Andrei
16-08-2014, 23:37
Recipe for a 1 meter interconnect:
This makes for a high quality interconnect. The ideas about this are:
1. It is very good quality.
2. It is very easy to make. It does not require soldering. It requires only one tool. If you make a mistake it will not cost anything more than a little time to redo it.
3. Relatively cheap (main cost is about £70.00 for a set of 4 plugs)
4. You can make a custom length.
Below is a step by step explanation
Components:
Four meters of 24AWG silver wire.
Four meters of teflon tubing.
Four Furutech FT111-G RCA plugs.
The Teflon tubing can have an internal diameter of about 2mm, I don't think you need to be too fussy.
The "24AWG" means size 24 of the American Wire Gauge Scale, or a diameter of .51mm.
You HAVE to ensure that you buy audiophile grade silver wire. Do not ask your jeweller for high grade silver wire. Do not buy silver wire on ebay, especially if the source is Hong Kong or Shenzen. You want 'soft temper' or highly annealed silver wire. In terms of purity three 'nines' or four 'nines' is plenty good enough. I can't stress this enough. The reason this is such a good interconnect is blindingly simple: Good quality wire, and good quality plugs.
I bought my wire from http://www.tempoelectric.com/cables.htm#interconnects
Be careful about buying other plugs.
Problem 1. They might be 'solderless' but require a crimping tool or may only be suitable for cables where the return wire is the shield.
Problem 2. They may not be copper or silver on the connection parts. If you do use other plugs make sure the connection for the pin and signal are pure silver or (plated) copper. You wouldn't buy brass wire for your cable so you should not settle for brass center pins.
Other possible RCA plugs are Furutech FT-111R - this is the Rhodium plated copper, rather than Gold plated copper. Also Furutech CF-102R, but these are very expensive.
Equipment:
Wire cutters (scissors will do)
One small hex key. If you do not have a set of hex keys, a set can be bought from a hardware store for cheaps.
Optional is the use of an alligator clip to hold the plugs while you insert the wire.
Method:
Have a play with the RCAs to get a feel of how they work and are put together. You will see they are in three parts.
Cut the wire into four 1 meter lengths.
Cut the teflon into four 1 meter lengths.
Set them out into two pairs, one for the left channel and one for the right.
For one channel you have two wires and two teflon tubes.
The connection will be (a) from center pin to center pin [called the signal], and (b) from return to return [called the return].
If you are a klutz like me you may want to mark one of the wires at both ends with a marking pen to ensure you do not connect a signal to a return.
Cut 1 cm off the return wire (it will now be a little shorter)
Place the two wires into the teflon tubing.
Now trim the teflon tubing (without cutting the wires) so that 6mm or so of wire extends out of each end.
Now you are going to screw the two wires in place.
You are going to screw both the signal and return wires on one RCA plug before you attend to the other end.
It is here you must be delicate. In order to have the best connection you want the screw to screw down over the wire in the centre. Make your connection and do it gently. It will take a little trial and error. When you are done look down the barrel to see that you have done it correctly. If not bang on, have another go. When you are sure the set screw is over the middle of the wire, tighten it. How tight? I am not sure but I would say don't crush the wire but make a very firm grip.
Then you screw in the return wire.
Now you are going to do the other end. But before you do so, make sure you have (a) put the back parts [see the two leftmost parts on the first pic below] on the first RCA, ie finished the job; and (b) have the back parts in place of the second RCA. That is to say you have the two wires threaded through the back parts of the second RCA. The procedure for screwing down is the same. You will notice that the distance required for the return wire is a little less: hence that it why you shortened it.
Don't do what I did and put the back parts facing the wrong way. But as mentioned at the beginning, that sort of stuff-up is easily undone.
When you have screwed the second RCA plug, you then finish the assembly by screwing it together. It will only work one way so you can't stuff that up. Then I suggest twisting the wires gently - say one twist every 10 cm.
Result:
I have Oyaide AZ-910 http://www.joynetmall.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=74_79_300&product_id=4271 You can see from the link that it costs over $800 for a one meter pair. This cable is better than that. I put this down to the plugs, but maybe the absence of shielding has something to do with it. My AZ-910 cables are just sitting round looking pretty at the moment. In my system this homebrew has sharpened the soundstage. They run between my DAC and Amplifier. I have ordered two more sets of Furutech FT111 and will run them from the phonostage to the Amp and from the disc-spinner to the Amp.
Notes:
(1) They way I have put this together there is no allowance for strain relief. The build of the FT111 does allow for that and you can work that into your design if you wish. The only precaution you need to take, and it is common sense really, is not to pull them out of your equipment by the wires.
(2) As mentioned this is an unshielded interconnect. If you have a noisy environment you may have to have a shielded interconnect, and this would not be the one for you. I've never had any problem with unshielded interconnects. I used to run Nordost Red Dawn flatline interconnects and never had an issue. The shorter the cable the less likely it is that shielding is necessary.
(3) I guess a slightly smaller or larger gauge of wire should also work.
(4) If you want to you can dress these with some heatshrink and braid. I like products to look good but I can't be bothered with cables that are out of sight.
Pictures:
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech03_zpsa7f41d03.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech03_zpsa7f41d03.jpg.html)
This is the Furutech FT111G unscrewed.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech01_zps7b05001d.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech01_zps7b05001d.jpg.html)
This is my finished product.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech02_zpsfba89a2a.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech02_zpsfba89a2a.jpg.html)
A closeup of the finished RCA.
