[ferrari993000]

hey,

Where can I find some nice high quality 1/8" or 1/4" jacks for homemade amplifiers? Where do you suggest i buy them from and which make or brand do you suggest? Also, does the quality of the input wire on an amplifier affect the amount of noise and intereference picked up? Im looking for about a 2 foot cord with the male jack already connected to it. Thanks

 

[bg4533]

Are you looking for plugs (male) or jacks (female)?

Quality will be determined by what you want to spend. Most people are happy with jacks and plugs costing a few dollars each, but some buy things costing quite a bit more.

I don't think you will find quality plugs with wire already attached. For decent plugs at a good price I recommend Canare and Neutrik. For cable I recommend Canare Starquad. You can find this stuff and more at Westlake.

It is always good to use decent wire/cable. For interference shielding will matter more than the quality of the wire. Starquad is nice because in a single cable it offers 4 conductors and a shield in a pattern designed to minimize interference. For 2 foot runs shielding probably isn't that big of a deal.

 

[ferrari993000]

im looking for only male 1/8". What do you guys use?? Is there anything out there with the wire already attached to the plug??

 

[bg4533]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari993000 im looking for only male 1/8". What do you guys use?? Is there anything out there with the wire already attached to the plug??

If that is really what you want then your best bet is to buy a full cable from the store and cut off one end. The only cables I have seen with only one end are pretty low quality. Why are you against just making your own cable to fit your needs? It is easier than building most amps.

 

[ferrari993000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533 Why are you against just making your own cable to fit your needs? It is easier than building most amps.

Mostly because i dont have many electronic stores around my area and most of my parts have to be ordered through th internet and before i buy something i'd like to see it first, just to see if its what i want. I'm not to worried about buying the male plug but its the wire that worries me. I dont know which are good and which aren't and also how stiff they are. I'd like a nice shielded wire but also very flexible.

 

[bg4533]

Canare Starquad is about as flexible as you could want. Check out the pictures in the DIY cable gallery stickied at the top of the DIY forum page. You can see what the cable looks like and based on how the cable is shown maybe judge flexibility.

Other than that, go to Best Buy or Circuit City if you are in the US, pick up a Monster cable or something else you like and chop it in half. It should be sheilded and it will give you 2 cables like are looking for.