DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[TrollDragon]

But there are no reasonable Right Angled 3.5's that are small enough other than Neutrik's.

 

[luisdent]

  I must be the only one that doesn't like Neutrik/Rean 3.5mm jacks, love their 6.3mm jacks, not the 3.5mm though. I much prefer Pailiccs, or even the cheap Sennheiser branded ones like this:
 

 
What don't you like about them?  Just curious.  I personally find them smaller than most with decent solder lugs and the threads and build seem very good.  I could see someone not liking to solder something so small, but that's the only way to get the jacks that small really...  Those senns look decent.  How are they better though?

 

[MoonSung]

does anyone have experience with 24 AWG teflon insulated neotech cables?  In particular the one from takefiveaudio : http://www.takefiveaudio.com/mall/shopexd.asp?id=844 .  How stiff is it for headphone cables?

 

[cute]

  does anyone have experience with 24 AWG teflon insulated neotech cables?  In particular the one from takefiveaudio : http://www.takefiveaudio.com/mall/shopexd.asp?id=844 .  How stiff is it for headphone cables?

 
I got some of that wire, but wouldn't consider using it for headphones.  Low strand count, and a little too stiff once braided.  It's OCC, good wire though!

 

[luisdent]

I'm still trying to find decent 24awg wire under $1.00 a foot.  BTG sells it at $0.80, but that adds up real fast when a cable is using 4 strands braided, and it's smaller than 24awg so not ideal for me...  But his is the cheapest high quality so far I've found...

 

[PXSS]

Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

 

[luisdent]

  Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

 
What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 
 
Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  
 
UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

 

[PXSS]

 

  Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

 
What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 
 
Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  
 
UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

Yes, there are a total of four wires inside the cable.
Each wire is 24awg, and yes you have to cut through the outer jacket and remove the shield, paper and cotton strands to get the bare wires.
It has been confirmed by Brian before that he uses the same wire as Mogami.
 
Here are the specs for the W2534 from Mogami's website:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

 

[luisdent]

 

 

  Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

 
What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 
 
Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  
 
UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

Yes, there are a total of four wires inside the cable.
Each wire is 24awg, and yes you have to cut through the outer jacket and remove the shield, paper and cotton strands to get the bare wires.
It has been confirmed by Brian before that he uses the same wire as Mogami.
 
Here are the specs for the W2534 from Mogami's website:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

 
That's awesome.  Can you say how hard it would be to get the individual wires out?  Is it just a matter of pulling them out?  Or would you need to cut and split the jacket, cut the shield, untwist all the wires, etc. etc.?  In other words, is it worth trying to buy that with the hopes of making cables using the individual strands?

 

[PXSS]

 

 

 
Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 

Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  

UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

Yes, there are a total of four wires inside the cable.
Each wire is 24awg, and yes you have to cut through the outer jacket and remove the shield, paper and cotton strands to get the bare wires.
It has been confirmed by Brian before that he uses the same wire as Mogami.

Here are the specs for the W2534 from Mogami's website:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

That's awesome.  Can you say how hard it would be to get the individual wires out?  Is it just a matter of pulling them out?  Or would you need to cut and split the jacket, cut the shield, untwist all the wires, etc. etc.?  In other words, is it worth trying to buy that with the hopes of making cables using the individual strands?

I've done so myself in the past. I used a blade to run along the length of the jacket. It took me about half an hour to strip a 4 foot length, after that it's just unwinding the shield and removing the paper layer and cotton strands.

 

[luisdent]

 

 

 

 

 
Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.
Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.
Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 

Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  

UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

Yes, there are a total of four wires inside the cable.
Each wire is 24awg, and yes you have to cut through the outer jacket and remove the shield, paper and cotton strands to get the bare wires.
It has been confirmed by Brian before that he uses the same wire as Mogami.

Here are the specs for the W2534 from Mogami's website:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

That's awesome.  Can you say how hard it would be to get the individual wires out?  Is it just a matter of pulling them out?  Or would you need to cut and split the jacket, cut the shield, untwist all the wires, etc. etc.?  In other words, is it worth trying to buy that with the hopes of making cables using the individual strands?

I've done so myself in the past. I used a blade to run along the length of the jacket. It took me about half an hour to strip a 4 foot length, after that it's just unwinding the shield and removing the paper layer and cotton strands.

 
That's what I was afraid of.  I'd only use the two clear cables.  So that's $0.56 per foot basically.  If I didn't have to prep the cable, I could make two cables in one hour instead of one cable in one hour.  If I made $15 per cable.  Prepping a cable would make that $15 per hour. (30min per cable/30min prep)  Not prepping would be $30 per hour.
 
If I bought the wire from Brian already individual strands, I'd be spending $.80/foot which would be $.24 more than the mogami.  If my cable used Brian's wire I'd need let's say four strands four feet long, so 16 feet.  16 feet of mogami would be $8.96, whereas 16 feet from Brian would be $12.80. That's $3.84 difference.  Now by my previous calculations, using mogami would get me $15 in one hour.  Using Brian's wire would get me $26.16 ($30-$3.84=$26.16).  In other words, it isn't worth the time and effort ripping apart the mogami, as my time would be worth more in the end.
 
