Cable Building

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

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  1. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    I have been looking to do something as a hobby and decided maybe my making some power cables. I have decided to pick up some SUPRA LoRad cables to D.I.Y. After reading the thread I have discovered that 14 AWG is a safe bet for a power amp.

    Now for my real question. For something that consumes less power such as my Bifrost or SagaI, is 14 awg+ best or something less better for some reason?

    Now is 13-gauge 3x2.5 better for a dac/preamp or should I use 15-gauge 3x1.5 after reading a bit I saw @bixby recommends furutech connectors. Anyone else have some recommendations or a dealer I can buy them from, I am not looking to get a counterfeit product.
     
  2. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    I use Supra Lo-Rad 3x2.5 on my power amp and dac. I think that is about 13 gauge. I have done lots of listening with other cables as large as 10 gauge. I like the sonic balance of these the best, I have not tried anything smaller than 14 gauge.

    Surprisingly over the years, dacs responded more than power amps to quality of conductors, shielding and connectors.

    VH Audio is a legit source of Furutech connectors as is Sonic Craft. I think Sonic Craft is not stocking some copper connectors, though.

    Another decent low priced connector is the SonarQuest Red Copper. Stay away from Rhodium unless you like a bit of shiny glare up top.
     
  3. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

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  4. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Not really... a few years back I had one guy commission a 12ft extension/adapter cable with an 8-strand braid. Accounting for the losses from braiding, I used about 120ft in total and far too many hours spent on sleeving and braiding. My arthritis hurts just thinking about it.
     
  5. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    This is the cable I made using Norne DIY 22AGW SPC that I just sold. The buyer requested HD6xx connectors, XLR termination, removal of the sleeving, and a conventional cylindrical-style splitter. I didn't have easy access to an appropriately sized splitter (could only find IEM cable sized stuff locally), but happened across a DIY article that mentioned a splitter not being necessary. So we went with the full nekkid option and this is the result. I like it a lot, actually. Having no splitter is even less intrusive than a heat shrink one. And with these connectors (compared to the el cheapo plastic ones), transmission of mechanical noise to the cups is minimal, even without the sleeving. Just don't drag your fingernail across the braid above the Y.

    nekkid 1.jpg

    4 braided wires won't fit through the AEC Senn connector entry holes, so it wasn't possible to keep the braid all the way to the end.
    nekkid 2.jpg

    Y-split detail.
    nekkid 3.jpg
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2022
  6. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    I've used these Viborg connectors with good results. Get the unplated copper version.
     
  7. fls.audio

    fls.audio Facebook Friend

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    Two DC umbilical cables for the forthcoming amp. I tried to make them as short as possible (50cm), meaning the amp will be stacked on the PSU or on different shelves. So soft and flexible, I really like these new sleeves.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    Nice job!

    What cable and sleeving is that?
     
  9. fls.audio

    fls.audio Facebook Friend

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    It’s just some stranded 18awg copper wires. The sleeve is nylon multifilament. I just found a local vendor carrying lots of size and colors. It’s softer and more tightly braided than the one I often used in the past.
     
  10. YEEEEGZ

    YEEEEGZ Almost "Made"

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    I fixed a cable today that was giving me trouble in the left channel. I have not ever mucked around with cables but I love this one and didn't want to use another. I covered myself in tissue paper in case failure ensued. I've decided self-immolation is the only way I can go out.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Unfortunately the operation was successful and I'm forced to live on. The left channel cable is now a lot shorter than the other one but it fits. I'm back to bobbing my big head without connection loss. I know most of y'all are way beyond me and this is stupid easy stuff but, hey, whatdafuck.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2020
  11. YEEEEGZ

    YEEEEGZ Almost "Made"

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    I consumed six of the greatest pulled pork moonshine bbq tacos I've ever made. Feverish, the power of pig coursing through my veins, I decided to not half ass the work and fixed the length issue and redid the sleeve so it was tighter.

    [​IMG]

    Hail the mighty pig butt.
     
  12. bilboda

    bilboda Florida boomer

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    There's nothing like your first cable, not even pig butt. Keep at it. Make some art.
     
  13. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    So I finally decided on a silver wire to try, and it's the same one that @Serious used for his HD800 cable, the Deulund DCA AC0.4. It's 26 AGW which is too thin for my phat kable preferences, so I doubled up for an equivalent 23 AWG per polarity. My purpose is to hear what pure silver sounds like, as I haven't really liked any SPC that I've heard. Then I want to hear what a Cu/Ag hybrid cable sounds like. So I just quickly soldered up the ends without braiding to make a temporary cable. I bought 12m and cut it into eight 1.5m lengths.

