[winston61]

I've settled on Mogami cable for my headphone extension cable and I've got a question on fabrication. With four conductor cable I will combine two leads to feed one channel. Is there any harm in twisting these two conductors for each channel before I solder them to the connector? I just want to make my work neater. Onto sonic quality. Will using a four conductor cable give me sound quality that will justify the use of it? This is all new to me and I do appreciate everyone's patience with inexperience. Thanks to all.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

why not get some 2 conductor/1 ground sheild balanced microphone cable?

 

[KurtW]

This type of cable is specially good for reducing the pick up of extranious noise; if it's worth it for your situation or not would depend on your environment. It's well regarded as a microphone cable because usually the signal is low and the runs are long, so you don't want any extra noise. It's usually not that more expensive, although it's a little harder to work with since you have to deal with two conductors for each channel. The Markertek mini to mini cable has been favorablly reviewed at Head-Fi (you can do a search), and it uses a similar configuration although the cable is made by Canare, a different manufacturer. I can see no harm in twisting the conductors before you solder them.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

so wait....

con1 - channel 1 positive
con2 - common ground (connected with con 3 on one end only)
con3 - common ground
con4 - channel 2 positive

or

con1 - channel 1 positive
con2 - common ground (connected with con 3 on both ends)
con3 - common ground
con4 - channel 2 positive

or

con1 - channel 1 positive
con2 - channel 1 ground (how is this possible if they both share a common ground?

)
con3 - channel 2 ground
con4 - channel 2 positive

or is there something I'm missing?

 

[puppyslugg]

How about:

1 pair= right channel signal

1 pair= left channel signal

Shield connected to ground.

Or shield grounded on one end and the other end floated or connected thru a small cap to ground.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

wait, so it's five conductors? 4 wires + ground sheild?

so

con1 = right positive (connected to con2 at the source side? or both sides?)
con2 = right positive
con3 = left positive (connected to con4 at the source side? or both sides?)
con4 = left positive
shield = ground

wouldn't it be a bit cleaner if you did
con1 = right positive
con2 = ground (connected to sheild at the source side only)
con3 = left positive
con4 = ground (connected to sheild at the source side only)

or would that be a bit to capacitive?

i still think W2549 would be a simpler solution: http://www.mogamicable.com/mogami/balamicc.html

The 2549 (3 conductor) is 57 c/foot
The 2534 (4 conductor) is 65 c/foot

mogami themselves say the 3 conductor has lower capacitance...but does capacitance matter in this application?

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

what 3.5 mini connectors are you using? it's a pain to find high quality ones

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

sound quality question....

HD580 ----- mini male to mini female extention ----- 1/4 male to 1/4 female source

versus

HD580 ----- mini male to mini female extension ---- mini male to mini female source.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

I did some more reading, and i think you are right
The 2534 (4 conductor) is 65 c/foot, and will be better.

Outer shield connected to ground at the source side only.

Conductor 1 connected to positive left.
Conductor 2 connected to ground at source, connected to ground left at other side.

Conductor 3 connected to positive right.
Conductor 4 connected to ground at source, ground right at other side.

That should be great...now on to connectors!

 

[winston61]

I've ordered Neutrik 1/4" and mini connectors, so I'll see. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

neutrik makes minis? link?

 

[puppyslugg]

Actually, they are made by Canare. They may have been bought out by Neutrik(?).

They are availalble at Markertek and Michael Percy.

http://www.percyaudio.com/

http://www.markertek.com/

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

How would Canare star quad compare to the 2534?
and who makes good female mini jacks? i found the canare mini plugs easily, but i cant find any female jacks

 

[puppyslugg]

They are very similar. IMO, there isn't that much diff. between the two. Can't go wrong with either, for budget cables.

 

[winston61]

I decided to go with the Canare cable rather than Mogami. Price was a factor, but the specs for the Canare played into as well. So we'll see.