DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[Paladin79]

I would be glad to help out, no charge, if you can be without the iems for a few days and if you are fairly certain the problem is in the 3.5 mm end. I would naturally use my own pads for testing. You can pm me for address if you would like my help.
 
Tom

 

[NoisyNeighbour]

Working on a cable for my HE-400i, the newer model with the 2.5s. Can anyone confirm if http://www.redco.com/Redco-2.5mm-Male-TRS-w-Collar.html would fit the 400i? Or maybe have this 2.5 connector and can give me the measurements. Thanks!

 

[paecificjr]

Question for everyone. I am planning on making a custom cable sometime and I am looking for a right angle 1/8" connector that is also threaded so I can put on a 1/4" adapter. Any thoughts?

 

[Paladin79]

  Question for everyone. I am planning on making a custom cable sometime and I am looking for a right angle 1/8" connector that is also threaded so I can put on a 1/4" adapter. Any thoughts?

Neutrik makes and excellent 3.5 mm right angle stereo connector but it is not threaded. I have yet to see a right angle that is.
 
 
http://www.markertek.com/product/ntp3rc-b/neutrik-ntp3rc-b-3-5mm-stereo-right-angle-mini-plug-black-gold?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&utm_source=google&utm_term=Product_Target&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+Connectors+%26+Adapters&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=mVY4YMQb|pcrid|74923779380|pdv|c|&gclid=CNvy6JDAkNICFVC4wAodfPoO6w

 

[paecificjr]

Qui`

  Neutrik makes and excellent 3.5 mm right angle stereo connector but it is not threaded. I have yet to see a right angle that is.
 
 
http://www.markertek.com/product/ntp3rc-b/neutrik-ntp3rc-b-3-5mm-stereo-right-angle-mini-plug-black-gold?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&utm_source=google&utm_term=Product_Target&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+Connectors+%26+Adapters&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=mVY4YMQb|pcrid|74923779380|pdv|c|&gclid=CNvy6JDAkNICFVC4wAodfPoO6w

 
 
That's sad. Maybe somebody else has? Maybe I ghetto mod my own?

 

[Paladin79]

Another thought is to build a short 3.5 mm female to quarter inch male cable. Braid the wires,make it pretty, use quality connectors, and save a bit of wear and tear on the equipment jack you would be plugging in and out of. I have fashioned several of these for my own use because I do not like to use adapters unless absolutely necessary. It is also good cable building practice. Another method is to use four pin mini xlr male and females and use these at the end of longer cables. I have some for balanced equipment, 3.5 mm, quarter inch, whatever I need. Rean (Neutrik) makes some very good quality parts and they are my first choice. I am constantly changing and trying new equipment and the four pin mini xlr helps me a lot but may not be for everyone. Said connectors lock into place and there is a small release tab so they are a good solid extension to leave on a cable.

 

[paecificjr]

  Another thought is to build a short 3.5 mm female to quarter inch male cable. Braid the wires,make it pretty, use quality connectors, and save a bit of wear and tear on the equipment jack you would be plugging in and out of. I have fashioned several of these for my own use because I do not like to use adapters unless absolutely necessary. It is also good cable building practice. Another method is to use four pin mini xlr male and females and use these at the end of longer cables. I have some for balanced equipment, 3.5 mm, quarter inch, whatever I need. Rean (Neutrik) makes some very good quality parts and they are my first choice. I am constantly changing and trying new equipment and the four pin mini xlr helps me a lot but may not be for everyone. Said connectors lock into place and there is a small release tab so they are a good solid extension to leave on a cable.

I like your idea of leaving an adapter hanging on my equipment, but my problem is that it isn't my equipment. I did think about the mini xlr, but I thought that would just get messy. Do you have any pictures?

 

[buke9]

Another thought is to build a short 3.5 mm female to quarter inch male cable. Braid the wires,make it pretty, use quality connectors, and save a bit of wear and tear on the equipment jack you would be plugging in and out of. I have fashioned several of these for my own use because I do not like to use adapters unless absolutely necessary. It is also good cable building practice. Another method is to use four pin mini xlr male and females and use these at the end of longer cables. I have some for balanced equipment, 3.5 mm, quarter inch, whatever I need. Rean (Neutrik) makes some very good quality parts and they are my first choice. I am constantly changing and trying new equipment and the four pin mini xlr helps me a lot but may not be for everyone. Said connectors lock into place and there is a small release tab so they are a good solid extension to leave on a cable.

