Make my own cables

[Barry]

http://www.iplacoustics.co.uk/ipl_cables.htm

I use this for all my main interconnects which when reasonable I hard wire into the component such as the Pre amp, thus reducing the need for an additional connector. Wire it pseudo balanced being source and ground wired at both ends but the shield only connected at the source end to ground. IE, shield and ground connected together at the CD player end but the shieldd braid not connected and floating at the amp end. In a pseudo-balanced arrangement, the shield should be connected to the signal return at the point of lowest potential. This means the point electrically closest to the mains earth, i.e. the metal case work. If the source (such as the CD player in your example) is double insulated, that is, uses a two-core mains lead, then the shield return junction will not be at the lowest electrical potential and the lead will have to be reversed. IMHO pseudo-balanced wiring confers no advantage over conventional unbalanced coaxial interconnects, nor is it as good as fully balanced arrangements.

Don't get hung up on plugs and connectors. Most any commercial plated ones will do. If you want to be pedantic, silver connectors are best because even silver oxide conducts better than gold or copper. No it doesn't - the most likely tarnish on silver will be silver sulphide Ag₂S, also a very poor conductor, but both silver oxide and silver sulphide are soft, so the action of mating connectors easily scrapes through the tarnish layer to make contact with the silver.



Solder or crimping is a matter for you. Personally I prefer solder because good quality solder is an excellent conductor and ensures a strong physical bond between the components being connected.

From my personal perspective, I am a total sceptic regarding almost any commercially made connection cable. IMHO It is the biggest rip off area within the Hi-Fi industry. I'll never buy a commercially produced cable again. Home made, using the right products is cheaper and considerably far better in performance per se. Thoroughly agree with you here, though there are a few cable manufacturers who are not "rip off" artists.

Personally I think Eichmann plugs are the worse thing ever to have happened to the, already lousy, RCA 'phono' plug.

[Reffc]

From my personal perspective, I am a total sceptic regarding almost any commercially made connection cable. IMHO It is the biggest rip off area within the Hi-Fi industry. I'll never buy a commercially produced cable again. Home made, using the right products is cheaper and considerably far better in performance per se. Thoroughly agree with you here, though there are a few cable manufacturers who are not "rip off" artists.

There are indeed Barry . We shouldn't all be tarred with the same brush as that's not a very helpful generalisation, either in terms of the "rip off" angle or the assumption that performance is easily bettered. It depends on the design, specification and quality of the finished cables. It's a bit like saying "all cars are the same" when quite clearly they're not (well all bar having 4 wheels and an engine).

[Barry]

There are indeed Barry . We shouldn't all be tarred with the same brush as that's not a very helpful generalisation, either in terms of the "rip off" angle or the assumption that performance is easily bettered. It depends on the design, specification and quality of the finished cables. It's a bit like saying "all cars are the same" when quite clearly they're not (well all bar having 4 wheels and an engine).

Paul

Just to be clear, my comment in red was made in response to the last sentence of Greg's post.

Wherever possible I prefer to assemble my own cables, as that way I have full control over the choice of cable and connectors, as well as the quality and neatness of the soldering (and of the solder itself). Clearly there are those who either cannot, or choose not to do so, so for them they have no other option than to buy ready made cables.

I didn't want to name names, but I think we all know who the "good guys" are.

Regards

[Reffc]

Paul

Just to be clear, my comment in red was made in response to the last sentence of Greg's post.

Wherever possible I prefer to assemble my own cables, as that way I have full control over the choice of cable and connectors, as well as the quality and neatness of the soldering (and of the solder itself). Clearly there are those who either cannot, or choose not to do so, so for them they have no other option than to buy ready made cables.

I didn't want to name names, but I think we all know who the "good guys" are.

Regards

Yes, I was just agreeing with your response to Greg's last sentence, hence "There are indeed..."

[Cotlake]

Hello Barry,

I have considered your response and further consulted with trusted audio electronic engineers. I acknowledge that theoretically you are right regarding the connection of a braided shield at the ground end of lowest potential. Using a CDP as my example was probably a poor choice, but actually, in reality it probably won't make a blind bit of difference in practice and sonically as well.

A fully balance connection option might well be the favourite choice but the reality is most kit is not built with this option so the use of RCA connections rather controls what people have to do when making their own cables unless they want to do a far more serious conversion which as you know will involve a lot more than changing connection plugs and sockets.

Thanks for the correction on silver oxide which should have been silver sulphide. As you say, it's soft and the tension of the connectors will cut through it. I got the theory wrong, but as you suggest, in practice all will be fine.

i don't retract my statement about cables being the biggest area of rip off within the Hi-Fi Industry. They are. Certainly my statement is a generalisation (not an exclusive statement) because, generally, that is the case. I acknowledge there are a few manufacturers of cables that operate a value for money market, but they are few and far between. Most exploit the average punters concept that cables make a big and important difference and the 'Snake Oil' influence feeds their expectations on this. In contrast, I have found that if you get your main components right in your system, the cables used can become almost (not exclusively) insignificant. No doubt that is why many DIYer's are happy to connect their speakers with 'twin and earth'.

Regarding Reffc's comments, well, he's in the trade. He would say that, wouldn't he!

Greg

[walpurgis]

I acknowledge that theoretically you are right regarding the connection of a braided shield at the ground end of lowest potential.

I have found that if you get your main components right in your system, the cables used can become almost (not exclusively) insignificant.

There's as much opinion about which direction a screen/shield should be terminated as there is about cable directionality, basically nobody has any real conclusions. To my ears it makes no difference.

If the beneficial effects of using decent cables cannot be heard then perhaps the system is not good enough. I've found that the better the equipment, the easier it is to hear cable differences.

[Barry]

Hello Barry,

I have considered your response and further consulted with trusted audio electronic engineers. I acknowledge that theoretically you are right regarding the connection of a braided shield at the ground end of lowest potential. Using a CDP as my example was probably a poor choice, but actually, in reality it probably won't make a blind bit of difference in practice and sonically as well.

A fully balance connection option might well be the favourite choice but the reality is most kit is not built with this option so the use of RCA connections rather controls what people have to do when making their own cables unless they want to do a far more serious conversion which as you know will involve a lot more than changing connection plugs and sockets.

Thanks for the correction on silver oxide which should have been silver sulphide. As you say, it's soft and the tension of the connectors will cut through it. I got the theory wrong, but as you suggest, in practice all will be fine.

I don't retract my statement about cables being the biggest area of rip off within the Hi-Fi Industry. They are. Certainly my statement is a generalisation (not an exclusive statement) because, generally, that is the case. I acknowledge there are a few manufacturers of cables that operate a value for money market, but they are few and far between. Most exploit the average punters concept that cables make a big and important difference and the 'Snake Oil' influence feeds their expectations on this. In contrast, I have found that if you get your main components right in your system, the cables used can become almost (not exclusively) insignificant. No doubt that is why many DIYer's are happy to connect their speakers with 'twin and earth'.

Regarding Reffc's comments, well, he's in the trade. He would say that, wouldn't he!

Greg

No probs Greg!

I agree with you that if you are prepared to make your own interconnects, using good quality cable and connectors, what you achieve will be as good as any pre-assembled interconnect available from an interconnect supplier.

IMHO, the "semi-balanced" approach offer NO advantages over a pure coaxial construction. And if your system allows it, a pure balanced interconnect is preferable.

Yes, there are an awful lot of "snake oil" merchants out there, but there are also some genuine vendors who offer good quality interconnects at a reasonable price. I'm not going to name names, but I think you know who they are (you have already cited one such).

Regards