[KjetilH]

I'm thinking about recabling a pair of AKG K518DJ (K81DJ), and want to go for the easy solution, just cut of the original cable at a suitable length and solder on a plug, which shouldn't prove too difficult, even for a complete soldering-newbie like myself. However, I have read that some headphones has cables that look like this (clicky imagelink), but some others has painted insulation instead of rubber.

What I want to know, is if the K518/K81 has wires like the picture, or if they have painted wires, before I start cutting the wires.

 

[eddiewalker]

As a genreal rule of thumb, any headphone cable as thin as the stuff on iBuds will be the painted on stuff. A larger cable is larger because it has a heavier duty insulation.

 

[warrior05]

The DJs has very thin wire (at least 28 AWG) that is insulated only with lacquer (or some such "painted" on insulation). The trick is identifying which one is which. With this type of wiring typically red = right signal, blue = left signal, bare = ground. Keep in mind that you have to strip off the lacquer to ensure you're working with bare wire. I've used a lighter to burn it off then some fine grade sandpaper to clean it up. You're looking to have nice and shiny copper strands to work with.

Be sure to use some heatshrink to provide strain relief. Those wires are fragile and won't stand for much pull.

 

[Chopha]

If I where you, I wouldn't even try to solder these stock cables with lacquer instead of real insulation - especially if you're a soldering-newbie as you say.
I tried to do the same thing with my Koss Porta Pro a while ago and even though I’ve been soldering pretty often the past year, I had big trouble making it look nice.

I would instead go get some fine microphone cable and rewire the whole thing…

/Chopha

 

[jbloudg20]

If you really are a newbie, I wouldn't try it. The lacquer is hard to work with. The wires are NOT color coded (I did this to mine). Make a while new cable, or give it to someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[KjetilH]

Thanks for the advice.

Then I think I'll recable them as you suggested, shouldn't be any problems (accidently ripped off the cables in my old K26Ps and learned the hard way how to fix them).
Phono cable and a angled plug of some kind should do the trick, I think.