# The New Meier Oehlbach Replacement Cable for the Sennheiser HD580/600/650



## headphonecrazy

Two of my buddies and fellow head-fier just received their shipment of the new Meier replacement cable for the Sennheiser with the new 650 style connector no less.

 Is there anyone else who has bought them that can comment bout their characteristics / price?

 Thanks


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## AnsBjork

What!!!?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I was told in December that the cable was delayed because of mistake from Oehlbach. I'm still waiting for my cable and I placed my order early this fall! How come your friends have received their cable and I'm still being told that the cable is not ready yet?


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## Jan Meier

Dear Ans,

 Don't worry, your cable has been shipped last saturday, together with all the other cables that were pre-ordered!



 Jan


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## Iron_Dreamer

Hey Jan, I don't see any info about the cable on your site, would you mind posting a few details? How much does it cost? Just what I needed another cable to complicate my buying decision!


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## 00940

Hi Jan,

 When will the cable be available as "stand-alone" ? Any idea of the price ?


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## Jan Meier

Information will be on my site tomorrow. I'm working on it!



 Jan


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## AnsBjork

Great!

 Thanks Jan.

 By the way I really enjoy my new CORDA HA-2, it's a great piece of equipment.


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## Jan Meier

Information can now be found on my site 

 Jan


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## Iron_Dreamer

Oooh, what a tempting price, but can it compere sound-wise with the rest of the Senn replacement cable field?


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## Ph34rful

Hmm...
 I can't seem to find any info about it on Meier's site?
 Am I missing the link somewhere?


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## tortie

Jan,

 Will Todd of TTVJ carry your new cables?


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## OakIris

Quote:


 I can't seem to find any info about it on Meier's site? Am I missing the link somewhere? 
 

Ph34rful - Here's the link to the cable page:
http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/cables.htm
 Scroll down the page - the Senn replacement cable is the last item on the page.


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## TheMuffinMan_01

holy poop! i need a review!


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## Jan Meier

'' can it compere sound-wise with the rest of the Senn replacement cable field? ''

 I honestly can't tell, as I never heard any of the other cables.

 The cable will not be sold by other resellers.



 Jan


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## Iron_Dreamer

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Jan Meier _
*'' can it compere sound-wise with the rest of the Senn replacement cable field? ''

 I honestly can't tell, as I never heard any of the other cables.

 The cable will not be sold by other resellers.



 Jan * 
 

Well rest assured that if it sounds good, they should start flying off your shelves at the speed of sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Heck this cable might drag down the prices across the field, if it sounds as good. No more $200 Senn cables, perhaps even fewtch would buy one of these


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## xtreme4099

el cheapo alternative ... post of a review sometime ... for those that ordered them ...


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## Kixyll

It's tough to tell from the picture, what kind of sleeve is on the cable? It looks like tech-flex, but it's tough to make out for sure.


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## Ph34rful

Quote:


 _Originally posted by OakIris _
*Ph34rful - Here's the link to the cable page:
http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/cables.htm
 Scroll down the page - the Senn replacement cable is the last item on the page. * 
 

Thanks. I looked there but apparently the old web page was stuck in my internet cache which was why the cable wasn't showing up.







 $55 is extremely cheap! I can't wait to read the reviews...


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## headphonecrazy

Hey my friend's cable just broke in less than a day - A** luck I think 4 getting a lemon.


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## OakIris

Quote:


 _Originally posted by headphonecrazy_ :

 Hey my friend's cable just broke in less than a day - A** luck I think 4 getting a lemon. 
 

Broke how? You mean it fell apart, or....?


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## headphonecrazy

Quote:


 _Originally posted by OakIris _
*Broke how? You mean it fell apart, or....? * 
 

No sound from one of the channel, probably a bad connection/join.


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## Jan Meier

Hallo Headphonecrazy,

 All cables that leave my house are checked and should work properly. Of course a cable may break, but by experience most problems that appear with the HD600 are due to the rather lousy connection inside the earcups of the phone. The two small pins of the cable make just contact to a very small and vulnerable spring. Contact area is truly minimal.

