Cable Building

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

Tags:
  1. brooster

    brooster New

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Calgary, AB
    From rando world and imgbb
    28 awg up-occ solid core
    [​IMG]

    24 awg stranded from DGS 4/1
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Panohm

    Panohm Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    193
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canadia
    Anyone feeling up to the task of finding these parts? [​IMG]
     
  3. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,085
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Looks like JH Roxanne male connectors imbedded in various Eidolic, Furutech, etc. plugs. The Eidolic pieces can be bought from Norneaudio or Doublehelixcables. The only male connectors I can find are from Lunashops: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5460
     
  4. highflyin9

    highflyin9 Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2017
    Likes Received:
    151
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    DC/MD/VA Area
    Home Page:
    Those came out very nicely! What are you using for the sleeving?



    To Panohm, Fraggler's got it all. You have Furutech on the upper left, Kobiconn left, Eidolic lower left. and the ones on the right look like maybe Pailiccs. The Pailliccs you can find on Aliexpress, the others should mostly be at Norne Audio.
     
  5. Panohm

    Panohm Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    193
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canadia
    @highflyin9 @fraggler Cool, thanks guys. How does one figure out the various pinouts involved in making this modular system?

    Seem's like i'll have to make a balanced 2-pin to the JH 4pin male then a bunch of short jacks with the 4pin jh female.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2018
  6. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,085
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    With the JH connector, there isn't necessarily a right way to wire it since this is an alternate use for it - you just need to keep track so your other jacks are wired properly. As for a good resource for pinouts, @highflyin9 's own blog post is a great one (http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2016/02/headphone-connectors-pins-pinouts-for.html?m=1). Only things missing are the 4.4mm pentaconn connector for the Sony DAP (https://www.biccamera.com.e.lj.hp.transer.com/bc/c/images/detail/wm1z/img_11.png) and the various iem connectors which are pretty simple (Shure/CA style coax has pin positive, shell negative and 2 pin depends on the connector and the iem you are buildng for).

    I really like this idea for a modular system since the JH connector is so much more compact than the mini xlrs that I have used in the past, but the prices for the male connectors are awfully steep if I were to do a full set.

    Another option is to terminate to a 2.5mm or 3.5mm trrs plugs (depending on what your native use would be) and use the corresponding female jacks to build your adapters. Might not be as robust over time, though this is a popular one used by many pros at the moment.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2018
  7. Roarke

    Roarke New

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Orange County
    I bought a cable ending in 2.5mm trrs expecting to be able to make a modular system of adapters to it, but I haven't found many female 2.5mm trrs terminations on the net. Just some junk on aliexpress.

    What connector would you guys recommend for a balanced "modular" cable?
     
  8. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,085
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Eidolic has both 2.5mm and 3.5mm trrs jacks available from Doublehelixcables: https://doublehelixcables.com/eidolic-connectors-accessories/ I would think Norneaudio would have them as well, but the site isn't as well maintained. Emailing Trevor at Norneaudio has been better for me in the past.

    Mini xlr was the go to and is still a fine option for desktop use, but might be too cumbersome for portable.

    Also, you can find good quality on Aliexpress, but it is much more up to chance than I like. I haven't looked for 2.5mm or 3.5mm jacks yet, so I wouldn't be able to recommend any.
     
  9. Pillars

    Pillars Embarrassment to Colorado crew

    Banned
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2016
    Likes Received:
    129
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Northern Colorado
    AliExpress has been good, but the shipping lead time is really long.
     
  10. brooster

    brooster New

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Calgary, AB
     
  11. bobboxbody

    bobboxbody Friend

    Pyrate BWC Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,465
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    GR, MI
    Got a new soldering set up today and finished off my first diy cable. Learned some things: probably won't use techflex again, get smaller diameters of heat shrink, I like paracord.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,969
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Alamos, NM
    Home Page:
    When you do you paracord, try not to pull it too tight over the wire, and if you braid it, don’t braid it too tightly. Tight covering or braiding can cause more cable noise.
     
  13. bobboxbody

    bobboxbody Friend

    Pyrate BWC Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,465
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    GR, MI
    Thanks for the tip, I ended up using 95# cord over 24 gauge wire after the techflex, I don't think it's too tight, I have no noticeable noise and reduced microphonics in comparison to the stock cable. The wire is braided under the techflex but not sleeved in paracord, and it's not very tight there because I wasn't very good at the braiding technique until I'd done about 6 feet or so.
     
