# TOUR CLOSED - Null Audio Premium Upgrade IEM Cables Head-Fi Tour - Starting December 2017



## Barra (Dec 16, 2017)

After all the TOTL CIEM tours I have hosted, I have only once seen a stock cable that matches the quality of the featured TOTL CIEM regardless of price. Some are garbage, some are good enough, but none seem to be premium enough to leave as is. The cable look can make or break the experience. There are a few notable exceptions that offer multiple connectors to fit our assortment of connection needs - thank you DITA - but mostly there is only a 3.5mm option that will not work with our balanced Sony/AK DAPs to hear our toys at their best. Of course, many swear by the improved SQ or signature tuning that premium cables offer. For all these reasons and more, premium cables become an obvious question after a TOTL CIEM purchase.

To see what an upgrade cable can do for our new CIEMs purchases, Null Audio has graciously offered to provide a compelling tour kit that tour members can audition.






https://www.null-audio.com/collections/iem-headphone-cable







*US Premium IEM Cable Tour, Featuring:*

Null Audio is providing us with a nice full range of cables terminated in balanced AK2.5 with a 3.5mm and a 4.4mm adaptor so we can listen to all our gear. Even better, they are in both 2pin and mmcx so every CIEM option is covered. The Vitesse is even cryo treated so I am expecting great things.

*Cables*:

*Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC, Pure Silver (2pin) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($399 SGD)*
*Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC, Pure Silver (mmcx) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($399 SGD)*

*Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC, Pure Copper (2pin) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($249 SGD)*
*Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC, Pure Copper (mmcx) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($249 SGD)*

*Arete MKIII, OCC Cast 7N 48 Strand Copper (2pin) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($99 SGD)*
*Arete MKIII, OCC Cast 7N 48 Strand Copper  (mmcx) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($99 SGD)*

*Lune MKVI, OCC Cast Silver/rare Metal Alloy, Litz 4 (2pin) -* 2.5mm TRRS connector *($149 SGD)*

*Lune MKVI, OCC Cast Silver/rare Metal Alloy, Litz 4 (mmcx) - *2.5mm TRRS connector *($149 SGD)*
*Adapters*:

*Hyper Short 2.5mm-3.5mm converter ($29.95 SGD)*
*Hyper Short 2.5mm-4.4mm converter ($29.95 SGD)*
*Cable Descriptions:

Vitesse Silver*
Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC-A Pure Silver Earphone Cable utilizes the specially made 7N purity CGOCC-A silver wires with a gauge of 23AWG and an amazing 148 strands of a fine silver conductor. It is 8 wire braided to minimize cross interference and insulated with ultra flexible silicone sleeve.

Vitesse Series Earphone Cable utilizes a special type of metal conductors, which are Crystallized Grown by Ohno Continuous Casting Processed and then Critical Temperature Annealed. The wiring underwent cryogenic treatment to further reduce residual stress, resistance and enhance music signal transmission.

The special processed metal conductor has a single crystal structure. The process re-heats the extrusion in the crystal structure as the molten metal is forced out of the mold and very slowly and gradually draws the grain or crystal down the conductor's length, creating a 'single crystal structure'. The improvement is significant, with almost no crystal boundaries, the audio signal is no longer impeded down the wire and resulting in much less signal distortion and decay. More information and detail is delivered as much as original to the receiving equipment.

The percentage reduction of area on our cable is increased by 414% and elongation characteristic is improved by 239%. Resistivity on our cable is 31.7% less than regular process wire, the gas impurity is reduced to 5ppm(O2) and 0.25ppm(H2), which significantly reduces signal attenuation and helps a faithful transmission of the signal.

*Vitesse Copper*
Vitesse Cryo 7N CGOCC-A Copper Earphone Cable utilizes the specially made 7N purity CGOCC-A wires with a gauge of 23AWG and an amazing 144 strands of fine copper conductor. It is 8 wire braided to minimize cross interference and insulated with ultra flexible silicone sleeve.

Vitesse Series Earphone Cable utilizes a special type of metal conductors, which are Crystallized Grown by Ohno Continuous Casting processed and then Critical Temperature Annealed. The wiring underwent cryogenic treatment to further reduce residual stress, resistance and enhance music signal transmission.

The special processed metal conductor has a single crystal structure. The process re-heats the extrusion in the crystal structure as the molten metal is forced out of the mold and very slowly and gradually draws the grain or crystal down the conductor's length, creating a 'single crystal structure'. The improvement is significant, with almost no crystal boundaries, the audio signal is no longer impeded down the wire and resulting in much less signal distortion and decay. More information and detail is delivered as much as original to the receiving equipment.