 Also, be aware that the connectors should be put in the first time with some force. When many problems arose with the first series of HD600s Sennheiser changed the opening in the marble-like "strap" through which the connector passes. There now is a very tight fit that should prevent small movements of the connector. If the connector isn't brought in deep enough contact will not be made.

 Tip, exchange the left and right connectors of the cable. If the problem also changes channels, than the cable indeed is defective. Of course defective cables will be immediately replaced.

 Do you have a multimeter and are you able to measure resistances?

 Cheers,

 Jan


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## tortie

Jan, Thanks for offering a cheap alternative in Sennheiser cable replacements


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## Hajime

I received Jan Meier's cable today and have been enjoying it. I like the sound of it so far.


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## Iron_Dreamer

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Hajime _
*I received Jan Meier's cable today and have been enjoying it. I like the sound of it so far. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


* 
 

Could you please give an honest opinion as compared to the other Senn cables you've heard, how big of an upgrade is it? I want to know that it's more than a symbolic upgrade before I take the plunge.


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## Hajime

Iron,

 Hello there. I'm going to let the cable burn in (or, if you don't believe in cable burn in, think of it as letting music play through it) for a few days. After that I'll give my impression. All I'll say now is that I like it.


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## Iron_Dreamer

Hmm, well considering that you make a competing cable, I might take your comment to be all I need


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## TheMuffinMan_01

:O maybe this will be my next upgrade :O are the cables alot stiffer than the stock ones? i have seen some of those other cables, they look like they are rock hard...


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## Hajime

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer _
*Hmm, well considering that you make a competing cable, I might take your comment to be all I need 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


* 
 






 I believe in being honest. If it sounds good I'll say so. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 TheMuffinMan_01,

 It's as flexible as the stock HD650 cable.


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## TheMuffinMan_01

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Hajime _
*





 I believe in being honest. If it sounds good I'll say so. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 TheMuffinMan_01,

 It's as flexible as the stock HD650 cable. * 
 

is that the same as the 580 cord...? 

 keep us updated on the sound!


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## Nightfall

Jan,


 Any chance you will be offering a replacement cable for the K1000's also? 


 JC


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## Jan Meier

> what kind of sleeve is on the cable? It looks like tech-flex

 No Tech-Flex, as this would definitely decrease flexibility. As for looks, the cable is very similar to the stock-cable, but just a little bit thicker.

 > Any chance you will be offering a replacement cable for the K1000's also? 

 Noop!



 Jan


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## gerG

I plugged mine in yesterday. It is a very well made cable, with molded connectors that actually fit tighter than the Sen originals. The main connector plug is also molded in. It is a very good mechanical design, which is where most aftermarket cables fail to meet my standards.

 The sound is great, but I haven't compared it side by side with any other cables. To be honest, I have never heard an aftermarket cable make a big enough sound improvement to justify the price. I think that the Oehlbach was worth the price.

 Jan, I do have a question: why are there splice joints in the leaders? Since they are making their own connectors, I would have expected a single run without joints. Not a complaint, just a curiosity.


 gerG


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## GlowWorm

Jan,

 any chance that the Meier Oehlbach replacement cable will be available in a 15ft. length in the future? Your price seems to be very reasonable. Like fewtch, and some of the other guys around here I just can't justify spending $200 on a Senn 580/600/650 cable.


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## Edwood

Unless there is exposed braiding of multiple wires tech flex will only make things worse. It looks cool, but I find it snags on just about everything. And it's pretty easy to sever a few of those little weaves.

 Will be interesting to hear what everyone thinks of this cable. It's the cheapest aftermarket HD580/600/650 cable so far.
 -Ed


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## Jan Meier

"why are there splice joints in the leaders?"

 The conductors inside are single run.

