popular around here. I'm thinking it has something to do with the lack of bright colours and fancy names. His cables are every bit as good as anything else I've had (although I do wish he'd make a bright red one.


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## RonaldDumsfeld

> I don't know why this guy isn't more popular around here


 
  
 I do. Have you seen the prices? Yes? Then so do you.
  
 Good luck to the bloke mind. $600 for a few feet of cable. Beats working.


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## Stereolab42

ronalddumsfeld said:


> I do. Have you seen the prices? Yes? Then so do you.
> 
> Good luck to the bloke mind. $600 for a few feet of cable. Beats working.


 
  
 You're deliberately misinterpreting his post. The question was obviously "I don't know why this guy isn't more popular around here... *than other high-end headphone cable makers*." The answer probably is that the cables don't look flashy. But the build and sound quality is phenomenal.


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## Tony1110

ronalddumsfeld said:


> I do. Have you seen the prices? Yes? Then so do you.
> 
> Good luck to the bloke mind. $600 for a few feet of cable. Beats working.




Lol. Yeah. But it's an expensive pastime and a lot of his competitors charge far more than he does - have you seen the DHC website? What I paid for my cable is in the upper reaches of what I would consider sane, but when you consider that the likes of Nordost are asking thousands of $ for a few feet of cable, then CCCs prices don't seem so crazy.


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## Tony1110

Cable sounds awesome BTW.


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## Hunter220

These cables look awesome, once I have some time with my Sennheiser HD650s I may consider these as an upgrade for their stock cable.
  
 Also I loved the review, I like the combination of your thoughts on the sound and the parts where you waxed poetically about your experiences becoming an audiophile.  That really resonated with me because this is part of what I love about music and the pursuit of the perfect sound.


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## Tony1110

hunter220 said:


> These cables look awesome, once I have some time with my Sennheiser HD650s I may consider these as an upgrade for their stock cable.
> 
> Also I loved the review, I like the combination of your thoughts on the sound and the parts where you waxed poetically about your experiences becoming an audiophile.  That really resonated with me because this is part of what I love about music and the pursuit of the perfect sound.




You should buy now while he's running a 15% off sale.


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## Rocket1961

Hi Guys,
  
 Just received XLR entry level cables for my Sennheiser HD650's and I'm very happy with the product.  The headphones are sound quality has vastly improved using these cables.  I live in Perth, Western Australia and I'm halfway around the world and they were quickly dispatched to me after ordering.
  
 Cheers Rod


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## Tony1110

My XLR interconnects arrived this morning. Once again, 8 days from the USA to the UK. Once again, great product. I was unsure about the nylon sleeving because I've seen it done badly on other cables. No such worries here though. They look very classy.


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## Aradea

rocket1961 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Just received XLR entry level cables for my Sennheiser HD650's and I'm very happy with the product.  The headphones are sound quality has vastly improved using these cables.  I live in Perth, Western Australia and I'm halfway around the world and they were quickly dispatched to me after ordering.
> 
> Cheers Rod


 
 How's the improvement that the Entry Level made to your HD650 compared to stock? I am looking around for a replacement cable for my Senn HD600


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## Rdrcr

I recently ordered a XLR cable and cable adapter for my HD650's from CCC.  I'm looking forward to these cables.
  
 I'll post my impressions once I get a chance to try them out.
  
 Mike


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## uncola

I ordered a balanced cable from charleston cable company months ago and like the indecisive person I am I immediately emailed and begged to cancel and they were extremely nice!


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## Samuel777

I highly recommend Charleston cable : Good quality build and large improvement on the sound quality. there is an important difference with the stock cable in term of sound and quality. i order one for my brand new H800.
 their customer service is one of the best i have ever deal with


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## Rdrcr

I have received my dual 3-Pin XLR 15' headphone cable and XLR to 1/4 TRS adapter cable from Charleston Cable Company for my HD650's.  Shipping was extremely fast! 
 These cables are truly a work of art.  I'm very impressed with the quality and craftsmanship.  Compared to other offerings, you cannot beat these cables for the price.
  
 I can't claim any improvements in sound quality but, I will say these cables sound clear and transparent.
  
 I'm very happy and will definitely buy from CCC again.
  
 Mike


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## hodgjy

I just received Chris's entry level Canare cable for my Audeze LCD-2.2F. The cable is a work of art that just screams quality. I got it for strength and longevity improvements over the stock cable. He also shipped it the same day I ordered it. Impressed all around.