The percentage reduction of area on our cable is increased by 414% and elongation characteristic is improved by 239%. Resistivity on our cable is 31.7% less than regular process wire, the gas impurity is reduced to 5ppm(O2) and 0.25ppm(H2), which significantly reduces signal attenuation and helps a faithful transmission of the signal.

*Arete MKIII*
The Arete Series MKIII Cable is made of premium grade multi-stranded OCC material conductor. Combined with elastic insulation material, Arete series cable offers the most flexible (when selecting with Nylon sleeve) earphone cable solution on market. The cable itself is quad braided to reduce low range distortion and interference for max performance and offers dynamic and euphonic sound presentation.This cable carries very little memory effect nor microphonics. If you are looking for a cable for extreme comfort and mobile/outdoor usage, this is the best solution for you!

_What is changed in the MKIII generation?_

OCC cast 7N copper conductors - total 48 strands per wire
Ultra-durable TPE insulator, chemical repellant
Copper bodied IEM connector(For 2PIN/MMCX/A2DC), Y-Splitter, 3.5/2.5mm connectors
The cable also optionally includes a dual mode inline remote that supports both iOS and major Android devices. The remote is equipped with premium MEMS microphone which offers crystal clear call quality.

*Lune MKVI*
The Lune utilizes specially made silver wires with chemi-resistant TPE sleeving as high-performance conductors, braided to reduce low range and interference noises. It minimizes transmission phase shifts and distortions while providing immense clarity over the sound realm with better depth, width, image focus and finer low range resolution. The Lune is of extreme lightweight, terminated with high-quality audio connectors.  This is a very sharp looking cable and serves as the best IEM replacement cable on market. 

_What is changed in the MKIV generation?_

OCC cast silver/rare metal alloy conductor, same secret recipe, now OCC cast.
Litz 4 configured conductors - Four individual 18-strand conductors, total 72 strands per wire, 288 strands per cable.
Four individual braids surround a center Kevlar reinforcement fibre core for maximum tensile strength and durability
Ultra clear and durable TPE insulator
Copper bodied IEM connector(For 2PIN/MMCX/A2DC), Y-Splitter, 3.5/2.5mm connectors
This cable also optionally includes a dual mode inline remote that supports both iOS and major Android devices. The remote is equipped with premium MEMS microphone which offers crystal clear call quality.


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## Barra (Dec 16, 2017)

*Tour Logistics (7 Day Audition)
Logistically Friendly Portion*: The initial participant list is organized logistically at the end of sign-ups to minimize shipping costs and shipping time and will start on the West Coast and go East. The tour will begin with the first in the list for a 7-day audition. Thereafter each participant will be responsible to deliver or ship the demo kit to the next participant in the list.
*Latecomers*: Participants that join following the logistically friendly portion will come first come first serve and be added to a latecomers list. The tour will continue from the first list to the latecomers' list at the conclusion of the initial portion.
*Additional Kits*: If the tour grows large enough that we get additional kits, we will add the second kit to the end of the logistically friendly list and work toward the middle or in some fashion that is deemed fair.



*Participation Rules*
Please remember to do your part as a participant:

*Upon Receipt - Announce: *Please announce receipt and condition to the thread so we can follow the tour kits progress.
*Upon Receipt - PM Next 3: *Please immediately PM the next three participants in the tour to arrange to ship ASAP. By PMing the next three, you have multiple choices in case one is unavailable, but please give precedence to the tour order when possible.
*Trading Places*: Please work out trading places between yourselves when required. As long as everyone affected approves, I am happy to allow everyone to make special arrangements.
*Impressions*: Impressions help to keep the thread interesting even if you do not like them if you explain why. Sometimes we can help to fix any issues - pairing, cleaning, etc.
*Shipping Ontime*: It is each participants responsibility to ship out on time on the 8th day. This means actively PMing the next or next 3 participants to get a viable destination prior to the 8th day.
*Proper Shipping*: It is everyone's responsibility to only ship to a viable participant with follow up info just in case:
*NO PO Addresses*: Must be a real address where the item can be tracked to a person.
*Phone Numbers*: Participants must provide phone numbers and emails so that there is a channel of communication in case of issues.
*Tracking Number*: It is critical to PM a tracking number to the receiving participant so that the recipient can arrange for the receipt - especially with signature required.
*Signature Required*: To avoid the high cost of insuring, we have opted to go signature required to track receipt to a real individual. This is required in shipping out the kit.

*Enjoy*: Please enjoy your time with the demo kit. It is a unique experience to be able to hear these fabulous toys in the comfort of your own home and with your music and equipment so please take full advantage and let us know how it works for you.



*Tour Sign Up*
To sign up for this tour, please post your name, city, and state only – no personal address in the public forum – and then declare that you agree to follow the terms of the tour. That’s it. We reserve the right to turn down the application if we find a cause but hope to accommodate all those US Head-Fi’ers that are interested.

