# Sennheiser HD800 replacement cable



## Jalo

Does anyone know of any other balance replacement cable available for the HD800 beside apuresound v3?

 Also, I have never try the Apuresound V3 cable, how good is it? Thanks


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## JaZZ

Moon Audio, e.g.
.


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## KevinR70

SAA (I have the Voice cable which is incredible, but very expensive). They also have the Equinox and a new Spectrum cable for the 800's that are more reasonably priced.


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## KevinR70

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jalo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Does anyone know of any other balance replacement cable available for the HD800 beside apuresound v3?

 Also, I have never try the Apuresound V3 cable, how good is it? Thanks_

 


 I've got a V3 HD 650 cable and it is decent (better than stock), but not as good as my SAA equinox 650 cable. I don't think you would want to add any silver to the 800's since they are already a touch bright and thin stock IMO. The V3 is a silver/copper cable.


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## JaZZ

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KevinR70* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...I don't think you would want to add any silver to the 800's since they are already a touch bright and thin stock IMO. The V3 is a silver/copper cable._

 

I agree. That's why I'm planning to go for the Blue Dragon. A combination of silver and copper may even be a worse match for the HD 800 than pure silver (according to my recent experiences with interconnects).
.


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## Jalo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KevinR70* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SAA (I have the Voice cable which is incredible, but very expensive). They also have the Equinox and a new Spectrum cable for the 800's that are more reasonably priced._

 

What is SAA and where can I find it?


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## danne

Aloaudio should be releasing one soon though?


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## Jalo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danne* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Aloaudio should be releasing one soon though?_

 

Is it the sxc, silver x copper cable?


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## Jalo

Guys:

 Thanks for all your inputs. The following is what Apuresound send to me: 

 "A 10ft balanced HD800 cable with carbon, black, or clear sleeving and Neutrik XLR plugs is $350.

 You can upgrade to black super nylon sleeving which is softer, lighter, and more flexible than our standard sleeving option for an additional $40.

 We offer 2 different different upgrade XLR connector options.

 The Furutech FP701M for an additional $40 and the Furutech FP601M for an additional $150. If you have any questions about these connectors I can provide detailed information for both. "

 Does the Furutech XLR makes any noticeable difference?


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## tako_tsubo

Fidelity Audio is who I went with....purely due to cost factor. It will be my first recable to try out and did not want to go whole hog just yet.


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## Jalo

Do you guys recomend using the same type of interconnect as the headphone cables? For instance, if I use pure OPC copper cable for headphone, I will use the same type from Dac to Amp also?


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## KevinR70

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jalo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What is SAA and where can I find it?_

 

Stefan Audio Art. Go to their site and call James with the contact info given. He owns the company (USA company) and is one of the most helpful vendors I've dealt with. He was a former Sennheiser engineer.


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## Drumonron

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jalo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Does anyone know of any other balance replacement cable available for the HD800 beside apuresound v3?

 Also, I have never try the Apuresound V3 cable, how good is it? Thanks_

 

Stefan Audio Art has the Equinox, Endorphin, or the Voice cables...

 The voice:

Stefan AudioArt Home

 The Endorphin:

Stefan AudioArt Home

 The Equinox:

Stefan AudioArt Home


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## vcoheda

i am looking at an SAA cable for my 800.


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## Jalo

Drumomron and Kevin70, thanks for the help.


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## Jalo

Oops, I just went to the link at SAA and realized that the cable cost $1,400.00. Drumomron, may be I should say thanks for the curse  You should have never direct me to places like that.


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## Mr.Sneis

Jalo, I recommend Drew at Moon audio; much more reasonable pricing


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## Fafner

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jalo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Oops, I just went to the link at SAA and realized that the cable cost $1,400.00. Drumomron, may be I should say thanks for the curse  You should have never direct me to places like that._

 


 That's the Voice, their most expensive variant. They have some cheaper solutions too, even if the cheapest one is still more expensive than some other manufacturer's solutions.


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## Covenant

Personally, there's just no way I'd ever pay $1400 USD for a cable. Even if it was the greatest cable ever made, with an amorphous metal conductor or something equally exquisite, cables just dont make a significant enough difference to justify that sort of cost.

 Sorry, not trying to rehash the Saa Voice debates, just had to put in my 2c. I'd recommend Twisted Cables and a good OCC copper recable, such as I had made for my HD600's. Qusp recently did a balanced Vortex for Johnwmclean's HD800 using some pretty amazing XLR connectors.


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## haloxt

I'd rather solder the headphones directly to the amp than spend $1400 on a cable. Interesting cable though, maybe if I was a multimillionaire.


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## KingStyles

Lawton Audio has one too. Here is the link.
http://www.lawtonaudio.com/page26.html


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## Drumonron

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jalo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Oops, I just went to the link at SAA and realized that the cable cost $1,400.00. Drumomron, may be I should say thanks for the curse  You should have never direct me to places like that._

 

sorry Jalo...they're hardwired and installed by Stefan Audio Arts...I guess you have to send your HD800s to them and they perform the installation and retain your original parts and if you ever need them to be returned to the original factory they state the following:

 "If by any chance you should need the original Sennheiser HD800 stock cable configuration, we will return your HD800 headphones back to the original manufactured specification (the way it left the factory) free of charge for as long as you own the headphones. We will retain all the original factory parts for this process (unless requested by the user) in our new clean room facilities."

 Gauging SAA by the Equinox I have on the RS-1, AKG k271s, HD600 and my past HD650...they DO make a difference...and I can only imagine what the Voice and the Endorphin or the Spectrum would sound like. I guess I can only afford to imagine, anyway.


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## Audio-Omega

Has anyone tried Moon Audio's Blue Dragon v3 ?


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## Tony Plachy

What is the opinion of the Cardas cable for the HD-800's?


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## t-h-e-p-i-m-p

i am looking for a replace cabel for the hd800. I find the sound thin,bright,emphasized treble and cold with the stock cable. the sound is to shrill, voices sound thin, and lack body! 

 I would like a cable that gives warmer & fuller midrange, more bass impact, and a much smoother treble but yet airy. I have tried Cardas cable for the hd800. Which making my problems with the stock cable go away. (alot more smoother,fuller midrange a bit warmer) BUT they somehow lose transparent,resolution and detail.

 I have been thinking for SAA (stefan art audio) cables. the saa_* *_*endorphin. they seems to remove the* problems i got with the stock cable, and still give me an

_transparent,detailed sound with the resolution as the stock cable gives._
   
*If anyone has any other options or experience with hd 800 aftermarket cable. i would love to hear it*
   
*kind regards, T-H-E-P-I-M-P*


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## nigeljames

Quote: 





t-h-e-p-i-m-p said:


> i am looking for a replace cabel for the hd800. I find the sound thin,bright,emphasized treble and cold with the stock cable. the sound is to shrill, voices sound thin, and lack body!
> 
> I would like a cable that gives warmer & fuller midrange, more bass impact, and a much smoother treble but yet airy. I have tried Cardas cable for the hd800. Which making my problems with the stock cable go away. (alot more smoother,fuller midrange a bit warmer) BUT they somehow lose transparent,resolution and detail.
> 
> ...


 

 No replacement cable is going to change the sound as much as you want. Maybe the HD800's are not for you.
   
  As far as the SAA cables, I had one for my old HD650's and I found them overpriced and seriously overrated. I think you would be wasting more money trying to get good sound out of a phone thats seems not to be for you.


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## t-h-e-p-i-m-p

[size=medium]-​[/size]


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## t-h-e-p-i-m-p

Quote: 





nigeljames said:


> No replacement cable is going to change the sound as much as you want. Maybe the HD800's are not for you.
> 
> As far as the SAA cables, I had one for my old HD650's and I found them overpriced and seriously overrated. I think you would be wasting more money trying to get good sound out of a phone thats seems not to be for you.


 


   
  i know the hd 800 is for me. iv'e heard a lot of headphones. Many does has the same problem as i do with the hd800 (think is bright,empahsized treble). Mabye it sounded to harsh, as i described how i found the sound of the hd800! it's not im trying to make it to an lcd-2 . i know how cardas replace cable can do with the hd800! and if it wasn't because it's lack of attack,detail, transparent and resolution i would go with that cable, and i would be really happy. 
   
  i just need preferences from the both worlds. what cardas did, and the attack,detail, transparent and resolution as the stock one has.


