DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[shine4t]

  The best option for you is to just repair the cable you already have, since it is not detachable. It's a rather simple process if you or your friends have any soldering experience. If you decide to try it, feel free to ask more detailed questions here.

The problem is my dad and I looked at the cable and he didn't feel it was an easy fix, and he is an electrician and has fixed other cables for me that the cat has chewed.
 
The cable is chewed right in the middle, and it has a braided cover, then the rubber one, inside that is like white thin hairs to cover it and then on the very inside you have the copper wires, but they are very hard to manage. I might snap some pictures. My dad mostly thought it wasn't fixable because it's so small he'd need some sort magnifying glass or something to enhance it.

 

[scizzro]

 I might snap some pictures.

Please, do.

 

[jodgey4]

I'm just more surprised that Sennheiser didn't just come out with yet another proprietary connector for the G4ME series

.

 

[scizzro]

  I'm just more surprised that Sennheiser didn't just come out with yet another proprietary connector for the G4ME series

.

I'm curious if they actually sound good. Love my senny's, but I've never tried the ones marketed to gamers
 
Also, offtopic: I'm on the edge of buying an LCD2.2f, and am stuck in the decision between the Oppo HA-1 and the NFB-28. Your siggy caught me by suprise since you have that combo. You likey?

 

[Kamakahah]

1. the wire would be running along the wall along with a USB cable, Internet COAX cable, and a XLR microphone cable.  
2. I think I've used Techflex stuff before, I use it a lot in automotive and other things. I find it quite stiff and abrasive compaired to nice soft paracord. Is there a more "cloth like" option I could use? 
perfereably something that comes in different colors? 
3. I edited a part in my post about balanced connections vs unbalanced, got any input?

2. You can get some softer nylon multifilament sleeving. There is a seller on eBay. You can only find it in silver or black. If you're using the Canare mini quad, then you could probably fit the 3/16th inch over it. A safer bet for the standard Canare would be the 1/4 inch or 3/8ths size. I haven't tried it personally over the stock cable. I'd suggest measuring your cable first for accuracy.

3. Lots of receivers and amps have a common ground configuration. By definition they are balanced. By headphone audio they are not "fully balanced" in the sense that they don't have separate grounds. I'd verify your model. If it is shared ground, then you will not be running a "balanced" amp. You can still use an XLR connection if it matches your setup. You could even make an adapter to go along with it from XLR to 1/4 or 1/8 inch. It's what many people have me to for them.

 

[Armaegis]

  The problem is my dad and I looked at the cable and he didn't feel it was an easy fix, and he is an electrician and has fixed other cables for me that the cat has chewed.
 
The cable is chewed right in the middle, and it has a braided cover, then the rubber one, inside that is like white thin hairs to cover it and then on the very inside you have the copper wires, but they are very hard to manage. I might snap some pictures. My dad mostly thought it wasn't fixable because it's so small he'd need some sort magnifying glass or something to enhance it.

 
At that point I'd see if I could open up the cup and replace the entire cable.

 

[JacobLee89]

   
At that point I'd see if I could open up the cup and replace the entire cable.

 
I'd second that. Trying to fix a cable like that would end up with a very ugly bulge.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I've been reading through this thread for a while now and haven't seen what I'm looking for yet so I'm just going to ask (but I'll keep reading because there's loads of great info and pics). I have a pair of Philips Fidelio X2's. They are a single sided entry with 3.5mm connection at the cup for anyone that isn't familiar with them. I want to recable them mainly to shorten the cable and add a 1/4" plug, but also to improve the looks and maybe even the sound. I'd really like a braided cable with copper wire in a clear housing. What would you recommend for wire and how many wires do I need? 
 
I've also wondered, for headphones like this, buy changing the cable from source to cup but not from one cup to the other, is there any imbalance in the sound in cases where the new cable changes the sound since there's a foot or so of unchanged cable between cups?

 

[scizzro]

  What would you recommend for wire and how many wires do I need? 

If you never plan on going balanced, you can use 3 conductors. If in the future you might get a balanced amp and would want to use the same cable, use 4 conductors. Then you can just take off the 1/4" and put a 4-pin XLR on. Of course, going balanced on the X2 I believe would require you to open up the cups since it's single sided entry.
 
On the part that goes into the headphone, it's just a regular 1/8" plug, right? So it would be a 1/8" to 1/4" cable, the wiring connection is straight forward. 

 

[ArmAndHammer]

  If you never plan on going balanced, you can use 3 conductors. If in the future you might get a balanced amp and would want to use the same cable, use 4 conductors. Then you can just take off the 1/4" and put a 4-pin XLR on. Of course, going balanced on the X2 I believe would require you to open up the cups since it's single sided entry.
 
On the part that goes into the headphone, it's just a regular 1/8" plug, right? So it would be a 1/8" to 1/4" cable, the wiring connection is straight forward. 
 

Correct. I figured the actual wiring wouldn't be too hard though It is my first time doing this. Any recommendations for the actual wire? I'm guessing 24 or 26 awg is appropriate. Is there any benefit to using the slightly larger gauge? I guess the biggest complaint with the stock cable other than being too long is the slightly high impedance so I'm looking to improve on that if possible.
 
This is the look I'm after, just a nice and simple braid without any sheathing and about 5 feet in finished length...
 

 

[scizzro]

  Any recommendations for the actual wire? I'm guessing 24 or 26 awg is appropriate. Is there any benefit to using the slightly larger gauge?

A thicker cable lowers the resistance, but flexibility is a concern in a headphone cable. You don't want a solid wire that barely flexes, so 24-28 stranded is a good gauge.
 
As far as what cable to use... I don't have enough experience with different manufacturers so I don't feel comfortable making a recommendation.

 

[scizzro]

Well I decided to start on my first cable project today. I've had the parts laying around for a week or two now. I need a balanced cable for my HD600, so I thought I'd make one myself. This is my first attempt at braiding, too.
 


 

 
It looks better than I thought it would... Now I have to figure out how to stop braiding and start twisting 

 

[Edwii]

Making a 25 foot cable for my HD650 out of Canare L-4E6S. 
When doing my research I thought I could sleeve it in paracord, but found out it wont fit unless I strip off all the shielding. 
So I'm thinking I want to keep the shielding because it's a long run along the wall by other cables. 
 
Here is my idea for compromise: 
Since the majority of the cable will be along the wall and behind furniture, I'll strip the last 3 - 5 feet closet to the headphones, wrap it in paracord to make it nice, than leave the rest of it shielded. 
  
Whatch'all think?

 

[Kamakahah]

Making a 25 foot cable for my HD650 out of Canare L-4E6S. 
When doing my research I thought I could sleeve it in paracord, but found out it wont fit unless I strip off all the shielding. 
So I'm thinking I want to keep the shielding because it's a long run along the wall by other cables. 

Here is my idea for compromise: 
Since the majority of the cable will be along the wall and behind furniture, I'll strip the last 3 - 5 feet closet to the headphones, wrap it in paracord to make it nice, than leave the rest of it shielded. 
  
Whatch'all think?

That works. I recommend measuring the distance from where the cable lifts off the floor to the headphones. Then add a foot or two for movement. This will keep the weight of the shielded cable on the ground. It seems like it will probably be more than 5 feet based on your description.

 

[scizzro]

  
Whatch'all think?

If you can wait a few more days I would order some 1/4" techflex. The Canare wesbite lists that outer diameter of that wire as .236", so it should fit in the techflex nicely.