*Contact Info Requirement*:
Due to some raised concerns, I will be collecting contact information on each participant in the tour through a PM sent to me at @Barra.
*
Contact Info to Send: *- please PM to @Barra:

*Copy/scan/photo of ID*: We need a photo of your drivers license or passport.
*Complete Home Contact Info - Phone/Address*
*Complete Work Contract Info - Phone/Address*
*Already Sent from other Tour?*: Many of you have already been on my other tours and have already gone through the process of providing contact info. If this is the case, please help me out by forwarding the previous PM again and you are good to go. This new HeadFi system makes searching PMs very difficult and given the tours I have been hosting, my PMs are vast.

*Sign Up Now*: Signups begin now and will remain open during the tour welcoming late comers. However, we reserve the right to end signups at any time so please don’t hesitate or you may lose out. The tour will start when we have enough participants to create a reasonable list. Have fun!

*Example Sign up Post*: *From Barra*_: I live in Anthem, AZ and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour._


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## Barra (Jul 10, 2018)

*Tour Participant List*
We hope to gather our list over the next few weeks to build logistics into our tour order. However, the tour will be starting in Seattle first and may start before we close our participation requests. We may add more as it makes sense, but later logistics will be first come first serve so likely to make postage more expensive. The good news is that we will do our best to accommodate all US Head-Fiers that wish to participate.

*US Tour (Name/Location):*

*+ @Barra - Anthem, AZ - Shipped to @ericr : 1/8/18*
*+ @ericr - Issaquah, WA - Received from @Barra : 1/11/18, Shipped to @Land-O-The-Free : 1/18/18*
*+ @Land-O-The-Free - Wenatchee, WA - Received from @ericr : 1/25/18, Shipping to @hattrick15 : 2/2/18*
*+ @hattrick15 - Palo Alto, CA >>> Received from @Land-O-The-Free : 2/10/18, Shipped to @GTecX :2/17/18*
*+ @GTecX - Pomona, CA >>> Received from @hattrick15 : 2/22/18. Shipped to @kubedzero : 3/2/18*
*+ @kubedzero - San Fancisco, CA >>> Received from @GTecX : 3/6/18, Shipped to @Blueshound24 : 3/13/18*
*+ @Blueshound24 - Sioux Falls, SD >>> Received from @kubedzero : 3/16/18, Shipped to @ngoshawk : 4/2/18*
*+ @ngoshawk - Warrensbirg, MO >>> Received from @Blueshound24 : 4/6/18, Shipped to @faithguy19 : 4/16/18*
*+ @faithguy19 - Merrillville, IN >>> Received from @ngoshawk : 4/19/18, Shipped to @rantng : 4/26/18*
*+ @rantng - Brooklyn, NY >>> Received from @faithguy19 : 4/28/18, Shipped to @SilverEars : 5/9/18*
*+ @SilverEars - Boston, MA >>> Received from @rantng : 5/11/18, Shipped to @koven : 5/21/18*
*Latecomers*:

*+ @kubig123 - Englewood Cliffs, NJ >>> Dropped from Participating*
*+ @ExpiredLabel - Portland, OR >>> Skipped - Opted out*
*+ @koven - San Jose, CA >>> Received from @SilverEars : 5/23/18, Shipped to @guani360 : 6/1/18*
*+ @guani360 - Port Saint Lucie, FL >>> Received from @koven : 6/4/18, shipped to @Ike1985 : 6/12/18*
*+ @Ike1985 - Elizabethtown, KY >>> Received from @guani360 : ?, Shipped to @Barra : 7/10/18*
*+ @Barra - Anthem, AZ >>> Received from @Ike1985 : ?*


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## Barra

I live in Anthem, AZ and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.


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## faithguy19 (Dec 16, 2017)

I live in Merrillville, Indiana and agree to the terms of the tour. I would like to participate in the tour.


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## kubedzero

I live in San Francisco, CA and agree to the terms of the tour. I would like to participate in the tour. I will be available starting January 5, 2018 so if by chance I am placed in the schedule ahead of that, others are free to go in front of me 

As always, thanks @Barra for setting this up! Really curious to see if I can notice a difference on the AAW A2H Pro V2s I just received yesterday


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## Land-O-The-Free

I live in Wenatchee, WA and agree to the terms of the tour. I would greatly appreciate participating in the tour.


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## ljnew

I live in Chicago, IL and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.


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## SilverEars

Sign me up! I live in Boston, MA and agree to the terms of the tour.


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## rantng

I live in Brooklyn, NY and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.


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## hattrick15

I live in Palo Alto, CA and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.


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## ngoshawk

I live in Warrensbirg, MO and would like to sign up. I agree to all terms and conditions. Thanks @Barra!


