Another Digital I/C

[Mike]

Sorry about the dodgy quality of the photo's but I can't find the charger for the decent camera!

Anyway, here's the raw ingredients...

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/2158/dscf0244v.jpg

A pair of WBT-0110Ag plugs, FlexTech carbon fibre braid, and 1.2M of Neotech NEVD-2001 cable.


The Neotech NEVD-2001 is a pure silver digital cable designed to meet the 75 ohm spec of the SPDIF format. This is a fantastic cable between your transport and DAC. The inner conductor is made with pure silver, while the dielectrics used are foamed Polyethylene and microporous PTFE Teflon. This cable is triple shielded and uses a copper/mylar foil. The Eichmann Silver Bullets, WBT Silver NextGens, or Furutech Filament RCA's are excellent choices for termination.


Note: the inner braided shield is connected at both the source and load ends. The outer braid (shield) is connected only at the source end of the cable.


http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/49/nevd2001.jpg


First the 'easy' end...

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/1613/dscf0248f.jpg


Both cable screens are connected together at this end and a short solid silver 'lead out' wire soldered on. A collet is then crimped on to connect the carbon fibre, which acts as an additional screen, followed by a bit of heat-shrink to keeps things neat and tidy.

Then a plug is soldered on...

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/5774/dscf0249.jpg


You can see the small roll of solder in the last two pictures. WBT-0800 which is a lead based silver bearing solder (4%) which I prefer to use these days... it 'flows' much better than lead free solder! :)

Now the tricky end...

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/373/dscf0250.jpg


Only the inner braid and copper foil are connected at this end, so the rest is very carefully trimmed back and insulated with heat-shrink.

Then another solid silver 'lead out' soldered on...

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6082/dscf0252w.jpg


Another collet is crimped on to keep things tidy and the other plug soldered on...

Err... which I forgot to photograph. :o

So, onto the finished cable...


http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1407/dscf0258w.jpg

Adhesive lined heat-shrink provides strain relief where the plugs & sleeve meet. I don't like using the grub screws as it tends to crush and distort the cable profile.

Here it is being soak tested...

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/9075/dscf0259.jpg


Note the data rate being used...

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5397/dscf0262h.jpg


It'll stay on there for a minimum of 24 hours and hopefully the BER (Bit Error Ratio) will remain at zero. Erm... that's pretty much it.

Cheers! :)

Oh, hang on!

One more thing. Making this was bloody awful thanks to this little fella, Ollie.

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/1638/dscf0257.jpg


He likes to sit with me while I work most of the time, which isn't usually a problem, but God only knows WTF he's been eating. I had to evacuate the room several times thanks to some spectacularly noxious emissions! :spew:

[Marco]

Hi Mike,

Are these available for buying, and if so, how much? :)

Marco.

[Mike]

I've no idea...

Phil, who commissioned the cable, bought all the bits and sent them to me. I'm sure you could 'google' the ingredients and work out the material cost though! ;)

*EDIT* - You can get the cable here: http://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html#neotechic $81.40/metre

[Marco]

Interesting.... Is Phil a member here? I'd like to hear his thoughts on what it's like when he gets it, along with yours of course too if you've listened to it.

If it's good, I may be interested in doing the same as him, that is if you don't mind another wee job :)

Marco.

[Mike]

if you don't mind another wee job :)

*Groan*... :doh:

Not for a while, please? I really would like to get on with some of my own jobs that have been sitting around for ages...

There's the 300B amp to finish modding, a mains filter to build, a Pass B1 buffer clone with LDR volume control to do, speakers to repaint and make stands for. I could go on but I'm already getting worn out just thinking about it all! :rolleyes:

[Marco]

Lol! S'ok, that's a project for probably sometime this winter. It'll keep you from wearying, as the nights draw in.... ;)

Marco.

