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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 2:10:51 GMT
I recently stumbled on some interesting construction articles for DIY Audio Interconnect cables. I would be interested to see other DIY Audio cable projects by our members, with photos if possible. Any DIY USB cable designs that not only look good, but perform at least as well as some of the expensive USB cable designs are also welcomed. There have also been some fine cable projects posted by our own members over the years,i ncluding a heavy duty interconnect from Graham Slee , but they can be difficult to find using the "Search" facility. Any mains cable projects should be first sent to an Admin for safety checking reasons before being posted. Regards Alex Belden 89259 DIY Hi-Fi RCA Interconnect Cables. diyaudioprojects.com/Power/DIY-Belden-89259-Interconnect-Cables/DIY Shielded RCA Interconnect Cables. diyaudioprojects.com/Power/DIY-Shielded-RCA-Interconnect-Cables/
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Jun 26, 2013 10:42:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 10:44:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 10:51:07 GMT
Hi Martin Unlike many, I have never felt the need to use interconnects containing silver.
Kind Regards Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 10:55:45 GMT
That's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of. Far too many people spend obscene amounts on fancy brand name interconnects.
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Jun 26, 2013 10:56:02 GMT
Hi Bluesboy, Thanks for that link missed that when searching for ICs. that cable you use looks the same as the IPL cable but with 3 conductors instead of two. Good price too, pity it is only in the States. Regards Martin
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Jun 26, 2013 11:02:04 GMT
Hi Martin Unlike many, I have never felt the need to use interconnects containing silver. Kind Regards Alex Hi Alex. I lke the sound and find it better with Valves and the old Quad stuff, but plenty of good OFC stuff around, and that IPL IC2 stuff is so cheap it makes sense if you like the sound. All down to personal tase tho Regards Martin
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 12:41:48 GMT
I bought a good few metres of Van Damme instrument cable a while back. So far I have only made a custom length (short) interconnect for connecting my pre and power amps. Haven't got around to doing the other connections yet which currently use all sorts of bits and pieces of cables; all of which are better than skinny black 'freebie' wires but none of which are particularly special. Needs addressing I suppose. Van Damme cable was a recommendation by a friend in another forum and I trust his opinion on this.
I have experimented with mains cable. I took a standard 3 core 'ketle plug' mains cable, leaving the kettle plug in situ I cut off the other plug and stripped off the outer insulation. I untwisted the three inner cables and then platted them 'Kimber-style'. Refitted the mains plug and I thought it sounded good on my Denon DVD2900 CD/SACD/DVDA player. To use this full-time I'd need to add some heat-shrink sleeving to hold it all together properly and safely. As I say, I 'think' it sounded good.
I am becoming less interested in chasing after the really subtle changes these days, concentrating more on having a good source, with good speakers driven by a competent, powerful amp. Turn it up and enjoy the music!
Derek
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 12:52:06 GMT
I posted about my Van Damme cable in that thread back in Nov 2011. So it really IS time I made up a full set for my system.
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Post by freddypipsqueek on Jun 26, 2013 14:34:36 GMT
I'm a fan of silver cable but I can easily understand that others would not like them; in my view it they clarifies (and thus highlights) the top end. The thing with expensive wire is that it makes it even more worthwhile making your own - £40 in cable, £10 in plugs and some fancy solder and you have probably made up a £200 set of interconnects. All the better if the length is much shorter and you are replacing a long set of poor quality ones.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 15:18:21 GMT
I posted about my Van Damme cable in that thread back in Nov 2011. So it really IS time I made up a full set for my system. I'm equally guilty of a lack of action The things to do are stacking up....
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 23:20:01 GMT
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XTRProf
Fully Modded
Pssst ! Got any spare capacitors ?
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Post by XTRProf on Jun 27, 2013 6:14:46 GMT
Personally, OCC will be better. Whether silver or copper or hybrid will depend on the matching of sound with those cables with your system. No right or wrong but only righter. So make a few of various types for matching systems.
Gulp, Frans will be after my guts on that .............
