[comabereni]

I'm considering replacing all my connectors (RCA's, phono and mini-plugs, etc.) with high-quality solder joints. My audio system is pretty much a collection of DIY circuit boards anyway and I've been gradually replacing all my low-pedigree cables with silver, etc.

One day it struck me that I could solder everything from the source to the speakers, eliminating all connectors, jumpers, etc. entirely for the absolute lowest signal loss/degradation. Have any of you ever done anything like this? Heard of anyone doing this?

(Yes, I know it makes upgrading difficult--no problem).

-coma

 

[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by comabereni I'm considering replacing all my connectors (RCA's, phono and mini-plugs, etc.) with high-quality solder joints. My audio system is pretty much a collection of DIY circuit boards anyway and I've been gradually replacing all my low-pedigree cables with silver, etc. One day it struck me that I could solder everything from the source to the speakers, eliminating all connectors, jumpers, etc. entirely for the absolute lowest signal loss/degradation. Have any of you ever done anything like this? Heard of anyone doing this? (Yes, I know it makes upgrading difficult--no problem). -coma

interesting. why not? well, i'd just make sure that your solder joints COULD be removed for upgrades/chaning components etc. i think a lot of us change stuff so often. sounds like a fine idea to me. maybe just have a hole in the side of each case, and run some wire between. insulate it.

 

[comabereni]

Perhaps just leave the standard connectors in place, but bypass them and solder directly to the ciruit boards. Then I could just snip the soldered wires if I wanted to pull the component out and sell it.

I'm actually talking about silver and solder from my soundcard to my speakers and replacing the jumpers in my variable crossovers...

-coma

 

[Necros]

Good idea in theory, but what if you want to remove one item...or untangle all the cables?

Try using one of those 4 in 1 plugs. Wire up four fixed devices to that though your racking and all other cables. Now try to remove one item without taking the plug apart. You've got the problem of fixed cable tangling with others, perhaps insufficent length of cables.

btw I've probably got 100+ cables in the audio system, would you think if all of these are fixed it'll be a good idea?

Just to take one item out would be mean a good few hours work if they're all fixed cables!

 

[comabereni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necros Good idea in theory, but what if you want to remove one item...or untangle all the cables? Try using one of those 4 in 1 plugs. Wire up four fixed devices to that though your racking and all other cables. Now try to remove one item without taking the plug apart. You've got the problem of fixed cable tangling with others, perhaps insufficent length of cables. btw I've probably got 100+ cables in the audio system, would you think if all of these are fixed it'll be a good idea? Just to take one item out would be mean a good few hours work if they're all fixed cables!

All true, but I don't swap equipment very often once I get things the way I want them. This would only be for the system in my home office where I only use one source--my PC. I can see myself disassembling the Benchmark DAC1 and soldering to the PCB

.

-coma

 

[gsferrari]

The best option would be to re-case everything in a single chassis...then do away with all the PSU cables and interconnects. Single PSU cable at the back and headphone jack in front.

END OF STORY

I am tempted to do something like this !!

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

I ran into a guy that did something similar, we were talking about DIY speakers and he said that he soldered the speaker cable directly from the crossover to the inside of the amp. I'd never do it myself as i like to move things around every now and then and having things hooked together permanently would drive me insane.

 

[meat01]

Do you really think the connectors degrade the signal that much or even enough to be audible?

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meat01 Do you really think the connectors degrade the signal that much or even enough to be audible?

Its not the "cables" that are the problem - it is the interface between various signal paths...interconnect RCAs to source and amp rcas...stuff like that...

Straightwiring is always going to be better and a single case will be simply stunning because grounding problems will be easier to eliminate.

Ideally one should have Transport + DAC + AMP in a single unit (strohmie has something like this going for him) and I want to do this as well...

hmmm...time to contact some people and look into this possibility

gs

 

[BrokenEnglish]

actually some serious audiophiles prefer clamping (high pressure of course) over soldering due to the poor conductivity of solder lead compared to silver or so. even the so called silver lead contains only ~2% silver. that's why some people invest lots of money in hi-grade loudspeaker connectors consisting of jacks and clamping(! instead of soldering them) plugs for the ls-cables. on the other hand solder joints warrant a good mechanical fit and best corrosion protection.

 

[acs236]

It's kind of strange to hear people saying that ideally everything should be contained in a single box, considering the trend in audio equipment is to separates.

I'm with meat01 -- how much do you think these connectors really degrade the signal?

 

[philodox]

Another option would be to use a connectorless interconnect like the Headphile XRS.

 

[comabereni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari The best option would be to re-case everything in a single chassis...then do away with all the PSU cables and interconnects. Single PSU cable at the back and headphone jack in front. END OF STORY I am tempted to do something like this !!

Those were my thoughts--kind of like a specialized receiver of sorts where I select all the sub-components: DAC section -- pre-amp/head-amp -- crossovers -- amp/subwoofer amp.

Considered moving the transport & source inside the box too, but it is my PC. I think an ideal low-noise floor PC transport to go along with this idea would be one of those fanless, low-power consumption mini-ITX models and something to provide bit-perfect output to your DAC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiGHFLYiN9 I ran into a guy that did something similar, we were talking about DIY speakers and he said that he soldered the speaker cable directly from the crossover to the inside of the amp. I'd never do it myself as i like to move things around every now and then and having things hooked together permanently would drive me insane.

This wouldn't work for people who like to move things around and change things often, or for people who buy mostly commercial components in nice cases. I see it more as the final progressive step toward the ideal IF you don't feel the need to change things often and seem to collect carefully selected DIY boards and projects like I do. But I'm still willing to disassemble a DAC1 and integrate its PCB

.

I've been enjoying a Tripath ("T") amp with my bookshelves and notice there are now high-power DIY Tripath amps (50-watts/channel up to 600-watts/channel).

"41Hz Audio" Tripath Amp Kits

Just another component for this connectorless "ideal receiver" concept of mine.

 

[comabereni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Another option would be to use a connectorless interconnect like the Headphile XRS.

Indeed, that's what started me thinking down these lines. I thought with the XRS, there still remains the possibility for corrosion and the connection isn't entirely straight when you consider the RCA jack.

-coma

 

[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari The best option would be to re-case everything in a single chassis...then do away with all the PSU cables and interconnects. Single PSU cable at the back and headphone jack in front. END OF STORY I am tempted to do something like this !!

problem i'd see is not having regulated power to EACH component. yes?