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## Ultrainferno

Headfonia also published something on Charleston: http://www.headfonia.com/c3-charleston-cable-company-the-universal-cable/


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## Petrov

I have wanted to get into the listening experience of a great pair of headphones since my first encounter with true "hi-fi" [which mirrored John Atkinson's impressions in an article in Stereophile on the Audeze LCD-X, except that I got mine in 1967]:

"I well remember my first "real" headphones: a pair of Koss Pro4AAs that I bought back in 1970. The Kosses were relatively expensive, but, like headphones today, they allowed an audiophile with limited cash to get a taste of high-end sound that was not possible with a speaker-based system. I bought the Pro4AAs because I had become fascinated with how the images of the instruments and singers were strung along a line between my ears inside my head. It seemed so much more intimate—a more direct connection with the music—than playback through loudspeakers."

Since then, I have had various and sundry models like the Sennheiser HD414, the AKG K701, and the Stax Lambda Pro with the SRM-MK2 amplifier; however, they all left me wanting more, as it were. So instead I perused "the absolute surround sound" with the very first Lexicon CP-1, and sub sequentially all of their other versions, finally landing on the MC-12B EQ with a 7.2 system of very nice Italian speakers and American Subs and Amps. I am very happy with it [but not sure if my wife is].

In researching the latest headphones, custom in-ear monitors, and headphone amplifiers, I came across a link to the Charleston Cable Company as an Audeze dealer [in my home town, no less!]. Since I had never heard any of the new breed of headphones, I contacted Chris who was very accommodating with an in-home demonstration of Audeze, Hifiman, Resonessence [and of course his cables] for me and a co-worker who is very much into the 2-channel world.

I fell in love with the planar magnetic Audeze LCD-X [and have since gotten my own pair]; however, the key element in getting that "more pleasing sound" that I chase was his Audiophile Level UPOCC cables. With the stock cables, the sound was good; but with the C3 cables the sound was spectacular! The difference is not subtle. I have not tried any other of the various high-end headphone cables, and I am sure there are some very fine ones out there; however, Chris's cables are wonderful, hand-made with loving care, beautifully done and [since he is a young company] very reasonably priced for what you get [I got a 10 foot length balanced cable and a 1 foot 1/4" adapter cable]. I would urge anyone with our passion for beautiful, detailed, encompassing, emergent musical sounds to give Charleston Cable Company a try. I know that you will not be disappointed.


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## DPogster

Got the audiophile universal cables a few weeks back for my hd800 and alpha prime. I must say that the cables are well made and got to me very quickly. They are quality with good workmanship in an understated manner.

As for sound, I do hear a marked improvement over all frequencies while using the cable versus stock. Both the 800 and prime have opened up and I hear everything from treble to bass much more clearly at all listening volumes. Also, both soundstage and micro details have improved for me. There is less noise and more air between the notes. Everything just sounds a little less grainy and a little more effortless regardless of the amp or source being used. I've tested this cable on everything from my iPod/iPad, phone, computer, ak120, centrance m8, to schiit rag.

This cable is a head scratcher for me as it doesn't really change the headphones' sound in any way. The 800s sound like the 800 and the primes sound like the prime just better all around with more details comming through. I don't know if what I am saying makes sense to those of you reading this post. This cable does not color the sound of the phones that it is attached to in any way. It just makes them better overall.

In summary, I would not recommend this cable for anyone who is trying to change a phone's particular sound signature because it won't do that. What it will do is make the phone it is attached to a better phone overall. This cable takes a phone's particular sound and opens everything up allowing said phone be a better version of itself. Hopefully, this all makes sense.

Happy listening all.


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## hifimiami

Thank you Christopher for processing and delivering beautiful Cardas headphone cable promptly especially during Holidays.
  
Hifimiami


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## Cloud9Blue

.


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## Paul Vosper

I just received my 3c Universal Headphone UPOCC cable with HIfiman connects.  I love the fact that I can future proof my cable for other headphones that I might buy.  Still giving an initial listen of Peter Gabriel's Passion in 24 Bit.  Initial thoughts are that the sound is more open, like a larger soundstage.  The music seems to really "open" up.  The difference between these and the stock Hifiman cables is perceptible.  Build quality appears excellent with strong supports around the connectionsI had to replace the Hifiman cables so the difference in price between a stock hifiman cable and these cables is more than worth it.    Great product.  I am very happy with the choice.  And if you have multiple pairs of headphones or believe you may buy more in the future, the Universal option is definitely the way to go.
  
