The post ddHiFi MFi06 and TC03 Digital Cables Review – Unplugged appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — None.
Executive Summary
The ddHiFi MFi06 and TC03 are digital cables that are well conducting, well insulated, built rugged and priced right. And they add optical appeal to our devices.
Introduction
ddHiFi have been favourites of our blog for quite some time. They produce very well designed, functional AND optically appealing audio accessories and even earphones.
I have tested their TC25i and TC28i adapters, their Carrying Case C-2020 as well as their Janus E2020A and Janus E2020B earphones. And I purchased a few of their audio adapters. For their accessories, the whole company is attached to our Wall of Excellence.
In this article, I am analyzing the MFi06 and TC03, two USB cables in the broadest sense. Both have a USB-C connector on one and, the MFi06 has a lightning plug on the other, and the TC03 a micro USB plug.
And all USB cables are equal, right? Zeros and ones transfer the sound, the stock cable is as good as the snake oil ones at $$$.
Erm, stop. Not always. The signal carried by the cable is not only zeros and ones (which are actually transmitted as voltage fluctuations), there may be some noise riding along the lines that affects sound quality. Two kinds of noise exist, “Electromagentic Interference” (EMI) and “Radio-Frequency Interference” (RFI).
If the data line is not effectively shielded, nearby electrical components (e.g., switching power supplies, other fluctuating electrical/magnetic fields from computer circuitry) can contribute to EMI that might pollute the USB data.”
Running power and data lines (from a phone or computer) through a single USB cable can cause additional interference and exacerbate the issue. Decrapifiers such as the AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ act as filters to reduce such pollution, but a “good” USB cable adds to this effect, too.
“Good” does not refer to the wire (that’s where the snake oil is) but to the insulation of the power and data lines against each other. In other words, a quality cable does not add anything, it makes sure that nothing is taken away from the signal quality.
A well-known example of the positive effects of insulation is the EarMen Sparrow dongle, that, when operated with a phone, can show strong interference in the shape of intermittent buzzing and clicking (subsides when switching the phone function off). The culprit is the stock cable, and a good third-party cable strongly reduces (but might not completely eliminate) the problem.
One measure of the shielding effectiveness of different cables, the resistance of shield terminations, was investigated in this thread.
Good-quality, well-shielded USB cables do not have to be expensive. USB audio pioneer Gordon Rankin reported very poor $$$ USB cables to me. It is all about the cable’s design, not the price.
ddHiFi are a company that offer a large range of imaginative, well designed, and well built accessories….and even a couple of earphones.
| ddHiFi TC03 | |
|---|---|
| Tested at: | $14.99 |
| Product Page: | ddHifi |
| Purchase Link: | DD Official Store |
.
| ddHiFi MFi06 | |
|---|---|
| Tested at: | $29.99 |
| Available in straight or L-shaped plug at 8 cm length | |
| Straight plug version also available at 50 cm length at $35 | |
| Product Page: | ddHifi |
| Purchase Link: | DD Official Store |
Physical Things
Both cables are 8 cm long. Wire material is high-purity silver-plated OCC copper.
| What is OCC? | |
|---|---|
| OCC stands for “Ohno Continuous Casting”. It refers to a method of copper refining developed and patented by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. The process results in individual copper grains stretched up to 125 m. This essentially eliminates grain boundaries as the loci of potential corrosion and impurities, which results in ultra-low impedance and rapid signal transmission. |
Four strands of separately insulated wire serve as conductor. The inner insulation is teflon. The outer insulation is thermoplastic polyurethane imported from Germany. The aluminum alloy connector are cased in stainless steel to minimize external interference.
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is any of a class of polyurethane plastics with many properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease, and abrasion. Technically, they are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments.
As it appears, these cables are technically sound. They feature good conductors and sufficient internal and external insulation. Sonically, they are indistinguishable from the OEOTG cable and one other brand of which I could not identify (see photo at the bottom of this article).
Haptically, the MFi06 and TC03 are vastly superior over the typical stock cables and the Apple Camera Adapter. The connectors feel rugged, the cable is flexible and the shiny, pearly white TPU is dirt and grease resistant.
And, let’s face it, these cables also add a jewelry effect to our gear. Yep, they don’t just feel good between the fingers, they also look good.
All good so far, only one worry remains: the MFi06’s battery consumption.
MFi06’s Battery Consumption
The MFi06’s lightning connector features a decoding chip which draws current from the phone. The question is how much it contributes to the phone’s battery drain.
I measured battery consumption of different dongles (AudioQuest DragonFly Red, Shanling UA2 single ended, Hidisz S9 Pro single ended) with the Apple Camera Adapter vs. the MFi06. I then repeated these tests with two other Lightning to USB-C cables (OEOTG and an unknown brand) for comparison purposes. All tests were performed under identical conditions. The absolute values are meaningless, what is important are the relative values.
| What is MFi? | |
|---|---|
| MFi stands for “Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod” and is a quality approval from Apple themselves. Manufacturers run their iPhone, iPad and iPod accessories (Lightning cables, gamepads, Bluetooth controllers, and so on) through compliance and safety tests. Apple collects a licensing fee for each lightning adapter, which adds to the cables’ price. |
I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps and adapters connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.
