[MooseyDoom]

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a thinner cable than the Canare Mini Star Quad (Canare L-4E5C). The .189" (~4.8mm) diameter is a bit thick for a portable headphone cable. I'm looking for a 3 or 4 conductor flexible cable, ideally 2-3mm in diameter. Any suggestions?

I guess a last ditch alternative is to braid and heatshrink or techflex or teflon tube some magnet wire, but I don't think it would come out as well. =P

 

[null]

try cat5!

 

[Demolition]

Mogami Neglex 2799 is 3.2 mm in diameter. It sells for $0.39 per foot at Redco Audio.

D.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseyDoom I'm wondering if anyone knows of a thinner cable than the Canare Mini Star Quad (Canare L-4E5C). The .189" (~4.8mm) diameter is a bit thick for a portable headphone cable. I'm looking for a 3 or 4 conductor flexible cable, ideally 2-3mm in diameter. Any suggestions? I guess a last ditch alternative is to braid and heatshrink or techflex or teflon tube some magnet wire, but I don't think it would come out as well. =P

Magnet wire is really stiff stuff. Dead soft Solid Silver wire is much more flexible. (and more expensive)

You could strip off the thick rubber sleeve of the Starquad cable and use some thinner techlex over it. The Starquad cables have a braided shield over the wire bundle, so it won't come undone if you don't cut through the shield.

-Ed

 

[MooseyDoom]

Thanks all for the suggestions.

I'm not sure cat5 cable is thinner. At least, my computer cat5 cables aren't. I might try the Mogami cable, or stripped Star Quad. I'm also trying braided stranded wire.

Edwood - how hard is it to put techflex over 3-6 feet of cable? And what's the best method to thread wire through techflex?

 

[tangent]

Quote:

how hard is it to put techflex over 3-6 feet of cable?

It depends on the ratio between the braid's maximum diameter and the cable termination's maximum diameter.

If the cable termination's maximum dimension is very nearly equal to the braid's maximum diameter, you will only be able to move the braid down the cable a fraction of an inch at a time. If the ratio between the two is higher, you can move it along several inches at a time. You don't want the ratio to be too high, though, or the braid won't be snug on the cable when you're done.

Quote:

what's the best method to thread wire through techflex?

Like a snake eating a mouse.

 

[Demolition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseyDoom And what's the best method to thread wire through techflex?

What I've done is to tape up the braided wire ends and then tape the conductors (near the braided ends) together into a bundle to keep the braided ends from catching on the TechFlex and to keep any conductors from going astray or poking through. Then, feed the end of the wire through the TechFlex until the appropriate length is bunched up past the braided end. Once you've got it to that point, it's a simple matter to slide the TechFlex along to cover the entire length of the wire.

The technique described is what Tangent alluded to. It's like how a snake swallows a mouse or an egg. The mouse (wire end) sort of "inchworms" its way down the snake (TechFlex).

Takes some patience, but it works.

D.

 

[MooseyDoom]

Thanks guys.

Hmm... now to find some rat-proof techflex...