ddHIFI BC125A Air Ocean Cable – Wave Of Music, Rain Of Sound
ddHIFI BC125A Air Ocean is a $229 USD cable for IEMS that is designed to be single ended, and which can be ordered with connectors for the most popular IEMs out there. Today we will be reviewing it and comparing it to other high-quality cables including Astral Acoustic Pulse (550 USD), Oriveti Affinity II (299 USD), and STE AG W16 (580 USD).
Introduction
ddHIFI is back on top today, with a new cable, this time the BC125A, the 125 being how many centimeters the cable has in length, including the connectors. We have a green color, and this one comes only with Single Ended jacks, being an interesting option for those who want to stay SE but need high-end sound for their IEMs. This one can be found with virtually every Chifi shop, including Amazon, Linsoul, HIFIGO, and most others. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. I thank ddHIFI for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Compared to most off-the-shelf cables, it shows Improved Midbass, Improved Transparency, More Lower Treble, Wider Soundstage, Improved Ergonomics, Flexible, Very Low Microphonic conduction, Technical Sonic Performance is improved, Comes with a beautiful case.
Cons – No Balanced Option, Green Color won’t be for everyone, Heavy.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here – https://amzn.to/430XuPd
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here – https://amzn.to/3TjBDPR
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here – https://amzn.to/49WgUH4
Build Quality/Aesthetics
ddHIFI always makes an interesting upgrade accessory for music lovers, and the BC125A IEM cable is also rather inspired, as anyone who currently has a pair of IEMs and a good Single Ended source, likely had a thought of upgrading the cable to something more comfortable, more ergonomic, and potentially better sounding than what they’ve been using. The BC125 is a handcrafted piece, with a Cross Faraday Shield Wrapping, basically getting as low EMI as possible.
The inner structure of the cable is a 25.6 AWG for the core, and 22 AWG for the cross shielding. The conductors are Litz High Purity OCC for the core, and Litz Silver Plated OFC for the Cross Shielding. You can grab the BC125A with MMCX, 2-Pin, 2-Pin Recessed also called QDC, and T2 connectors. Linsoul and most websites offer a 3 Month warranty for the cable, but it has a good construction quality and you’re not likely to need warranty for it any time soon.
The connectors have gold accents + Silver bodies, which look really nice. The cable comes with a transport case that is covered in a denim texture, and it offers good protection to the cable and the IEMs connected to it. The braiding is rather loose, and the cable is uber flexible, having very little memory effect, all of which helps make it super comfortable. The ear guides are very tight, and use a flexible ear guide, except for the first bend out of the IEM connector which is made of a very hard material. This has the effect of keeping the cable more securely attached to my ears, but also lowers the comfort for long periods of wear.
Construction is very tight, with no glue showing, no empty edges, and with a solid overall product. To test the BC 125 A I’ve paired it with a selection of IEMs, including Letshuoer Cadenza 12, IKKO OH10S, KIWI Ears Quintet, Moondrop Blessing 3, BQEYZ Winter, and Spirit Torino Twin Pulse. The connectors on the BC 125A seem to be universal and cause no issues with any of the IEMS, and all of them pair pretty well with the cable. The source list for today’s review includes FiiO Q15, Shanling UA4, Hiby Digital M300, iBasso DX320 MAX TI, HIFIMAN EF600, FiiO K9 PRO ESS, and SMSL AO300. I would combine the BC125A with IEMs that sound too smooth, too warm and too bassy, and avoid combining it with IEMs that sound grainy or have a high level of textures already, as it can increase both bass and treble texture / transient response.
Sound Quality
Overall Signature – The most evident aspect of the sound is improved dynamics, and improved punchiness in the bass, plus a brighter treble, more sparkle and more energy in the sound, with the improved technical resolution that an aftermarket cable usually provides. Naturally, there are some IEMs that won’t benefit from this as the producer companies include some of the best cables already with them, like FIR Audio e12 electron, Dita Perpetua, and Unique Melody Maven PRO. But with Spirit Torino Twin Pulse Beryllium, Soundz Avant, and Ambient Acoustics MAD 16, or even MAD 24, the ergonomics, and sonics are both improved when introducing the BC 125A, so there is no direct rule to which IEMs can benefit from a cable upgrade, and we have to approach the subjecting on a case by case basis. Even with smooth sounding IEMs, like Tangzu Fudu Verse 1, the improvement in resolution, clarity, and dynamics is immediately evident. The synergy with the selected IEM will be far more important for a cable compared to most components.
Bass – ddHIFI gives the BC125A a tight bass, it generally tightens the bass response of most IEMs, instead of giving more bass, it gives more precision, cuts the fat, and creates more textures in the bass. This indicates a quicker transient response, but it can add grain and too much texture at times, especially if you prefer full smoothness. There is a bit of mid bass increase, mid bass bloom, but no spilling of the bass into the midrange. For rock, it can create the feeling of a higher technical performance quickly.