The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.
.
Results:
1) The Apple Camera Adapter has by far the lowest power consumption.
2) In my 3 h tests, the 3rd-party MFi chip in the ddHiFi MFi06 cable consumed between 130 and 220 mAh (23%-36%) more (for my specific test parameters) than the one in the Apple Camera Adapter.
3) All three tested 3rd-party cables appear to have the same MFi chip (approx. same battery consumption with Shanling UA2).
4) Battery consumption of the ddHiFi MFi06 cable varies vastly between dongles. It is much lower for the DragonFly Red that consumes by far the least battery with the Apple Camera Adapter.
In summary, the MFi06’s power consumption is acceptable for today’s ever increasing phone battery capacities.
Concluding Remarks
The ddHiFi TC03 and MFi cables do what they are supposed to do: they work as promised while adding appeal to our devices. And they don’t break our piggy banks.
Until next time…keep on listening!
Disclaimer
THE MFi06 and TC03 cables were supplied by the ddHiFi for my review – and I thank them for that.
Get them from the DD Official Store
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
Gallery
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]]>The post Kinera Leyding .78mm 2 pin Cable Review – Better Living Through Science appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>To the extent I ever think about cables, I’m a moderate—generally, I neither believe that all well-made cables sound the same nor that you can radically change an IEM’s tuning with a cable. I’ve also previously rejected as fantastical the notion that silver cables are brighter than copper or that heavier gauges are somehow better. However, the Leyding did have enough of a sonic impact that I’m starting to rethink some of my preconceptions.
The plastic-sheathed 8-core braided Kinera Leyding doesn’t look or feel especially luxe, except for its modular output design, which provides for detachable 2.5mm balanced, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.5mm balanced plugs. Build seems solid, with metal connectors and gold-plated plugs, but the 3.5mm plug is too stubby to fit in the protective case on my mobile (I had to use a M to F extender, which admittedly is not a great sacrifice). The cable does feel soft and supple around your ears, and (in contrast to the stock Bravery cable) is free from microphonics and awkward memory.
Contrary to my preconceptions, the Kinera Leyding very significantly changed the presentation of the SeeAudio Bravery. First and foremost, it boosted the volume considerably—while I leave measurements to my more technogeek colleagues, I hypothesize that the Leyding has lower impedance than the stock Bravery cable (less impedance=greater volume).
However, it also made the already-bright Bravery brighter and made the low end, which had somewhat slow decay with the stock cable, audibly tighter. Not all of these changes were favorable—guitar strings and female vox with the Leyding sounded a little more shrill/digital, albeit more detailed. Overall, however, the Kinera Leyding was an improvement.
Results with the ($49) KZ ZS10 Pro were less successful. Again, the phones sounded louder with the Leyding than with the stock copper cable (which is $9 on KZ’s website) and notes seemed weightier. However, the Kinera Leyding tended to bloat the bass to a painful level, which was better-controlled with the cheaper original.
With the Moondrop Kanas Pro, whose stock cable is thinner but also silver plated copper, the differences were much more subtle—I may have heard a bit more weight in the notes with the Leyding, but I can’t swear that there wasn’t some expectancy bias in play.
I’m happy to own the Kinera Leyding—the detachable plugs are useful gimmick, it’s very comfortable to wear and a definite enhancement to some phones. You could probably find an equivalent performer for less (though given its lavish presentation the Leyding seems fairly priced). Above all, it made me actually care about cables for the first time, which is worth something.
Disclaimer: gifted by and available from HifiGo. Thanks, guys and gals.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
The post Kinera Leyding .78mm 2 pin Cable Review – Better Living Through Science appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post Snake Oil Taipan RCA Cable Review – Sonic Poison Attack appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Pros — Cheapest snake oil in audio; excellent build, haptic, and looks; rugged and attractive looking; reasonable price and shipping.
Cons — Shipping cost only calculated upon checkout.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Snake Oil Taipan are sturdy RCA connectors made from German Sommer cable and American premium Amphenol connectors, and they are assembled in the USA.
INTRODUCTION
We love snake oil. If you search our blog for these keywords, you get…just try it:
https://www.audioreviews.org/?s=snake+oil
Snake Oil Sound is a 2-men startup out of a garage in San Jose, CA. 2 guys? Garage? California? Sounds familiar?
That’s how he world’s most valuable company started. But whereas Apple have never had any self irony, Snake Oil have. The company specializes in after-market accessories for Schiit products (cables, connectors, even a streamer), and they certainly have come up with some good ideas. Check out their catalogue.
