DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[antdroid]

FYI for Future 2.5mm balanced cable diy'ers

Here's the parts I used to make a 2.5mm balanced cable:

I've purchased several diy cables from this store and they are great and ship pretty quickly.
https://gratituding.aliexpress.com/...230.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.8bd817801yzrPs

Here's a 2.5mm 4-pole connector I've used before sold on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076JDFT98/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've also used these: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-1...32716212614.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.7rH77w

They work, but tightening them back is sometimes challenging for some reason.


For headphone-side connectors:

For the Audeze Sine connector I've used these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Are...32849366450.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.7B4Fx3

For 2-pin IEMs like Noble, iSine, and Massdrop Plus IEM - I bought these connectors:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5Pa...32769299622.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.kSTN3z

For Hifiman HE400i, 400s, 560, etc these work great (2.5mm connectors):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Are...32844883531.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.kSTN3z

I've tried some others but these are ones I really like the most.

Edit: Fixed the 2.5mm 4-pole link.

 

[Paladin79]

There are shelves to be made but this is the start of a stereo cabinet in which I will mount various amps, dacs, switchers etc. I realize this is off topic but there are DIY cables and cable mounts to come. I was hoping for a vertical cabinet about six feet tall but my windows would not allow for it. Such cabinets are available for $120 or so with adjustable shelves. I have a meeting to attend and then I will start to position some equipment but sizes are excellent, shelves are 23.5 by 14.5 inches, wide enough and deep enough for what I own to sit side by side.The top is large enough to allow for a turntable. The cat barely fits in the bottom but he is a seriously large cat.I also need to figure out how to mount an edison light or two on my headhphone rack to complete the steampunk motif.

Three more shelves should allow me to accomplish what I wish. I want to get all shelves situated before i start drilling holes for cables. I can match the cabinet finish with chalk paint and associated waxes. I will then cut all interconnect cables to length, I cannot change the position of my computer thus I have been experimenting with building USB A-B cables to reach. The cabinet comes with doors but they would be in the way and I need proper air flow inside the cabinet so i would never close them with the equipment turned on. Two Nuforce Optima amps I use for balanced sound get quite warm.

 

[kingkikapu]

Paladin what's your thoughts on Low Dross Sn/Cu eutectic bar solder vs 3-4% silver bar solder?

Edited for spelling and stupidity.

 

[Paladin79]

I use Kester low dross but I have not tried the other two. I have had six weeks of solder training on their products so I tend to believe in them. While I have had people claim they could hear the difference in two identical lengths and brands of wire, I have not heard that claim about solders or connector plating for that matter.

I am probably more interested in how a solder flows at a specific temperature. I can recall a lot of issues with ROHS solder when it was first used in manufacturing.

Silver does conduct better than copper etc but it melts at a much higher temperature than lead or tin.
I do always caution employees and friends to wash their hands after soldering, lead is a cumulative poison.

 

[kingkikapu]

Cheers thanks. Figured that's what you would say.

I picked up a 97Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu Kester Bar today. Overkill? Probably, but I've been using 3-5% Ag solder for a long time, so I figured I'd keep it consistent on the bar side. I've got quite a few cables in the works atm, so it's time to invest in a proper little 200W solder pot and some sexy electronics tweezers.

Several very, very bonkers expensive headphone, AC, interconnect and computer cables on the go.

Still my wallet gently weeps.

 

[Paladin79]

Still my wallet gently weeps. LOL

I do not want to discourage you from using anything. I am just more used to the Kester. I like Weller irons but I own Hakko and other brands. I have used some rosin core solder with silver content but not so much on the bar solder since my distributors tend to carry Kester and I get no surprises if I use it. Same with Belden or Mogami or Canare.... all good products. I have seen spools of cable that came in from another country where they scotch tape wires together in the middle of a spool. Imagine running speaker wires inside a wall and part of said run is scotch taped together. Quality control does not exist in some product. I am fortunate to have run my own electronics business so I have multiples of many items and test equipment I only use on rare occasion, but I still like to keep my hand in. I now spend more time now in teaching and project management but it is fun to build an occasional cable for my own use.

My hearing is not what it once was on high frequencies, part of getting older. On some testing i use college students involved in very good school of music. If enough of them tell me, through the test set up I am building, that litz or occ or solid silver or ofc or whatever sounds better to them, and I can quantify that result. Then I am more likely to build with and even sell that product. It is ok to have opinions, but I also like to listen to others.

 

[kingkikapu]

I've got a few neotech cables on the go, including a DIY 99Ag1Au 24awg 8 wire utopia cable, plus a few Neotech NEP-3002 AC cords with furutech connectors. I should probably build my AC cables from scratch, but I'm honestly too lazy.

