ALO Balanced Silver Plated Copper Litz from Sony ZX2 w/ CA Andromeda IEM

Got a couple of noob questions on the PWAudio No. 5 cable for Andromedas. For the connector type, is it the Shure MMCX or Westone MMCX? Also does a TRRS plug work in single ended dap/phones or is it strictly for devices with balanced outputs? I don't currently have any balanced output dap to use, but was thinking of future proofing and maybe picking up a used zx2.

 

Idk the answer to the MMCX campfire (but would like to as well). However, with the 3.5mm TRRS balanced... the pinouts say it SHOULD work, as long as the 2nd ring and sleeve of the TRRS both make contact with the ground inside the TRS player jack.

I say SHOULD because I don't know if this always actually happens on various devices. I just tried it with my Samsung Galaxy S7 and it works fine FWIW. Would love to know other's thoughts

Worth noting you can go from a TRRS cable to TRS with an adapter, but not the other way around

 

shure compatible mmcx

 

Thanks guys, appreciate it

 

got the PWaudio No.5 cable earlier this week, great pairing with andros, @zerodeefex was spot on.
Only issue is that the trrs plug doesn't work with my lg g4 (no sound) or iphone 6s (left channel works). Is it ok to use an adapter going from trrs female to trs male?
something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Rode-SC3-3-5mm-TRRS-Adaptor/dp/B00L6C8PNU

 

That adapter is for a lavalier microphone, highly unlikely to have the correct wiring.

Also, most phones are wired for TRRS expecting a mike, so slotting the TRRS plug in won't work as you found out.

A normal TRS 3.5mm to TRS 3.5mm extension should work. The L- and R- will get tied to the ground hopefully if the contact in the TRS plug is large enough. To guarantee it to work, it's likely you'd have to turn to more specialty options for a TRRS to TRS adapter for audio.

 

Got my PW5 as well. Very nice pairing with the Andromeda but I need to change my Comply tips (with the wax guard) as it sounds a little darker than I would like it to be. Thanks ZD.

 

A few weeks ago my Andromedas needed repair and were shipped to Campfire Audio. This thread, thanks @purr1n , and other impressions elsewhere triggered the purchase of another Litz cable reterminated into a balanced 3.5mm TRRS by Campfire Audio. Knowing how sensitive the Andros are to any changes, I insisted that the cable was the same as stock albeit with balanced connection at the end. I kept the single ended cable too for convenience and comparison. That said, the Andromedas were replaced to brand new stock ones as the old ones could not be repaired. I really have to praise Campfire Audio customer care and @KenBall for his help with this matter.

As a side note, last year I wrote how the Sony ZX2 (with sound adjustments off) sounded most neutral paired with the Andromedas on SE connection compared to the WM1A (SE end). The ZX2 - Andromeda remained my neutral reference since and even helped calibrate my speakers by ear.

Once the new Andromedas were in, I proceeded to hook them up to the Sony ZX2 via the single ended connection.
Whilst head to head comparison with my old defunct Andros is not possible, I could hear that the sound was somewhat sharper than I am used to. It still sounds great in a different way to the old one, the latter having a smoother sound over time. Burn-in may be needed as some have suggested on hearing new Andros on the Andro thread. The sound is different and it may be useful for a friend to compare old, new and burned in new Andros if possible.

The sound was engaging and neutral (as always) on first listen on the SE end, and here I was regretting buying the TRRS cable for $249 ($149 + $100 labour cost) even before listening to it! I eventually had to try the balanced TRRS cable.



I listened attentively and for several times with both cables to these pieces namely:
Bach cantata BWV 180 'Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele', Masaaka Suzuki and Bach collegium Japan boxset (vol 26, BIS)
Bach cantata BWV 80, 'Eine Fest Burg ist unser Gott', Suzuki and BCJ (vol 27, BIS)
Brahms violin sonata no 1, Zuckerman (violin) and Barenboim (piano)

On moving from SE to balanced connection on the Sony ZX2, the Andromedas immediately sounded more distant and the first few seconds were disorienting. The SE sounded fuller and more in my face, and here I was thinking there was a kind of veil to the balanced sound. After a while I started to realise that this stark difference is quite significant in a good way. The cantatas show off very well recorded orchestral pieces with bass, tenor, alto and soprano parts and the violin sonata having typical chamber music more intimate sound. I moved back and forth quite a few times and the difference was obvious on moving from balanced to SE.

That soundstage! A jaw dropping difference in my books is the soundstage. The soundstage on the balanced end is deeper, higher and more 3D like. Width is the same as SE. This depth created the initial mind boggling 'distance' I perceived on the first listen. This depth is very significant and would be very easy to distinguish if blinded. The SE sounded squashed with instrumental sounds less coherent. Imaging and instrumental separation is much better on balanced connection. The basso continuo reverberated around with room cues coming out effortlessly resulting in more defined bass. The flute was pin point and the movement of the instrument around the stage was easily perceived. Same can be said of Zuckerman's violin as he swayed around the stage. Barenboim's piano was more defined in space. The voices on BWV 80 were localised more naturally in space leading to much less fatigue as a result.

Microdetail, such as the subtle breathing of the violinist and the crackling of stools, was improved on balanced connection probably as a result of the increased clarity of the staging. Microdynamics and resolution were also slightly better on balanced for the same reason. Macrodynamics, tonality and the BA timbre were similar despite the squashed stage. I could definitely feel more nuance and emotional connection to the music on balanced. The Andromedas sounded more speaker-like edging closer in staging to my PAP trio 15 staging within their still closed in IEM stage.

This balanced 3.5mm TRRS Campfire Audio Litz cable has brought a stark difference to the music I listen to, especially with respect to soundstage, imaging and instrumental separation. This was evident in wide staged orchestral pieces such as Suzuki's Bach cantatas and more chamber-like stages such as the Brahms' violin sonata. I would recommend sticking to the stock Litz cable and reterminate the connection in order to preserve a similar cable impedance to stock SE end.

Moving balanced on the ZX2 made the Andromedas spring to life.