I came across Snake Oil when looking for RCA interconnects for the Khadas Tone2 Pro/Topping L30. There are tons of quality cables out there, which were either too pricey for me – or the extraordinary shipping cost higher than the product itself made them cost prohibitive.
Snake Oil sell directly without middlemen. They offer international shipping at cost – per USPS, which is about $12 to Canada. They obviously understand their customers. Unfortunately (for them) I had already submitted an order to some Chinese budget cables. And fortunately – for them – these were too short for my purposes, so that we agreed on me reviewing one of their cables. I opted for the Snake Oil Taipan, their TOTL model, which retail at a reasonable $33 per footlong pair.
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Name: Snake Oil Taipan
Length: 6 in to 1000 ft
Wire Material/Conductor: 0.5 mm² German SOMMER cable
RCA connectors: Premium Amphenol
Tested at: $33 for1 ft/pair
Purchase Link: Snake Oil Sound
PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY
There is really not much to say. The cables were hand assembled upon ordering and arrived in a simple plastic bag. The amphenol premium connectors are well known to and appreciated by audiophiles. They are sturdy and sit as snug in place as it gets. The rugged cable part is imported from Sommer Cable in Germany. Two quality items, brought together in California.
The overall construct is highly functional and therefore rather substantial and very sturdy. The cable is reasonably supple and rebranded with the Snake Oil label. And it is this visible irony that makes this product unique.
SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL
I have reviewed quite a few earphone cables in my life – but never dared to make broad statements that one cable sounded universally better than another. Differences in sound rely on a lot of factors and are always tied to the properties of the electronics the cable is used with, the source and the amp.
Now I have finally arrived at the Snake Oil itself. And yes, the Snake Oil Taipan sounds good. So good that I use it to connect the Khadas Tone Pro to the Schiit Magni 2 Uber and Topping L30. Yep, it works well, it connects well, and it looks good. And that’s all I need. I compared the Taipan with some well-made but older Radio Shack cables. The Taipan delivered a fuller sound at the bottom end, the Radio shack sound was less bassy and visceral – which only applies to this particulate setup. This does not mean it sounds better than the Radio Shack cable, it only means it transfers more of the lower frequencies. Depends which signature you prefer.
Snake Oil Taipan – The Movie
CONCLUDING REMARKS
I had done a few cable reviews before – and had mentioned the term “snake oil” in each of them. Yes, any two cables can sound different (with the same electronics), but this has, in many cases, little to do with price (or optics). A well-constructed, well-shielded cable with good connectors is all you need for decent sound transfer.
The Snake Oil Taipan incorporates German and American quality parts and does the job – and it does it well. It is assembled in the USA and affordable. I really liked the company’s “at a cost shipping” to Canada.
What else do you want?
You can have never enough Snake Oil in your audio…which is typically highly overpriced! But not in this case.
Oh, and I append a few images below that give you some idea of the Taipan’s physicalities – and an accompanying video is in the works.
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
I received the Taipan cable from Snake Oil Sound for my review – and I thank them for that.
Get the Taipan directly from Snake Oil Sound.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
Gallery
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]]>The post NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable Review – Another Brick In The Wall appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — Not the most pliable design.
INTRODUCTION
NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: in the last few years, third-party earphone cables have been a desirable asset for listeners and sellers (!) alike. I was recently talked into reviewing a few budget cables – and will retire from this duty in the near future as it is difficult to make universally valid statements on cable sound. there is no established physical relationship between wire material/structure and sound. Sonic quality is not measurable. Sonic differences between cables vary between earphones and it takes some cable rolling to find the right one in each case. I have always recommended a selection of budget cables of different materials (silver, silver-plated copper, pure copper etc.) for everybody’s toolbox. This NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: cable can be a budget addition to your cable collection.
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Name: NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable
Wire Material/Conductor: 4N Litz UPOCC copper (purity 99.99%)
Internal Core Structure: Litz
Number Of Cores: 0.1*10 each strand
Skin Material: PVC
Insulating Material: Polyurethane
Length: 1.25 m ± 3 cm
Solder: WBT containing silver
Impedance:< Ω
Inductance: 0.4 uG/ft
Propagation Delay: 80% speed of light
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Plug Material: aluminum alloy
Spitter Material: aluminum alloy
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin
Tested at: $17-19
Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store
PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY
TECHNOLOGY
The important technologies used in the NiceHCK Blocc 4N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable are UPOCC (material) and Litz (internal cable structure). You may have come across these terms before, but, like me, do not remember the details. OCC stands for “Ohno Continuous Casting”. It refers to a method of copper refining developed and patented by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. UP stands for “Ultra Pure”. The process results in essentially oxygen free pure copper, which has ultra-low impedance that results in rapid signal transmission. And the lack of impurities makes the material corrosion resistant.
The “N” number in 4N refers to degree of copper purity. 4 refers to four nines as in 99.99% pure copper (5N would mean 99.999% and so on).
Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.
HAPTIC & BUILD
The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable is exceptionally light in comparison to others. It is also comparatively (PVC)) stiff when bending and of medium hardness between my fingers. And it is rather loosely braided. Certainly not the most pliable one – but extremely resistant/less prone to tangling. The connectors are of good quality and pretty much standard across companies in this price class.
COMFORT
The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable is reasonably comfortable. The tension of the memory wires is again standard in this class, and the cable itself is a bit lighter but also stiffer than the budget competition.
NOISE TRANSMISSION
None. Very good.
COMPATIBILITY
The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable is available with all possible connectors: 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm MMCX/NX7/QDC/0.78 2Pin
JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS
The loose braiding and shiny copper appearance makes this cable look a bit inconspicuous in comparison. The PVC is rather “ordinary” and probably not the. The PVC material is extremely dirt and greaseresistant.
SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL
Try it out yourself.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The NICEHCK LitzOCC 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: another budget cable that presumably works as well for you as it did for me. It is just another stone in the wall of anyone’s cable collection. I advise to spend money on a number of budget cables rather than on a single expensive one – at least in the early stages of this hobby. There is always time to upgrade based on experience gained with these.
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
Get this cable from NiceHCK Store
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
RELATED…
The post NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable Review – Another Brick In The Wall appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post Inasmile Cable Protectors Review – Most Intimate Protection For <20 Cents appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — None.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The <$0.2 Inasmile cable protectors are super low-priced add-on strain reliefs that effectively prevent cable fraying and breakage – and therefore extend cable life. They also help fixing damaged cables such as the notoriously fraying Apple cables. A great solution for disgruntled Apple customers and protective audiophiles alike.
INTRODUCTION
I rarely come across a product that puts a smile on my face. The Inasmile cable protector is one of them. It is very useful and cheap. I use it for protect cables but reinforcing the strain relief but also developed a simple and fully reversible method for fixing frayed cables. No heat think, Sugro, or similar goo needed. The fix is fully reversible. I am convinced that you will throw in an order for these. By they way, I purchased this product myself.
HOW IT WORKS
Just wrap the protector around as seen in the video. These Inasmile cable protectors work for both, protection but also fixing. I will show you how in the following.
SPECIFICATIONS
Material: rubber
Length: 3.5 cm
Outer Diameter: 0.8 cm
Compatibility: any cable with a diameter between 2.5 and 4 mm (Apple power supply, iPhone, OTG or headphone/earphone cable
Flexibility, stretchability: very good ductility and tensile strength
Softness: perceived very good
Colours: wide variety
Tested at: $1.60 for 10
Purchase Link: Inasmile Official Store
USE 1: MOST INTIMATE PROTECTION
The Inasmile cable protectors simply reinforce any flimsy strain reliefs as in the Sennheiser PX 100-II or the heavy used/highest bent areas around usb etc. connectors in computer cables. This can extend the life of a cable and save money.
USE 2: FIXING CABLES
FRAYED APPLE POWER-SUPPLY AND iPHONE CABLES
Apple’s iPhone cables and power-supply cables are notorious for fraying at high bending areas – and Apple never acknowledged the problem. Unfortunately, two of my power supplies fell victim fo cable fraying near the mag-safe connector for no good reasons. The material simply had become brittle. The “genius” at the Apple bar just raised his shoulders. Out of warranty, sorry. As you see in this example, the frayedd segment was quite long. I first wrapped it with ultra thin however sturdy thread-sealing tape and then added two of the strain reliefs to hold the tape in place and also to armour the cable. Works like a charm – and also does for iphone cables. And it is MUCH cheaper than Sugro goo and Kickstarter-type strain reliefs at Apple pricing. And If you don’t like your fix in the end, it is easily reversible. No risk here.
SENNHEISER VS. DYSON
In yet another battle of Britain, my Dyson vacuum cleaner chewed up a Sennheiser headphone cable. In this process, the cable’s PVC cover disintegrated at a couple of ca. 10-20 cm long segments so that the wires were exposed. The cable was still fully functioning. In order to fix this, I first covered up the wires with electrical tape, then kept the tape in place with Inasmile cable protectors. And bingo.
WHAT THE COMPANY SAYS
“Simple crossover convenience wide compatibility more practical”
“Soft without hurting the line”
“Most intimate protection”
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The Inasmile cable protectors are truly the “most intimate protection” one could think of. And not only that. While they will extend the life of weaker, brittle, and older cables, they also saved me a lot of money by assisting in repairing frayed cables permanently attached to two Apple power supplies at $80 CAD each. Considering the cost of less than 20 cents per protector, I expect these to sell like hotcakes. Highly recommended.
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
None. I purchased the cable protectors myself but felt like writing a review. They are that good. So far, I have ordered 40 pieces.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
The post Inasmile Cable Protectors Review – Most Intimate Protection For <20 Cents appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable Review – The Soft Parade appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — The 3.5 mm balanced version does not work with some single-ended outputs.
