[sygyzy]

Do you have to be careful about what kind of wire you use? I have seen where people have taken designs and modified it, ie fit it in a larger case or box. When this is the case, they take wires to "extend" the reach of components.

So, won't this be a weak link in the system? Is there a rule of thumb about what type or brand of wire one should use in this case?

 

[guzzler]

you should get as good as you can get for internal wiring... OFC copper cable is good; or you can get silver wire but make sure you get solder that contains silver to ensure a good joint

g

 

[ofb]

heh. better than "rule of thumb"; there are opinions, deeply held religious beliefs, and simmering flamewars.

what you're asking about is "hookup wire". use that for a search term to check around for what people have used and what opinions they have expressed about it.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Just look at the tracks on a PCB they are microns thick. If you're going to spend lots of money on a couple of inches of cable to feed a PCB track why not go the whole hog and compliment the track with some of the same cable. ie: solder the same cable underneath the board from pad to pad.

This really does make sense and it really does make a difference. If connecting some "XYZ" cable between a source and and amp makes a difference then it's also true that connecting the same cable between a resistor and a capacitor should also make a difference / improvement. The weak link in todays equipment is definitely the "PCB" Bring back wire wrap air tight connections

Pinkie.

 

[tangent]

Ignoring the questions of metallurgy and such, here are a couple of rules you can count on:

- Shorter is better

- Thicker is better, within reason

- Twist signal wires together with a ground wire to reduce interference

 

[sygyzy]

Quote:

Originally posted by tangent Ignoring the questions of metallurgy and such, here are a couple of rules you can count on: - Shorter is better - Thicker is better, within reason - Twist signal wires together with a ground wire to reduce interference

Do you mean running three wires? Where would the ground ends connect to ?

 

[tangent]

I mean that if you have a ground wire going to the part, twist it together with the signal wires. Think of a headphone jack, for example.

Let's get a bit more complicated: think about a stereo pair of RCA jacks. You could connect the grounds together at the jacks and run three wires back to the amp, or you could run a separate ground wire for each jack back to the circuit twisted together with the signal wire from that jack. Which way to go depends on what you're connecting to.

Sometimes it can be helpful to run a ground wire just for shielding, but that's something you generally only do when you have a known problem you need to solve. Don't bother with it otherwise.

 

[A3rd.Zero]

Quote:

The weak link in todays equipment is definitely the "PCB" Bring back wire wrap air tight connections

I have been thinking about this lately and It would seem logical that you are right. However, if you point to pont wire a PPA for example then wouldnt the weak link be the tiny little pins comming out of the opamps, resistors, capacitors, and others? It makes me wonder if it is worth it to "point to point" wire things. That said there is a certain degree of awe involved with "point to point" electronics IMO that is sort of like furniture built without screws, nails, or glue.

 

[Bluestorm3]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but PCBs were invented to aid in mass production, and for designs that would require far too many interconnects. If you're building a one-of-a-kind amp, it makes sense to go point to point.

 

[ofb]

Quote:

That said there is a certain degree of awe involved with "point to point" electronics IMO that is sort of like furniture built without screws, nails, or glue.

as someone with low electronics experience but considerable furniture experience, i would say no. point-to-point is more like building furniture without jigs. jigs are great for production, good for complex projects, and sometimes... sometimes you are building a one-off piece where cut-to-fit is both the most direct and the most pleasurable method.

i'll add that accurate cut-to-fit holds some awe to beginning woodworkers. it takes a little experience to know the sequence to apply.