Cable Building

Discussion in 'DIY' started by Skyline, Sep 30, 2015.

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  1. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    I actually talked to the dude at Gotham Cable USA today via email, and he recommended some RCA connectors. On that list was the KLE Copper Harmony, and they're only $5 more for 4 than the Neutriks I was going to buy otherwise.
     
  2. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    No, I converted 110 AUD to USD from the makers website.

    Edit: like I said, I'm sure they are good connectors, I just don't like the advertising at all. This conversation seems like a pissing match, and I don't want to derail the thread, so that's the last I'll say about it.
     
  3. ohhgourami

    ohhgourami Friend

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    I get it. I don't like their marketing speech either. Luckbad even confirmed that they cost only a pittance more than Neutrik here in the US. Really can't go wrong.
     
  4. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    Here's the patch job I did for @mscott58. The heat shrink is 2" long and not flexible, but it's far enough down the cable he shouldn't have an issue.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Here you go guys, all the silver "oxide" (more like sulfide and chloride layers, but whatever) hodgepodge you can shake your willies at:

    http://www.te.com/documentation/whitepapers/pdf/Performance_implications_Silver_Myers2009.pdf

    But as a metallurgist, let me say:
    - silver tarnish is not "very" conductive, but it's conductive enough, especially compared to copper tarnish/corrosion/oxide/etc which is an insulator; and the silver tarnish layer is going to be very thin and virtually meaningless in the grand scheme of things unless you're talking about super sensitive lab instrumentation with miniscule low pressure contact points, nothing like your typical audio connectors which are gigantic in comparison with high grip strength
    - silver under "average" conditions should tarnish more slowly-ish than copper
    - keep your cables out of really dank environments and there shouldn't be much to worry about in the first place
    - Deoxit and the occasional light touch with a MrClean Magic Erase are all you really need
     
  6. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Thanks Allan! Look forward to getting this back and trying it out, and keeping it out of the jaws of my overly eager felines...

    Cheers
     
  7. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Tomorrow ...

    [​IMG]
     
  8. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Does anyone know the largest gauge that can be soldered to a 4 pin XLR female connector? I have a one on order from BTG Audio but might get my power amp before it's finished and wanted to have a speaker tap cable ready. I have a 4pin XLR with Canare L-4E6S and tinned wires but they're hilariously thin, 22 gauge I believe.

    Would this be an option?

    https://www.markertek.com/product/h...female-16-gauge-heavy-duty-power-cable-7-foot

    Cut off male end, tin, and add banana plugs?

    The other option is to find some speaker cable and just solder on but I need to know the correct gauge.
     
  9. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    Neutrik rates their 4-pin XLR connectors for 1.5mm/16AWG wires.

    JJ
     
  10. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

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    16 AWG is the max for at least this Neutrik 4-pin.
     
  11. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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  12. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    Gather the shield, roll into another 'wire', and solder that to the shield lug on one side of the RCAs only.
     
  13. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Unless it only has one conductor... in which case connect that shield to both ends.
     
  14. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    RCA is a 1 conductor 1 shield configuration (or 1 conductor many shields in the Gotham's case), and connecting shield at only 1 end is to prevent ground loops.
     
  15. Xen

    Xen Friend

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    You need a return path for the signal. For 1 conductor wire, the shield has to act as the return path. If you have 2 conductors, then you can solder the shield to one end only (preferably the output side). If you don't solder the shield to the connectors at both ends of a 1 conductor wire, then you either have an open circuit (channel with no signal) or you are using a ground loop as the return path.
     
  16. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    That wire has one hot and two shields. I believe the shields touch, so just tease out a little of both shields, twist, tin, and use that as the common.

    If there is insulation between the shields, only connect the inner shield on one side, and connect both shields on the other. Label the side with both shields as the drain, and plug that into the source.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Ha! Seriously.

    I've actually taken to wrapping up the cable and not letting it drop down on the floor anymore, so that the kittens don't splice the cable again.

    And Allan's fix is working great! Thanks again Allan.

    Cheers all
     
  18. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

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    Built my first ever cable. Used the following:

    Norne's Copper DIY Cable
    Neutric 1/4" plug
    ebay HD650 connectors
    3:1 heatshrink
    Star Brite Liquid Electrical Tape

    Even though i used a Neutrik 1/4", I ran four wires in case I need balanced one day. I didn't use any paracord as I figured it's my first build and I didn't want to complicate things. Was pretty straightforward overall except for the insulation on Norne's cable melting very easily. The insulation melting left the wires a bit bare inside the HD6X0 connectors so I applied some liquid electrical tape for peace of mind.

    [​IMG]

    Was thinking of posting instructions for soldering the connectors. Found them to be a lot easier than expected. Might post something later.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2017
  19. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    RCA interconnects for the Saga -> Jotunheim built with Gotham GAC-1 UltraPro cable and KLE Copper Harmony connectors.

    Sounds great! I'll do more legitimate listening impressions vs. some Blue Jeans and Straightwire tomorrow, but I was able to discern a difference when downmixed to mono between them.

    IMG_20170826_233741.jpg

    Edit: Too lazy to take a picture, but I decided to add some heatshrink for additional strain relief. Those screws don't inspire confidence even though they're theoretically plenty..
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2017
  20. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    They look great.

    I had to laugh, though, when I read the KLE page on the phono plugs. It's like they took every bit of HiFI voodoo and snake oil and put it into one page, for an RCA Plug! These plugs very well may sound better, but wow. No claim of actual better sounding results, per se, is made on the site, I noticed. It's like the text was written by marketing and proofread by legal. :)
     

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