Review on 🎧 FiiO LC-2.5D 2.5mm Monocrystalline Silver Litz MMCX Cable - High-Quality Replacement for Shure SE215 SE315 SE535 JVC/FiiO FH5 FA7 FH7 by Jeff Hall

I bought this about 4 months ago as an upgrade cable to connect my Shure SE846 to an ES100 bluetooth receiver/USB DAC. Having read another review of a poor guy having one of these cables destroy the jacks on his headphones, I carefully examined the pins and tested them on cheap headphones before plugging them into my SE846. The fit is tighter than other MMCX connectors I've used. It's constructed slightly differently: it adds 4 slots to the barrel, allowing it to easily hop outward to grab the nest. This makes it more difficult to insert the plug, but makes it more durable in the plug connection. Turning the headphones on the connector also requires some effort - other MMCX connectors turn like a little nutcase. It can be a real struggle to get them to shut down again, even with the "finger to finger" technique, which is why I'm not including pictures of cable ends in this review. In terms of construction, looks and obvious build quality, this cable is superb. The 2.5mm balance plug is a nice, sturdy, thick L-shaped thing that looks like it could be thrown out of an airplane and will withstand a few nicks. The wire itself is medium gauge and very flexible whilst still looking quite strong and the clear insulation gives a good view of the finely woven sterling silver beading wire inside. The little rubber-filled metal tube where the 4-wire transitions into a 2-wire also seems pretty solid, and I'm pretty sure it's just the end of the harness inside, not a solder joint. The small sliding metal ring also looks and feels good, although it does slip a little over the wire at times. The moldings around the ear (no memory wire) fit my ears perfectly. The angulation of the MMCX plug is a mixed bag - it's really comfortable when on, but forces the SE486 - which is likely smaller than the IEM they designed it for - to a slightly different angle than regular straight plugs . The sound is great too and really drew me to this cable. There seems to be more detail and texture at high frequencies. Plates have more shine. I also noticed a certain, I guess "raw" character of the electric guitar that I hadn't heard on recordings before. It doesn't feel like night and day, but it's a definite improvement. As a side note, I previously got another much cheaper silver plated balanced copper cable which I felt was a bit cleaner than my old standard Shure 3.5mm cable on the ES100 unbalanced output if there is a subtle difference . . So the difference I hear with the LC-2.5D cable is definitely related to the cable itself, not just the switch to balanced. But then the real question is: is it worth it? I do not know; It improved my sound, but it's definitely a lot of money to spend on a cable and the difference is less than any other audio purchases I've made in this price range. I definitely want to keep it and I'm not complaining; I just don't know if I would spend that much on cables again.