    [​IMG]

    I've only had a chance to listen briefly so far, but unfortunately, I like what I'm hearing so far (unfortunate because that means I've opened up another rabbit hole). The silver seems to kick all the good things about the Stellia's mids/treble up a notch. Not sure about the bass yet, as there's less copper oomph, but this might be a good thing for Stellia to counter the mid-bass bump. Will do more listening with Clear as well and report back.

    One thing about this wire is that it's cotton and oil insulated. I didn't really notice it while cutting and soldering, but you can really smell the oil when listening and I guess I didn't wash my hands well enough last night as I could still smell it on the backs of my hands this morning. Serious reports that after sheathing them (I'm not sure in what exactly), you can just barely smell them up close and the oil doesn't get on your hands. So even though I prefer them nekkid, I guess I'll have to sheath at least the Deulund wires when I get to making the hybrid cable.

    BTW, can someone remind me if there's a good option for a DIY 4.4mm penta male connector? I'd like to try the Stellia out of the ZX300's balanced output. TIA
     
  14. Sqveak

    Sqveak Friend

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    Eidolic E-4.4R or Furutech FT-7445(R)
     
  15. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Any preference on which is easier to work with? I'm sure being these 2 brands they both look super sexy.
     
  16. Sqveak

    Sqveak Friend

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    I've yet to try either. The Eidolic looks like it would be easier to work with though.

    I don't have any Pentaconn jacks to compare to, but Furutech's 3.5mm jacks are quite tight inside with an insulated barrel and tiny pads to solder onto.
     

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  17. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    Interesting! I put together a test solid-silver 1/4" to mini-XLR cable a little while ago using two 3' sections of Connex BL-Ag that I stripped the sheathing and shielding from, then twisted the two twisted-pairs together, and sort of half-assed prettied it up with heatshrink and some multifilament I had lying around.

    [​IMG]

    So far I'm pretty impressed for probably about $60 in parts. Still not hugely different from good quality copper (e.g., Forza), but the silver does seem to relax or smooth out the treble, especially the lower treble while not losing and detail or microdynamics. Right off the bat there seemed to be a little loss of bass, but after listening off and on over about a month, and comparing directly with Forza hooked up to Aurorus Australis, bass is about the same between the two.
     
  18. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I'm still listening to differences, but so far I wouldn't say "smooths out" but rather stays smooth while adding moar.

    Question: If I run 1 strand of Cu (+) and 1 strand of Ag (-), would this theoretically be the same as the equivalent ½ strand of each running both ways? I remember reading about cables having thicker gauge either going into or out of the "device under test", but can't remember which was supposed to be betterer.

    Basically, I'm trying to keep the thickness down and use [2x Cu + 4x Ag] instead of [4x Cu + 8x Ag] for the whole cable.

    *To clarify, I have to double up on Ag because the wire is roughly ½ the thickness gauge of the Cu wire I have.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2020
  19. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    Yeah, it's hard to explain what good-ish silver sounds like without devolving in into overused terms. "Hearing deeper into the mix" and "space around instruments" get used any time one wants to talk about specific things like, "less perceived distortion, and greater signal to noise" or "greater decay due to perceived lower noise floor". But it all comes off as cliche. I dunno, this might sound preachy, but I think most cable-induced nervousa is best pursued on an individual basis, e.g., read all you want about impressions, but roll your own and try to be a subjectively-objective as possible. Only share general insights that could have merit in the physical sciences, i.e., no majik crystals, but yes to high quality materials manufacturing if verifiable. Caveat: I'd bet 90% of the bulk cable that claims UPOCC copper is definitely not.

    One thing I've not played with extensively, aside from one pair of XLRs I made is mixing conductor type based on signal+ versus signal-. I should futz with this - who knows?
     
  20. willsw

    willsw Friend

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    I'm disappointed that Furutech went with the segmented tube style. Soldering to a convex shape with no edges is not a good time. I suppose fitting 5 terminals (it looks like a Pentaconn is TRRSG) into a little housing is also not a good time from a manufacturer's point of view.

    I bought a couple 4.4mm connectors from Plussound but never got around to the cables, so I haven't opened them up. AEC has two different solder-tube styles, one with split pads on the largest ring and one with separate rings. I think I once saw a connector that had staggered, insulated tabs with holes, so it was the same principle as the tube but with the convenience of the tab. Maybe I just dreamed it.

    Somehow I am only now discovering that the company responsible for Pentaconn plugs is called Nippon Dics.
     

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