 The major reason to apply two pieces of shrinking sheet is the reduction of mechanical noises. The PE-isolation of the two conductors is very stiff and thus transmits any noise to the earcups, which can be rather annoying. The pieces of shrinking sheet partly absorb and partly reflect some of these noises.

 "any chance that the Meier Oehlbach replacement cable will be available in a 15ft. length in the future?

 Sorry, can't help you on that one.


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## AnsBjork

Well I got my cable today! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 First the shock: The mailman shoved the package in the mailbox with all his might, tearing the package in the process... You have to understand that I live in Canada and that at this time of the year the temperature is in the -30C and that we usually have our mailbox outside the house (a hole in the door wouldn't be convenient at these temperature...). Also when the temperature drop below the point were you better not keep your eyes open for too long because they freeze (don't laugh its true), everything is kind of rigid and usually not very encline to be shoved in a small apperture...

 At first glance the cable was undammaged... ouf! A nice beefy (but flexible) cable very well constructed, something better than I was expecting from the picture on Jan web site. 

 The fit with the Senns is very tight, to the point that I wasn't sure if the connection was made all the way trough. I went to check if the connection was OK by hooking the gear to my system and then it hit me: WOW! I wasn't going to do a serious listening, just checking the connection. In the first 5 seconds I heard the improvement (I had the stock cable previously). The cable is not yet broken-in, _well it's not even at room temperature_!

 That can't be placebo effect, I wasn't expecting anything yet! The difference is evident but not far from the original sound. The sound characteristic of the Senns is still the same but more involving more forward. Sadly I can't compare with the other aftermarket cables, I never had the chance to hear them.

 I will post more comments after proper burn-in, but in my opinion you can't go wrong at this price.

 System:
 SimAudio Eclipse
 Meier Corda HA-2
 Modified Senn HD600 (foam removed)
 Locally made high quality copper / bullet plug interconnect
 OEHLBACH/Meier headphone cable


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## TheMuffinMan_01

must buy cables *zombie face*


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## kyrie

still waiting for comparisons with other cables...


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## AnsBjork

After 12h of burning, I didn't hear a signifiant change in the sound but I had the time to get a good listen. The sound is really better than with the stock cable, more detailled, closer soundstage and more "air". For the first time I hear what my top notch source is capable of AND IT'S DELIGHTFULL! It's strange but I fell that I wouldn't hear such a difference with a "regular" source. The new cable feels like I'm directly hook to my source with no degradation. It's like going from redbook CD to HDCD.

 Again I can't compare with the other aftermarket cables but at this price it's easy for any owner of Senns to buy this cable and hear for themself.


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## OakIris

Great to hear that you like your Meier cable. We are still waiting for a comparison of the various "new" replacement cables for the HD600/650 headphones - Meier Oehlbach/Bayley Diamondback - with the other "established" replacement cables - Zu Mobius/Equinox/Silver Dragon. Of course, someone needs to be wealthy enough to buy all of the various cables and so they can do a comparison.


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## Hajime

I will be bringing the Meier Audio cables as well as my cables to the upcoming Milwaukee meet. That should bring some impressions.


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## gerG

AnsBjork now owns a one of a kind Cryogenically-treated Oehlbach cable: the FrrrOehlbach. I am jealous, but not so much so that I would move to the sub-arctic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe I will order another one and have it stored in his mailbox for the winter.


 gerG


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## AnsBjork

Quote:


 AnsBjork now owns a one of a kind Cryogenically-treated Oehlbach cable 
 

I wanted to write that one but I wasen't able to spell "Cryogenically"! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 By the way the cables have not changed much after 48h of burn-in. I still find them every bit as good as on my first listen. 

 Jan did right by insisting on the flexibility of the cable (no tech-flex); How do you guys with the other aftermaket cables cope with the rigidity of what must feel like speaker cable? Don't you find it annoying when you turn the head? These cables are probably the best of the bunch regarding comfort and still I find them OK but on the verge of being too rigid for listening confort.

