How to make an interconnect Step by Step With Pics

[markieta]

I've got a few quick question that hopefully gets a quick reply. I will be ordering these tonight hopefully.

I want to re-cable my shures (wires are toast at the speaker end)

1. I would like to know if its practical to use the neotech 26awg wires, or should I use a smaller/larger gauge for portable iems?

2. I would like to heatshrink the ends going into the body of the iem, is 1/16 2:1 shrinktube small enough or too small to cover the 2 wires going into the body.


If you would like to recomend some other wire to use, please go ahead. I live in Canada and I will most likely be ordering from TakeFiveAudio since I can find everything I need/want from them soo far and shipping is great.
http://www.takefiveaudio.com/mall/sh...t=DIY+Supplies

 

[qusp]

definitely smaller for an IEM cable; good luck with that job, its not going to be a walk in the park and if this is your first re-cable job I highly recommend you think twice. just cracking them open is going to be a task in itself. you should use 30AWG pure silver solid core (cardas) or even cardas 34AWG silver tonearm wire. twisted and threaded though a teflon tube to reduce microphonics, which depending on the coating on the wires can be loud enough to make them totally unusable

 

[Lil' Knight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markieta /img/forum/go_quote.gif I want to re-cable my shures (wires are toast at the speaker end)

You can just use the Westone ES cable to recable your Shure. The result is a perfect IEM, sweet sound and no cable hassle.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif definitely smaller for an IEM cable; good luck with that job, its not going to be a walk in the park and if this is your first re-cable job I highly recommend you think twice. just cracking them open is going to be a task in itself. you should use 30AWG pure silver solid core (cardas) or even cardas 34AWG silver tonearm wire. twisted and threaded though a teflon tube to reduce microphonics, which depending on the coating on the wires can be loud enough to make them totally unusable

I have a cable from Steven Kelby with Cardas 33g silver wire for my SE530 in a livewires custom shell, and it is sweet sounding but they sure do worry me about how thin the wires are.

 

[dazzer1975]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [AK]Zip /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get a multimeter and measure for resistance. -Alex-

ok so I am on a mission to buy some basic materials to make an interconnect i.e. nuetrik stereo mini plugs, some suitable cable and I need a multimeter.

I have some questions regarding multimeter usage as I have never used one before, however, I shall try and explain myself as well as I can.

So, hypothetically, I am all ready to go, I have my starquad in front of me, and I choose to use one blue wire for left channel, one blue wrie for right and two white wires for ground, I solder one end into the neutrik jack.

Now, I move onto the other end of the mini to mini and I dont know which wire is left channel and which is right channel (assuming I used blue wire for both left and right and white for ground for the purposes of my question).

What multimeter function should I use and would it literally be a case of placing one probe on the completed right channel, and the other probe on the bare wire I am trying to find for the other end right channel?

 

[dazzer1975]

never mind think I sussed it, I should slow down and read everything in detail.

Check for continuity on each 1/3 of the plug with the other side.

 

[Juaquin]

You've got it! Remember tip is left, ring is right, the rest is ground. Put one lead on the tip (left), then on the ends of the wires until you find the one that has continuity, hook that up to the other tip, and you're good.

 

[dazzer1975]

excellent stuff, thanks so much for confirming this for me.

I get easily over excited lol

Cant wait for my order to arrive and get cracking making some interconnects.

 

[Hayduke]

Sounds like you got it now

FYI, here is the wiki for that sort of connector:
TRS connector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's TRS for tip, ring sleeve. I find it easy to remember kind of in the opposite direction. The sleeve is the largest part and at the "base" of the jack plug. To me that sorta reminds me of the ground of the plug, so I can remember that that is ground. Ring and right start with R, so that one is easy. That only leaves the tip, which by elimination, must be left

Good luck on your cables!

 

[dazzer1975]

Thanks Hayduke, appreciate you explaining that for me, and thanks for the good luck.

I will post pics of my first soldering session and cable making session once everything arrives and I get set up.

 

[Hayduke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazzer1975 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Hayduke, appreciate you explaining that for me, and thanks for the good luck. I will post pics of my first soldering session and cable making session once everything arrives and I get set up.

Juaquin already explained it, I just shared how I remember it.
You're welcome of course

 

[dazzer1975]

I think I am used to forums where you get the response RTFM when ever you ask a question, so everyone gets much love for replying to what I realise are the most basic of questions lol.

 

[chiefroastbeef]

We all started at the same level! Of course I'd want to help others out!

Good luck and post some pictures when you are finished!

 

[ashmedai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iareConfusE /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much did you guys pay for shipping from markertek? I don;t think its worth it for me to pay $11 for shipping a piece of star quad cable and 2 connectors....

Ugh, yeah. $18 for same via Priority Mail was just silly, when it would fit in a $4 flat rate box and still have room for 2-3 large squirrels. Someplace with somewhat less padded shipping rates would be nice for small one-off orders.

 

[Juaquin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashmedai /img/forum/go_quote.gif $18 for same via Priority Mail was just silly, when it would fit in a $4 flat rate box and still have room for 2-3 large squirrels.

I lol'd.