This makes for a high quality interconnect. The ideas about this are:
1. It is very good quality.
2. It is very easy to make. It does not require soldering. It requires only one tool. If you make a mistake it will not cost anything more than a little time to redo it.
3. Relatively cheap (main cost is about £70.00 for a set of 4 plugs)
4. You can make a custom length.
Below is a step by step explanation
Components:
Four meters of 24AWG silver wire.
Four meters of teflon tubing.
Four Furutech FT111-G RCA plugs.
The Teflon tubing can have an internal diameter of about 2mm, I don't think you need to be too fussy.
The "24AWG" means size 24 of the American Wire Gauge Scale, or a diameter of .51mm.
You HAVE to ensure that you buy audiophile grade silver wire. Do not ask your jeweller for high grade silver wire. Do not buy silver wire on ebay, especially if the source is Hong Kong or Shenzen. You want 'soft temper' or highly annealed silver wire. In terms of purity three 'nines' or four 'nines' is plenty good enough. I can't stress this enough. The reason this is such a good interconnect is blindingly simple: Good quality wire, and good quality plugs.
I bought my wire from http://www.tempoelectric.com/cables.htm#interconnects
Be careful about buying other plugs.
Problem 1. They might be 'solderless' but require a crimping tool or may only be suitable for cables where the return wire is the shield.
Problem 2. They may not be copper or silver on the connection parts. If you do use other plugs make sure the connection for the pin and signal are pure silver or (plated) copper. You wouldn't buy brass wire for your cable so you should not settle for brass center pins.
Other possible RCA plugs are Furutech FT-111R - this is the Rhodium plated copper, rather than Gold plated copper. Also Furutech CF-102R, but these are very expensive.
Equipment:
Wire cutters (scissors will do)
One small hex key. If you do not have a set of hex keys, a set can be bought from a hardware store for cheaps.
Optional is the use of an alligator clip to hold the plugs while you insert the wire.
Method:
Have a play with the RCAs to get a feel of how they work and are put together. You will see they are in three parts.
Cut the wire into four 1 meter lengths.
Cut the teflon into four 1 meter lengths.
Set them out into two pairs, one for the left channel and one for the right.
For one channel you have two wires and two teflon tubes.
The connection will be (a) from center pin to center pin [called the signal], and (b) from return to return [called the return].
If you are a klutz like me you may want to mark one of the wires at both ends with a marking pen to ensure you do not connect a signal to a return.
Cut 1 cm off the return wire (it will now be a little shorter)
Place the two wires into the teflon tubing.
Now trim the teflon tubing (without cutting the wires) so that 6mm or so of wire extends out of each end.
Now you are going to screw the two wires in place.
You are going to screw both the signal and return wires on one RCA plug before you attend to the other end.
It is here you must be delicate. In order to have the best connection you want the screw to screw down over the wire in the centre. Make your connection and do it gently. It will take a little trial and error. When you are done look down the barrel to see that you have done it correctly. If not bang on, have another go. When you are sure the set screw is over the middle of the wire, tighten it. How tight? I am not sure but I would say don't crush the wire but make a very firm grip.
Then you screw in the return wire.
Now you are going to do the other end. But before you do so, make sure you have (a) put the back parts [see the two leftmost parts on the first pic below] on the first RCA, ie finished the job; and (b) have the back parts in place of the second RCA. That is to say you have the two wires threaded through the back parts of the second RCA. The procedure for screwing down is the same. You will notice that the distance required for the return wire is a little less: hence that it why you shortened it.
Don't do what I did and put the back parts facing the wrong way. But as mentioned at the beginning, that sort of stuff-up is easily undone.
When you have screwed the second RCA plug, you then finish the assembly by screwing it together. It will only work one way so you can't stuff that up. Then I suggest twisting the wires gently - say one twist every 10 cm.
Result:
I have Oyaide AZ-910 http://www.joynetmall.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=74_79_300&product_id=4271 You can see from the link that it costs over $800 for a one meter pair. This cable is better than that. I put this down to the plugs, but maybe the absence of shielding has something to do with it. My AZ-910 cables are just sitting round looking pretty at the moment. In my system this homebrew has sharpened the soundstage. They run between my DAC and Amplifier. I have ordered two more sets of Furutech FT111 and will run them from the phonostage to the Amp and from the disc-spinner to the Amp.
Notes:
(1) They way I have put this together there is no allowance for strain relief. The build of the FT111 does allow for that and you can work that into your design if you wish. The only precaution you need to take, and it is common sense really, is not to pull them out of your equipment by the wires.
(2) As mentioned this is an unshielded interconnect. If you have a noisy environment you may have to have a shielded interconnect, and this would not be the one for you. I've never had any problem with unshielded interconnects. I used to run Nordost Red Dawn flatline interconnects and never had an issue. The shorter the cable the less likely it is that shielding is necessary.
(3) I guess a slightly smaller or larger gauge of wire should also work.
(4) If you want to you can dress these with some heatshrink and braid. I like products to look good but I can't be bothered with cables that are out of sight.
Pictures:
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech03_zpsa7f41d03.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech03_zpsa7f41d03.jpg.html)
This is the Furutech FT111G unscrewed.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech01_zps7b05001d.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech01_zps7b05001d.jpg.html)
This is my finished product.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Furutech02_zpsfba89a2a.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Furutech02_zpsfba89a2a.jpg.html)
A closeup of the finished RCA.