 Jan should not advertise that he makes "no nonsense cable" but "cables that makes a lot of sense".


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## TheMuffinMan_01

^^ and i thought it was cold here :O


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## gerG

Burning in or thawing out?

 I agree with some of the other posts here: tech flex is a real pain. I used to use it on my regulator hoses (scuba) until I found out that it added failure modes without improving anything at all. Just a cosmetic feature.

 Oh, how about "KoehlBachs"

 I am going to LN2 dip mine just so that I can call them "IceBachs".

 Sorry, I will quit with the cold jokes. It just gave me a chuckle today. Feel free to make fun of me this summer when I have to get into a 200 degree car. Thermal induced insanity is quite common here.


 gerG


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## gerG

Silence....

 Not even a single groan?

 C'mon, don't you guys know a bad pun when you see one?







 Have a good weekend anyway!


 gerG


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## blessingx

Anyone else give these a try?

 And I can't tell, but how much thicker are these than the stock 580/600 cord (to protect against my chair rolling over the cables all the time)?


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## TheMuffinMan_01

jan said it was just a little bit thicker than the stock.


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## aerius

Quote:


 _Originally posted by AnsBjork _
 For the first time I hear what my top notch source is capable of AND IT'S DELIGHTFULL! It's strange but I fell that I wouldn't hear such a difference with a "regular" source. 
 

I just got the cable myself today and even with a crappy Panasonic CD/DVD player it makes a difference. Not much, but I do notice a slight improvement.

  Quote:


 _Originally posted by blessingx _
 And I can't tell, but how much thicker are these than the stock 580/600 cord (to protect against my chair rolling over the cables all the time)? 
 

Roughly 50% thicker. Rolling over them with a chair is still going to kill them eventually, but it should take longer to kill than the stock cables.


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## Anders

I got my Oehlbach a weak ago and listened to it after nearly 100 hours of burn-in. I compared it to the stock cable and Zu. I haven't made extensive listening tests and only switched cables a few times.
 Test equipment was a Lindemann CD1 SE (very good 
 German CD player), Corda Prehead amp and HD650.
 Oehlbach is an improvement over the stock cable. It is a little warmer, more detailed and with better soundstage. But the difference between Oehlbach and Zu was at least as big as between Oehlbach and stock cable. Zu is not as warm as Oehlbach and has better resolution and dynamics. I think the tonal character of Zu is more neutral but it can also be much more revealing of limitations earlier in the chain, and Oehlbach probably more permissive.
 I think the Oehlbach cable is a very good value and that there should be less matching problems with this cable than I imagine that you can get with Zu. If you have a high resolution system and want the ultimate, go for Zu. In a system with lower resolution, you might not hear so much of the advantages of Zu, but this is an assumption and not anyting I have tested.

 After this testing, I used the Oehlbach cable as an upgrade cable for Beyerdynamic DT931. This is no plug and play and you have to demount the headphone, solder etc. DT931 has a lousy stock cable and the improvement was big with Oehlbach. DT931 / Oehlbach sound very good with the EarMax Pro tube amplifier. 

 Oehlbach is a good upgrade cable but I also have some criticism. The cable length after the split can be too short and you have a very short length of cable between the headphone connectors and the absorbers. It could be possible to remove the absorbers and make a new cable split lower down the cable, but then you are not far from building a new cable from scratch.
 It was possible to keep the absorbers but the length of cable left over for wiring within the headphone was very short and made soldering difficult.


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## kyrie

Finally a comparative review on the oehlbachs! Thank you anders.


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## radrd

Quote:


 Oehlbach is a good upgrade cable but I also have some criticism. The cable length after the split can be too short and you have a very short length of cable between the headphone connectors and the absorbers. It could be possible to remove the absorbers and make a new cable split lower down the cable, but then you are not far from building a new cable from scratch.It was possible to keep the absorbers but the length of cable left over for wiring within the headphone was very short and made soldering difficult. 
 

