Cable Building

Discussion in 'DIY' started by Skyline, Sep 30, 2015.

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  1. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

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    I used 540 and star quad, my first attempt using that size cord and I think it is oversized. I usually use 425. Check out this 6 strand I made last night for a 6XX owner.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
  2. Dino

    Dino Friend

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    Nice job. Looks like it could keep one warm in the winter. :)
     
  3. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Furutech connectors for the HD-6XX end?
     
  4. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

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    Just some eBay connects, they work well.
     
  5. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Picked up a Sony NW-WM1A last week and wanted to run it balanced. Turns out it was faster (and cheaper, of course) to get raw 4.4mm TRRRS ("PentaConn") connectors shipped and build my own balanced cable for it than it was to buy a ready-made cable:

    Pentaconn-One.jpg

    Thoughts on the "PentaConn" connector in general:
    • Great in use.
    • A pain in the arse to build/solder (not quite 2.5mm TRRS level pain, but still bad enough).
    • It really is a 5-conductor connection (if you're used to typing TRRS this is actually a TRRRS configuration).
    • Pinout for balanced headphones, using the Sony/JEITA standard, can be found here.
    Thoughts on this specific "PentaConn" connector:
    • Externally it seems pretty solid.
    • The internal plastic insulators are fragile and will melt very easily (when working with a new connector, I always pick up a couple of extras to play with to find out where the weak spots/issues are going to be).
    • There are two connectors around the base of the sleeve connection (silver part in the picture below), for R+/R-, with a very small split between them (should just be visible in the picture) - so be very careful not to bridge them.
    • The sleeve is very slightly recessed, but still exposed, immediately below those two connectors and it is VERY easy to bridge either of the two base connections to that. I'd have expected that to be fully insulated in a $30 connector.
    • The tip connection is a very small, solid, post NOT a cup - have fun with that!
    • The only strain relief is the crimp on the sleeve connection , though the last 3/8" of the shell will help if you make the cable fat enough to press against it.
    • Don't think the internal quality and configuration/design on this connector is really worth $30 (I'm sure some of that is down to it being of relatively recent interest). I'll be checking out other options as I find them.

    Pentaconn-Internals.jpg
     
  6. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    Oh, Sony. Is that otherwise a 1/4" jack, but with way too many conductors? It looks like it, but I can't tell. Congrats on the cable though, I would have thrown it away after the 5th round of intense swearing.
     
  7. PoochZag

    PoochZag The Shadow knows - Friend

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    It's 4.4mm because...Reasons. I guess already having 3 different TRS type sizes was insufficient

    @Torq what is the sleeve for, it's blank in the pinout diagram? A potential mic with a balanced cable?
     
  8. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Oh, the sleeve is ground.

    It's obviously not used for balanced headphone connections, but I'm assuming that there's a configuration that allows SE out from the balanced connector by using the sleeve and R+/L+. I'll have to test that/look it up, but if it that is the case I'd assume it's so you can use the more robust 4.4mm connection for both SE and balanced connections.
     
  9. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    Lunashops has a couple versions. I don't like hearing that the insulation is so weak on the official $30 ones. Not sure if it is worth the investment for me to learn the plugs.
     
  10. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    I'll order a couple of different ones up from them and see, though I really want right-angled connectors not these 2" long jobs.

    I made up a few more Pentacon-ended cables just to get the connectors I bought originally used up (and so I had a complete set of adapters for 4-pin XLR, dual 3-pin XLR, 2.5mm TRRS and 3.5mm TRRS). I didn't destroy any connectors in that process, despite the fragile insulation. Switching to a different flux, reverting to leaded solder and running the iron hotter than usual helped.
     
  11. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

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    Nice work! My worst enemy is those AliExpress mono 2.5mm plugs.. what fun..
     
  12. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    Snow day yesterday, which meant no daycare, which meant that while my daughter was napping I got to FINALLY finish balancing my TH-X00:

    IMG_20170125_123105.jpg

    Of course the more exciting thing in that photo is my most favorite gift to myself this season: my Hobby Creek Third Hand. I love that thing already.
     
  13. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    So, I'm about to buy a 4-pin xlr cable for my HD650. Just checking to be sure any of you cable fiends don't have any decent ones you've made collecting dust that you'd like to make a quick buck on.

    Let me know.
     
  14. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    It's possible (though I wouldn't say "likely") I have something around here that would work for you, depending on length requirements, color preferences, what sort of wiring you want (individual braided conductors vs. twisted conductor bundles) and whether you care about the wire material, conductor geometry, and any special treatments to said wire.
     
  15. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    I've been exchanging PMs with @fraggler and it looks like he's going to cook something up for me.

    You all are the best.

    Thanks!

    |\/|
     
  16. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Since a massive cold prevented me from going into the office today, I piddled with another cable build that I'd mentioned before, and which look pretty similar to the last few I've posted (I'll be stopping that now ... but might to a "tutorial" for those that want to build something similar but haven't done it before):

    LCD-4---Glow.jpg

    The build is fundamentally the same as the previous Abyss and Utopia cables, just with the appropriate headphone-specific connectors and variation in sheathing. The "X" pattern on this cable is reflective, though I've not been able to capture that with a camera and it glows in the dark (in honor of the electron-beam irradiation I treated the cabling to).

    If I can get the glow to show up on camera I'll update this with a shot that shows it - so far that's proving illusive.

    And then ... another cable for the WM1A/Z ... the connectors for which are still kind of lame internally, but at least are now pretty easy to deal with:

    Pentaconn-to-Dual-3-Pin-XLR.jpg

    As ever, feel free to PM me if you want info, hints, details, or help building something similar for yourself.
     
  17. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

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    Started dabbling with some more quality connectors and wire.. ordered up some Eidolic connectors, Nucleotide V3 and Norne OCC Cu to test on my HE-560, as it is very sensitive to chain changes. The V3 cable is built and so soft and nice. Sounds great, less resistance then the Canare. Too early to be subjective though as I'm listening to my modded DT 770s a lot.. more to come.
     
  18. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    Could anyone on this thread recommend me a cable?

    At the moment I have Mogami 3080 as interconnects between Yggdrasil and my powered monitors. Sounds good, but there is too much top octave for my tastes. I'm looking for a Mogami/Canare/Gotham cable with slightly less above 10khz.

    I got a pair of Mogami 2534 (quad), but they seem to introduce distortion between 5-10khz. That being said, I am a bit suspicious of the guy who made them up for me (I am a DIY klutz), so maybe I should just try another pair of those from another source and see what happens.
     
  19. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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  20. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

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    Shouldn't be too hard to unscrew the collar, slide it down and take a picture of the work. Most likely you'll need to EQ though is my guess.
     

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