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## ericr

I live in Issaquah, WA and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.

Thanks!


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## GTecX

I live in Pomona, CA and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.


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## Blueshound24

I live in Sioux Falls, SD and agree to the terms of the tour. I would like to participate in the tour. Thanks @Barra !


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## Barra

Ready..... Set.......
Hey tour participants, as you can see from the tour members post 3, I have updated the tour to add everyone in logistical order. I have also added a "+" in front of everyone that provided the required contact info. We have everyone but three so far so we are almost ready to start. I will give a couple more days to collect the remaining contact info and will then kick off the tour on the West coast to EricR in Seattle. I can tell you so far that the cables make a difference. Will follow up soon with some initial thoughts to warm things up.


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## rantng

Thanks for the update @Barra. Excited for this tour. I currently own  Arete & Lune cables & can't wait to try out Vitesse. IMHO Null Audio cables are an amazing value.


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## ngoshawk

Excellent! Thanks, @Barra!


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## Barra

Official Kickoff
The kit is officially shipped to @ericr today arriving on Wednesday. We are officially kicked off. Please let us know when you get it Eric.


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## ngoshawk

Excellent! WooHOO!


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## kubig123

I leave in NYC, I'm very interested to be part of the tour, if its' still possible.


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## Barra

kubig123 said:


> I leave in NYC, I'm very interested to be part of the tour, if its' still possible.


Sure, no problem, just PM me your contact info and a picture of your driver's license per the instructions and I will add you to the list.


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## kubig123

Barra said:


> Sure, no problem, just PM me your contact info and a picture of your driver's license per the instructions and I will add you to the list.



Thanks, I'm really excited!!!


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## ericr

The kit arrived Thursday.  The Post Office managed to crunch the shipping box, but the contents are in good shape.




8 cables and 2 adapters.


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## kubedzero

Looking forward to hearing what people have hooked these up to. I only have phones/computers to drive and no fancy DAC or amp or anything, so I'm curious what benefits or drawbacks a TRRS balanced cable will have on my "setup." 

Also, does anyone know if there are specs for MMCX or 2 pin connectors that dictate the rated number of connections? In mechanical keyboard hot-swap switches, the sockets are usually only rated for 100 insertions/withdrawals so I am curious i anyone knows if these cables will get "worn out" with all the tour activity going on.


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## Barra

kubedzero said:


> Looking forward to hearing what people have hooked these up to. I only have phones/computers to drive and no fancy DAC or amp or anything, so I'm curious what benefits or drawbacks a TRRS balanced cable will have on my "setup."
> 
> Also, does anyone know if there are specs for MMCX or 2 pin connectors that dictate the rated number of connections? In mechanical keyboard hot-swap switches, the sockets are usually only rated for 100 insertions/withdrawals so I am curious i anyone knows if these cables will get "worn out" with all the tour activity going on.


These cables are usually the last mile when speaking of audio quality benefits requiring the rest of the chain to be right to hear the benefit. However, comfort, appearance, and the convenience of new connection options - 2.5mm, 4.4mm, or any other balanced option may be a good enough reason by itself. While I have never seen a manufacturer insertion rating on a CIEM cable, the CIEM socket is the weak point that needs to be considered where you may want to consider limiting insertions or risk loose connections in the future. However, the pin size varies so larger pins can eliminate that issue as well.


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## ericr

OK, @Land-O-The-Free has kindly given me his address and phone number.

I will be shipping these on to him at the end of the week.


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## Land-O-The-Free

Hello all,

I just received the kit from @ericr and have reached out to the next three members on the list. I will update once I have been contacted and they have been shipped to the next on the list. Thanks!


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## Land-O-The-Free

Just sent @hattrick15 the tracking number. USPS 2-Day should reach him by monday or tuesday. Thanks again @Barra!


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## Land-O-The-Free

Hey everyone, just wanted to stay up to date. Unfortunately for some reason unbeknownst to me, my Postman decided not to take the package yesterday. I work 13 hour days, 6 days a week, outside of town, so getting to my local USPS is not a viable option for me. So I guess this package won't be making it's way to @hattrick15 until tomorrow. Sorry for the delay and I will update once it is on it's way for certain! Thanks.


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## ngoshawk

Land-O-The-Free said:


> Hey everyone, just wanted to stay up to date. Unfortunately for some reason unbeknownst to me, my Postman decided not to take the package yesterday. I work 13 hour days, 6 days a week, outside of town, so getting to my local USPS is not a viable option for me. So I guess this package won't be making it's way to @hattrick15 until tomorrow. Sorry for the delay and I will update once it is on it's way for certain! Thanks.



These things happen. thanks for the update, and my hope is that your "day off" is spent relaxing with your favorite music...