Uh, that criticism would be a bit more valid if the manufacturer intended for you to take the cable apart and re-wire other headphones with it.


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## Alex Altorfer

Anders,

 Thank you for the comparative review of Oehlbach vs. Zu Mobius cables! Very illuminating. Please post further impressions if you reach new conclusions later.

 Everyone else,

 Now, consider Ander's conclusions: that Oehlbach is tonaly warmer, presenting a wider soundstage, more detailed improvement over stock cable. I say this calls for a direct comparision of Oehlbach and Equinox cables, for the latter has also been described similarly: Warmer, smoother, more detailed, and wider soundstage. Is Oehlbach similar to Equinox? To what extent? Does it sonically measure up to Equinox or is it still light years behind? The Equinox cable is a lot more expensive than the Oehlbach.

 Cheers,
 Alex


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## Anders

rardr, I asked Jan Meier about Oehlbach as an upgrade cable for other headphones also when he released the news about it. He anserwed that it is suitable for other headphones too and this is cited from the product information.

 "In our opinion it represents a cost-effective method to improve the sound quality of any dynamic headphone."

 Most dynamic headphones have no Sennheiser plugs so then you have to cut and solder. I am sure Jan likes when people use his cable to upgrade DT931, one of his favourite headphones. This headphone is generally underestimated because it comes with a bad cable and is too bright with an ordinary headphone output with 0 ohm impedance. You can add a 120 ohm resistor for each channel and get a much more pleasureable tonal balance with less treble and more bass. EarMax Pro has an impedance of 60 - 80 ohm, better but still slightly low for DT931.


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## gerG

Perhaps if there is enough interest Jan could get a run of cables without the Sen connectors on them, as a means of bringing the cost down for diy-ers.

 Anders, the DT931 sounds bright due to a 10 db peak in the response at 5500 hz. Without that peak they have the flattest response of any headphone that I have tested. Running at a higher impedance loosens up the bass and brings up the level of the bass and lower mid. This masks the peak, but the response is no longer flat. I haven't found a mechanical way to tame that peak yet, but I am still looking. The DT931 is an extrodinary headphone.


 gerG


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## radrd

Quote:


 rardr, I asked Jan Meier about Oehlbach as an upgrade cable for other headphones also when he released the news about it. He anserwed that it is suitable for other headphones too and this is cited from the product information. 
 

Thanks for the info. Actually, I'm interested in eventually upgrading the cabling on my W1000, and the Meier cable presents an attractive solution. I was just giving you a hard time.


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## pabbi1

I have to second Anders observations, having gotten my Oehlbach cables today. Right off the bat, all Anders observations seem dead on. I was/am wearing a shirt with a thick collar, and the absorbers do catch on occasion, which is annoying, but could easily be remedied with a few more inches of cable separation.

 Rig: Carver 490t > SDS labs amp > Oehlbach > HD600

 The sound? Maybe it's my choice of music (DEVO, Hendrix, Dylan, Zappa, Skynrd, Depeche Mode, Neil Young, EWF) but I get substantially more detail than the stock cable. The other thing I seem to get is, for lack of a better description, is presence (balls, timbre, punch) in addition to superior separation.

 It's criminal that these aren't the stock Senn cables with the HD600. Well worth more than the $55.


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## Alex Altorfer

I've just got the Oehlbach cable and I must concur with Ander's review. Indeed, it is tonaly warmer and more detailed. Improvement is readily noticeable in the bass region. The only area in which I strain to tell much of a difference is soundstaging, though instrument separation is clearly better.

 I must mention that Jan Meier has provided a great service. Cable was promptly shipped and well packaged.

 I'm so excited! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers,
 Alex


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## HiGHFLYiN9

Now if only the Zu's were $55....


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## fewtch

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer _
*Well rest assured that if it sounds good, they should start flying off your shelves at the speed of sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Heck this cable might drag down the prices across the field, if it sounds as good. No more $200 Senn cables, perhaps even fewtch would buy one of these 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


* 
 

As a matter of fact, I'm considering doing so!