The way I see it, I take pleasure in building quality things so I do it some for the craft.

I've had a Hakko Fx888d for a few years. No complaints with that unit, but I don't do production line work.

 

[Paladin79]

Weller is not the quality it used to be but I can buy any part needed to repair a station and I have four people using them 8 hours a day. I should build AC cords one day, I have lots of cordage left over from sports arenas that went to banks of LED lights.

 

[kingkikapu]

Some good shielded low gauge AC cords with quality connectors has solved a lot of my interference issues in my htpc/theater setup. I had wayyyyy to many wires back then, and some of the best audio hygiene I did was to separate amps from sources, and run speaker wire orthogonally to source material (Maxwell's law). It didn't get rid of all of my noise, but good quality cable (hell even cheap quality romex) with proper phase cancelling wrappings and shieldings kicked the problem completely.

I'm building a sweet set of AC cords for my upcoming KTE Holo Spring Dac and GSX-MkII. Those cables will stay with me for life. It's an investment. Ditto for the kester bar and neotech silver litz. I might pick up a vial of deoxit gold as well as my ancient 3.5mm gold plated TRS connectors are starting to fade quite pronounced vs stock. They get used a lot

 

[Paladin79]

I could tell you obviously have knowledge. I read that some people spend fortunes using OCC copper for house wiring! That is not me. It is like buyimg a MacBook Pro or taking the same money and investing it in Apple stock instead. In four years the stock is worth much more and the computer is outdated.

 

[kingkikapu]

Completely agree. You don't need to wire your house with OCC: you need to ensure proper shielding at or near your source and amplification circuits. The electroweak force follows an inverse square law: double the distance between your conductors and you quadruple the interaction/noise attenuation. Moving something is a hell of a lot cheaper than building sick cables. (But sick cables are still sick).

That's also why electricians wire low voltage (Cat5E/6) perpendicular to the power lines in any house attic/space. Because they can't interact if they operate out of phase.


God you reminded me I really need to check out my brokerage account. Day trading is too much work. Swing trading or long haul is far less stressful.


*Still my wallet gently weeps*

*seriously What ouch*

 

[Allanmarcus]

God you reminded me I really need to check out my brokerage account.

Don’t do it. Last week was brutal.

 

[Paladin79]

I administer my employees 401k and I was afraid to even look.

I was building the USB cable thinking all the parts are American made, luckily a few still are.

 

[HirschiAUT]

Hey guys, i need your support again

I am getting a new SUT for my vinyl setup and therefore need at least one new cable, maybe i replace all on my analog chain, will see.

First, what cables would you suggest?
I read that for the analog chain i want lowest capacitance (pico farrads) possible, right?
Are there other values or specifications to look for?

Second, what connectors?
Will i benefit anything sound wise getting something "better" (boutique) than standard RCA connectors from Neutrik?

On both parts i would appretiate some links of examples if possible


On another matter, i have long been thinking to replace the power cables on my Hifi components, probably starting on the stuff that draws the most power...

I know this is a hot topic, a lot of heated discussions on if this improves anything or not all over the web.
I dont want to start something like this here, although i am always happy to hear your experiences
If i was to build my own power cables, what parts (cable and connectors) would i need?
I am totally lost here, so any suggestions are welcome, as long as its not hyper fancy cryo treated connectors for hundreds of Euros

 

[Paladin79]

Since you mention Euros and probably have access to Mogami, I will try to check some of the specs on their cable later today. You can most likely get Canare also, Belden I am not so sure about.

I would say 23 pf a foot at 1k is not bad, I would not be afraid to build RCA cables using this cable..

https://www.markertek.com/product/m...x83n7yZ7OP18kLbPKAvNDRlZPrZzvRxMaAh8iEALw_wcB



Personally I use a lot of Neutrik and they do have a high end pair of RCA connectors I like a lot.

https://www.markertek.com/product/nf2cb-2/neutrik-nf2c-b-2-rca-professional-connector-pair

I do not want to enter into a discussion about RCA connectors sounding better than others lol. I enjoy this site and do not want to be banned for comments I might make in response.

Generally I look for quality of materials and how well the connector stays in place on a particular cable jacket, Neutrik has excellent properties there. By this, I mean how it grips the cable, some connectors use a metal cable clamp, Neutrik uses a plastic piece on this connector that tightens down on the cable as the back shell is screwed in place. I have never known this system to fail and my people have used thousands of the 1/4 inch connectors with a similar system. Quality in design and functionality.

I must say that is an impressive equipment list you have, if you need a cable with a lower capacitance i will try to work on that later in the day. My Mondays get hectic at times.

Right now I am not a lot of help with power cables. I do not know much, but I know a few things well, power cables are not among those things.