INTRODUCTION
This NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable comes with the NiceHCK NX7 Pro Mk3 earphone reviewed by us. But since it is also individually available, and because it is haptically and wire-wise so different from the usual budget fare, I decided to write a short characterization of it. Please note that I approach this from the aspect of jewelry effect and practicality of use only. I will not go into sonic details as these are likely vastly different for different earphones.
As a reviewers/analyst, I need to have a selection of eartips and cables as the stock accessories are frequently not working for me. Most of these cables cost between $10-15, but I recently treated myself to a $40 cable to check out differences.
In my experience, cables can make a sonic difference (to the stock cable), however the differences do not rely on price but rather on the cable materials, cable structure, the amplifier’s output impedance, load impedance, the earphone sensitivity, and many more parameters. We have more unknowns than equations to make universally valid statements sound. But as a simplistic first approach, we look at cable materials. According to the hypothesis, pure copper tames the signature whereas silver and silver-plated copper add perceived treble. This is likely not generally true, however it is a reasonable assumption to base our testing on – each earphone/cable combination has to be tested individually with different electronics and the results cannot be generalized. When talking on sonic differences between cables, these are not expressed in frequency response measurements: measurements with different cables are usually identical. What this tells us it that cables don’t change quantity (dBs) but quality. But inhowfar this quality change can be quantified and its exact causes be determined remains an enigma.
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Name: NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable
Conductor: 16 copper silver mixed
Purity: 99.997%
Conductor Core: 23AWG
Number of Cores: 14*16
Outer Diameter of Internal Single Core: 0.05mm
Single Outer Skin Diameter: 1mm
Internal Core Structure: SPC silver plated copper + OFC high purity copper
Outer Skin Material: PVC
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin/NX7 2Pin
Splitter Material: pure copper plating
Tested at: $37-39
Purchase Link: Nice HCK Store
PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY
TECHNOLOGY
The technologies used in the NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable are the 16 cores and the silver-plated copper/OFC high purity copper mixed wire. Each of the 16 cores has 14 0.05 mm thick strands. NiceHCK does not specify the cable structure, however OFC copper refers to “oxygen-free copper”. OFC copper has a high conductivity and it is particularly resistant to corrosion, which can impact sound quality. 99.997% purity constitutes 4 N in my books. How this affects sound remains to be seen.
HAPTIC & BUILD
The NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable is particularly soft, smooth, and supple. Outer material is PVC and it appears to be dirt and grease resistant. It is actually very pleasant between the fingers. Plug, splitter/chin slider, and connectors are all made of heavy metal with a polished surface. They are heavy and solid. The regular 2-pin and QDC 2-pin versions I tested were sturdy but I would generally recommend the regular 2-pin. Both fit snug on the earpieces I tried them out with. As pictures tell more than 1000 words, here some technical photography of the cable’s key features.
COMFORT
No problems in this department. The memory wire fits snug around the ears without exerting pressure. The softness and pliability make the cable particularly comfortable against the skin and the chin slider holds everything nicely in place. Weight is middle of the pack as the headphone jack, splitter, and chin slider are pretty solid.
NOISE TRANSMISSION
There is zero microphonics. As we like it.
COMPATIBILITY
The NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable comes with a variety of connectors to fit any conventional earphone shells: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin. You can also choose the plug: 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm. I advise against the QDC 2 pin as it limits connectivity, a regular 0.78 mm 2 pin connects to more earphones. I also warn from getting the 3.5 mm balanced version as such a standard does not exist (with a very few exceptions) and this connector does not work with all single-ended output. For example, the Audioquest Dragonfly Black and the Earmen Sparrow both produced only sound in one channel. But it worked fine with the 3.5 mm output of my iPhone SE (1st generation) or my MacBook Air’s output.
JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS
The NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable is more on the flashy side with its shiny speckled cable skin and shiny metal connectors. Its visuals cannot be missed.
SOUND?
I had mentioned above that no general definite statements can be made about sound. Any cable may have different sonic effects with different setups. But one thing for sure is that sound quality is not related to price. In fact, you always have to try different cables wth each setups for optimal sound.
I had expressed my informed opinion on cable sound differences in my recent NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable review [HERE]. My main points are summarized as follows:
- Cables can make a sonic difference, mainly with multi-driver earphones
- This difference possibly relates to impedance, wire material, and wire structure
- Impedance differences may in some cases be large enough to result in different sound volumes and can also alter the earphone’s frequency response; such changes in the frequency response can be calculated
- Cables may not make any difference with some earphones
- Listeners often mistake volume increase due to lower impedance for sonic improvement
- The sonic differences between cables are largely independent of price
- If sonic differences between cables exist, they are not universally valid but only relate to that particular earphone and the cables used in that particular comparison
- Eartips are the cheaper alternative to achieve a different sound
- Expensive upgrade cables may sound worse with your favourite earphone than stock cable
- One may be better off spending the upgrade cable’s price on better earphones
Value
Hard to assess as cable pricing is all over the place and as the exact interior is not revealed. But in terms of haptic, this cable and its connectors are clearly a good step up from the usual $10-15 fare I have in my collection.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable is a well-made, good looking cable with a somewhat cryptic, however interesting mixed silver-copper wire inside. This kind could be one of a few budget cables in your collection, together with a silver one, a silver-plated copper one, an occ copper one, and a pure copper one. Now you are ready to test your earphones without breaking the bank. Have fun!