  14. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2016
    Likes Received:
    8,193
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    That's a pretty slick way to do it for IEMs.

    I'm not sure about the solidity of the A&K connectors for anything more substantial, though.

    I got tired of having myriad individual cables for my various headphone/amp/listening-distance setups and wound up building my own modular cables (completely unsuitable for IEMs, but you'll get the idea):

    Headphone-Adapters.jpg

    Headphone adapters for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi, Audeze LCD-series, Sennheiser HD800(S), Focal Utopia and Sennheiser HD6XX/Fostex TH900 Mk2.

    Amplifier-Adapters.jpg

    And the most common amplifier/source connections I use (dual 3-pin XLR for iFi Pro iCAN/Woo WA234), normal 1/4" TRS, 4-pin balanced XLR and the PITA 4.4mm TRRRS "Penatconn" connection.
     
  15. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,969
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Alamos, NM
    Home Page:
    But @Torq , you are adding an additional plug into the signal path. Clearly that will degrade the sound so much that you might was well just be listening to Beats!

    ;-)

    I really like your system. I've seen some with very sort cable adapters at for near the cups, but your idea also solves the issue of what to put at the "Y". Very nice.

    Are this connectors for the HD6xx/Fostex the Furatech FT-2PS-F connectors? They re supposed to fit the Foster better than others. Note the "-F"

    Also, what plug are you using at the Y? Mini XLR 4-pin?
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2018
  16. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2016
    Likes Received:
    8,193
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    While you're obviously being a bit tongue-in-cheek, you're fundamentally correct. In fact in other domains we make use of the fact that every connection (or break, or, in fact, change in effective impedance) causes signal reflections. One example being TDR meters for diagnosing breaks/faults in network/electrical wiring.

    Fortunately such reflections are attenuated to a significant to degree as to be well below anything vaguely audible that the effects are pretty much just theoretical.

    That said, I do have a couple of cable builds that do NOT use the additional connectors for when paranoia, FOMO or OStM takes hold (e.g. DAVE, direct into Utopia):

    Element Alpha - TRS for Utopia.jpg

    No.

    Can't seem to actually buy those - short of becoming a dealer. So they're the regular Furutech non-F version. They're easy to modify, but otherwise do not engage nearly deeply enough to be "solid". A minute with a Dremel or a couple with a coarse-grit sanding sheet sorts it right out, though.
     
  17. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    8,973
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Denver CO
    Home Page:
    Those look fantastic! I like it.

    What wire do you use on those?
     
  18. Elmer Danilovich

    Elmer Danilovich MOT:Earmen, HeadAmp, Bricasti; AKA:MShenay

    Contributor
    Joined:
    May 8, 2018
    Likes Received:
    346
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    In the Oak Forest
    Oh that's quite neat. As I've been exploring different headphone upgrade choices I see that there is a lot of different connectors. I can't imagine I'll ever need any extra cords for what ever I get, but I see that many of you have a lot of different stuff and that seems like a smarter way to manage it all

    I to have heard that extra breaks in the signal path can be bad, are you able to elaborate on how you've attenuated any possible reflections
     
  19. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2016
    Likes Received:
    8,193
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    They are.

    And I haven't.

    Largely since the measurable reflections (using an instrument that costs more than my entire chain) are about > ~120 dB down from the actual signal.

    -90 dB is inaudible to me. -120 dB ... that's fantasy land. It's pure psychological paranoia and awareness that "something" isn't perfect that led me to build a couple of direct-path cables. In realistic engineering terms, I'm more worried about the consistency of my wiring geometry (which is complicated and fiddly) and my choice of solder than I am about the additional pair of connections.
     
  20. Elmer Danilovich

    Elmer Danilovich MOT:Earmen, HeadAmp, Bricasti; AKA:MShenay

    Contributor
    Joined:
    May 8, 2018
    Likes Received:
    346
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    In the Oak Forest
    Very good thank you, I've not really ever seen any one disclose what those measured reflections are so it's nice to have your input. The numbers you've shared seem more than reasonable, and I have seen a lot of that "paranoia" so moving past the worries or goals of fantasy land it's nice see where your priorities are, I take it the details of the fiddly and complicated are what will get real results, rather than chasing after fantasy "numbers"
     

Share This Page