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## hattrick15

Package was received.  Everything looks to be in great shape.


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## hattrick15

I'll be sending out the cables to @GTecX today.

Question:  Does anyone know if the "L" and "R" that are on the connectors supposed to face inward (toward the ear) or outward (away from the ear)?  On the cables that retain their shape, its clear that others have been wearing them with the "L"/"R" facing inward.  But on the cables that don't retain their shape, I've tried them both ways and to my ears it sounds better with the "L"/"R" facing outward.


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## hattrick15

The tour kit was sent today to @GTecX  and tracking info has been sent to him.


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## koven

Hi Barra could you add me? I live in Santa Clara, CA. Agree to terms and want to participate. Thanks!


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## ExpiredLabel

@Barra I hope its not too late to be considered for this tour, I had initially ignored it as I quickly skimmed and saw 2 pin (which I fail to have any IEMS that utilize this config). However, after actually reading I see they included MMCX. I would love to demo out some cables from a company Im not too familiar with. As always thanks for the consideration and I understand if I missed the boat on this one.
Regards

If by some reason I haven't, then I ExpiredLabel Agree to the terms and conditions set forth and reside in Portland, Oregon.

Thanks


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## ExpiredLabel

Not gonna lie, reading the vitesse Silver, Im curious if it can bring a touch more resolution and even more refinement to my current setup. Ive been happy with the Alo Audio Ref8 cable which I got for a crazy steal. However, I can't help thinking there is a cable out there and can marry my 901s and Z5 even more. Im determined to take this sucker to new heights


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## Barra

koven said:


> Hi Barra could you add me? I live in Santa Clara, CA. Agree to terms and want to participate. Thanks!





ExpiredLabel said:


> @Barra I hope its not too late to be considered for this tour, I had initially ignored it as I quickly skimmed and saw 2 pin (which I fail to have any IEMS that utilize this config). However, after actually reading I see they included MMCX. I would love to demo out some cables from a company Im not too familiar with. As always thanks for the consideration and I understand if I missed the boat on this one.
> Regards
> 
> If by some reason I haven't, then I ExpiredLabel Agree to the terms and conditions set forth and reside in Portland, Oregon.
> ...



Hey guys, happy to add you. However, this tour and all going forward, I am requiring a copy of a drivers license along with phone number, email, work/home addresses. We have had a few problems lately that unfortunately are pushing us this direction. Please PM me this info and I will add you immediately. Please keep this PM handy so you can reuse for other tours.

I may have already gotten this info from you guys from another tour. If this is the case, just PM me again on that thread so I can find it. This new HeadFi system is not the easiest to search and I have a ton of PMs given all the tour logistics.  Thanks, Bill


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## Barra

ExpiredLabel said:


> Not gonna lie, reading the vitesse Silver, Im curious if it can bring a touch more resolution and even more refinement to my current setup. Ive been happy with the Alo Audio Ref8 cable which I got for a crazy steal. However, I can't help thinking there is a cable out there and can marry my 901s and Z5 even more. Im determined to take this sucker to new heights


What I am finding is that the 8 wire version of these cables has an effect of super-sizing the presentation to feel more HP-like - where going back to the stock cable it feels like I am listening through a small straw. I am also finding that I am enjoying the stout-ness of the 8 wire cable where I don't have to deal with constant tangles. While there are other material differences, they are much smaller - last 3% like you would expect. I am also finding that there is a larger effect on some CIEMs than others so the pairing is a bigger deal than I originally thought.


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## ExpiredLabel

Barra said:


> Hey guys, happy to add you. However, this tour and all going forward, I am requiring a copy of a drivers license along with phone number, email, work/home addresses. We have had a few problems lately that unfortunately are pushing us this direction. Please PM me this info and I will add you immediately. Please keep this PM handy so you can reuse for other tours.
> 
> I may have already gotten this info from you guys from another tour. If this is the case, just PM me again on that thread so I can find it. This new HeadFi system is not the easiest to search and I have a ton of PMs given all the tour logistics.  Thanks, Bill




PM sent


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## Barra

ExpiredLabel said:


> PM sent


Added to tour


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## ExpiredLabel (Feb 19, 2018)

Nvm. Went back double checked. Looking at 60 days roughly until I receive. Cool beans. Look forward to it


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## guani360

I live in Port Saint Lucie, Florida and agree to the terms of the tour. I would like to participate in the tour if still possible!


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## Barra

guani360 said:


> I live in Port Saint Lucie, Florida and agree to the terms of the tour. I would like to participate in the tour if still possible!


added


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## GTecX

Received the kit from @hattrick15 yesterday.


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## Barra

Hey Guys, any thoughts/impressions/reviews yet? I would be interested to hear what everyone is thinking and how they are testing the multiple cables.


