[Sol_Zhen]

After reading some posts about making mini-mini interconnects, I’m about ready to order some canare cable and Switchcraft 3.5 mini connectors to give it a go.

Just one (very basic) question:

If I order the Canare Miniature Star Quad, how do I utilize the wires inside? It appears that there are 2 white and 2 blue wires. Am I correct in assuming that I should twist the 2 blues together and solder them to the right contact, twist the whites together and solder them to the left contact, and then solder the braided shield to the ground?

[edit] changed pos and neg to left and right because this is a stereo cable.

 

[antness]

If you're making a stereo cable, you need 3 conductors - left, right, ground. Since the Canare cable has 4 conductors, use two for ground, one for left and one for right.

edit: i don't think the braided shield alone makes a good ground

 

[Sol_Zhen]

Quote:

Originally posted by antness If you're making a stereo cable, you need 3 conductors - left, right, ground. Since the Canare cable has 4 conductors, use two for ground, one for left and one for right. edit: i don't think the braided shield alone makes a good ground

That's what I originally thought. I was thinking 2 for ground and one each for left and right?

However, there are only 2 colors for the wires. If I use the 2 whites for ground, how would I differentiate between left and right?

Thanks.

 

[antness]

use an ohm-meter to check for continuity

edit: if you don't have an ohm-meter, there's a bunch of tricks you can do to figure out which wires are the same.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

My DMM will be arriving this week. Guess that will do the trick. (I'm a newbie)

Many thanks.

 

[antness]

darn...i was gonna have you blow up some batteries too

 

[Voodoochile]

Sol_Zhen- I picked up some star quad myself, recently, for the same purpose. It's supposed to make a nice little IC.

Now I just have to do it.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

I just pulled the trigger on the order. Hope to get the stuff this week.

 

[Ebonyks]

I'm skeptical about it being a good material for interrconnects, headphone cables and the like, however, i'll give it a shot.

(Stranded connectors are baaaad)

 

[Sol_Zhen]

 

[was ist los?]

Nice! What is that black interconnect and how do these sound compared to your old ones?

 

[Sol_Zhen]

Quote:

Originally posted by was ist los? Nice! What is that black interconnect and how do these sound compared to your old ones?

They're both made from the same Canare Star Quad cable (the small variety). The black one just has a nylon, woven sleeve on it.

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have used that sleeve on the short interconnect because it makes it stiff. The longer interconnect is very supple. I like that Canare cable.

I’m going to save the reset of the nylon sleeve for use making RCA-RCA interconnects because those can be somewhat stiff.

As for sound? I'm burning in the short one now. First impression is that it’s quite a bit better than the Plastics One that came with my Total Airhead.

 

[Voodoochile]

And the best part (aside from having made it yourself) is that it wasn't $50, right?

Nice looking work! I like the shrink better than the springs, though I realize the shrink is retaining the flexi. I have some of that (flexi), but recenty got some fiberglass material that is otherwise very similar. It'a not nearly as stiff, but I like the idea of suppleness in a mini-mini IC as well, so will not use it for that, either. My homebrew is braided like a PBJ, but I do have some star quad for the same purpose. Looks very promising!

 

[kheldar]

where did you get those terminators from? none of the stores near me have any good 1/8" ends.. =(

 

[Sol_Zhen]

Quote:

Originally posted by kheldar where did you get those terminators from? none of the stores near me have any good 1/8" ends.. =(

Markertek.

The 90 degree ends are Switchcraft. The straight ones are Canare.

I really like the quality of the Canare plugs. Nice soldering surfaces.