DIY Cable Gallery!!
Mar 11, 2013 at 1:34 PM Post #11,641 of 16,306
I want to re cable my Monoprice 8320 IEMS because of their shocking microphonics but I've got a small budget. Would anything for under £20 be an upgrade or am I just wasting my time?
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 1:40 PM Post #11,642 of 16,306
Well that copper above I used will be about £20 in cable, add a pailiccs jack for £2 + heatshrink.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 1:44 PM Post #11,643 of 16,306
You don't hear cable noise as severely with full-size headphones since the cable noise has to conduct through a relatively massive plastic shell and a thick cushion of padding that rests on your outer ear or your skull. Cable noise is going to be a necessary evil with IEMs, since they basically constitute a direct conduction of vibrations to your middle ear.

In my experience with the 8320, the cable noise is very low for an IEM. I don't think you'll improve it much with a DIY, but if you want to try, track down some light-gauge silicone wire.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 1:51 PM Post #11,644 of 16,306
Quote:
Well that copper above I used will be about £20 in cable, add a pailiccs jack for £2 + heatshrink.

Would the change have any affect on quality?
Quote:
In my experience with the 8320, the cable noise is very low for an IEM. 

Really? Wow, I thought they were some of the worst IEMs for it to the extent that even when I'm not on the go it's a distraction, every other pair I've tried I found to be miles better. I've got a few pairs now so I was thinking of heatshrinking the stock cable on one of them and see if that improves matters.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:06 PM Post #11,645 of 16,306
Quote:
My 2nd Toxic cables IEM cable I've made, OCC copper with toxic cables y-split and Pailiccs Jack, also a little 3.5 male to 6.3 female for my O2 amp:
 
...

 
Great looking new IEM cable you got there! Congrats! 
beerchug.gif

 
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:09 PM Post #11,646 of 16,306
Heatshrink is stiff so it probably won't help.

Well the cable might make them slightly better, but you will have to be the judge of that. The new cable looks awesome and will last longer though
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:10 PM Post #11,647 of 16,306
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:16 PM Post #11,648 of 16,306
You could run the wires through some cotton sleeving (or shoe laces) to see if the soft material helps with the cable noise.  Nylon multifilament and loose paracord might also work.
 
Otherwise, I'd save your money and get better IEMs.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:16 PM Post #11,649 of 16,306
Quote:
Thanks Putente, hurry up and make some cables to show off
wink.gif

 
 
I intend to, mate. I just need a good amount of free time to freely burn my fingers! 
biggrin.gif

 
 
Btw, how much cable length takes a cable like that? I mean, before you braided it, how much cable did you buy for that IEM cable and what's the finished length? 
popcorn.gif

 
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:26 PM Post #11,650 of 16,306
18ft

Gives a little spare, 4"6 each of the 4 stands.

Finished I didn't measure it, but not much shorter.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 7:01 PM Post #11,651 of 16,306
DT880 recable with Toxic cables 26AWG OCC copper wire. 4 wire litz braid terminated in balanced neutrik 4-pin.


Pair of RCA inteconnects made with Canare Starquad and Rean plugs.


4-pin XLR to TRS converter with Neutrik plugs and the toxic cables wire.


In keeping with the spirit of tiny interconnects...


Pair of balancd XLR interconnects. Neutrik plugs and same Toxic cables wire.
 
Mar 11, 2013 at 7:14 PM Post #11,652 of 16,306
HE-6 with 4-pin XLR termination.
 
 
 
Each channel is build from 6' of Canare L-4E6S: Two 24 AWG wires for each + and -.
 
I cheated, actually -- After stripping off the jacket, braid and paper sheath, I realized that the wire was more neatly wound than I could manage by braiding, so I kept the wires as they are and simply twisted each channel's bundle around each other between the yoke and the XLR.. The headphone plugs are kind of lumpy because I didn't have a good strategy for soldering the wire onto them, and got kind of random. If I did it over again, I might join the plug to the wire at a slight angle so that the cables will project forward, like on the LCD-2.
 
This cabling was mostly done for comfort reasons: The stock cable is actually very good, but I wanted a more limber one; it's almost twice as heavy although it doesn't matter since most of that mass lies on the floor, the arm of the chair, or whatnot while I listen.
 
Mar 12, 2013 at 7:45 AM Post #11,654 of 16,306
I'm looking to make some RCA interconnecters. Would this guitar cable work well for me?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221152143397?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
If not could someone suggest something off of ebay? or somewhere where I don't have to pay $7-10 shipping for 2 feet of wire?
 
Mar 12, 2013 at 8:15 AM Post #11,655 of 16,306
You can get short lengths of cable from redco.com for about $3-5 shipping within the U.S.

Cable is heavy, so anybody who provides free shipping has to mark up the product price a lot to recover their expenses. You might also try buying a couple feet from a guitar repair shop.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top