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## GTecX

Package is on its way to @kubedzero


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## kubedzero

Just signed for the package. 4 cases inside, 2 cables each for a total of 8. Will dig into it more later, along with contacting the next people on the list.


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## ExpiredLabel

GameON!


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## kubedzero

All right, it's shipping day! I heard from @Blueshound24, the next person on the list, so I'll be sending it out to them later today.


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## Barra

kubedzero said:


> All right, it's shipping day! I heard from @Blueshound24, the next person on the list, so I'll be sending it out to them later today.


Thoughts?


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## kubedzero

Couldn't tell a difference between any of them. Granted, I had A2H Pro V2s and SE215s to work with, neither of which seems to resolve much detail as TOTL IEMs I've listened to. Will post more thoughts on the weight/feel differences though, as that's all I was able to discern between the different models


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## Blueshound24

Cables received: four boxes, two cables per box.
@hattrick15 , did you ever find out proper orientation of the L/R? I didn't see anyone answer your question.



hattrick15 said:


> *Question:  Does anyone know if the "L" and "R" that are on the connectors supposed to face inward (toward the ear) or outward (away from the ear)?*  On the cables that retain their shape, its clear that others have been wearing them with the "L"/"R" facing inward.  But on the cables that don't retain their shape, I've tried them both ways and to my ears it sounds better with the "L"/"R" facing outward.


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## kubedzero

My Null Audio/AAW IEMs were sent to me with the cable already installed, and the markings faced inwards towards my head.


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## hattrick15

Blueshound24 said:


> Cables received: four boxes, two cables per box.
> @hattrick15 , did you ever find out proper orientation of the L/R? I didn't see anyone answer your question.



Nope.


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## Blueshound24

kubedzero said:


> My Null Audio/AAW IEMs were sent to me with the cable already installed, and the markings faced inwards towards my head.



Well, I suppose facing inward should be correct then.


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## Blueshound24

I have PM'd the next three participants, (per the instructions on the first page), and the next one on the list, @ngoshawk, has responded so I will get them sent off with "signature required" and will provide the tracking number when I get it. I have not really had any experience with after market headphone cables so this has been an eyeopener of an experience for me, and as soon as I can put a few words together from my notes I will post them. Thanks @Barra for setting up this tour....  except now I may have to buy some new cables


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## Blueshound24

The cables have been sent and tracking number has been PM'd to @ngoshawk as well. Thanks @Barra


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## ngoshawk

Cables in my possession. Thank you!


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## ngoshawk

So far I have used the Vitesse (silver), Lune & Arete all on my Kinera SEED. The Vitesse did not provide much change (I think it was well above the SEED), while both the Lune & Arete provide positive changes, especially since all are balanced cables.

The Lune provides a rich full bass to the SEED, which was ALMOST there with with stock cable. A nice darker sound is had with that. The Arete provides that but a little less so...and to me would be a better match, as I would be loath to spend 2x the price of the IEM when it sits at the $50 USD price-point. So, for $125 USD, the SEED/Arete make a very nice combination.


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## Blueshound24 (Jun 19, 2018)

I am not very good at describing my audio experience, but I’ll give it a go.

Of course, it being the most expensive, I had to try out the Vitesse Silver first. All my comparisons were with my 64 Audio U18t and its stock cable.

*Vitesse Silver*

The first thing that got my attention with the Vitesse Silver was how smooth and flowing it sounded. The highs had a shimmer to it that just flowed like warm melted butter, and actually had less sibilance than the stock U18t cables. Then what I noticed next was its deep and wide soundstage, it just sounded bigger than the stock cable. Voices had more texture and seemed more natural as well. The Silver was faster with good snap and slam and not just the highs but throughout the frequency range, but yet smoother as said before. Separation and imaging was cleaner with more air around instruments.


*Vitesse copper*

The Vitesse copper was somewhat similar to the Silver, but less of everything I described above. It had a smaller soundstage, slower with less snap, a little rolled off in the treble and not as smooth and buttery as the Silver. To me it didn’t sound coherent, I’m not sure how else to describe it.


*Lune silver plated copper*

The Lune was my fav because I actually preferred its signature to the Vitesse Silver as well as it is at a better price point. It was also not quite as smooth and buttery, but that’s ok with me because it seemed to provide a little more sharpness with more perceived detail and excitement. It, like the Silver, excelled with “air” between instruments, space of the acoustic, slam with good flow. The Lune seemed a little more organic and natural than the Silver to me.


*Arete*

I don’t have much to say about the Arete. It seemed very similar to the stock cable that comes with the U18t with a small soundstage, less separation, a little rolled off treble, but yet seemed a little harsh compared to the other Tour cables.