What is your aversion of a adapter?

 

[Paladin79]

 
Quote:

What is your aversion of a adapter?

here is a quick photo showing a Rean 4 pin male and female plugged together, i used a red/ black  white/blue cable to show there are two separate cables attached. Basically i can change from balanced dual 3.5 mm on a Pono to quarter inch stereo in a heartbeat and not worry about the connections. There is a latch system so they stay well connected. I can easily change over to a 3.5 mm stereo male, or dual xlr balanced. Now for Buke's question, I have not had good luck with adapters, generally the quality can be quite poor though I admit some are better than others. Were I to use one I would use a 3.5 mm that screws into a quarter inch, those I have found to be pretty solid and do not offer many issues. Otherwise if you try to go from a quarter inch down to a 3.5mm I have bought a half dozen versions and all became intermittent very quickly. There may be some great ones I have not tried top of the line adapters but my success has been minimal with those I purchased.  I have used this type of Rean arrangement for over a year with no issues. Also I am not swapping cables on my alpha primes very often, I unhook the Rean and voila, I can plug into most anything I own. I leave XLR's to a Rean plugged into the back of a balanced amp/dac and do not have to get to the back of the equipment to change them out. (top photo) 

 

[buke9]

Wow never had that happen and I have 4 of them but will take your word of your experience with them. You still have to go to a meet.

 

[Paladin79]

Wow never had that happen and I have 4 of them but will take your word of your experience with them. You still have to go to meet.

I have had no issues with a few of them but trust me, I have access to a lot of them lol; I own 20 or so of various types. I plug things in a lot so maybe I am just hard on them. 
 
One day I will make it to a meet, unfortunately my work duties keep increasing. One more photo, it takes me all of five seconds to change from a Pono to a Valhalla 2 amp using this system and the connection is rock solid.

 

[Paladin79]

For home equipment I have used things like this that I made. 3.5 mm stereo female jack (trs) to 1/4 inch male trs. I have since gone more to the 4 pin mini xlrs though since they can be used for balanced audio or common ground cables. This one is not as pretty as some but that red cable is Mogami star quad which uses oxygen free copper wire and it is quite well shielded. Rean  3.5 mm jack and Amphenol trs plug.

 

[Arty McGhee]

show us your pigtails
 
i carry a lot of these in my bag, i make them from scraps 
 
i dig the 4 pin mini xlr i may start using them
 

 

[Paladin79]

  show us your pigtails
 
i carry a lot of these in my bag, i make them from scraps 
 
i dig the 4 pin mini xlr i may start using them
 

Maybe this helps. On the left is the headphone cable (red and black) with a female 4 pin mini xlr, the other three cables all have the four pin male mini xlr end, then go on to XLR's, TRS 1/4 inch, and dual TRS 3.5 mm for a Pono player. Somewhere I also have the mini xlr to 3.5 mm. I totally trust the Rean four pin mini xlr connectors and they have a small white arrow for keying. At home I rarely have to disconnect the main cable from the headphones and I can leave these plugged in to various equipment to save constantly plugging in and out. You can buy just the male or female four pin xlr if ever you had to replace one. They are not real easy to work with so it pays to have some experience soldering. (heading out to dinner or I would have tried for a better photo.)
 
Tom

 

[Letmebefrank]

Maybe this helps. On the left is the headphone cable (red and black) with a female 4 pin mini xlr, the other three cables all have the four pin male mini xlr end, then go on to XLR's, TRS 1/4 inch, and dual TRS 3.5 mm for a Pono player. Somewhere I also have the mini xlr to 3.5 mm. I totally trust the Rean four pin mini xlr connectors and they have a small white arrow for keying. At home I rarely have to disconnect the main cable from the headphones and I can leave these plugged in to various equipment to save constantly plugging in and out. You can buy just the male or female four pin xlr if ever you had to replace one. They are not real easy to work with so it pays to have some experience soldering. (heading out to dinner or I would have tried for a better photo.)

Tom

Hey Tom, where do you source your mini 4 pins? I'm sure you have a pile of them at the office, but I can't find the sleek rean ones anywhere online. Thanks!