[TwinFinnley]

I'm trying to figure out what to use for shielding my cables and was looking at this stuff. Anyone know how effective it is or if there is a better solution out there?

Thanks

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinFinnley /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm trying to figure out what to use for shielding my cables and was looking at this stuff. Anyone know how effective it is or if there is a better solution out there?

Yeah, it'll work. Though it does increase cable capacitance.

Have you considered going unshielded?

k

 

[TwinFinnley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, it'll work. Though it does increase cable capacitance. Have you considered going unshielded? k

If I have it connected to ground, shouldn't it lose all capacitance? It would certainly be cheaper to not use shielding, but I'm getting noise in them and I need to block it. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinFinnley /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I have it connected to ground, shouldn't it lose all capacitance?

No. The cable's capacitance is between the hot lead and ground. By covering the whole cable with the braid and the braid tied to ground, you'll get an increase in cable capacitance.

Quote:

It would certainly be cheaper to not use shielding, but I'm getting noise in them and I need to block it.

Are you sure it's noise that's being picked up by the cables and not a ground loop issue or a bad solder joint or something?

What sort of noise is it? Is it like a 60Hz hum or a buzzing sound? Or is it something else?

You can test to see if it's a shielding issue easily enough. Just use some aluminum foil and wrap the cable in it.

Are you using RCAs? If so, then just connect the foil at one end (the source end) wrapping it around the ground ring of the RCA and keeping it in place with a rubber band or something.

If the noise doesn't go away or diminish appreciably, then it's not likely a shielding issue but something else.

k

 

[TwinFinnley]

Its a hum that increases when I move my hand closer to the wires and diminishes when I pull my hand back. It hits its maximum loudness when I actually touch the wire too. But even with out my hand there the hum is present, although very faint.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinFinnley /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its a hum that increases when I move my hand closer to the wires and diminishes when I pull my hand back. It hits its maximum loudness when I actually touch the wire too. But even with out my hand there the hum is present, although very faint.

Mmm. That's sounding a bit like you may have a dodgy ground connection in the cables somewhere.

Do you happen to have any other non-shielded cables you can try?

k