[netsky3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayTooCrazy /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's not good! I build my cables with Mogami W2534, SwitchCraft MiniXLR and Neutrik 1/8th or 1/4 connectors and have been told they sound better than stock AKG K702 cable (I build Gaming cables for the K702). I also have used the same cable on my old AKG K240 and it was better than stock (but that one used a Canare L-4E6S). Try a different cable with your connectors and see if it doesn't get better.

Uhm...you are the second person who says this about the cable of the K240...i'm becoming curious

 

[hifi-man]

Very nice pictures. I think a part of these DIY pioneers must open a small shop with audio cables.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by netsky3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Uhm...you are the second person who says this about the cable of the K240...i'm becoming curious

Do it! It doesn't cost much to test... you should be able to order all your parts for under $20 from Markertek (and that's including Shrink Tube and some Nylon to cover the cable). In my case, I didn't notice much change in the upper registry, but the mids and low end got fatter and cleaner. I was running mine off of my uDac.

 

[downsize]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifi-man /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very nice pictures. I think a part of these DIY pioneers must open a small shop with audio cables.

LOL .... Then it wouldn't be DIY any longer. I get SO MANY requests/inquiries about my cables .... especially my interconnects. I can only imagine how crazy busy we would be if we did start a small business like that.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayTooCrazy /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's not good! I build my cables with Mogami W2534, SwitchCraft MiniXLR and Neutrik 1/8th or 1/4 connectors and have been told they sound better than stock AKG K702 cable (I build Gaming cables for the K702). I also have used the same cable on my old AKG K240 and it was better than stock (but that one used a Canare L-4E6S). Try a different cable with your connectors and see if it doesn't get better. You know what else it might be... it sounds like you have the wires mixed on the Mini-XLR. The pinout should be. Pin 1 is Ground, Pin 2 is Right, and Pin 3 is Left. If you use a Fader and fade from left to right... you should hear that distinctly without audio bleeding into the other channels. If it does, you have the ground mixed up. This happened to me plenty of times and it ended up sounding congested and not natural at all. I've even had it where it sound ok when fader was in center position, but once I moved either left or right... it started to get weird. Just double check your wiring. Hope that helps.

I am sure of the wiring. I spent ages making sure I had it correct, see here

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/wir...s-what-483760/

and I bought a DMM to check for continuity, which was all correct.

I want to have another go with some Proel cable, but I need the mini XLR without the strain relief, the TA3FL to fit that size of cable. The Proel is 6mm diameter. What is it for the Mogami W2534? I think from their website it is 4.8. How did you get it to fit? I found the Van Damme at 3.5mm was too big to fit the strain relief over it.

When you think about it, why should DIY cables be better than the stock ones? Maybe it is the Van Damme cable I used and it is just not as good.

 

[momomo6789]

might want to check that again never seen a trs or 3.5mm that has it backwards like that L / R also dont waste your time on strain reliefs when it cant be helped.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am sure of the wiring. I spent ages making sure I had it correct, see here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/wir...s-what-483760/ and I bought a DMM to check for continuity, which was all correct. I want to have another go with some Proel cable, but I need the mini XLR without the strain relief, the TA3FL to fit that size of cable. The Proel is 6mm diameter. What is it for the Mogami W2534? I think from their website it is 4.8. How did you get it to fit? I found the Van Damme at 3.5mm was too big to fit the strain relief over it. When you think about it, why should DIY cables be better than the stock ones? Maybe it is the Van Damme cable I used and it is just not as good.

I ended up cutting off the strain relief (and I believe I opened up the body with my dremel a bit) when I made an audio only cable. With the gaming cables I make... I don't even use the body of the Mini-XLR.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by momomo6789 /img/forum/go_quote.gif might want to check that again never seen a trs or 3.5mm that has it backwards like that L / R also dont waste your time on strain reliefs when it cant be helped.

Agreed... the pic is labeled wrong.

 

[limpidglitch]

I think it looks correct, or as seen dead on from the solder pad side:

 

[Prog Rock Man]

I based the pictures on this schematic from Switchcraft. The jack I used is just like the three pole jacks No260 and 590....

http://www.switchcraft.com/products/..._schematic.pdf

Further confirmation my diagram is correct. I used my DMM continuity and tip, ring and sleeve match as per my drawing. I get no reading off the DMM if I do it any other way.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif I based the pictures on this schematic from Switchcraft. The jack I used is just like the three pole jacks No260 and 590.... http://www.switchcraft.com/products/..._schematic.pdf Further confirmation my diagram is correct. I used my DMM continuity and tip, ring and sleeve match as per my drawing. I get no reading off the DMM if I do it any other way.

If Switchcraft says so, who 'am I to argue... I just thought they were all done the same way. O'well. Sorry if I tried to give you wrong information. I guess the only issue really is the cable then. When I was sure I had wired everything correctly... and still had an issue with bleeding... I found out it was my Hot Glue that I used to keep the wires from moving (and breaking solder joints). I accidentally had both left & right glued with so much glue that they connected (via glue)). Though, I remedied that with a heat gun and pulled glue out with a razer knife.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Here is a photo of the jack once I had soldered it. There is no chance of shorts and the solders appear secure....

The ground (sleeve) is out of view under a piece of plastic that is part of the jack.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

I am going to scrap it anyway and change it to a jack to mini jack recable for some Goldring DR50s a friend has.

I was happy with the sound from some Proel cable I used for ICs. Proel does a microphone cable as well, so I will try that next on the AKGs.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am going to scrap it anyway and change it to a jack to mini jack recable for some Goldring DR50s a friend has. I was happy with the sound from some Proel cable I used for ICs. Proel does a microphone cable as well, so I will try that next on the AKGs.

Just for kicks... did you do a continuity check on the 1/4" plug itself? I've had 1 Neutrik (and a few RatShack), that didn't test right (plugs themselves). Just 1 last thing to try before scrapping your cable. If nothing else, you should pull the 1/4" and Mini-XLR off and re-use them.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

I did the continuity test on the 1/4" jack and it was as shown above in the photo and my drawing. The only part to be scrapped is the mini XLR as I will put a mini jack on that end.

Is there a way to re-use the XLR? I thought once it was soldered that was it?