Seven key points for quickly selecting a headphone upgrade cable

You may already have a good pair of replaceable cable headphones, but you're looking for a better listening experience, which is why you're reading this article! Choosing an upgrade cable may be a good and necessary choice. Here are some factors to consider when choosing an upgrade cable:

1. The sound you like, providing you with a different music feast

The material of the upgrade cable is very important. Choosing a high-quality material can improve the sound quality, and choosing the sound you like is also very important. Generally speaking, silver upgrade cables are better than copper ones, but they are also more expensive. But the sound of the two is quite different~ Generally speaking, silver wire is the best at transmitting sound and can fully present the details of the sound, while copper wire sounds warmer and more good at vocal. You can refer to our previous post on headphone upgrade cable materials.

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2. The connector is important! Choosing the wrong one may result in unusability (headphone pin and player plug)

When choosing an upgrade cable, you need to pay attention to the type of connector. Different headphone pin and player plug may not be compatible, and their quality and material also have a huge impact on the sound, so choosing the right product is also crucial. Currently, many audiophiles choose balanced players to get better sound performance, so they need to choose corresponding balanced plugs. OC Studio provides dozens of headphone pin, and OC Studio also design our own high-quality pins and plugs and terminals for some popular models.

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3. Length! We provide high freedom of choice

The length of the upgrade cable is also a factor to consider. If you often move when using headphones, a longer cable may be more suitable for you because it can give you more freedom of movement. Generally, we make a default standard length of about 1.25 meters, but OC Studio is a highly customizable brand, and you can customize any length you want. Some people will give home equipment, maybe about three meters in length, or use 0.6~0.8 meters for Bluetooth receivers, and different needs can be customized.

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4. Weight and flexibility! A forgotten point

Weight and flexibility are things that few people pay attention to, but we OC Studio think they are important parameters when designing headphone upgrade cables, because we also often use headphone upgrade cables to listen to music. A cable with suitable weight and flexibility can significantly improve the comfortable experience and prevent the headphones from slipping off! After years of product version iteration, we have come up with new ideas and methods, so we now use lightweight aluminum alloy materials for accessories instead of heavier materials such as stainless steel. We also use soft-coated materials instead of hard materials, which can bring a more comfortable experience. (Scale weight chart)

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5. Conductor cross-sectional area 4wire vs 8wire Confused?

Upgrading from 4wire to 8wire is the most direct physical improvement. Doubling the cross-sectional area of the conductor can instantly reduce half of the impedance, so we strongly recommend using 8wire cables for over-ear headphones. In our experience, it can provide a better sense of sound energy and stronger control. However, 8wire cables will increase weight and hardness, so we recommend using 4wire cables for users who pursue extreme lightness.

- In addition, our flagship series products are made of thicker 4wire cables to achieve a larger cross-sectional area of the conductor, but they are too thick to make 8wire cables. Therefore, 8wire cables are mainly provided in the Classic series. In addition, OC Studio provides different braiding methods for 8wire cables, allowing players to choose their favorite braiding method, including three types of cross, flat, and 3D. Flat and 3D braiding are relatively softer braiding methods, and the appearance is also very beautiful, so they are favored by many Audiophile.

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6. Brand, choose Correctly

Choosing a reliable brand is also very important. We are a local brand in Taiwan, OC Studio, which also uses high-quality materials produced in Taiwan. We established in 2012, the brand has been established for more than ten years in this industry and is a brand you can trust. In addition, EFFECT Audio from Singapore is a well-known international upgrade cable brand, including Toxic Cable from the UK, ALO Audio, PLUS Sound, Whiplash from the US, Oyaide from Japan, etc., are all well-known and reputable brands~

7. Budget

The price range of upgrade cables is wide, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, you need to choose a suitable upgrade cable based on your budget. However, don't forget that choosing a high-quality upgrade cable can significantly improve sound performance~ Some cheap cables are made by cutting costs in various materials, such as using inferior recycled materials, subpar electroplating processes, poor precision, etc. We have taught you before how to distinguish good materials or how to distinguish good plating processes from appearance~ But in most cases, it is difficult to distinguish the quality of the cables, or the labeling is not true, so choosing a trustworthy brand is very important.

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Summary

Congratulations, you must now have a complete direction to choose the HiFi headphone upgrade cable that suits you. If you can find a cable that is suitable for your budget, quality, connector type, length, and brand reliability, then your listening experience will be greatly improved! OC Studio and many international big brands use the same level of UP-OCC cables produced by well-known cable factories in Taiwan. UP-Ultra Pure literally means super pure, which is actually a factory code. That famous factory in Taiwan have OEM cables for many internationally renowned audio cable brands and headphone upgrade cable brands. (For details about cable materials, please click here)

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FAQ

Q: Why choose an upgrade cable?
A: Choosing an upgrade cable can improve the sound quality of headphones and give you a better listening experience.


Q: What factors need to be considered?
A: Factors to consider include material, connector type, length, weight and flexibility, conductor cross-sectional area, and brand.


 Q: Which brands are reliable?
A: OC Studio, EFFECT Audio, Toxic Cable, ALO Audio, PLUS Sound, Whiplash, Oyaide, etc., are all well-known and reputable brands.


Q: What is the price range of upgrade cables?
A: The price range of upgrade cables is wide, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. You need to choose a suitable upgrade cable based on your budget.


Q: What is the difference between silver wire and copper wire?
A: Silver wire has the best conductivity and can fully present the details of the sound, while copper wire is warmer and more flavorful.