Strauss & Wagner Linz Cable Review (Sennheiser MMCX compatible)

It’s hard not to get excited about new Strauss & Wagner’s products here at Major HiFi. The company has made a name for itself with it’s quality products, effective designs, and reasonable prices. At the same time, I’m always very skeptical of companies saying that they have designed upgraded cables which are compatible with Sennheiser products. The main reason is influenced by the fact that Sennheiser utilizes proprietary connections. Let’s find out if a the Linz cable priced at $59.95 can improve the IE series in the Strauss & Wagner Linz cable review.

What’s in the Box?

• Linz Braided Silver MMCX Cable
• 2.5mm (Balanced), 3.5mm (Unbalanced), 4.4mm (Balanced) Swappable Terminations

Functionality – Strauss & Wagner Linz Cable Review

At 120cm (47.2in) these were incredibly comfortable while using wired or with a Bluetooth DAC. I really enjoy their portability and ease of use. At this length, it fit perfectly with my phone in my pocket. This cable is ideal for phone use and using on a desktop or laptop. While testing I used the IE900 with the iBasso DC-ELITE, Astell & Kern SP300T, iFi Go-Blu, and my macbook’s 3.5mm headphone port. I want to mention that unlike some other MMCX cables, the Linz is totally compatible with the Sennheiser IE line. I’ve been shocked at how many other cables won’t actually connect, forcing users to return their newly purchased products. These clicked in perfectly, without any signal interruption.

Before I mention how they interacted with all of these devices, I just wanted to comment on the comfort of the cables. Comfort when wearing earbuds like this comes from the wrap around your ears. I always notice when people try the Sennheiser IEMs for the first time, they’re surprised by how stiff the cabling feels. The Linz cabe is undoubtedly more comfortable to wrap around your ear, coil into a pocket, and carry around than the Sennheiser. The plastic around the cable is notably softer and the braided design combats the tangling I’ve experienced when using Sennheiser stock cables.

I didn’t experience any unwanted static noise from the Linz cable due to its 4 core silver design. IEMs are ultra sensitive, so every hiss and pop is that much more noticeable. This is extremely obvious when using powerful DACs. Although I got an overall increase in volume from this cable, there was less static noise and background hiss. They were extremely easy to set-up like most MMCX connections. The connectors feel more durable as well.

The design of the interchangeable 4-pin termination also means that you’ll actually be able to fit your IEMs in their stock case. This isn’t a criticism of the IE series, but I can’t ever fit all of the cables back in the Sennheiser carrying case. When I’ve used the IE900 before, I would always have to choose which cable I would be using for the day, because I only had room for 2 cables. The Linz allows for users to carry one cable and swap terminations, meaning it’s incredibly easy to swap DACs/Amps.

Listening Impressions – Strauss & Wagner Linz Cable Review

Before I give my impressions, I want to preface that I made sure to keep each devices volume consistent when A/Bing the Linz cable to the stock cables. I made sure to use the flagship Sennheiser IEM because I assumed that those stock cables would be the best quality. Giving the Linz the challenge of increasing fidelity in Sennheiser’s best IEM would let me know if this cable was really worth it or not.

What was most apparent in testing was a general increase in volume in the entire frequency range. The IEMs retained their characteristic sound signature with increased clarity and dimensionality. The increase is proportional to the frequency response I observed, and the EQ of songs didn’t sound any different when I plugged the Linz cable in.

I’m not sure if this was a genuine observation or just my perception, but I noticed an even further boost to high end information when listening. The reason I’m not certain it’s the cable is because I’m very sensitive to highs. I heard the sub-bass volume increase, but my ears noticed an higher dB increase to cymbal sounds, high synths, and airy vocals. Regardless of this, it was matched with bass and mid information increasing in volume as well.

In all of the devices, I noticed increased clarity, volume, and overall fidelity when listening through the Linz cable. Songs had way more definition, but the IEMs still kept their character sound signature. Soundstage width and panning improved as well, mainly due to sounds increased definition. It’s clear that this cable is an upgrade from the stock cables in every way.

Summary

Strauss & Wagner have hit it out of the park with their Linz cable and all other interchangeable termination cables. The increased fidelity at the price is really impressive and the comfort and durability make them a great option when looking at upgrading cables. The interchangable terminations make it way easier to swap devices than ever before and I appreciate the fact that I can now fit all the cables I want in the stock carrying case. At $59.95 this is an absolute must if you still haven’t upgraded your Sennheiser IEMs.

Get all the products I discussed and more at Audio46

Get the S&W Linz Cable at Audio 46 or on the Strauss & Wagner Website