[67_390gt]

I just got some 26AWG 19 strand silver plated copper wire with kapton insulation from Navships for my IEM. Its not finished yet so I have no idea how it sounds.... But at $4.50 for 25ft its worth a try.
 

 

[Mad Max]

 
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For those that don't like SPC what kind of wire do you recommend?
I pulled the trigger on SPC wire from Navships on eBay after many raved about them on here, wondering if that was a bad decision.

Stranded copper.
Navships SPC is especially colored.  Well, to me it is.
Silver-coated copper is supposed to be good (like ALO's SXC wire), they say.  Never tried the stuff.   Stranded copper is what I stick to.

 

[cogsand gears]

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Well I tried some SPC I bought in a local parts shop.
 
Here it is.. its been posted here before.

 
I did compare it with my silver cable and it was just crazy different. The bass was bloated and the highs were very bright.
 
The tones were just not right. Like how a guitar should sound on a particular track, sounded very off on these SPCs. After that I cannibalized the parts and left the braided cable at the bottom of my box.
 
I actually felt the Canares star quads sounded better by comparison and for a helluva lot cheaper too.
 
Heck it might be that particular SPC cable I got which wasn't up to scratch. I did ask other friends who worked with SPC wires too and they felt the same. So it gave me a confirmation of sorts on what I found.
 
Matt you pulled the trigger on them so might as well give them a shot and check back here with your impressions.
 
No arguments from me either, started this cable making thing to find out what all the hoolabaloo was about. I feel like I'm getting close to finding out what I really like..
 
How do you guys ABX anyways? What I do is listen to a track with one cable, quickly swap it out and listen to the same track with the same volume.
 
Oh and John, that review you read was between Pure 5N silver and UP-OCC copper where I found the copper to be more preferable. I've been using the customs with the silver cable for a couple weeks now, just doesn't sound natural like the copper.

That is a beautiful looking cable though. Love the chin cinch and the CIEM's with those Om's on them. Great!
 

 

[Pingupenguins]

Alright I think the consensus is that SPC changes the sound. But alternatives like Cryo'd UP-OCC or Canare quad are more expensive than simple SPC from Navships. Some of us don't have huge expendable budgets and SPC is better than stock cables on most headphones.
 
Bottom line, there is always something better but for mainstream use, SPC is the way to go. 
 
Why don't we just look at the price range for Navship wire and find better alternatives? Rather than saying 5N silver and UP-OCC are better.
 
Madmax,
 
What stranded copper? That could go from cheap TPC all the way over to cryo'd UP-OCC can you specify? Also where do you get it? I haven't seen good cheap stranded copper on ebay than can compete with Navship prices.

 

[Matt V]

 
Quote:

 

Stranded copper.
Navships SPC is especially colored.  Well, to me it is.
Silver-coated copper is supposed to be good (like ALO's SXC wire), they say.  Never tried the stuff.   Stranded copper is what I stick to.

Where can I find stranded copper wire at a decent price?
 
 

 

[liamstrain]

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Where can I find stranded copper wire at a decent price?
 
 

 
Test Path - Silicone copper test leads
 
http://www.testpath.com/Categories/Silicone-Test-Lead-Wire-3086.htm

 

[SpudHarris]

Quote:

Alright I think the consensus is that SPC changes the sound. But alternatives like Cryo'd UP-OCC or Canare quad are more expensive than simple SPC from Navships. Some of us don't have huge expendable budgets and SPC is better than stock cables on most headphones.
 
Bottom line, there is always something better but for mainstream use, SPC is the way to go. 
 
Why don't we just look at the price range for Navship wire and find better alternatives? Rather than saying 5N silver and UP-OCC are better.
 
Madmax,
 
What stranded copper? That could go from cheap TPC all the way over to cryo'd UP-OCC can you specify? Also where do you get it? I haven't seen good cheap stranded copper on ebay than can compete with Navship prices.

x2 on all the above - Nicely said Pingu !
 

 

[Waazup]

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Can you tell me which xlr plugs those are please?
 

 

[scootermafia]

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That is a Kumihimo braid.  Did you get the idea to loom it from me?
 
Also, did you use the bobbins to store the wire as you braided it?  I say this because doing a Kumi cable this long would take about 10 hours of braiding, even with bobbins...and without, that's terrifying to think about.  They tangle really badly and are very hard to manage, and I don't think 16 foot of wire would fit on a bobbin.
 
The Kumi braid looks awesome.  However, I only ever consider it to be an ornamental braiding style, since it convolutes the wire such that there are a lot of losses (a 4' long cable would require at least 5' pieces of wire, for example) and the finished product is pretty stiff compared to a flat 8 wire braid.  Something that's just for fun...
 

 

[scootermafia]

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Can you tell me which xlr plugs those are please?
 

Those are switchcrafts but with the switchcraft metal barrels, same barrels as on their mini plugs, it looks like.  They are hard to find.  

 

[Lurkumaural]

My switchcraft minis aren't knurled. I think I prefer mine, but I want to find these now.

 

[67_390gt]

Quote:

Can you tell me which xlr plugs those are please?
 

They are Switchcraft Tini-QG Series mini XLR plugs # TA4FSH I bought them from digi-key
 
 


Quote:

 
That is a Kumihimo braid.  Did you get the idea to loom it from me?
 
Also, did you use the bobbins to store the wire as you braided it?  I say this because doing a Kumi cable this long would take about 10 hours of braiding, even with bobbins...and without, that's terrifying to think about.  They tangle really badly and are very hard to manage, and I don't think 16 foot of wire would fit on a bobbin.
 
The Kumi braid looks awesome.  However, I only ever consider it to be an ornamental braiding style, since it convolutes the wire such that there are a lot of losses (a 4' long cable would require at least 5' pieces of wire, for example) and the finished product is pretty stiff compared to a flat 8 wire braid.  Something that's just for fun...
 

I found the braiding disk when I was looking up ways to make an 8 stranded braid. 
I dont know exactly how long it took me. I did it over 2 days, it took a long time, but it got going pretty fast once you get the rhythm down. I wrapped each of the wires then secured them with a twits tie, Leaving a few inches exposed to make the braid. When I needed more I would undo the wrapping a little at a time. It was fun making it, this is my very first Kumihimo braid. The relative stiffness doesn't bother me as most of the wire is on the floor. And the part that is connected to the headphones is a 4 strand braid. And it just looks so nice!
 
 

 

[TigzStudio]

Quote:

They are Switchcraft Tini-QG Series mini XLR plugs # TA4FSH I bought them from digi-key
 
 

These switchcraft plugs are very hard to find in gold pin version, only silver pin version is available to the masses right now I am pretty sure.  You can however put bulk orders 100 qty. + to get the gold pin versions but they will still cost about $11 - $14.00 each (will also take weeks and weeks to get).  They are nice, the only downside is the metal boot is pretty long.  It comes with an interesting cardboard tube for strain relief.  I will post up some pictures of the internals in a bit. 

 

[liamstrain]

Luckily the silver pin versions work just fine.

 

[Currawong]

I've removed a number of posts. As per the original post:
 
Quote:

This is the DIY cable gallery. Please post pics of your custom made interconnects, power cords, speaker cables, mini-to-mini cables, mini-rca cables, headphone rewires and anything else relevant. Should make for some fun eyecandy.

Please keep posts in this thread limited to images and specs of DIY cables and comments relating directly to them. This is a gallery first and foremost.