[Benno1988]

Since a balanced cable has three wires than does it mean that if I want a TRRS (L+L- and R+R-) then wouldnt changing the jack connector to a 2.5mm TRRS make the cable work on amp/dacs that require a 2.5mm TRRS input? Also how do i tell if the headphone cable is balanced other than looking at the jack itself?

Balancedd cables has four (4) wires. Not 3.

Balanced cable, ignoring the amp end plug, will have 4 separate conductors, two to each cup. The negatives need to combine together down at the amp end plug and not weirdly further up in the Y split for you to be able to reterminate it to be balanced.

So four distinct and separate conductors / wires, from the cups to the amp end plug.

 

[528068]

So w

Balancedd cables has four (4) wires. Not 3.

Balanced cable, ignoring the amp end plug, will have 4 separate conductors, two to each cup. The negatives need to combine together down at the amp end plug and not weirdly further up in the Y split for you to be able to reterminate it to be balanced.

So four distinct and separate conductors / wires, from the cups to the amp end plug.

So if I am going to make my own balanced 2.5mm cable I just need a four wire conductor cable like this one >https://www.rubbermonkey.co.nz/Mogami-W2893-Miniature-Quad-Microphone-Cable-Per-Metre< and the TRRS 2.5 jacks?

 

[528068]

Also I got a 2.5 cable with all three being TRS and the cables for each jack connecting to the cup has two distinct wires or atleast they look distinict, that then combine into a 4 wire downwards.

 

[528068]

Balancedd cables has four (4) wires. Not 3.

Balanced cable, ignoring the amp end plug, will have 4 separate conductors, two to each cup. The negatives need to combine together down at the amp end plug and not weirdly further up in the Y split for you to be able to reterminate it to be balanced.

So four distinct and separate conductors / wires, from the cups to the amp end plug.

My cable is the OKCSC M2 cable

 

[Benno1988]

Yes, that Mogami makes a nice budget cable.

And yes, if it has 4 wires all separated right down until the amp end jack, then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS.

If you want to reterm it to balanced, you just need to identify which is the L+ and L-, and the R+ and R-. The "+" ones are easy, as they will be on the T and R already. The two combined on the "S" will need you to use a multimeter to determine which is which.

 

[528068]

Yes, that Mogami makes a nice budget cable.

And yes, if it has 4 wires all separated right down until the amp end jack, then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS.

If you want to reterm it to balanced, you just need to identify which is the L+ and L-, and the R+ and R-. The "+" ones are easy, as they will be on the T and R already. The two combined on the "S" will need you to use a multimeter to determine which is which.

"if it has 4 wires all separated right down until the amp end jack, then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS." So basically if the cable's four wires are seperated into two wires each into two different cable sleeves down until the amp jack where they join back into a single cable then it should be balanced? Also what do you mean by "then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS." But I can change the M2 cable to have a TRRS balanced jack because of the cable having four wires with it being seperated into two for the cup connections and have it work as a actual balanced cable?

 

[Benno1988]

"if it has 4 wires all separated right down until the amp end jack, then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS." So basically if the cable's four wires are seperated into two wires each into two different cable sleeves down until the amp jack where they join back into a single cable then it should be balanced? Also what do you mean by "then that is likely where the negatives are combining on the "S" part of the TRS." But I can change the M2 cable to have a TRRS balanced jack because of the cable having four wires with it being seperated into two for the cup connections and have it work as a actual balanced cable?

Tip (T), Ring (R) and Sleeve (S). The sleeve on a stereo plug is where the negative wire from BOTH cups goes.

Tip gets the postive for the Left. Ring gets the postive for the Right. Please do check your specific plug pin diagram prior to soldering though.

So. If you have 4 wires, coming down to a TRS. It usually means the two negative wires are twisted together and soldered to the "S". You job then is to desolder it, keep the solder liquid and pull the wires apart, identify which one is the Left negative and which is the Right negative, then solder them to the correct spot on your new connector. Or snip it off and identify each wire, strip, tin and solder to new connector.

If the existing connector is full of hot glue, heat it up enough to unscrew it, then smash it with pure isopropyl, wait 30 seconds, and start scratching it away. Should come away easy.

 

[528068]

Tip (T), Ring (R) and Sleeve (S). The sleeve on a stereo plug is where the negative wire from BOTH cups goes.

Tip gets the postive for the Left. Ring gets the postive for the Right. Please do check your specific plug pin diagram prior to soldering though.