*U18t Stock cable*

As mentioned above, very similar to the Arete.


One thing I did not like about the Null cables was the straight plugs. My preference is for plugs with a 90 degree bend. That seems safer especially when going mobile. With straight plugs it just seems like they stick out more and may be prone to catch on something making it easier to break the plug or the socket they plug into. However, I think you can order cables with 90 degree angle plugs from Null Audio.

After experiencing good after market cables I am struck with how much more enjoyable my IEM’s are with them in the chain, and I am seriously considering buying the Lune. Thanks to Null Audio and @Barra  for putting this together and making this tour possible.


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## Ike1985

Don't know if I'm too late to be added but I would love to.  Thanks


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## Barra

Ike1985 said:


> Don't know if I'm too late to be added but I would love to.  Thanks


Added


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## Ike1985

I agree to the terms of the tour.


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## ngoshawk

The Null cables will go out Monday to @faithguy19. Apologies for the delay. And I am thoroughly enjoying my time with them!

Cheers.


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## ngoshawk

Cables sent today to @faithguy19 USPS, insured sig req’d, arriving Th. More details on my thoughts, later. Daughters HS Futbol match calls!

Thanks @Barra, and I will reiterate here you are being more than fair. Well done, sir.


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## faithguy19

Cables are in my possession! PM will go to next participant in the morning.


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## goodvibes

I just ordered a Null Audio Ethos cable while on sale for giggles. Would you like a comment on it in this thread after I run it in? Their IEM cable DIY connector may not look like much but it's VG quality and takes large gauge cables without those huge barrels most use. Makes for a clean fit over the ear.


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## faithguy19

@rantng has responded and so I will send these his way next. Should be next Thursday


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## Barra

goodvibes said:


> I just ordered a Null Audio Ethos cable while on sale for giggles. Would you like a comment on it in this thread after I run it in? Their IEM cable DIY connector may not look like much but it's VG quality and takes large gauge cables without those huge barrels most use. Makes for a clean fit over the ear.


Absolutely, we would love to hear what you think!


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## faithguy19

These are on their way to rantng


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## faithguy19

Some thoughts on these cables.  Overall, I was very impressed with the quality and overall sound from the cables.  While I tend to believe that cables often do not make a huge difference in sound the truth is that I fell in love with one of these cables.  My main iems at the moment are the Vega and the K10.  I had an opportunity to try the cables out with each.  I tried the Vitesse out (both copper and silver) and discovered that both were solid offerings and good value overall.  I found the Vitesse to be very smooth and pleasing to listen to.  They were not the best pairing for me though.  I must admit to falling in love with the Lune cable.  I thought it paired beautifully with my Vega.  In fact I will probably be purchasing this cable in the near future once funds allow.  I must admit that I did not test the arete.  It did not look comfortable at all to me and I have discovered that comfort means alot to me when it comes to long listening experiences.  I was also part of the Beat audio cable tour and while these Null Audio do not compete in terms of ergonomics I felt like sonically they were pretty close and at a much cheaper price.


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## rantng (Apr 28, 2018)

Package received from @faithguy19 Everything looks good so far, 8 cables with 2 adapters in total. I actually already own the Arete in MMCX & 2-pin configuration, as well as Lune cables (these get used almost daily), as well as an older 4-braid Vitesse copper 2-pin. I've PMed @SilverEars


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## goodvibes (May 1, 2018)

Barra said:


> Absolutely, we would love to hear what you think!


So, I've had the Ethos for a week or so. IT'S COMING AROUND TO BEING A VERY GOOD CABLE. I wanted to emphasize that 1st instead of starting at the beginning because before it had some hours on it, it was a bit dark and congested. It now has something like 50 to 75 hours on it and it's cleared out, opened up and become nicely balanced. This is not ear burn in. I am running them in on one IEM and switching them over my main pair in place of my normal cable for a few minute listen and then back to the burnin rig. The change is quite noticeable here without a compare but obviously, I'm comparing to another selected cable that I have been using for a while. The Ethos has come around to a 'normal' balance with greater weight than a stock cable and is better overall to any stock cable I've heard and that includes things like what comes with 64 etc. It needs to get a bit blacker to be special but I suspect that will come with more hours. I've had cables that took over 200 hrs to settle in and this seems like it may be one of them. Ergonomics and build on this 4 core couldn't be better. I'll report back once they have 200 hrs or so on them.


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## rantng

My apologies. I had hoped to get these out on Monday, but I've been stuck in bed with a viral infection. Hope to be well enough to send these out tomorrow. Will update & post impressions soon. Sorry again for the delay.


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## rantng

Kit has been shipped to @SilverEars via USPS Priority w/signature confirmation. Expected delivery date is 5/11.


