Ok.. that's news to me, do you have any references?
Resistance in a cable goes like Resitivity * Length / Area, where Area means the cross sectional area of the wire. The thinner the wire the smaller the area the higher the resistance.
From that same page you can also see why many wires together have smaller resistance, because they act like resistors in parallel and the effective resistance goes like 1/R_eff = 1/R + 1/R + 1/R + ... (however many cables you have). So, e.g., twenty wires of R=2ohm will result in R_eff=0.1ohm.
As for references on the tiny wires snapping, that is just my personal observation from having had a dozen different headphones.
See if anyone's reported this having a serious effect.
The sound you're hearing is analogized by electrons flowing through the wire. Your earbuds are not (likely) digital: they simply move a speaker in a fashion as a direct result of the electrons flowing in. The pattern and volume of the electrons power the speaker, moving air and re-creating the sound wave. If the flow of electrons is impeded or altered, so is the sound. If the frequency of the electron "waves" is altered (different wire gauges have difference frequency response in regard to electron flow), so is the music.
Audiophiles are stupid, stupid people, but the fact remains that a good speaker cable matters. Earbuds have the shittiest possible speaker cables that will still work: anything that degrades their already shitacular state will ruin you.
Also, since the place where the wire broke can reconnect due to movements of the cable, there will be step like increases / decreases in resistance. One headphone cable I cut open had ten strands so the step of one being cut would be ~10%, which would come out as ~1dB change in volume which is at the limit of being noticeable, but is also often accompanied by a very audible clicking noise which is related to the wire (dis)-connecting.
Wait a second: If resistance is uniform (Is it?) then how does resistance effect sound quality outside volume? Has anyone here had this problem happen to them or come into contact with someone with such a problem?
Resistance is not uniform, especially with AC currents there is the skin effect, there are proximity effects in multiwire cables, and then you can go on with effects of warming of the cable due to the resistance (early loudspeakers were terrible in this respect). Variable volume as a function of frequency (or non-flat frequency response) is the main problem that speaker manufactures try to solve, so your comment of "outside volume" is a slight understatement.
Audiophiles are stupid, stupid people
I'd say, audiophiles that ignore the laws of physics are stupid, stupid people.
Has anyone here had this problem happen to them or come into contact with someone with such a problem?
My current Etymotics had the problem. The audio would "scratch" any time the cable bent more than 10 degrees or so around the point where the threaded strands were compromised. I had to cut the wire above that point and re-attach a new jack.
Wait a second: If resistance is uniform (Is it?) then how does resistance effect sound quality outside volume?
Frequency response is also affected. Nevermind the fact that reduced "volume" means more susceptibility to noise. If you have a single tiny strand, you're sending relatively little data over the wire. That data approaches the noise floor. (i.e., it becomes statistically indistinguishable from the inherent noise of the world).
I'd say, audiophiles that ignore the laws of physics are stupid, stupid people.
Sadly, the word effectively refers only to the idiots these days.
I vote for adopting (and spreading the use of) Audiogeek to refer to those of us who just enjoy good audio quality but know that achieving it can be done with hardware store bought copper wire and good speaker placement :-).
So, e.g., twenty wires of R=2ohm will result in R_eff=0.1ohm.
Resistance is Futile(if <1 ohm.)</font> My current Etymotics had the problem. The audio would "scratch" any time the cable bent more than 10 degrees or so around the point where the threaded strands were compromised. I had to cut the wire above that point and re-attach a new jack.Sadly, this is impossible with most Sennhaiser headphones - they have some nice multistrand braided cables on their headphones, but it makes them goddamn near impossible to repair, because outside of the cable sleeve, those braids just come apart as soon as one end is cut or broken. Which is irritating, because Senns are my preferred brand for headphones.
Sadly, this is impossible with most Sennhaiser headphones - they have some nice multistrand braided cables on their headphones, but it makes them goddamn near impossible to repair, because outside of the cable sleeve, those braids just come apart as soon as one end is cut or broken. Which is irritating, because Senns are my preferred brand for headphones.
Yeah, this is what happened to me when trying to repair the etymotics.
Ok, I think I can't deal with this lack of durability anymore. I'm going to RMA my broken etyomotics that are sill RMA-able. Then I'm going to sell them and get something new that is durable.
What earbuds out there are truly noise isolating and can also take a beating?
What earbuds out there are truly noise isolating and can also take a beating?
Define "a beating." As I said earlier, I have Sony earbuds and have had no issues with them. Though I'll admit I don't use them as much as you. As a car is my primary mode of transit I have a stereo to listen to.
Define "a beating." As I said earlier, I have Sony earbuds and have had no issues with them. Though I'll admit I don't use them as much as you. As a car is my primary mode of transit I have a stereo to listen to.
I can wear them multiple hours every day while walking a great deal and my iPhone in my pocket.
Also, another requirement is that it should have one of those microphones on the wire so I can pick up the phone if I get a call.
Ok, so now I'm really fed up and need some earbuds. I still really like the etymotics and their isolating properties, but if the cord breaks, what good are they? I might as well be using $5 Sony pieces of crap.
So I'm looking around for some in-ear headphones that have durable cables and also have a microphone on the line and iPhone control buttons. I've looked at the Sure SE115m+, which look good on paper, but the pictures don't give me any confidence that the cable is actually any more durable than the etymotics. I'm also considering a stereo Bluetooth solution. If there's no cord to begin with, how can it break?
Comments
From that same page you can also see why many wires together have smaller resistance, because they act like resistors in parallel and the effective resistance goes like 1/R_eff = 1/R + 1/R + 1/R + ... (however many cables you have). So, e.g., twenty wires of R=2ohm will result in R_eff=0.1ohm.
As for references on the tiny wires snapping, that is just my personal observation from having had a dozen different headphones.
I'll look into this. See if anyone's reported this having a serious effect.
[And then I saw Ninechan over in the sidebar and realized I'd wasted my joke, by using it too soon.]
Audiophiles are stupid, stupid people, but the fact remains that a good speaker cable matters. Earbuds have the shittiest possible speaker cables that will still work: anything that degrades their already shitacular state will ruin you.
Edit: Timo, I that was the best citation ever.
Has anyone here had this problem happen to them or come into contact with someone with such a problem?
Random: Would someone who practices homeopathy buying large amounts of Monster cables be some form of karma?
1)Buy steel wire
2)Grind up, sprinkle in desert, wait ten years
3)Fill tube with sand from desert, hey presto!
Homeopathy: So absurd that sometimes your brain forgets how it works.
My current Etymotics had the problem. The audio would "scratch" any time the cable bent more than 10 degrees or so around the point where the threaded strands were compromised. I had to cut the wire above that point and re-attach a new jack.Sadly, this is impossible with most Sennhaiser headphones - they have some nice multistrand braided cables on their headphones, but it makes them goddamn near impossible to repair, because outside of the cable sleeve, those braids just come apart as soon as one end is cut or broken. Which is irritating, because Senns are my preferred brand for headphones.
What earbuds out there are truly noise isolating and can also take a beating?
Also, another requirement is that it should have one of those microphones on the wire so I can pick up the phone if I get a call.
So I'm looking around for some in-ear headphones that have durable cables and also have a microphone on the line and iPhone control buttons. I've looked at the Sure SE115m+, which look good on paper, but the pictures don't give me any confidence that the cable is actually any more durable than the etymotics. I'm also considering a stereo Bluetooth solution. If there's no cord to begin with, how can it break?
Suggestions?
Maybe...
I would do the headphone thing, but they're just too burdensome to carry around.