So. If you have 4 wires, coming down to a TRS. It usually means the two negative wires are twisted together and soldered to the "S". You job then is to desolder it, keep the solder liquid and pull the wires apart, identify which one is the Left negative and which is the Right negative, then solder them to the correct spot on your new connector. Or snip it off and identify each wire, strip, tin and solder to new connector.

If the existing connector is full of hot glue, heat it up enough to unscrew it, then smash it with pure isopropyl, wait 30 seconds, and start scratching it away. Should come away easy.

I already found few TRRS balanced jacks near by me so I might buy them tomorrow. Also is it okay if I can create a PM conversation between us about the wires and stuff? Also you got a tutorial on this topic too that is good for beginners like me? And for the jack sockets will a 3 pin work with a 4 wire balanced connection cable?

 

[Benno1988]

Sure, PM fine.

No, no guides sorry.

What do you have that uses a 2.5mm TRS end? Seems uncommon.

Not sure what you mean on last question, if its "Can I plug a balanaced TRRS 2.5mm into a stereo socket" it's most likely a no, but might be a yes depending. These balanced 2.5/3.5/4.4mm plugs have weird pin layouts, the Oppo ones have reversed pins to the Astell and Kern ones for example.

 

[528068]

Sure, PM fine.

No, no guides sorry.

What do you have that uses a 2.5mm TRS end? Seems uncommon.

Not sure what you mean on last question, if its "Can I plug a balanaced TRRS 2.5mm into a stereo socket" it's most likely a no, but might be a yes depending. These balanced 2.5/3.5/4.4mm plugs have weird pin layouts, the Oppo ones have reversed pins to the Astell and Kern ones for example.

Sure, PM fine.

No, no guides sorry.

What do you have that uses a 2.5mm TRS end? Seems uncommon.

Not sure what you mean on last question, if its "Can I plug a balanaced TRRS 2.5mm into a stereo socket" it's most likely a no, but might be a yes depending. These balanced 2.5/3.5/4.4mm plugs have weird pin layouts, the Oppo ones have reversed pins to the Astell and Kern ones for example.

the OKCSC M2 is TRS 2.5mm. And your interpretation is correct too. Also do you have an example of a 3.5/2.5mm chassis socket for four wire cables? The one I got is a 3 pin but its cheap as hell so I do not mind the fact that I wasted on spending like very little on it

 

[leeperry]

Hi guys, debating whether I should install solder or solderless RCA sockets huh?

Solder comes with poor conductivity(<7% IACS FWIR) but I'll use Sn90Ag10 solder to supposedly improve it, It also allows tinning on all exposed wire to avoid copper oxidation and provides excellent contact surface.

Screw-on solderless doesn't offer any protection from oxidation, contact surface is poor but no low-conductivity middle-man

Eichmann/KLE keep winning all RCA plugs shootouts and they require solder: https://6moons.com/audioreviews/connectors/connectors.html

I'd use rhodium-plated pure copper RCA sockets with teflon UPOCC copper wire on all ends, thanks for any insight

 

[Benno1988]

Splitting hairs. You won't notice a diffence sonically, but if choosing, I would use a soldered connection. I've used those KLE plugs, I have some sitting here to be used too. They are nice enough.

 

[leeperry]

Fair enough but I've encountered issues with that Sn90Ag10 solder coz it didn't make nice joints like cardas quad, possibly coz it's not eutectic but soldering on rhodium plating is such a major annoyance even at max temp(480°C or so). I even scratched to remove plating and have solder reach copper but that didn't help much and joint was brittle to say the least and refused to stick no matter what.

 

[Benno1988]

Fair enough but I've encountered issues with that Sn90Ag10 solder coz it didn't make nice joints like cardas quad, possibly coz it's not eutectic but soldering on rhodium plating is such a major annoyance even at max temp(480°C or so). I even scratched to remove plating and have solder reach copper but that didn't help much and joint was brittle to say the least and refused to stick no matter what.

I use Cardas on everything now, no issues whatsoever soldering to the rhodium plated Furutech. Can get the Cardas flux paste too, flux that baby right up.

 

[fjlabs]

Quick question, I'm making an cable replacement for the Focal Celestee (3.5mm mono — same as Stellia, Clear, etc...). However, I only have 3.5mm stereo TRS jacks rather than the TS jacks that Focal ships with their cables.

I figured the tip would be hot and the sleeve would be negative/ground? Or is it sleeve and ring? Or just ring?