 Paul


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## majid

I bought a balanced cable (Astell&Kern style 2.5mm TRRS connector on my Onkyo DP-X1) for my HD800. The price was very reasonable at $185 for the 5' cable (entry-level Canare), as I had gotten some ballpark quotes at a Head-Fi meet and they were running into the $650 to $800 range due to the rarity of the HD800 connectors. For a $1000 DAP and $1400 headphones, that's pretty stiff.
  
 I was worried the first time as I could only hear audio from one side, but I found out the jack wasn't fully inserted and required some force to push through. Hasn't been a problem since, and I don't know if the issue was with the socket or the jack. I also worry about the durability of a 2.5mm jack but that's A&K's boneheaded design decision, not C3's fault). The player sounds phenomenal through the balanced outputs on the HD800, so count me a satisfied customer. My only problem is that I now regret not spending the extra $55 to get the teflon-insulated Cardas cable midrange version instead.
  
 Also worth mentioning is C3's excellent customer service: I had originally ordered a 3' cable as I don't like excess cords, but then thought that might be too short in some situations and asked them to bump it up to 5' (same price). Chris did so, and the order shipped the same day.


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## AlanE49

I ordered and received a Canare entry level cable from Chris to connect my Sennheiser HD-650 phones to a Ray Samuels Audio F-35 balanced portable amp. I also purchased an adapter cable from Chris that enables me to use the cable with a 1/4" single end jack connector so I can enjoy it with older amps I already own.
  
 I am using the FiiO X5 Series II player as my source with the 650s and the F-35. Since receiving the cable, I've been enjoying an assortment of jazz and classical recordings and have noticed improved fidelity, clarity and overall richness of sound.
  
 I was extremely favorably impressed by the build quality and workmanship of the cable and adapter. Chris was very responsive and informative in responding to my questions and helping me to make my decision about what I needed to order. I also received the cable and adapter relatively quickly after ordering.
  
 I am extremely pleased with this transaction and would gladly recommend Chris and C3 to anyone in need of a replacement cable, especially one that requires a specialty connector.


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## ToddVT

Just wanted to give another thumbs up to Chris and Charleston Cable Company! Just Recived my Sennheiser HD650 cable today and I must say the quality is top notch. I was thinking about going the DIY route, but I've been away from the soldering iron for a while and trying to make a nice cable isn't what you want to practice with. The responses form Chris were very fast ( on Christmas Eve to boot!) and he was great to deal with. Can't wait to get some good listening time in with my HD650!


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## Transmaniacon

toddvt said:


> Just wanted to give another thumbs up to Chris and Charleston Cable Company! Just Recived my Sennheiser HD650 cable today and I must say the quality is top notch. I was thinking about going the DIY route, but I've been away from the soldering iron for a while and trying to make a nice cable isn't what you want to practice with. The responses form Chris were very fast ( on Christmas Eve to boot!) and he was great to deal with. Can't wait to get some good listening time in with my HD650!


 
  
 Glad you are enjoying it!  Any pictures of the cable?


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## ToddVT

No sorry no good pics yet.. I just have a crappy cellphone camera and they don't come out that well. Also, I've never posted any pics here before so ide have to play around w/ it to figure it out. Maybe if I can borrow my dad's nice digital camera I'll be able to post pics.


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## TexasBuck

Another satisfied customer of C3 Audio...and then some.  I recently traded out my Audeze pre-fazor LCD-2 for a 2016 Audeze XC since I needed a closed phone.  However, the XC had overly bright, harsh treble that took away clarity and distorted many recordings.  I tried swapping the standard pads with Vegan pads, also tried some dampening materials.  Mild improvements but not solutions. I was on the verge of selling when C3 cable was recommended to me here on Head-Fi.
  
 I purchased a C3 Cardas cable and instantly, the XC's sounded like the premium headphone they are.  They are still a bit bright (Which I expected from the 2016 model vs the pre fazor) but no longer harsh and are now extremely detailed with excellent clarity.  In short, they are very enjoyable to listen to now.  The improvement was so dramatic and the change in sound - so night and day, I questioned if my stock cable was faulty.  I was so impressed with the sound, I decided to get another cable from C3.
  
 I got a UPOCC cable for my Senn HD800S.  This is the 2nd cable upgrade I tried for the Senns.  The first was a Double Helix OCC copper cable.  It is lightweight and doesn't kink like the stock cable is prone to do, but the sound is similar to the stock cable.  Different story with the C3 UPOCC cable. My HD800S already sounded great but they've gone to another level.  Details are even more micro.  The clarity is just ridiculous and the sound seems more full.  It's endgame for me.
  
