Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
Have you gone down this rabbit hole? Do you hear a difference? Is it worth it? I'm curious what your experiences are.
My experience: I studied audio engineering in university. The science side of my brain constantly tries to remind me that the differences I may perceive, if any is negligible, or placebo. Nevertheless, I had a custom set made that terminates to a 3.5mm TRS on both ends so that I can try it with all the heaphones I own that have detachable cables. As a caveat, the last time I went to an audiologist to get my hearing tested, I was able to discern up to 18khz. So... not perfect hearing. That was 3 years ago. I don't know where my hearing is now.
With that said and with all my logic telling me I shouldn't really hear any difference, my experience says otherwise. Immediately there was an undeniable difference in amplitude. This made A/B testing a bit difficult to get the volume leveled. Once I figured out the matched volumes, I proceeded to analyze the sounds coming through my headphones. There is a discernible change in sonic properties. It's slight, but unmistakenly there. Since this is my first and only audiophile cable, I can only speculate what other cable designs do to the signal.
The thing is, when changes in sound properties is slight like in this scenario, the more those subtle differences are subject to be increasingly affected by the listener's physiology. The unique pinna of our ears affects how we discern positioning and the space that we're in. A slight change in the mid frequencies may make a sound perceptually really close for one person while the same sound might feel not as close to someone else.
What I heard with my cable is a slight boost in the mid-high frequencies. It didn't affect anything else. Soundstage stayed the same. Stereo separation is the same. However, to someone else, the same change in the mid-high frequencies may open the sound stage because that increase in mid-high matches how their pinna filters sound waves that are far away before it enters their ear drum.
Perhaps this must be why some people hear great differences when they switch to different cables. (Small changes in signal / huge perceptual effect).
What it's worth: To me, personally, the gains in signal clarity is nice, but that's achievable with a modertely well built cable specially for short runs from a desk amp to your chair or the floor if you enjoy your music laying down. If the desire is to get those subtle differences in sonic properties, a well implemented EQ works much better for that I think. I won't be selling my cable. I actually like the boost that it gives, but now that my curiosity is satisfied, these will be the first and last audiophile cable I'll be purchasing.
Of course I say that now, but I guess I can never say never.