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
Complicated. I received two NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cables. The first came unsolicited with the NiceHCK NX7 Pro Mk3 review unit – but it was the wrong connector (balanced 3.5 mm plug). I then received a balanced 2.5 mm cable upon request. And I thank Jim NiceHCK for that. As to my review above, I was never asked to write one, I just thought it would be a good idea as this cable is so much different from the usual budget fare.
Get it from NiceHCK Audio Store
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
The post NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable Review – The Soft Parade appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable Review – Well Well Well appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — None.
INTRODUCTION
The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is the company’s budget offering in terms of pure silver Litz wire at around $20. In this price category, most earphone cables are either pure copper, occ copper, or silver-plated copper. Since different materials harmonize differently with different earphones in some (but not all) cases, it is always good to have a cable of each material in your modding box.
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Name: NiceHCK 4N Litz pure silver cable
Material: 4N pure silver
Internal Core Structure: 0.08*10, 4 Strands 40 Cores; 1.2m±3cm, Internal Core 0.092mm with Litz
Cable Diameter: 28AWG（Inside Diameter 0.33mm，Cross Sectional Area 0.0553mm²）
Outer Material: American PVC
Insulation Material: Litz
Length: 1.2 m ± 3cm
Impedance: < 0.3ohm
Inudctance: 0.4uF/ft
Solder : WTB Solder Silver Solder
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin/NX7 2Pin
Plug material: Carbon Fiber & Stainless Steel
Splitter Material: Carbon Fiber & Stainless Steel
Tested at: $20
Purchase Link: Nice HCK Store
PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY
TECHNOLOGY
The important technologies used in the NiceHCK 4N cable are “Pure Silver” (material) and Litz (internal cable structure).
Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs at below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.
The “N” number in 4N refers to degree of copper purity. 4 refers to four nines as in 99.99% pure copper (5N would mean 99.999% and so on).
HAPTIC & BUILD
NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is rather filigree: it is thin, light, and inconspicuous. The braid is rather loose. The wire is is covered with PVC, which makes the cable soft and pliable, and that shiny outer material appears to be dirt and grease repellent. The MMCX connectors are of good quality…they clicked in snug wherever I tried. The memory wire is also thin and of intermediate tension. The wires were comfortable around my ears. The headphone plug is also robust and the chin slider comes in handy. I underline my description with some photos below.
COMFORT
The memory wire fits snug around the ears without pressure and the cable is as light as it gets so that the NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is as comfortable as it gets – it is also comfortable against the skin. The chin slider helps holding the cable in place.
NOISE TRANSMISSION
There is zero microphonics. Very good.
COMPATIBILITY
The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable comes with a variety of connectors to fit any conventional earphone shells: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin. You can also choose the plug: 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm.
JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS
The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable – as said – is on the subtle, inconspicuous side. The silver-and-black connectors are neutral enough looking to fit any earphone.
SOUND?
I had expressed my informed opinion on cable sound differences in my recent NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable review [HERE]. My main points are summarized as follows:
- Cables can make a sonic difference, mainly with multi-driver earphones
- This difference possibly relates to impedance, wire material, and wire structure
- Impedance differences may in some cases be large enough to result in different sound volumes and can also alter the earphone’s frequency response; such changes in the frequency response can be calculated
- Cables may not make any difference with some earphones
- Listeners often mistake volume increase due to lower impedance for sonic improvement
- The sonic differences between cables are largely independent of price
- If sonic differences between cables exist, they are not universally valid but only relate to that particular earphone and the cables used in that particular comparison
- Eartips are the cheaper alternative to achieve a different sound
- Expensive upgrade cables may sound worse with your favourite earphone than stock cable
- One may be better off spending the upgrade cable’s price on better earphones
From my experience, a silver-plated copper or an occ copper cable may add brightness, and therefore some sparkle to a warm sounding earphone, and a pure-copper cable helps taming boosted, piercing upper midrange peaks. This is just a rule of thumb that needs to be re-confirmed for every earphone. But these sonic differences are independent of price. The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable works very well with the rather polite KBEAR TRI I3 earphone that requires amplification and has an early treble rolloff – and I just kept this cable on as my go to. With this earphone, the pure silver cable works equally well or better than the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable at 5 times the price (but was certainly not worse sounding) – but this is only valid for this particular earphone.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The main characteristic of this cable is its pure silver conductive material at a relatively low price. Pure silver may have – but not always – favourable sonic effects on certain earphones. It is therefore good to have a pure silver cable in the toolbox, along with pure copper, occ copper, and silver-plated copper. With any given earphone, cable materials may make no difference at all or they make a big difference — but potential sonic improvements are mostly not correlated with price. What makes no difference is price — and looks are not correlated with sonic quality either. Don’t get carried away by snake oil, buy responsibly, look for deals, and be aware that your earphone and “upgrade” cable don’t harmonize or that the cable is pure jewelry. And why not.
