I thought it might be interesting to share a few headphone cable builds I’ve done, and see what other people have come up with - both in terms of components/wire used as well as the aesthetics.
Descriptions and pictures of the end-result very much of interest!
I’ll start with a couple of very basic ones, and one more interesting build, and then add a few here and there if/when the thread gets going.
This first two are simple builds for the various HD6XX variations (I liked the purple/titanium contrast between the cable and the headphones w/ the HD650 specifically). The wire is Canare L-4E6S, which I stripped the insulation and plated-copper shield from, but left the paper wrap on and kept it in Star Quad form up to the splitter - and then two wires each to the ear-cups. It’s encased in #550 Paracord. The splitter is a little Eidolic piece - and kind of a bugger to get #550 through the two top holes. Headphone connectors are Cardas. Amp connector is a Neutrik NC4XX-B, which are the easiest to work with, and most flexbile, XLR connections I’ve found.
And then another variation that was done to complement the Massdrop HD6XX … which was, beyond what was done above, cryo-treated as well - since I have access to equipment that’ll allow it:
And finally, for now, a basic braided cable, using stripped down L-4E6S cable, sheathed in #275 paracord, another Eidolic splitter and Neutrik plug, but this time finished for the super-fiddly MMCX connectors that HiFi-Man used to use.
Electrically I do not like the simple, open, braided approach nearly as much as some other topologies/geometries I’ve built, but I do like the way such cables look.
So … what have you built?
I’ve got some more interesting builds to share later on …