Even if i prepped the cable fast or used all four strands, it still would break even at best and probably not even that.  Blargh.  Is .80 really the cheapest wire like this around that is already single strands?  I feel like .80 is a lot since I can get pretty good wire for .12/foot.  However, it just isn't as flexible or nice looking to sell.  Works perfectly though.  .80+ seems like a lot.  In all fairness though, brian has the cheapest price I've seen.  :-/

 

[PXSS]

 

 

 

 

 

Brian uses the same wire that's inside mogami quad cables.

Redco has the W2534 available for $1.12 a foot.

Doesn't get much more affordable than that.

What gauge are those inner wires?  Also, one thing I like about Brian's is that they are clear.  He says he gets them custom from japan though... 


Another issue is that if I want the basic wires I'd have to cut the cable and pull it all apart every time, right?  


UPDATE:  Wait, is that two clear wires and two blue wires all together?  So four total wires?

Yes, there are a total of four wires inside the cable.

Each wire is 24awg, and yes you have to cut through the outer jacket and remove the shield, paper and cotton strands to get the bare wires.

It has been confirmed by Brian before that he uses the same wire as Mogami.


Here are the specs for the W2534 from Mogami's website:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

That's awesome.  Can you say how hard it would be to get the individual wires out?  Is it just a matter of pulling them out?  Or would you need to cut and split the jacket, cut the shield, untwist all the wires, etc. etc.?  In other words, is it worth trying to buy that with the hopes of making cables using the individual strands?

I've done so myself in the past. I used a blade to run along the length of the jacket. It took me about half an hour to strip a 4 foot length, after that it's just unwinding the shield and removing the paper layer and cotton strands.

That's what I was afraid of.  So for a 4 foot cable we're talking 30+ minutes to get to the point where you can make your interconnect cable.  Given that there are four cables, I'd only use the two clear cables.  So that's $0.56 per foot basically. If I need to spend 30+ minutes preparing the cables, when I can make a full interconnect cable in 30 minutes, that's going to add the equivalent amount of cost as I would have made making another interconnect.

In other words, if I didn't have to prep the cable, I could make two cables in one hour instead of one cable in one hour.  If I sold a theoretical cable 4 feet long for $25 that cost me $10 to make, I'd be getting $15 per cable.  Prepping a cable would make that $15 per hour.  Not prepping would be $30 per hour.

If I bought the wire from Brian already individual strands, I'd be spending $.80/foot which would be $.24 more than the mogami.  If my cable used Brian's wire I'd need let's say four strands four feet long, so 16 feet.  16 feet of mogami would be $8.96, whereas 16 feet from Brian would be $12.80. That's $3.84 difference.  Now by my previous calculations, using mogami would get me $15 in one hour.  Using Brian's wire would get me $26.16 ($30-$3.84=$26.16).  In other words, it isn't worth the time and effort ripping apart the mogami, as my time would be worth more in the end.

Even if i prepped the cable fast or used all four strands, it still would break even at best and probably not even that.  Blargh.  Is .80 really the cheapest wire like this around that is already single strands?  I feel like .80 is a lot since I can get pretty good wire for .12/foot.  However, it just isn't as flexible or nice looking to sell.  Works perfectly though.  .80+ seems like a ripoff.  In all fairness though, brian has the cheapest price I've seen.  :-/

We are in the DIY forums right?
Cause it sounds like you want to make a business out of it in which case you're in the wrong place bud

 

[Makiah S]

We are in the DIY forums right?
Cause it sounds like you want to make a business out of it in which case you're in the wrong place bud

YUP
 
also nice to hear about Brians imported Japanese OCC Copper! Send my D2k out in less than a week for a recable :3
 
a 4 footer! 

 

[PXSS]

We are in the DIY forums right?

Cause it sounds like you want to make a business out of it in which case you're in the wrong place bud

YUP

also nice to hear about Brians imported Japanese OCC Copper! Send my D2k out in less than a week for a recable :3

a 4 footer! 

Brian is a great craftsman! Hopefully you'll have your D2K's back soon!
Mogami is OFC copper though, and brian uses the 26awg version which is slightly smaller but more flexible. I've worked with both types, you should be happy with the outcome!

 

[luisdent]

We are in the DIY forums right?
Cause it sounds like you want to make a business out of it in which case you're in the wrong place bud

 
First, bud isn't my name bud.
 
Second, where exactly would you have me ask these questions?  I'm currently buying parts and making my own cables.  Isn't that a DIY cable?  Yes, I'm looking to possibly sell some in the future.  Whether I sell them or not, my time is valuable.  So I want an affordable outcome.  Again, where would you have me ask these questions?  A link or recommendation would be more useful...