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## caracara08

i think it has a lot to do with your system too. on my system, the TWAg v2 sounds amazing, but maybe it wont for your amp/dac.


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## nigeljames

I really like my TWAG-2 cable on my LCD's but being silver I doubt it would be the ideal cable for the HD800's.


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## caracara08

so... youre saying i dont know what im talking about or im wrong? i just said i like the twag with my hd800 and youre saying you DOUBT it would be a good match.


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## nigeljames

Quote: 





caracara08 said:


> so... youre saying i dont know what im talking about or im wrong? i just said i like the twag with my hd800 and youre saying you DOUBT it would be a good match.


 


  Neither. 
   
  You did not state that you were using the Twag-2 with your HD800.
  Also I was taking into account the issues that t-h-e-p-i-m-p was referring to in his system and in my opinion a silver cable would probably not be the best choice for him in his system.
   
  Most people tend to prefer copper cables with the HD800's and he did ask for a fuller warmer midrange.


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## t-h-e-p-i-m-p

i will probably go with the SAA ENDORPHIN. 850 dollars, 7 feet, copper cable. =).


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## Jalo

I have the SAA Voice hardwired to my HD800 and it met your objectives, warmer sound, fuller sound, no more sibilance etc. But recently I've heard and purchased the Crystal Piccolino from Jaben and I liked it even more than my SAA Voice. It is more liquid, pristine, natural, smooth with better transparency. I felt the difference were significant. I just loved that gold and silver stuff. I recommended the Piccolino only because you were thinking about SAA. Both were expensive stuffs. You can see the picture in the dealer announcement forum.


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## t-h-e-p-i-m-p

Quote: 





jalo said:


> I have the SAA Voice hardwired to my HD800 and it met your objectives, warmer sound, fuller sound, no more sibilance etc. But recently I've heard and purchased the Crystal Piccolino from Jaben and I liked it even more than my SAA Voice. It is more liquid, pristine, natural, smooth with better transparency. I felt the difference were significant. I just loved that gold and silver stuff. I recommended the Piccolino only because you were thinking about SAA. Both were expensive stuffs. You can see the picture in the dealer announcement forum.


 


   
 [size=medium]that's sounds Great. how is the voices with this Piccolino cable? if you compare the tone,soundstage,treble,mids,bass and extension between stock & SAA and  Piccolino. how do they compare? i would liked to hear! And i would also love an comparsion like this: 
   
  (This is someone else comparing three cables he got for he's HD 800. i would really loved if you did one, just like this one! but with (SAA,Piccolino and stock) 
  
  Bass quality: silver > stock > copper complement (the copper has a softer, thicker bass that I don't think is as incisive or tight as the stock, but the difference is subtle and overshadowed by its other strengths over stock)

   

  Bass quantity: copper complement > silver > stock (all close)

   

  Bass depth: copper complement = silver > stock

   

  Treble quality: copper complement > silver > stock (copper has a very smooth, non-grainy treble...some treble detail is glossed over though)

   

  Treble quantity: silver > stock > copper complement

   

  Treble extension: silver = copper complement > stock

   

  Soundstage: copper complement > stock > silver (silver has the best imaging/accuracy, but the smallest soundstage size)

   

  Transparency: silver > stock > copper complement (copper is the most forgiving of bad recordings)

   

  Detail/resolution: silver > copper complement > stock

   

  Realism: silver > copper complement > stock (this is silver's greatest strength IMO...voices float around you, instrument timbres are very realistic)" 
   
  i'm thinking about a 850$-1400$ cabel. i'm really wondering if it's worth it. Would you never go back to stock cable ? it's it a silly comparison after trying them to each other? Stock,piccolino,Saa.
   
  - T-H-E-P-I-M-P
   ​[/size]


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## Tony Plachy

Quote: 





nigeljames said:


> I really like my TWAG-2 cable on my LCD's but being silver I doubt it would be the ideal cable for the HD800's.


 

  
  For the uneducated here (i.e. me) what is an TWAG-2?