 C3's cables are no frills and pretty basic to look at but the quality is fantastic and for the price, they provide better value than I've seen anywhere.  Sound trumps all for me and C3 Cable delivers in a big way.  Throw in the fast, friendly and responsive service from Chris Lacour and you have a combination that's hard to beat.  I highly recommend C3 cables.


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## marksaus

I just received my 
Sennheiser HD 650/600 Headphone Cable -- CANARE
*Length:* 6'
*Sleeving:* Standard Jacket
*Connector:* 4 Pin XLR
 
to replace a set of ZY's that failed after a week. 
 
Beside's Chris's awesome customer service, the cable is beautifully constructed, and sounds amazing. It literally erased the veil, opened up the bass, even tamed the treble. I am blown away. Makes the other cable sound and look like a coat hanger.
 
Highly recommended.


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## SEABREEZE

Went to C3 Audio could not find any contact info.. Anyone have a email address....
  
 Thx
  
  
 Anyone have any experience of C3 Audio cables and Stefan Audio Art cables....Just wondering how they measure up to one another..


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## SDBiotek

There's a question form at the bottom of the page, and an email address listed in the FAQs...did you even look at the website?Or is it different on mobile?


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## Fred Wang

Has anyone actually heard the different cables? I'm wondering how much of a difference is there in the three cables. I'm currently looking at the Cardas (mid-level) cables, and wondered if it's worth saving up a bit more for the UPOCC cable.


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## TexasBuck

fred wang said:


> Has anyone actually heard the different cables? I'm wondering how much of a difference is there in the three cables. I'm currently looking at the Cardas (mid-level) cables, and wondered if it's worth saving up a bit more for the UPOCC cable.


 
 I have the Cardas for my Audeze XC and the UPOCC for my Senn 800S.  The Cardas is more of a "warm" upgrade whereas the UPOCC is more of a neutral upgrade.  Both sound great and more than subtly improved the sound of both headphones.
  
 I thought the treble was too hot which was negatively impacting the clarity on my XC's.  The Cardas cable has worked very well to take the edge off the treble and add resolution.  The UPOCC for my 800S improved clarity and resolution but didn't significantly impact the sound signature overall.
  
 I'd probably save for the UPOCC if you already love the sound signature of your current headphones.  The Cardas would be a great choice to add some warmth, if that's what you are looking for.


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## Fred Wang

texasbuck said:


> I have the Cardas for my Audeze XC and the UPOCC for my Senn 800S.  The Cardas is more of a "warm" upgrade whereas the UPOCC is more of a neutral upgrade.  Both sound great and more than subtly improved the sound of both headphones.
> 
> I thought the treble was too hot which was negatively impacting the clarity on my XC's.  The Cardas cable has worked very well to take the edge off the treble and add resolution.  The UPOCC for my 800S improved clarity and resolution but didn't significantly impact the sound signature overall.
> 
> I'd probably save for the UPOCC if you already love the sound signature of your current headphones.  The Cardas would be a great choice to add some warmth, if that's what you are looking for.


 
 Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm running the Audeze EL-8O (2016 revision), which, supposedly, has a good deal of the LCD-2 characteristics with a lower price/more comfort. I tried the LCD-2's with the stock cable and they didn't sound different enough for me to buy those over the EL-8. I've heard the XC has more pronounced treble as is, so, maybe the UPOCC may be more appropriate since I don't have any complaints about the sound signature, and the EL-8's sound decently warm as it is..

 So, it seems like the UPOCC offers a more clean sound to you?


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## TexasBuck

fred wang said:


> So, it seems like the UPOCC offers a more clean sound to you?


 
 Yes.  The Charleston Cable Company UPOCC is the 2nd cable I tried for my Senn 800S.  The first was an entry level Double Helix OCC cable.  I found it to be pretty comparable to the stock cable.  The Charleston Cable Company UPOCC cable was a clear improvement.  The sound signature is still the same, but it's just more clear, more natural, better separation.... Just better across the board.  Not dramatic but easily noticeable.


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## chimney189 (Sep 23, 2017)

I just received up a used UPOCC cable from C3 Audio for my LCD-2 Rev. 2.2 Pre-fazor headphone.
I was a disbeliever when it came to believing that cable upgrades had any effect on audio quality.
I have been proven wrong, and I'm glad!  Superb build quality on top of improved detail in the mid-range, bass and treble.  Even the soundstage has been widened!

I highly recommend picking up a cable from C3 Audio.


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