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable was provided unsolicited by NiceHCK store – and I thank them for that.
Get it from NiceHCK Audio Store
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
The post NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable Review – Well Well Well appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable Review – Die Form Folgt Der Funktion… appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Cons — Some microphonics.
INTRODUCTION
Third-party “upgrade” cables with prices up to the sky have always played a role in the premium earphone segment. But in the last few years, with the uprise of budget/mid tier Chi-Fi, such cables have become standard staples even at the very low end. In fact, fixed cables are a deal breaker for many potential buyers even of $20 earphones. Some Chi-Fi earphone brands have their own line of cables that range from a few $ to the price of a mid-tier earphone.
NiceHCK are such a company. They have impressed us with more or less good sounding but always well-built earphones, and I have purchased quite a few of their $10-15 pure copper or silver- plated copper cables, which have been always to my satisfaction. Now I am in the situation where I hold a $110 cable in my hands for the first time. Is it any better than the cheap fare – and if so – is the “NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable” worth the “upgrade”?
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Name: NiceHCK 5N UPOCC copper cable
Model name: NiceHCK Blocc
Material: 5N UPOCC copper (purity 99.999%)
Internal core structure: Litz
Outer material: black nylon
Length:
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin
Number of Cores: 982 {(980.06mm)*2}
Conductor Core: 26AWG
Outer diameter of internal single core: 0.06 mm
Single Outer Skin Diameter: 2.7 mm
Tested at: $110
Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store
PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY
TECHNOLOGY
The important technologies used in the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable are UPOCC (material) and Litz (internal cable structure). You may have come across these terms before, but, like me, do not remember the details. OCC stands for “Ohno Continuous Casting”. It refers to a method of copper refining developed and patented by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. UP stands for “Ultra Pure”. The process results in essentially oxygen free pure copper, which has ultra-low impedance that results in rapid signal transmission. And the lack of impurities makes the material corrosion resistant.
The “N” number in 5N refers to degree of copper purity. 5 refers to five nines as in 99.999% pure copper (4N would mean 99.99% and so on).
Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.
HAPTIC & BUILD
With four words: this cable feels very substantial. I have never had a more substantial cable in my hands. The coating is of thick nylon and the metal pieces at the ends and the splitter are made of shiny, sturdy metal alloy. All metal parts are plain cylindrical in shape – the design is minimalistic and pragmatic and would fit the German Bauhaus school of design “Die Form folgt der Funktion” (the shape should reflect the functionality). The actual nylon coating feels pleasant, sturdy/robust yet very pliable, and water repellent. It is certainly not a dust and dirt attractor. Despite being thick, the cable is very light and does not drag you down. The ear hooks are mantled with some sturdy however reasonably flexible pvc. This cable is way more substantial than any of the $10-15 plastic cables I own and could easily be used to strangle someone – please don’t try this at home. I underline my description with photos below.
The MMCX connectors are very sturdy. I swapped the cable around more than 10 times between different earphones – and the connectors clicked in with precision. Unplugging also has never been a problem.
COMFORT
The stiffness of the memory wire is ok, and their thickness distribute the weight evenly so that this cable is very comfortable around the ears. In fact, I don’t feel it at all – in contrast to the silicone tips inside my ear canals. The cable is – as said- light, and does not pull my ears or head down. In any case is the cable comfortable against the skins.
NOISE TRANSMISSION
The two cables strands between the ear hooks and the splitter are audible when rubbing against my designer beard near the jaws. While there is some microphonics, I am not sure whether this is also the case for the shaven individual.
COMPATIBILITY
The Blocc cable comes with a variety of connectors to fit any conventional earphone shells: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin. You can also choose the straight plug: 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm.
JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS
Because of its universal design and black colour with shiny silvery metal parts, the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable looks great on most earphones. It looks particularly good on the KBEAR TRI I3 (see photo) as the connectors fit seamlessly to the brushed metal shells. The simple cylindrical shapes of the metal parts generate this appeal of plain beauty, something I have always liked. Call it a designer cable.
SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL
I did a listening comparison using the $250 Kinboofi MK4 earphone [reviewed HERE] (the only MMCX-connected earphone I can offer to be worthy for a $100 cable). I did compare it to the $10 silver-plated copper stock cable and also to the $10 Yinyoo 8-core pure copper cable. If my perception was correct, the pure copper had less life than the other two (in combination with the MK4 earphone only) – and I retired it prematurely. When A/B-ing the stock and the BLOCC, I could not find any noticeable difference considering the error of slightly different insertion depth, my lack of auditory memory, and variation in impedance…the latter would have resulted in a slight volume difference which most reviewers would interpret as sound change. Different eartips would very likely result in a much bigger sonic difference than swapping between these two cables. If people go for the sound of an upgrade cable, there should be a HUGE sonic improvement over the stock cable at 10 times the price. But for the $100 extra you would probably get a much better sounding earphone – even with its stock cable. So, the reason for purchasing this or any other expensive cable cannot be sound.
And that’s where the snake oil dries out. Yes, cables can make and do make a sonic difference, but in my experience, this does not at all rely on price and the effect is different between earphones – and therefore not universal. The sonic differences – where they exist – are mainly in the wire materials (and to some extent in the structure) used. From experience, a silver-plated copper or an occ copper cable CAN add brightness, and therefore some sheen and sparkle to a dark sounding earphone, and a pure-copper cable helps taming boosted, piercing upper midrange peaks. This is just a rule of thumb, a hypothesis that needs to be re-tested for every earphone. But these sonic difference are already evident in $10-15 cables. A good example is the very sensitive KBEAR Diamond earphone, which sounds awful with an occ cable but great with cheap pure copper. KopyOkaya and I recorded the cable-material issue of the KBEAR Diamond earphone ad nauseam.
And what does the physics say? Cables may differ in their impedance and this difference affects most multi-driver earphone. Depending on the earphone’s impedance profile, different-impedance cables can change their frequency response [albeit these differences are small in most cases – they are more important when comparing iems with amplifiers]. This most often does not apply to single DDs, which typically have a flat impedance profile. The frequency response can be calculated and co-blogger Biodegraded offers a spreadsheet for this HERE. Again, impedance does not rely on price. In fact, expensive cable that don’t match well, impedance wise, will compromise sound quality, and constitute a downgrade rather than an upgrade.
Some reviewers describe cable tonality at great length, typically relative to the stock cable (and the upgrade cable is always better – audio engineers alway appear to fork out great premium earphones but then always fail with the cable? C’mon!). While any such cable-sound review cannot be universally valid – it only works for that particular comparison AND that particular earphone (minus the fantasies applied) – the differences in sonic quality perception may simply be generated by impedance differences and therefore by sonic quantity. If somebody wants to claim that a certain cable is a universally valid upgrade for any earphone, this has to be established by comparing the upgrade cable vs. stock for many earphones. Another alarm bell should ring when the BETTER LOOKING upgrade cable (nicer outer materials and fancier connectors) ALWAYS sounds better.
It also needs to be established that it is the pricier materials that make the difference. Good luck. Most cable reviews that touch sound should therefore be digested with caution.
So, why bother with this NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable? Well, a good cable is like a nice watch: the latter also just tells you the time – and probably not more accurately than your Timex, but a Rolex on your wrist looks and feels nicer – and it is a status symbol. So, the you spend $$$$ on a sports car, pardon earphone, you may want some nice tires and hubs, pardon cable with it. Get it? A nice cable is mainly jewelry, it is the looks and feel, and it may have some improved functionality (microphonic, weight etc.), but this is probably filed under “diminishing returns”.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
I was new to fancy cables and this one is impressive, but for the wrong reasons! It is simply a well working and optically/haptically appealing accessory that upgrades your setup in terms of looks and feel. It feels substantial and sturdy, the thick ear hooks are comfortable, and it has some microphonics. The NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable is simply a nice piece of jewelry.
Let’s put it like that. Someone’s wife could do with a cheap handbag, it doesn’t work any better than a Louis Vuitton. However, every time she picks up her Louis Vuitton, she gets this wow feeling – and one of gratefulness for her husband’s generous Valentine’s day gift. And if you are the wife, you know what I am talking about. So, gentlemen, why not getting your own hand bag in the shape of a nice cable. Just for pleasure.
Until next time…keep on listening!
DISCLAIMER
NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable was provided unsolicited by NiceHCK store – and I thank them for that.
Get it from NiceHCK Audio Store
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
RELATED…
The post NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable Review – Die Form Folgt Der Funktion… appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>The post Dissecting The 8-Core TRN T1 “Tiger Cable” appeared first on Audio Reviews.
]]>Doubt exists that TRN T1 “Tiger” does not have ALL 8 cores connected to the jack (it means TRN selling fake 8-core cable). The two-part video documents a brand-new TRN T1 cable being dismantled, from start to finish, to show the inside cores are INDEED soldered to the jack and are all good.
WARNING: You may fall asleep over these two videos!
The post Dissecting The 8-Core TRN T1 “Tiger Cable” appeared first on Audio Reviews.
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