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## fewtch

I just ordered one. And people wonder why I'm not so active on head-fi anymore? Sheesh, I just drop in one day and suddenly I'm dropping $60 on a cable on impulse, even though I've hardly been listening to music. This place is dangerous!


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## Alex Altorfer

Fewtch,

  Quote:


 _Originally posted by fewtch _
*I just ordered one. And people wonder why I'm not so active on head-fi anymore? Sheesh, I just drop in one day and suddenly I'm dropping $60 on a cable on impulse, even though I've hardly been listening to music. This place is dangerous! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








* 
 

Hehe. This place is dangerous indeed! I didn't buy mine on impulse. I did so very reluctantly actually, fearful that I would spend U$ 65 bucks (paypal fee included) only to regret it later for not noticing a difference. Was I wrong! Dude, the Sennheiser stock cable sucks! Sure those cans sound great even with the stock cable, but that's a miracle in its own right. Let us know your impressions on the Oehlbach as soon as you get it. Considering your setup you should notice a difference immediately. I did. It was like... "The bass, OMG the bass!" Other improvements are more subtle, but are surely there.

 Cheers,
 Alex


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## fewtch

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Alex Altorfer _
*Fewtch,

 Hehe. This place is dangerous indeed! I didn't buy mine on impulse. I did so very reluctantly actually, fearful that I would spend U$ 65 bucks (paypal fee included) only to regret it later for not noticing a difference. Was I wrong! Dude, the Sennheiser stock cable sucks!
* 
 


 Well, I finally get to find out for myself. I almost hope you're wrong about the stock cable, cuz then I won't feel so good about listening to my HD-580 (need a miniplug for that, so I probably won't be getting another Oehlbach).
  Quote:


 *Sure those cans sound great even with the stock cable, but that's a miracle in its own right. Let us know your impressions on the Oehlbach as soon as you get it.
* 
 


 Will do, and I'm gonna be brutally honest about it too. I'm more of a cable *disbeliever* than anything else, so we'll see if this changes my mind. If not, at least it's not a very big deal at $55... and I'll have a more durable cable. Too many reports of the stock cable eventually shorting out near the earpieces.


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## Iron_Dreamer

Quote:


 _Originally posted by fewtch _
*
 Will do, and I'm gonna be brutally honest about it too. I'm more of a cable *disbeliever* than anything else, so we'll see if this changes my mind. If not, at least it's not a very big deal at $55... and I'll have a more durable cable. Too many reports of the stock cable eventually shorting out near the earpieces. * 
 

Perhaps if you go in expecting the cable to not improve the sound it will be a bit of a self-fufilling prophecy? But then again that could cut the other way...


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## fewtch

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer _
*Perhaps if you go in expecting the cable to not improve the sound it will be a bit of a self-fufilling prophecy? But then again that could cut the other way... * 
 

It would be easy enough to test this by listening using _both_ cables (one plug from each cable in each earpiece, and connected by a splitter at the amp). Playing something in mono with this setup should be very revealing of differences in the cables (everything but soundstage, anyway). 

 The final step in this test would be to put the headphones on backwards (left earcup at right ear & vice-versa). A few swaps, and if it sounds exactly the same both ways then the cables are sonically identical.


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## Sovkiller

Quote:


 _Originally posted by fewtch _
* And people wonder why I'm not so active on head-fi anymore? Sheesh, I just drop in one day and suddenly I'm dropping $60 on a cable on impulse, even though I've hardly been listening to music. This place is dangerous! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








* 
 

I was thinking in opening a thread to ask for you, I was worried about you...LOL...


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## Jeff Guidry

I got mine a few weeks ago with a new HD600. From my previous experience with the Clou Blue/HD580 I can say with certainty: What veil? The Oehlbach cable is really great, a very well priced upgrade.


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