[soloz2]

I'm thinking about making some silver ICs and need some high quality RCA plugs that would pair well with pure silver cable.

I've been looking at some from Cardas, Vampire, and Lok; probably silver or Rhodium plated. I want to be able to buy in bulk and get something that looks good. suggestions with reputable places to buy would be great. Also, if I can get silver wire at a good price.

 

[Funkstar]

http://homegrownaudio.com has pretty much everything your after.

 

[soloz2]

I was looking at homegrown, but I don't see where they offer discounts for multiple rca plugs and their silver cable is pretty expensive compared to other places. I haven't written them off the list yet though.

 

[mlhm5]

Silver wire has lower resistance compared to the same gauge of copper wire. The only thing silver gives you over copper is the ability to use thinner wire, but why would you?

Here is the electrical resistance at room temp.

Aluminum 2.655
Copper 1.678
Gold 2.24
Silver 1.586* lowest but not by much over copper
Platinum 10.5

It does not make any difference if the cables are solid, stranded, copper, oxygen free copper, silver, etc. as long as the resistance is kept to be less than 5% of the headphone impedance there is no listening difference.

Grados have an impedance of 32 ohms and Sennheisers can go to 300 ohms. 1% of 32 ohms is .32 ohms.

You get about 1 ohm of resistance for every 120 feet of 16 ga. copper wire, 300" if you are using 12 ga.

You do the math and see what a waste of money expensive cables are.

BTW, Grado uses the same cable on the $70 SR-60 as they do on the $700 RS-1.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlhm5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Silver wire has lower resistance compared to the same gauge of copper wire. The only thing silver gives you over copper is the ability to use thinner wire, but why would you? Here is the electrical resistance at room temp. Aluminum 2.655 Copper 1.678 Gold 2.24 Silver 1.586* lowest but not by much over copper Platinum 10.5 It does not make any difference if the cables are solid, stranded, copper, oxygen free copper, silver, etc. as long as the resistance is kept to be less than 5% of the headphone impedance there is no listening difference. Grados have an impedance of 32 ohms and Sennheisers can go to 300 ohms. 1% of 32 ohms is .32 ohms. You get about 1 ohm of resistance for every 120 feet of 16 ga. copper wire, 300" if you are using 12 ga. You do the math and see what a waste of money expensive cables are. BTW, Grado uses the same cable on the $70 SR-60 as they do on the $700 RS-1.

How is this responsive to his post?

 

[meat01]

www.partsexpress.com

 

[axiom]

mlhm5 has posted this exact comment in two places (with a few changes). Personally, I don't put much stock in many of the things that he says in it.

mlhm5: Despite your feelings, the OP already feels that he would like to make his own cables and was not asking for a tirade on how he is "wasting" his money.

Back on topic...

It is difficult to find discounted prices for buying in bulk on solid silver rca plugs... However, the best rca connector IMHO is the WBT NexGen pure silver RCA jacks/plugs. These are solid silver and very nice, but they do cost almost $100 for the male/female pair. I think the Cardas may be better bang for the buck though...

This place has some good prices on silver wire and a couple of rca connectors (I think only one of them is silver IIRC).
http://www.vt4c.com/shop/program/main.php

 

[MASantos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlhm5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, Grado uses the same cable on the $70 SR-60 as they do on the $700 RS-1.

No they don't:

SR-60
Features:
Vented diaphragm
Non Resonant air chamber
Standard copper voice coil wire
Standard copper connecting cord
mini plug with 1/4" adaptor

SR-1
Features:
Vented diaphragm
Wooden air chamber
UHPLC copper voice coil wire
UHPLC copper connecting cord

This is taken from grado's website.

 

[grandenigma1]

https://www.hndme.com/productcart/pc/viewCat.asp

http://vhaudio.com/products.html

http://takefiveaudio.com/mall/shopdisplaycategories.asp

http://www.percyaudio.com/

http://www.dedicatedaudio.com/parts____cable___diy

http://partsexpress.com/

http://markertek.com/

http://www.redco.com/shopdisplaycategories.asp

to name a few...

I personally like the Eichmann, LOK, and Neutrik Profi plugs the best

 

[ironbut]

I second Eichmann. But, whatever you decide on, give Antique Electronic Supply a call if you want to buy a bunch. They have cut some outrageous deals on quantities of tubes for me before. I've used lots of different ones and I think that the Bullet plugs have the most obvious audible improvements. I've tried, WBT topline silver, Cardas top of the line ( can't remember the # but they're a bitch to solder), Vampire, WBT nextgen ( I didn't try the silver but I do like the silver Eichmann better than the copper WBT).

 

[soloz2]

Thanks for all the input thus far. I'm looking through several different vender's and have sent emails to a couple asking about bulk discounts. The eichmann bullets do look nice, but the silver bullets do not really fit the price range right now. The copper bullets do though. sonically, and aesthetically, how would the copper bullets be with a solid silver IC?

I'm also seriously considering Cardas topline SRCA and the Lok plugs.

 

[soloz2]

where do people get the tubing seen in these two posts
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...8&postcount=59
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...5&postcount=60

and what size tubing would you need?

 

[warrior05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soloz2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif where do people get the tubing seen in these two posts http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...8&postcount=59 http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...5&postcount=60 and what size tubing would you need?

that's nylon multi-filament sleeving and is all that i use. terrific stuff. soft and professional looking. you can get it here. i built a cotton based interconnect starting with a 1/4" cotton rope and sleeved it using 3/8". turned out terrific.

i also used yarbo rca plugs bought from the site posted earlier. very nice kit indeed.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warrior05 /img/forum/go_quote.gif that's nylon multi-filament sleeving and is all that i use. terrific stuff. soft and professional looking. you can get it here. i built a cotton based interconnect starting with a 1/4" cotton rope and sleeved it using 3/8". turned out terrific. i also used yarbo rca plugs bought from the site posted earlier. very nice kit indeed.

no, I know about nylon multifilament sleeving. I was talking about the clear hose/tubing that went over the wire and under the sleeving. It looks like a pvc tubing of some sort, but what size is needed and where can you get it?

 

[warrior05]

whoops! sorry about that. i didn't go to the second pic. sorry can't help you with that one. i'll shut up now.