Does headphone cable quality actually matter?

For short runs (under 3 metres) with headphones above 32 ohms, cable resistance has negligible effect — well under 0.1 dB. For very low impedance IEMs (8-16 ohms) or very long cables, resistance can become more significant. The biggest audible difference comes from cable microphonics (handling noise) rather than electrical properties.

Why does headphone impedance matter for cable resistance?

Cable resistance forms a voltage divider with headphone impedance. A 1-ohm cable into 300-ohm headphones loses only 0.03 dB. The same cable into 16-ohm IEMs loses 0.54 dB, and the loss varies with frequency as driver impedance changes, potentially altering frequency response.

What cable gauge should I use?

For headphones, 26 AWG is more than adequate for runs up to 3 metres. 28 AWG is fine for short IEM cables. Only go thicker (24 AWG) for very long runs or very low impedance headphones. Thicker cables are heavier and less flexible.

Do balanced headphone cables sound better?

Balanced cables (4-pin XLR, 4.4mm Pentaconn, 2.5mm TRRS) eliminate crosstalk between left and right channels by providing separate ground paths. Whether this is audible depends on the equipment. The main benefit is often higher voltage output from balanced amplifier outputs.

AudioCalcs

Headphone Cable Calculator — Resistance & Signal Loss

Calculate cable resistance and its effect on frequency response and damping.

Cable Length

Cable Gauge

Headphone Impedance

How We Calculate This

Cable Resistance

R_cable = resistance per metre × total length × 2

Multiply by 2 because the signal travels down and back (two conductors).

Voltage Loss

Loss (dB) = 20 × log10(Z_hp / (Z_hp + R_cable))

Damping Impact

Cable resistance adds to the amplifier output impedance, reducing the effective damping factor seen by the headphone driver.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.