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## Barra

rantng said:


> Kit has been shipped to @SilverEars via USPS Priority w/signature confirmation. Expected delivery date is 5/11.


Hope you are feeling better.


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## SilverEars

rantng said:


> Kit has been shipped to @SilverEars via USPS Priority w/signature confirmation. Expected delivery date is 5/11.


Received, and here they are.


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## SilverEars

@ExpiredLabel is not interested in trying out the cables.

@guani360 
I'm ready to ship it off tomorrow, so If I don't get a message from you, I will be shipping it to @koven instead


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## SilverEars

No response from @guani360 

Shipped it off to @koven


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## koven

Confirming I received the kit.


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## guani360

I'm sorry for not responding I'm on vacation. I'll be back on the 30th of this month. I guess Koven can ship to me next?


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## koven

Hmm I already told @Ike1985 I was going to ship to him next. But I guess it makes sense to ship to @guani360 since he was skipped.

@Barra, can you confirm who I should ship to?


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## Ike1985

No worries here. No rush.


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## Barra

If Ike is ok with that, then let's go to @guani360 who can then ship to Ike.    - Bill


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## koven

Waiting for address response from @guani360.. if nothing by Friday I will ship to Ike..


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## guani360

Responded. Thanks guys for working it out for me.

Cheers!


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## koven

Thanks @guani360


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## koven

Shipped today to @guani360


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## guani360

Received the package today, Super busy and didn't have a chance to open it. Will open and inspect the package tomorrow and give an update


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## guani360

Everything seems to be intact. Didn't realize that I already own the 2 best cables null-audio have to offer. The other 2 cables (lower tier) are the ones i'm testing (they're inferior to what I have). Might ship this package out earlier than the expected ship date. We'll see


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## guani360

Package was shipped to @Ike1985 on Tuesday (06/12/18). Ike should receive the package on Thursday (06/14/18).

Sorry @Barra  for the late update. I've been extremely busy lately.


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## Ike1985 (Jun 19, 2018)

Cables were received Friday, just had my first listen.  Vitesse silver or copper is my favorite with A18t and Hugo2.  Actually like both very much, clear image layering and image separation improvement over the stock 64 Audio cable.  Bit more of a bright crunch with the silver than the copper as expected, will report back. Very nice cables and very reasonable price.


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## Blueshound24 (Jun 19, 2018)

I want to order some Null cables and on their website order page one of the options is which cable sleeve option.

The two options are:
    -Full clear, Non-Sleeved
    -Half Nylon Sleeved - Half Clear

Could anyone describe each option, what they look like?
Does anyone know which option were on the Tour cables?

TIA

*EDIT: Also, pros and cons of each?
*
Also, has anyone had experience with their shipping methods, and what is recommended? I would like to go with the cheaper method if it doesn't take too long to ship.

There are 2 shipping rates available starting at $9.95 SGD.

International Registered Parcel at $9.95 SGD
International FedEx Economy at $32.95 SGD

*
*


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## rantng (Jun 19, 2018)

Blueshound24 said:


> I want to order some Null cables and on their website order page one of the options is which cable sleeve option.
> 
> The two options are:
> -Full clear, Non-Sleeved
> ...



I've always gone with the cheaper option. Shipping can take about 2 weeks depending on if they have the cables in stock or if they need to make them. If you have facebook messenger they do give you updates throughout the whole process.




Sleeved Lune cable on the left, non-sleeved on the right. I prefer the sleeved as I find it is less prone to tangling, although I don't find Null Audio's cables are particularly tangle prone. The Lune cable itself is sheathed in a semi-soft, pliable TPE-like material. As for the sleeve itself, it's like a cable enclosed in a shoelace. Be aware though the sleeved cable may take longer to ship if they have to make it. Otherwise, I think it's a matter of aesthetics.


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## Blueshound24

rantng said:


> I've always gone with the cheaper option. Shipping can take about 2 weeks depending on if they have the cables in stock or if they need to make them. If you have facebook messenger they do give you updates throughout the whole process.
> 
> 
> 
> Sleeved Lune cable on the left, non-sleeved on the right. I prefer the sleeved as I find it is less prone to tangling, although I don't find Null Audio's cables are particularly tangle prone. The Lune cable itself is sheathed in a semi-soft, pliable TPE-like material. As for the sleeve itself, it's like a cable enclosed in a shoelace. Be aware though the sleeved cable may take longer to ship if they have to make it. Otherwise, I think it's a matter of aesthetics.



Thanks for the detailed info!
I plan on getting the Lune as well, but will prob go for the non-sleeved. IMO it just looks gnarly-er...


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## Blueshound24

Just got my Lune and at first look it seems to be not as bright silver color than the tour model? It just seems a little dull from what I remember. Will post pics later. Has anyone experienced this?


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