Apos Flow Replacement Cable

Amid all the talk about the HIFIMAN Arya (2021), I suppose I can't blame you if you failed to recollect my general impressions with the stock cable. Notice how I never brought it up once on the previous page, which I did not because I have little to complain about in its contribution to the Arya's acoustic performance. The reason I even asked Apos Audio, which is an authorized retailer for HIFIMAN in the USA, about perhaps showing off its own branded Apos Flow cable is because of the other aspects mentioned on page 3. They were kind enough to arrange for a cable sample, which shipped directly from China, where it is manufactured. As expected, the packaging is thinner and adopts a flatter profile to cater to the cable that is no doubt coiled flat inside. I quite like the design with small objects showcasing the various product categories the retailer partakes in, and the company and product name are both listed along with an illustration of the cable itself. This continues on the back and sides, but I can't guarantee the design is universal even if the actual cable is a different color and uses different connectors, but it does appear that the XLR configuration in red is the popular choice for the Apos Flow.


Two sets of side flaps keep the contents in place in transit, and after opening the box, we see a thank you note right away. It's not a practical item, but one I liked, at least more than the two Apos stickers I have no intentions of ever using. The cable shipped in a plastic ziplock pouch, and we see cardboard covers on the connectors for further protection. It indeed comes coiled out of the box, which is helped by two cable ties.


This was around the time a few patterned backdrops showed up to add more options for photography—you may have noticed the use of a "white marble" and "concrete" backdrop already. I picked a faux wooden pattern here, which also makes for better contrast with this otherwise bright red cable. I had to go with the most popular combination of course, but note that you can get the cable in black if that's more to your liking. I also chose the balanced 4-pin XLR connector going to the source, and here too choosing between balanced 4.4 mm, balanced 2.5 mm, or single-ended 6.35 mm terminations is possible. The only other choice is cable length, and only it effects pricing—the choices are 1.5 or 3 m.

Apos uses a Neutrik XLR connector, a brand known for reliable, good-quality connectors even among DIY/artisan cable makers, with gold-plated pins that are thick enough not to worry about multiple connects/disconnects. All Apos Flow cables use OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) 99.99997% pure copper as the conductor with a total of 19 wires coming together in 25 AWG strands, so electrical resistance is a non-issue. What really made the difference for me is the supple thermoplastic sleeving that is so easily routed however which way you prefer. There is no memory retention or kinking to even contemplate. The cable has a 5 mm nominal diameter until the splitter, which is low in profile and mostly hidden. The two channels then split up to their respective connectors on the other end, which in this case were dual 3.5 mm connectors that came in plastic plug covers.


I expected the biggest difference between these two cables to be the sleeving and ease of conforming over another solid object, but the shared connectors are also lower in profile, at least in the housing. Of course, the XLR and 6.35 mm connectors cannot be compared directly, but note the added connector housing to the stock cable for some mechanical strength against a steep bending radius. I am not sure it is very practical for most people, but do appreciate HIFIMAN thinking of it for when you forget the headphones are on your head, and move around your room adding a sideways pull on the connector plugged to your source. The Apos Flow cable is otherwise slightly thicker than the HIFIMAN Arya cable, and marginally heavier. I might measure the resistance and capacitance of both cables down the line, but as you will see below, it does not matter as much in this particular case.


Testing of the two cables was done using a different source given the JDS Labs Element II does not have an XLR connector. Instead, I used a Topping E50/L50 stack, which will get a review soon enough, with the E50 not in the image above. The L50 amplifier sports both a 6.35 mm and 4-pin XLR out, so that worked well here. Note how the Topping stack is equally transparent, so much so that the stock cable frequency response measurement was identical to that from before. The same with the Apos Flow was within error margins too, and any increased smoothing would have removed even the slight difference here. With cables, the resistance, capacitance, and reactance matters to the sound signature too. I can't say I noticed any difference in the actual sound quality, so the reason to get the Apos Flow is more one of convenience. Perhaps you prefer a balanced cable, want a red cable, or simply want a cable that is easier to handle. These are valid enough reasons, and note that this particular configuration costs $109.99 from the Apos Audio store.