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## nigeljames

Quote: 





tony plachy said:


> For the uneducated here (i.e. me) what is an TWAG-2?


 

 Check Whiplash Audio's website.


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## Jalo

THEPIMP, I am out of town and do not have access to my cables. Besides, I have not heard the stock cable for a long time. So it is a little hard for me to do those type of comparison. But the Crystal and the Voice has similar amount of bass and bass impact. But the Crystal cable has the best midrange of any cable I've heard, very very smooth and natural. you can listen for hours on the crystal without having fatigue. Though the crystal is basically a silver cable but because of the injection of gold and copper, it has a very smooth and open treble. I found myself enjoy the HD800 likes it is a totally upgraded 800.


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## Jalo

Quote: 





parrots said:


> Injection of Copper? Where did you hear that because the Piccolino is just silver/gold with no copper in it.
> I just finished making my 6ft Piccolino cable for my HD800's and i have to say it just blew me away and i'm not even joking here, i dont even know if this is possible buy i'm hearing things in my music i have never heard before and this is by just upgrading the cable, i have the TWag V2, TWspc and Alo cable's and they are nothing compared to the Piccolino, **** this cable is just soooooooo good with my HD800's, gonna make one for the LCD-2's in the next day or two.


 
  Parrots, yes, I was told by the Jaben people that there is some small amount of copper and gold in it.  You just realized what I heard three months ago when I hook up a hd800 through a crystal cable and listen to my portable rig (ipod classic--Solo--DB1--SR71b).  I was not even using balance out to the 800 and my jaw just dropped.  It is like I heard from a full size desktop set up that cost ten times as much.  I have the hd800 for two years now and I have not heard the 800 sounds like that, very pristine and in vivo like.  There is something strange with the match up between the two.  It just bring out the best characteristic of the HD800.  Please tell me if it works the same way with the LCD2?


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## coolcat

my experience with the cable for LCD2 and HD800
  I am now using the SAA endorphin for LCD2 with both the LCD2 and  the HD800 (I have started a thread to ask if I should use the same cable for much different in character Cans like HD800 and LCD2 ,it ened up the way I let my friend make the adapter for the HD800 ,in order to use the Endorphin for LCD2).
  Endorphin cable is for me far better than Cardas cable for HD800 (I used to owned 2 times ) and the apursound V3 (I've heard my freinds HD800 with apursound V3).The cable adds Bass weight ,more full Mid and even better soundstage (imaging seperation,which is already good by the HD800).
  I think Endorphin is a quite neutral cable ,when I compared it to the Zeus cable ,Zeus cable seems to add more treble to the LCD2 that is good for neutral systems (my system is quite bright so I let the zeus go).


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## Audio-Omega

Who make Piccolino cable for HD800 ?


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## driggs

I am a newbie here and needed some help.  I have a pair of HD800's and was wondering about the connection options.  I have a Cards cable (and, btw, it does sound better than the stock cable) but have been reading that connecting via a balanced cable really makes a difference.  Can I connect the earphones to the XLR outs of a normal pre-amplifier or DAC or do they need to be connected only to a balanced XLR out of a headphone amplifier?


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## Minitrox

Hi . I have a similar question. I have one HD 650 with HT ome claro Halo sound card.
  I need to buy a cable to my HD 650
  I have 3 options :
  1- cardas HD 60/650
  2- Silver dragon 
  3- Alo cable ( alo occ 18 awg or Jena Ultra ? )
     
  What is the best for my headphone ?
  I like to listen instrumental ,classic, orchestra ,jazz
   ,old rock like ( Dire Strais ,Elton John ,Toto etc ) .
   
  Thx guys


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## inter10

Are these replacement cables worth buying? Does it make a difference?


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## Tony Plachy

Quote: 





minitrox said:


> Hi . I have a similar question. I have one HD 650 with HT ome claro Halo sound card.
> I need to buy a cable to my HD 650
> I have 3 options :
> 1- cardas HD 60/650
> ...


 
  I have Cardas cables (unbalanced) on both my 600's and 800's.  They do make a difference and I am very happy with them.


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## danik97

Hi! Tell me please, Zeus OCC Copper cable is really better than Moon Audio Black Dragon?


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