[sharkz]

Hello all, looking to try my first recabling. I have a pair of Yuin PK3's that I love, however they are a J-Cord. When I got them, Head-Direct didn't have Y-Cords. I considered buying a new pair of PK3's because they now have them in the Y-Cord, but I have read of QC issues with the cords coming apart at the connector. This wouldn't be an issue because I would likely replace the TRS with a right angle one anyway.
 
I am wondering what the best way to recable these is. I can get them apart, but what cable to use is my biggest issue. I was originally just going to cut near the left ear bud to extend it equal in length to the right side, but any cheap headphones I have cannibalized have only 2 strands of wire in each channel, one hot and one ground. I feel like it would be hard to work with this and that there must be a better way.
 
Does anyone know what the insides of the PK3's cable looks like, is it going to be just 2 strands of wire per channel? Is it worth me undertaking this? What cable is best to use?
 
Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[sharkz]

Can anyone help me out here. Open to suggestions.

 

[Lex]

Although I have yet to re-cable earbuds with bulk cable, I have done a few cable transplants .
I typically look for a pair of "last years model" Senn earbuds and cannibalize them for the cable, often getting rid of surplus length in the process.
 
Perhaps others here can offer some advice on sourcing good bulk cable?

 

[sharkz]

I am interested in bulk cable, however I would do a transplant. My biggest worry is that the insides of the buds won't be marked (hot and ground) and I don't want to cross wires up. I say this because most cheapo earbuds I have taken apart have been unmarked inside. There seem to be good deals on the old Sennheiser MX's on the bay, might look into a pair of those. Still interested in other peoples takes.

 

[Lex]

Quote:

I am interested in bulk cable, however I would do a transplant. My biggest worry is that the insides of the buds won't be marked (hot and ground) and I don't want to cross wires up. I say this because most cheapo earbuds I have taken apart have been unmarked inside. There seem to be good deals on the old Sennheiser MX's on the bay, might look into a pair of those. Still interested in other peoples takes.

 
You, my friend, need a multimeter.

 
. . . . and some other people to post in this thread!
 

 

[Lebob]

After accidentally cutting the plug end off my PK3's with a power hedger, I spliced an Ipod earbuds' cable-end to the remaining PK3 wires.  I used a multimeter to figure out where the wire colors go in relation to the plug conductors. 

 

[sharkz]

I am sure I could figure it out, I have an abundant supply of multimeters here.
 
Hate to admit that I am an engineer, albeit a mechanical engineer so my electrical skills aren't great. I'll have to brush up on my multimeter reading to figure out what goes where if I do this.

 

[sharkz]

So I ordered a pair of "Sennheisers" from the bay to replace these cables. How is the best way to measure and figure out what is what? Should I just take the covers off the buds and plug them in an check things with a multimeter while there is sound going into them or is there another way to do this? Sorry for my ignorance, this is something I have never done before.

 

[Lex]

Quote:

So I ordered a pair of "Sennheisers" from the bay to replace these cables. How is the best way to measure and figure out what is what? Should I just take the covers off the buds and plug them in an check things with a multimeter while there is sound going into them or is there another way to do this? Sorry for my ignorance, this is something I have never done before.

Starting at the plug end of the cable, there are three parts to the plug, from base to tip:
The sleeve, the ring, the tip.
The sleeve is ground (common to both channels), the Ring is Right, the tip is left.
 
Use a multimeter on the ohms setting to figure out which wire is signal and which is ground for each channel on both the project and donor earbuds, then solder away!