[scizzro]

  Just a simple one like this, if i can upload the picture right. so the green is ground black is - red is + right? I've seen a couple diagrams like that on here for different cable types but the lines and all that confuse me a bit, I haven't worked with this type of stuff too much so I apologize that I'm helpless. Also I know this isn't a 3.5 cable I just mean this style of the clear insulation and braiding

It's fine, everyone has to start somewhere.
 
So that guy chose to do a 4-wire braid on his RCA cables. 
 
Sorry, my parents just got home. I'm gonna go talk to them for a bit, I'll be back in a bit to give you a better answer if no one else has yet

 

[Shawn71]

What all did you search for to learn about this? Most of this is going over my head. I understand the concept of ground and all that but everything else is a little confusing since im brand new to all of this. My best headphones are V-Moda M100 and they just use a detatchable 3.5 to 3.5. So I'm wanting to build a cable for them with the braid style for practice.

Ok, I dont know whether you gonna use the same spc shure cable by cutting the MMCX ends or buy some braided cables seperately for your M 100 project......with relate to your exising confusion see if the below tips helps you and already most of our friends posted you good tips and had you covered in most part......

1) now,since it has eight(8) strands, its divided into 2each for left+,left-,right+ & right-.
2) using a dmm,set to buzzer mode. (using analog mm is fine as well)
3) check between each of stranded wire to where it actually terminates at the mmcx connector's end.
4) so ideally it shd be,2 stranded wires for one polarity,like 2 each for left+,left-,right+ and right-.
5) just tape them and tag/mark for 4 pairs(r+,l+,r-,l-), for easy grouping at 3.5mm end.
6) once you made upto this point, the other end of 3.5mm jack/plug will be as below.
Left+ = Tip, Right+ = Ring and left- & right- = Sleeve (common ground). Note here the right- & left - are grouped together to form a common ground to be soldered as one,the Sleeve.

 

[scizzro]

 

Ok, so this guy did a 4-wire braid for each cable. That's more than necessary - for RCA cables, you only need 2 wires to each connector. So, he soldered 2 wires to each terminal.
 
Each wire has only 1 conductor in it, and is covered with clear insulation. So, he took 4 lengths of the copper cable, braided it, then terminated it. (To terminate means to put the connector onto the wire)
 
So, if one of these cables was 5 feet long, he would have had to order at least 20 feet of wire (again, because 4 wires x 5 feet = 20)
 
He didn't use any heat shrink or outer sleeving at all. It gives it sort of a raw look. So yeah, this is a relatively simple cable to make. The braiding was the hardest part.
 
In your case, you would use 3 conductors instead of 4. (Unless you wanted to have a really chunky looking cable, then you could use more conductors and solder multiple conductors to each lead in the connectors, but only 3 is required)
 
I hope this is helping. If you have any more questions, I'll do my best to help, but I am by no means a DIY expert. 
 
I am very much looking forward to making my first cable, though

 

[creatip]

  Just a simple one like this, if i can upload the picture right. so the green is ground black is - red is + right? I've seen a couple diagrams like that on here for different cable types but the lines and all that confuse me a bit, I haven't worked with this type of stuff too much so I apologize that I'm helpless. Also I know this isn't a 3.5 cable I just mean this style of the clear insulation and braiding
 

 
That diagram is the way to go. Tip = left +, ring = right +, sleeve = ground for both channels (common ground). Easier yet, just remember tip from one end goes to tip in the other end, ring to ring, sleeve to sleeve. That's all there is, nothing else. Try soldering a straight wire first, preferably with cheap practice wires, and see if it work (got sound, left and right not inversed). After that, desolder one end, and practice braiding the 3 strands (if you're going for braiding style). Braiding videos can be found in youtube, from 3 to 8 strands.

 

[Wizzard]

   
Yes, a DMM is short for a Digital Multi Meter. Analog Multi Meter would work too, as long as it got ohm meter, but nowadays a DMM can be cheaper than analog, and more convenient, so yeah.
 
When you do it, solder them based on each polarities. Meaning, start with either the left or the ground first, and find which ones are the corresponding cables. Solder them right after you found them. This way it's easier to keep track which cables are which. 
 
Guitar cables are usually mono, only 2 polarities, signal and ground. You can try googling it with something like 'guitar 1/4" plug'

 
Thank you.
 
Will attempt to borrow a MM from a friend and keep your advice in mind.

 

[GBechz]

I wanted to ask here before I solder this incorrectly; does anyone have experience with this style? Which connection is right and which is left? Or you can use TRS nomenclature if you prefer.

 

[Shawn71]

I wanted to ask here before I solder this incorrectly; does anyone have experience with this style? Which connection is right and which is left? Or you can use TRS nomenclature if you prefer.

