4-conductor headphone cable

[Music1969]

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a good 4-conductor cable suitable to use with headphones.

4-conductor so that left and right have seperate 'ground', not shared ground.

I need to replace my Focal headphones cable and the official replacement price is ridiculous and it's very stiff.

Plus I want something less 'microphonic' than the Focal original.

Something light also.

@solderdude can you recommend something?

Is Belden 1804A mic cable ok ?

https://catalog.belden.com/index.cfm?event=pd&p=PF_1804A

Or don't need any shielding?

 

[solderdude]

You would need to make a split in the cable and go from there.
When you are handy enough to make a nice looking split you could use this cable.

No shielding needed.

 

[Music1969]

You would need to make a split in the cable and go from there.
When you are handy enough to make a nice looking split you could use this cable.

No shielding needed.

Noted but which cable can you recommend?

1. 4 conductor
2. No microphonics
3. Light
4. Not stiff

I can get the help of someone that can do the split but they use really strange cables. Braided and silver all types

 

[solderdude]

In such a case I would get some Sennheiser cables or so clip off the senn connectors and mount the 3.5mm TS (or TRS) connectors instead.

 

[Music1969]

In such a case I would get some Sennheiser cables or so clip off the senn connectors and mount the 3.5mm TS (or TRS) connectors instead.

Are all Sennheiser cables 4 conductor?

Or can you share the models which you know are 4 conductor?

 

[samwell7]

Are all Sennheiser cables 4 conductor?

Or can you share the models which you know are 4 conductor?

Get a HD650 cable

 

[Doodski]

I use this Sennheiser cable. It's siliconized rubber sorta stuff on the exterior shell, has zero microphonics and it feels durable and yet lightweight and does not tangle. Not sure about your double ground requirements but it's good cable.

 

[samwell7]

I use this Sennheiser cable. It's siliconized rubber sorta stuff on the exterior shell, has zero microphonics and it feels durable and yet lightweight and does not tangle. Not sure about your double ground requirements but it's good cable.

Looks the same as the HD650 cable just terminated differently on the headphone end

 

[Music1969]

Get a HD650 cable

Thanks is the HD650 cable 4 conductor?

I've tried Googling for confirmation but can't find it.

 

[Music1969]

I use this Sennheiser cable. It's siliconized rubber sorta stuff on the exterior shell, has zero microphonics and it feels durable and yet lightweight and does not tangle. Not sure about your double ground requirements but it's good cable.

Thanks.

I should explain (although you guys probably already knew):

I want separate left and right grounds, coming off the 6.3mm jack, all the way to the left and right headphone connectors, i.e. seperate left and right ground for the entire length of cable.

I don't want joined ground from 6.3mm jack to the 'split', which seems more common.

 

[half_dog]

Thanks.

I should explain (although you guys probably already knew):

I want separate left and right grounds, coming off the 6.3mm jack, all the way to the left and right headphone connectors, i.e. seperate left and right ground for the entire length of cable.

I don't want joined ground from 6.3mm jack to the 'split', which seems more common.

As suggested before by solderdude the HD650 is nice one. This cable has 4 conductor which the ground conductors are soldered together at TRS connector only - you can check it on pictures And more, If you wanna make it balanced just cut the TRS connector and solder any 4 pin connector or 2 XLR 3-pin.

Talking about cables, connector... @solderdude you said that shielding is not necessary. How about Pentaconn connectors, the ground pin is left disconnected for headphone cables? I have no idea about it

 

[Music1969]

This cable has 4 conductor which the ground conductors are soldered together at TRS connector only - you can check it on pictures

Yes thanks but as I mentioned before, i tried to Google for pics of this but could not find.

 

[samwell7]

Thanks is the HD650 cable 4 conductor?

I've tried Googling for confirmation but can't find it.

Yeah it is 4 conductor as you want - the two separate grounds are bonded on the 1/4" TRS.

A lot of people use the stock HD650 cable and re-terminate it with a balanced XLR connector (or similar) as the stock cable is cheap, well built and has low handling noise.

 

[m_g_s_g]

Yes, the HD650 Sennheiser cables have 4 conductors. But the ground conductors don’t have separate insulation as both signal conductors do. If you plan to solder a XLR Jack this is probably not a problem. But with a tiny 2.5mm connector it’s not an easy job. If that’s what you want to do, I can recommend to buy a premade 2.5mm jack-to-bare wire. Drop sells a HD6xx balanced cable as well (but it’s not that cheap: 50$).

 

[Music1969]

But the ground conductors don’t have separate insulation as both signal conductors do.

Ah this is very key to what I need.

So this cable may not suffice.

I need left and right grounds to be insulated full length of cable, from 6.3mm jack to headphones jacks

 

[solderdude]

Thanks is the HD650 cable 4 conductor?

I've tried Googling for confirmation but can't find it.

yes. The HD650 cable has 4 insulated wires. The 2 - ones are connected in the plug. These are enamel litze wire and a real pain to solder as you have to remove the insulation first.

How about Pentaconn connectors, the ground pin is left disconnected for headphone cables? I have no idea about it

I have no idea either. For TRS cables I use mic cable and the shield for common. Not for shielding but to obtain a low common wire resistance.
It would be just as easy to connect the ground to shield. I suppose it would be useful when connecting SE outputs (using Pentaconn) to connect to inputs of amps/consoles or something.

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

Ah this is very key to what I need.

So this cable may not suffice.

I need left and right grounds to be insulated full length of cable, from 6.3mm jack to headphones jacks

some AliExpress sellers. separate insulated left and right grounds for full cable length, by virtue of multiple "core" construction. From US$45 to $100 for 2m length and 6.35mm plug termination. Most around $60. They take 3 weeks upto a month to arrive in the US. I prefer the 8-core cables to the 16-core; more of the cross-sectional area consists of insulation in the latter and their individual effective metal core AWG is usually much higher (smaller dia) as compared with the 8-cores. Each core is multi-stranded in both cases.
yivosound HI-end Replacement Headphones Cable 3.5mm/6.35mm To 2 X 3.5mm Audio Upgrade Cable For Meze 99 Classics/Focal Elear Headphones
Lunashops Retail LN006998 Balanced 16 Core 99% 7N OCC Earphone Cable For Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia Headset Earphone
Lunashops Online LN006991 Black Silver Plated 8 Core Headphone Earphone Cable For Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia earphone headset
Lunashops Retail LN007076 Silver Plated OCC Shielding Headphone Cable For Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia
Lunashops Online LN007047 16 Core OCC Silver Plated Headphone Cable For Meze 99 Classic Neo Noir Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia 7mm Step
Lunashops Retail LN006992 99% Pure Silver 8 Core Headphone Earphone Cable For Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia Headset Earphone

I have never come across yivosound previously, though this does not mean that their beautiful looking cable is not excellent. I have bought several pretty cables from Lunashops, both "retail" and "online" stores, and they have been excellent; their customer feedback rating is pretty good.

 

[Music1969]

yes. The HD650 cable has 4 insulated wires. The 2 - ones are connected in the plug. These are enamel litze wire and a real pain to solder as you have to remove the insulation first.

Thanks but now I'm confused with conflicting info

@m_g_s_g above said :

"But the ground conductors don’t have separate insulation as both signal conductors do"

 

[m_g_s_g]

Maybe the ground wires are covered in clear enamel? Here's a picture of the cable. I tried to solder a 2.5mm connector to it but at the end used a presoldered 2.5mm TRRS to bare wire cable.

 

[solderdude]

I can assure you both return wires are clear enamel and fully separated as they are in separate 'cables'.