Midrange – Voicing, both male and female, and the general tonality of the IEMs doesn’t seem to be affected heavily in the midrange with the BC125A cable, but it does brighten up a sound, opening up the lower treble, and tightening the bass, creating the feeling of more space in music, a slightly better definition of each instrument, and separating the drum set from the bass guitars, and from the voices more than the default cables of most IEMs. The texture in the midrange is not affected, voices do not become grainy, and they do not become over exposed, rather just slightly better separated from the instrumental part of the song. For rock and metal, this new voicing is pleasing, it can enhance the technicality of an IEM a bit, and for pop it creates the feeling of soundstage depth as well as width.
Treble – Although BC125A does increase the overall lower treble quantity and tilts the tonal balance of an earphone, it doesn’t exaggerate any aspect of the sound, rather allowing music to shine through as naturally as possible. Treble is increased both in presence, extension, brightness, sharpness, harshness and sibilance, basically the cable enhancing the entire upper end of the sound, making it more forward and more open, easier to hear and distinguish. This does result in an increased perceived detail, but also adds a bit of grain to music, which works well for IEMS that are really smooth.
Comparisons
ddHIFI BC125A vs Oriveti Affinity II (229 USD vs 299 USD) – Affinity II is a suppler cable, with slightly more memory effect, but it is slightly less tangle-prone. The connectors are of a good quality for both cables, but Affinity II has no ear guides, which I prefer even over the flexible ear guides of the BC125A for comfort reasons. Affinity II is a modular cable, and can be used with any connector, while BC125A comes only with a Single Ended connector. The sound of the two is very different, Affinity II has a really smooth, clean sound with little texture and improvement in the resolution, sounding rather dark and smooth, linear, while BC125A sounds more open, adds textures in the bass, opens up the treble, improves instrument separation more, tightens the bass. Affinity II adds a bit more bass, and slows it down more, being fatigue-free. The differences make it clear that for a nervous, bright sounding IEM, Affinity II is much better, while for a smooth, dark sounding IEM BC125A is much better.
ddHIFI BC125A vs STE AG W16 (229 USD vs 580 USD) – The fit and comfort of the STE AG W16 is slightly worse than that of the BC125A, since having two materials in the same cable creates noise from both, and that noise comes at different frequencies. The texture part of the STE AG W16 creates brushing noise in the midrange, while the PVC coated part creates a rumbling noise, where BC125A has just a rumbling noise when it brushes against my clothes or cheeks. Both cables have flexible ear guides, but the construction quality is tighter on the BC125A, it feels better made, and although BC125A comes only with a SE connector, it feels like it was better assembled. STE AG W16 sounds smoother, brighter, and seems to decrease the bass slightly compared to BC125A, which seems to tighten the bass, add more texture to the bass, and more treble. I would pair the STE AG with IEMs that are already textured, which need more treble and less bass, and I would pair the BC125A with IEMs that require more texture, a tighter bass, more mid bass, more treble, and more instrument separation. Both cables are of a good quality, but the improved ergonomics, and considerably lower price of the BC125A makes it an easier to recommend option for most people.
ddHIFI BC125A vs Astral Acoustics Pulse (229 USD vs 550 USD) – Astral acoustics pulse comes with much better construction quality, it is a thicker cable that has a heavier design, and this actually creates a lower pitched rumble while wearing it, while with the BC125A, the sound has a slightly higher pitcher, and the microphonic noise is a bit louder. The sonic performance is quite different, Pulse sounds quite well defined, warm and thick, lush, with a smooth treble, a more black background level, with improved depth, and a noticeably deeper soundstage. BC125A sounds brighter, more textured all across the frequencies, especially in the bass, where BC125A sounds considerably more textured, in the treble the sound is brighter, more open with BC125A, and it is also a bit sharper and harsher. If you need more sub bass, I would go with the Pulse, while if you need more treble, and a more textured bass, I would go with the BC125A.
Value and Conclusion
For the price of 229 USD, you can get a really ergonomic cable, improved texture and resolution for your IEMS, and a better sonic experience, but BC125A is not a cheap product, having a good value for an aftermarket cable, as long as it is combined with at least a midrange IEM and a midrange source so that you can get the most benefit out of it.
At the end of the day, if you have a pair of IEMs and want them to have more texture in the bass, a higher degree of instrument separation in the midrange, and more, sharper, and brighter treble, ddHIFI BC125A is a fully recommended purchase today and it will surely improve the looks, ergonomics and feel of your setup, canceling microphonic noise, and allowing you to enjoy music with lesser disturbances.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here – https://amzn.to/430XuPd
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here – https://amzn.to/3TjBDPR
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here – https://amzn.to/49WgUH4
Technical Specifications
Conductor – 25.6AWG(core)+ 22AWG (cross shielding)
Conductor material – Litz high-purity OCC (core), Litz silver plated OFC(cross shielding)
Plug – 3.5mm Straight
Connector – Available in MMCX, 2pin 0.78, Wrapped connector (suitable for qdc /UE/ UM earphones), T2 (suitable for Weston MACH series)
Cable length – 120cm
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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