The long one (solder side) is common ground(R- & L- which is S), the middle contact is right+ (R) and smallest one is left+ (T)......

 

[ThurstonX]

I wanted to ask here before I solder this incorrectly; does anyone have experience with this style? Which connection is right and which is left? Or you can use TRS nomenclature if you prefer.

 
This is why everyone should have a DMM.  Simple (continuity) test to be sure.

 

[creatip]

I wanted to ask here before I solder this incorrectly; does anyone have experience with this style? Which connection is right and which is left? Or you can use TRS nomenclature if you prefer.

 
Best way is to test it with a DMM. I've had one of similar angled plug, cheap China generic version, that actually got the polarities reversed. The others are normal, but there's one that's reversed, left to right. Perhaps bad QC.

 

[Saeglopur]

Ok, so this guy did a 4-wire braid for each cable. That's more than necessary - for RCA cables, you only need 2 wires to each connector. So, he soldered 2 wires to each terminal.

Each wire has only 1 conductor in it, and is covered with clear insulation. So, he took 4 lengths of the copper cable, braided it, then terminated it. (To terminate means to put the connector onto the wire)

So, if one of these cables was 5 feet long, he would have had to order at least 20 feet of wire (again, because 4 wires x 5 feet = 20)

He didn't use any heat shrink or outer sleeving at all. It gives it sort of a raw look. So yeah, this is a relatively simple cable to make. The braiding was the hardest part.

In your case, you would use 3 conductors instead of 4. (Unless you wanted to have a really chunky looking cable, then you could use more conductors and solder multiple conductors to each lead in the connectors, but only 3 is required)

I hope this is helping. If you have any more questions, I'll do my best to help, but I am by no means a DIY expert. 

I am very much looking forward to making my first cable, though

awesoke thanks for the help. Definitely keep in touch when you make one! I'm gonna order some parts soon hopefully too.

 

[GBechz]

The long one (solder side) is common ground(R- & L- which is S), the middle contact is right+ (R) and smallest one is left+ (T)......

Thank you. Yeah, I don't own a DMM or a solder pump, and didn't want to mess it up. If I start making more than 1 cable every 6 months maybe I'll invest.

 

[Shawn71]

This is why everyone should have a DMM.  Simple (continuity) test to be sure.

Best way is to test it with a DMM. I've had one of similar angled plug, cheap China generic version, that actually got the polarities reversed. The others are normal, but there's one that's reversed, left to right. Perhaps bad QC.

« YES » its a must to have.....

 

[ThurstonX]

Thank you. Yeah, I don't own a DMM or a solder pump, and didn't want to mess it up. If I start making more than 1 cable every 6 months maybe I'll invest.

 
I use a $5 DMM.  Works great.  I'm not even sure I'd call it an "investment."  My wife would just say, That's three less beers for you this week, dear, and we'd call it even 

 

[Snakey]

So i am planning on making my own first cable, and i have some questions that i hope you can help me with. 
 
 
 
1. My headphones are the Sennheiser momentum on-ear. i will be using this plug : http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3574 
 
Can somebody tell me what part of the plug is +,ground and - ?
 
 
2. Since i am from sweden we don't have many places to buy parts from. Here are the wires i can choose from : http://www.electrokit.com/audiokabel.c385
 
I am planning to do a simple 3.5 mm to 2.5 that i linked above . Can i use the RVVP 4x0.2 ? I am only gonna use 3 of the wires and just let the 4th unsoldered.
 
3.   

 

[Wizzard]

  Right, the cable on my Shure SE215's died and instead of getting another stock cable, I plucked for the FiiO RC-SE1. Unfortunately due to it's size, it didn't pair well with my iPhone and kept popping out all to often. Despite having very limited soldering knowledge, I decided to change the jack to something that would be seated better. I chose Switchcraft 35HDBAU (the standard 3.5mm straight jack), watched a few videos on YouTube and felt that I was ready for the task. Without thinking too much, I cut off the old jack and realised that all the wires are actually braided and none of them are colour coded. Now I have a cable with 8 strands (which all look exactly the same to me) and no idea how I'm supposed to know which is left, right and ground. Could anyone shed some light on the solution?

Also, a friend said that he had done some guitar cables in the past and said that doing only the left and right is sufficient (while all the videos I had did in fact, solder ground). Is there any truth to what he's saying?

 

 
Going back to my original question, once I got the DMM, I'm still a bit confused as to what I'm supposed to do. According to all the advice, it will have something to do with Ohm's. I understand that the sensible thing to do is to go and Google the answer like everyone else but I'm not even sure what to Google.