[zanash]

“ZERO COST” cable

Aim to build a very good ic at minimal cost ....

materials

2 x 0.75 m polypropylene rope 3ply approx 6mm dia
1 x 2 m 35awg enameled copper wire
1 x 2m 28awg enameled copper wire
1 x roll PTFE tape
various short lengths heat shrink


You will need to get four suitable RCA plugs.....

Note the copper wire, especially the thin one is very delicate.

The rope core is quite tightly wrapped with the finest copper wire in between the lays of the rope.

This has the effect of holding the wire and will keep the conductors evenly separated.

Leave about a centimeter clear at each end.

This is repeated with the thicker copper wire so that its on either side the thin one.

The PFTE tape can be used to mummy wrap the cable. This will give the cable some protection

I tend to put a couple of layers of heat shrink over the ends to give the RCA plugs something to bite on

Strip the ends of the copper wire with a stanley blade till they show bright copper pink, you may need to use a hand lens.

The thin wire is the signal or hot wire and the thick wire make the ground, then solder to your chosen plugs.

Repeat for the second IC.

They will need to be run in for a week before sounding at their best.

You can substitute silver for the copper…………..this will make a cable that should restore your faith in the idea that cheap doesn't always mean poor.

 

[FallenAngel]

Thanks for the recipe. I would have thought that 35AWG is a little too thin to work with, but then again, I thought the same of 28AWG.

This does sound a lot like the Chris VenHaus DIY Silver Interconnect which are very good sounding cables.

 

[elmer_dudd]

i need pictures man, i'm a dood
throw some nudies in too if you can

 

[Dave_M]

Is 35 AWG used to make it cheaper or does it give better results than thicker wire?

 

[laxx]

i read thin wires are better, but to a point. in the big list and rules section, there's a link to a really ugly diy rca interconnect made with 2" tape and 30gauge copper or silver. he says the copper can compete with cables up to $300 and the silver can compete up to $500. =T i bought the 30gauge copper from radioshack like he listed, but i haven't had time to make it yet to test out.

but 35 seems a bit too thin.

also, to make a cable out of starquad, it only costs under 15 bucks if you use canare f12 or switchcraft plugs. if you wanted, you could use the neutrik nys231b's that coast 99 cents to make a ic for under 5 bucks...

 

[zanash]

This is not cast in stone .....

The wire dimentions are what I had available at the time

just try different ones ......experimenting is half the fun .

 

[blip]

Interesting design... I like the idea behind keeping the connectors even... seems like it would be durable as well. Maybe throw some techflex over it for looks... might have to try this.

I've seen the asymmetric conductor approach before, but I've never really understood the theory behind it... Anyone want to enlighten me?