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2013 6:27:00 GMT
We won't tell him, if you don't. A few years back I needed a couple of 2M length cables between my DAC and preamp, so I ordered some low capacitance types from Blue Jeans Cables. They are very nice and well made cables, but they made drums sound too metallic.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2013 12:01:49 GMT
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Crispy
500+
"Done me wrong," it's the same old song" - forever
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Post by Crispy on Jun 29, 2013 19:20:12 GMT
Hi All After the flu bug extravaganza of the past week I’m on the mend and looking at experimenting with some more DIY mains cables. After having some positive results with this Belden cable on Alex’s PA. Hi Shaun, glad you are feeling a bit better I made myself some OFC mains cables from some old Kimber 4TC speaker cable. ALL Kimber speaker cable is rated at 1200 volts to my knowledge so there was never a question of it being underrated. The only problem is that you are using Blue & Black wires, which I am sure that any electrician will tell you is Illegal? But who cares it has been safely used in my system for about 10 years now and I am sure that the electric police are not going to be knocking on my door soon. I used 3 blue wires for Live covered with red heat shrink - 3 Black wires for Neutral - and 1 blue and one black wires covered with green & yellow heat shrink for earth. It was then encased in some adaptaflex flexible tubing with an IEC connector on one end and a MK 13amp plug on the other. I have 6 in use for all my equipment. They are certainly not very flexible. I thought they made a difference at the time, but like I said they have been in my system for about ten years and I really could not describe what I heard. If I ever get around to it I plan on making some more with some proper Belden mains cable that is far more flexible and legal. www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/cable-off-the-reel/14-belden-19364-audio-grade-cable.html
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 11:00:10 GMT
Hi Chris I've have Kimber 8TC on my DAC ATM which I bought from a friend which I use along with a Trichord power block. Sounds nice but a little expensive. The Cable itself seems to be some 8TC speaker cable with an earth wire run straight through the middle of it. I’ve also used the Belden cable that you’ve linked to above on Alex’s PA and it also seems to work well at a much more reasonable cost. Mains cables R us also do a kit using the Belden cable with silver plated MK tough plug and nice IEC which is pretty good VFM and yes that cable is thick stuff so the MK tough plug is needed. The kit also contains a choice of fuses and some really nifty silver crimp sleeves to terminate the cable ends which are dead good. www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/mains-cables-/529-mcru-diy-mains-lead-set.html#I think that I’ve seen the same thing for £20 on eBay. And on special offer ATM. A good place to start experimenting with such cables. I have the Belden from wall to mains block and then to PA but I’m thinking of shaving a little off of the Supra Lorad to wire the PA internals. Take care
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Post by gommer on Jun 30, 2013 14:16:59 GMT
I like it cheap, flexible and simple. I have a few 10's of meters Mogami starquad microphone cable and a bag of Deltron gold plated RCA connectors and assorted colors heatshrink. Primary goal was making some long interconnects for the car audio system out of them, but I'll probably make home interconnects out of them some day.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 15:29:35 GMT
Hi Marc
Yes
Plenty of people seem to like the Star Quad stuff so it’ll be interesting to have some reports on SQ from you.
I’ve not tried it myself but the more choices the better IMO.
Take care
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Post by greenstiles on Jul 13, 2013 21:41:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2013 23:09:31 GMT
Nice work ! I look forward to seeing more examples. Presently, in C.A. many members seem to think that they need to pay megabucks for very quality interconnects and speaker leads. That's where a 'knowledgeable DIY person has a major advantage.'
Regards Alex
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Post by greenstiles on Jul 14, 2013 7:52:50 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2013 8:04:54 GMT
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Post by greenstiles on Jul 14, 2013 9:28:24 GMT
Very interesting, the black rhodium rythym cable is very good value in that respect, and i do like the sound.........funny thing is, some cables that should be noisey sometimes sound good. i recently tried some varnished/poly coated cables where the +/- were woven together !....a bit dangerous to if that coating breaks.......but they were some of the smoothest, open cables i have heard, some tech guy said, some blurring of high frequences can ' sound' better to the ears, if not technically doing a good job, a bit like opamps don't really have a sound, they just alter the sound by being more or less efficient. I'd rather have a safe cable and also we have to remember, if we deliberatly listen out for things we can trick ourselves.......some cable do sound different to me, but not many.....what is best is to find a nice balanced sound, and let your equipement warm up and close your eyes. Never force your self to listen to music when your not in the mood too, it can sound as if the sound has changed, just because, were not receptive / relaxed.
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Post by greenstiles on Jul 14, 2013 11:26:22 GMT
I quite liked, NVA SSP very precise/exact sound love to get hold of some solid outer tube/screen coax to play with ala SSP......having a play this afternoon, by doubling up on some small silver coax very similar to NVA sound cords cable in size and number of strands, so will be replicating the newer super sound cords, ie centre core for each pos/neg.....instead of using screen.
EDIT: W ell i doubled up the cables, sounds, seems a bit tighter, of poor recordings, any background hiss is up a touch, but nasty sharps seem less harsh......but saying that, could just be my ears today and the 27 degrees heat. ? .
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