(re) Terminating Dynaudio OCOS cable - is this possible?

[daws0n]

Hey everyone

I've recently taken delivery of a pair of dynaudio OCOS speaker cables. On paper they should be a perfect match for my speakers... They are an unusual coaxial design that use proprietary SUHNER male connectors that join onto (supplied) -/+ adapter. My amp's binding posts need the adapters, the speakers can accept the OCOS male ends as-is.

This particular pair is quite old and has been modified by a previous owner at some point. One end is as it should be, but the other has had the male terminator chopped off. In it's place are soldered red / black cables of unequal lengths. I am measuring continuity between these positive / negative cables which suggests they are touching underneath the heatshrink.

I am hesitant to use them further and would like to get the modified ends re-terminated back to factory spec. Does anyone know if this is possible? Looking online, it appears to require a special crimping tool.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Dawson

[Barry]

You mention the use of a SUHNER adaptor to convert the coaxial speaker cables to use with conventional speaker terminals. This suggest the cable itself might be made by the Swiss cable manufacturer Huber & Suhner. The cable is no longer made by Hubert & Suhner, but since it's selling point was one of 'constant impedance over the frequency range' (something that is true for any coaxial cable at radio frequencies, but only approximately true at audio frequencies), any coaxial cable would do; and since the cable is 6mm OD, RG-58CU01 would be an acceptable alternative.

It also suggests your cable is/was terminated with BNC (M) connectors and the SUHNER adaptor is one which adapts a BNC (F) socket to a pair of 4mm plugs separated on a 19mm pitch.


However you ask about terminating the coaxial cable for use with speaker terminals. The obvious way is to separate the inner conductor from the braided screen over a length of about 2" and connect the free ends to the terminals (using 4mm dia plugs if necessary).

[daws0n]

Many thanks for the detailed response Barry.

The cable has been supplied with the 4mm adapters required to convert the male coax connector into standard -/+ cables.

Here is a photo showing each end plus adapter. Snipping the modded soldered cables off and recrimping a new male end would be the ideal solution but I am not sure if that is possible these days...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191230/a4048d9b86700f6bd395dc44a93f5b5c.jpg

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[daws0n]

Both the male ends and adapters are branded SUHNER.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191230/f4c7a99cbbd0a967c2246d2f1a7bd653.jpg

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[Barry]

From your photo the coaxial connector would appear to be Huber & Suhner type QMA. These are still available, but as you point out, need a special crimping tool to fit them to the coaxial cable.

The distributors for Huber & Suhner in the UK are mouser.co.uk I suggest you contact them, to see if they can re-terminate your cables with new QMA connectors for you. That way you can continue to use the QMA to flying lead adaptors.

[daws0n]

Fair play Barry, you really know your coax cables! I'll get an email across.

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