[DSJR]

I'd like to know if a standard 75 Ohm "satellite" cable transmits the digits in the same way when soak tested. if it does and the waveform is similar (it may not be) then apart from user satisfaction and pride in a wonderful piece of work, there *shouldn't* be an audible difference [runs for cover :)]

[Mike]

apart from user satisfaction and pride in a wonderful piece of work, there *shouldn't* be an audible difference [runs for cover :)]

I'd have to agree... I've yet to think of any good reason why different digital cables may exhibit different sound qualities. But people keep telling me they do and I'm at a loss to explain it! :scratch:

[Mike]

183,865 seconds later, @ 155.520 MBit/s we've passed, erm, a lot of bits with zero of them being in error... I'd say it works, job done. :)

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6098/dscf0305.jpg



Gratuitous shot of tester...

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7933/dscf0306.jpg

[Audiocom AV]

I've no idea...

Phil, who commissioned the cable, bought all the bits and sent them to me. I'm sure you could 'google' the ingredients and work out the material cost though! ;)

*EDIT* - You can get the cable here: http://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html#neotechic $81.40/metre

Hello Mike

Nice job of the cable.

Phil and I both purchased this cable at the same time to try out, I have yet to find the time to build mine.

Rather than the WBT I have the Furutech Rhodium RCA's.

I asked Phil to ask you if you would mine assembly my cable, but I thought it would be more polite to ask you directly. I will pay you for your time.

Let me know.

Cheers,
Mark

[Mike]

Hello Mike

Nice job of the cable.

Phil and I both purchased this cable at the same time to try out, I have yet to find the time to build mine.

Rather than the WBT I have the Furutech Rhodium RCA's.

I asked Phil to ask you if you would mine assembly my cable, but I thought it would be more polite to ask you directly. I will pay you for your time.

Let me know.

Cheers,
Mark

Arrrrgh! :doh: :lol:

Yeah, sure.

[Stratmangler]

Seeing as you've got a BERT tester there Mike, how's about putting a Cat5e patch lead on there to evaluate whether it's worth purchasing one of those Audioquest patch leads.:eyebrows:

:lolsign:

PS - I'm being serious. I'd expect the same result you got with the S/PDIF you've just been testing.

[Mike]

Seeing as you've got a BERT tester there Mike, how's about putting a Cat5e patch lead on there to evaluate whether it's worth purchasing one of those Audioquest patch leads.:eyebrows:

:lolsign:

PS - I'm being serious. I'd expect the same result you got with the S/PDIF you've just been testing.

I would be more than willing to do that, Chris! :)

Fit the plugs and send it to me.... I'd be willing to bet against you to the tune of.... erm.... 0.00001p :eyebrows:

[Stratmangler]

I thought your tester might well have RJ45 connectors too Mike.
Not to worry.:)

[Mike]

I thought your tester might well have RJ45 connectors too Mike.
Not to worry.:)

I can 'adapt'! ;)

But, no, it doesn't have 'native' connections.

[Barry]

Interesting.... Is Phil a member here? I'd like to hear his thoughts on what it's like when he gets it, along with yours of course too if you've listened to it.

If it's good, I may be interested in doing the same as him, that is if you don't mind another wee job :)

Marco.

Ahem Marco - remember my last visit?

[ar-t]

I'd have to agree... I've yet to think of any good reason why different digital cables may exhibit different sound qualities. But people keep telling me they do and I'm at a loss to explain it! :scratch:

It is called impedance matching.

Pat

[Mike]

This time looking a bit more 'bling'!... :)


http://a.imageshack.us/img715/9602/dscf0361z.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2010-08-22


.....and wearing some very fancy plugs. :eek:


http://a.imageshack.us/img841/7377/dscf0359d.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2010-08-22

[Ali Tait]

Very nice Mike! Is that more of that silver cable?

[Mike]

Yep... and phono plugs that come in at ~£50 a pop. And by that I mean each! :eek:

[Ali Tait]

Yikes!

[Ali Tait]

Must be the carbon fibre....

[Mike]

or...

• α (Alpha) OCC rhodium-plated center conductor
• α (Alpha) copper alloy rhodium-plated body
• Carbon fiber and nonmagnetic stainless steel housing
• Copper alloy connector body
• Copper alloy set screw

[RochaCullen]

Hi-fi jewelry.

I'd love to know what kind of cable you've hooked up to your machine that had a normal amount of insulation and produced errors. :eyebrows: