[LizardKing1]

Before you enrage, let me say I did use the search funtion.
 
Now, the thing is: I intend on doing a recable on my Portapros. Importing mogami cable is hard for me and I might just use the standard Hi-Fi 0,75mm from this DYI store. The guy said it's a nice cable for audio, but Idk what to think. Also I might get a Neutrik plug, which is a myth where I live. The recable is being used for better sound quality and durability on the cable.
 
Now, even if I went with a better cable, I still have a question (or a few): the braiding.
1 - Why do you use braiding? Most of the threads I got from the search were of people already doing it, using very technical terms, and I couldn't really get some nooby basic info, which is what I need. So, why should I braid instead of just having 2 parallel wires going into each cup? I read something about electromagnetic interference on Wikipedia, but if the wires are covered in teflon, can they actually interfere and create crosstalk or something like that?
 
2 - How many wires should I use? For me it would be obvious to use 4, 2 signals and 2 grounds, but from what I can gather many people just connect the 2 grounds together into one, getting 3 wires. How should I do this, just solder the 2 ground to a new wire that becomes the single ground? And why? What's the advantage/disadvantage to just having 4 wires?
 
3 - Is using techflex the same as shielding? I'll try to get it, since there's nowhere here selling it.
 
4 - All I can get for heatshrink is this thin rubbery tube. However I thought it should be a thick layer of it, am I wrong? Also how dreadful would it be to use a lighter for heathshrink, since I don't have any specific tool?
 
5 - All in all, is it worth braiding for a recable job? Or just for interconnects and that kind of cables?
 
Thank you for your help, in case you gave any, and again I tried to gather info from older posts. I know it's not cool to post the same basic answers every 2 days to every noob coming online, but I couldn't find it any other way.
 
Edit: just to make it clear, I don't lack info on HOW to braid, it's the WHY and WHEN I'm not so sure.

 

[monoethylene]

Maybe I dont have the right answer, but I can answer in this way how I have made my cables:
 
1) I use braiding because I like the look and the mechanical properties are better IMO. I have also read something about interferences and so on but I dont think that there are quite a lot influences. Further only the last part of my cable is braided (I am using the Mogami W2893).
 
2) I am using 4: 2 for each side, signal and signal ground and additionally the shielding which is only connected to the plug and not to the headphone.
 
3) I dont use techflex, but I think it is only for appearance and maybe more protection.
 
4) Heatshrink normally is a thin rubbery tube. Maybe using a hot hair dryer is better than a lighter.
 
5) IMO if you want to braid then do it but I dont think that you hear any differences. Maybe and if the cable is not so expensive you can do a comparison between braided wire and "normal" one.
 
You see that I am also not an expert but this is how I make my cables. Maybe it is helpful to write a company why they use braided wire. Concerning the plug, there are a lot more plugs to get except Neutrik. I have started with some stuff that I have already owned and then I have bought plus etc. 

 

[LizardKing1]

Thanks, that really helped. I just didn't quite understand 1 thing: you use 4 wires, 2 for each side. So it's a signal and a ground for each cup?
And about the shielding, I thought that was just a nylon braid that covered all the wires, not an actual wire itself

 

[monoethylene]

oulalala.. maybe my english is too bad..sorry!!
 
For example take the Mogami W2893 (http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/). I normally use 2 wires for each channel (left/right). One is the hot (+) and one is negative. The other end is a plug and there, I solder left/right and the two signal masses (-) plus the shield (e.g. served bare copper shield). In other terms I call it the signal ground (to the headphone one wire each side) and the shielding or as in Germany, the mass (Ends somewhere that "noise" is carried out).
A helpful link for me of how to connect and DIY is
 
http://www.vandenhul.com/userfiles/docs/Cable_FAQ.pdf
 
and
 
http://www.vandenhul.com/userfiles/docs/Audio_and_Video_Cable+Connector_Wiring_Diagrams_for_DIY_purposes.pdf
 
Besides of the advertisments and so on I find it very helpful.
 
I am happy with the cable and further even the T1 uses a normal microphone cable which I have already bought to use it for other headphones.
 
Actually this one:
 
http://www.sommercable.com/2__produkte/2__030_meterware/2__200_0551.html
 
Concerning the shielding as far as I know is the shielding out of metal to be against extern electro and/or magnetical influences. I havent went too deep in this field up to now. Maybe I have to have some significant noise or any loops in my rig to make  some efforts
 

 

[scootermafia]

Quote:

Before you enrage, let me say I did use the search funtion.
 
Now, the thing is: I intend on doing a recable on my Portapros. Importing mogami cable is hard for me and I might just use the standard Hi-Fi 0,75mm from this DYI store. The guy said it's a nice cable for audio, but Idk what to think. Also I might get a Neutrik plug, which is a myth where I live. The recable is being used for better sound quality and durability on the cable.
 
Now, even if I went with a better cable, I still have a question (or a few): the braiding.
1 - Why do you use braiding? Most of the threads I got from the search were of people already doing it, using very technical terms, and I couldn't really get some nooby basic info, which is what I need. So, why should I braid instead of just having 2 parallel wires going into each cup? I read something about electromagnetic interference on Wikipedia, but if the wires are covered in teflon, can they actually interfere and create crosstalk or something like that?
 
2 - How many wires should I use? For me it would be obvious to use 4, 2 signals and 2 grounds, but from what I can gather many people just connect the 2 grounds together into one, getting 3 wires. How should I do this, just solder the 2 ground to a new wire that becomes the single ground? And why? What's the advantage/disadvantage to just having 4 wires?
 
3 - Is using techflex the same as shielding? I'll try to get it, since there's nowhere here selling it.
 
4 - All I can get for heatshrink is this thin rubbery tube. However I thought it should be a thick layer of it, am I wrong? Also how dreadful would it be to use a lighter for heathshrink, since I don't have any specific tool?
 
5 - All in all, is it worth braiding for a recable job? Or just for interconnects and that kind of cables?
 
Thank you for your help, in case you gave any, and again I tried to gather info from older posts. I know it's not cool to post the same basic answers every 2 days to every noob coming online, but I couldn't find it any other way.
 
Edit: just to make it clear, I don't lack info on HOW to braid, it's the WHY and WHEN I'm not so sure.

1)  I don't personally believe that tri-braiding wire does a whole lot, with two signal wires (left/right) braided with 1 ground wire.  I'm not 100% sure exactly what it's doing, physics-wise, it may have some benefit as many people use it. 
I recommend doing a star-quad type thing.  Just make two twisted pairs (a ground wire and a left wire + a ground wire and a right wire) then twist them together, and they'll make a nice cylinder shape.  Yes, wires can interfere with each other easily through insulation.  When current travels through a wire it generates magnetic fields.  The idea in a balanced cable is common-mode noise cancellation, a signal going and coming back, and the opposing magnetic fields canceling each other out.  Since the ground is merging at the 1/4" plug I don't see that braiding is quite as crucial for noise reduction in single ended cables.  The main reason to braid the cable is for it to look nice and for the wires to not be messy.
 
2)  You have 4 wires running the length of the cable.  in a single ended cable, instead of the 2 grounds going to separate pins (like on an XLR plug) they both connect to the ground contact of the 1/4" or 1/8" plug.  
 
3) Techflex is not shielding.  Shielding is optional, and many people do not shield speaker or headphone cables.  Shielding is metal braid that you ground by connecting it to pin 1 of an XLR (chassis ground) or to the ground of the 1/4" plug (to drain the shield).  Techflex is decoration.
 
4) There are a number of places to get good quality heatshrink, perhaps try your country's eBay or auction site.  You want a heat gun, hair driers aren't hot enough usually and cigarette lighters do an awful job...preferably a heat gun with variable temperature, as the heat guns that are for stripping paint are much too hot on their default setting.  
 
5)  There's no reason not to braid, it doesn't cost anything and it's not that hard, and it's personal preference.  Try cables with and without if you want to try to hear a difference.
 
 

 

[monoethylene]

Scootermafia..in general thats what I was wanted to say.. you have packed it more clear))..and now I know whats heißluftpistole in german ))

 

[Blurpapa]

Quote:

1)  I don't personally believe that tri-braiding wire does a whole lot, with two signal wires (left/right) braided with 1 ground wire.  I'm not 100% sure exactly what it's doing, physics-wise, it may have some benefit as many people use it. 
…
 
5)  There's no reason not to braid, it doesn't cost anything and it's not that hard, and it's personal preference.  Try cables with and without if you want to try to hear a difference.
 
 

Thanks for this ScooterMafia!!