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Thread: Good DIY RCA cable choice

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

    Default Good DIY RCA cable choice

    Looking to make some decent RCA cables of custom lengths so as to get the absolute minimum length needed between components, turntable to phono stage especially.

    Considering Belden 8402 and various Mogami offerings but the choice is quite vast. I'd also be quite interested in any recommendations for Duelund cables.
    The cheaper offerings from Van Damme are okay but I'd like something a bit better if possible.

    Not looking to spend a huge amount say maybe £50/meter max for something of real quality.

    These would be for standard unbalanced IC's as I know certain cable is better suited to balanced/unbalanced setups.

    Thanks in advance,

    Chris
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.


  3. #3
    Join Date: Nov 2014

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 140
    I'm Michael.

    Default

    Go for Klotz Ac110 superb, less than £2 per metre. Buy from Studiospares https://www.studiospares.com/search.aspx?eaSearch=Ac110

  4. #4
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,242
    I'm Adrian.

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    http://www.laventure.net/tourist/cables.htm

    I was going to make some up with these below, just not got round to it yet. Make sure the silver wire is pure and soft not, should get a very good result. I priced it up and a pair of RCA 1m leads came to just under £50, the equivalent cheapest to similar speakers pre-made on the market are well over £400.

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pcs-Carb...3-fc582946b62e

    https://www.kernowcraft.com/products...round-wire-a93

    https://www.hificollective.co.uk/sle...-sleeving.html

    https://www.hificollective.co.uk/sle...-sleeving.html
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Great suggestions all, thanks.

    I've bought a set of these plugs:

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dia-10mm-...72.m2749.l2649

    My reasoning as to why is that I prefer the small amount of conductive material within the plug. Logically this adds the least unnecessary material (although unlikely measurable). The silver plating should guard nicely against oxidisation (of the copper, I'm aware the silver plating may oxidise but doesn't lose conductivity). I will also be using silver solder (again may well not make much, if any difference) as I have some and might as well I figure!

    I've gone for Alan's recommendation of the NEOTECH NEI - 3004 cable as its relatively cheap and will fit the plug diameter well.

    Re Silver IC's. I've owned quite a few and really like them, however I have found them to be very system dependent. My current system is very neutral and therefore I find with silver IC's it loses 'some' texture. They do add some air and detail, I used them very effectively with my Quads (a touch warm/dark) and when I used WE396a tubes in my DAC (again very warm) so the silver IC's balanced up the sound nicely.

    Thanks again all, much appreciated.
    Last edited by Opti-cal; 23-07-2020 at 07:03.
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AJSki2fly View Post
    http://www.laventure.net/tourist/cables.htm

    I was going to make some up with these below, just not got round to it yet. Make sure the silver wire is pure and soft not, should get a very good result. I priced it up and a pair of RCA 1m leads came to just under £50, the equivalent cheapest to similar speakers pre-made on the market are well over £400.

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pcs-Carb...3-fc582946b62e

    https://www.kernowcraft.com/products...round-wire-a93

    https://www.hificollective.co.uk/sle...-sleeving.html

    https://www.hificollective.co.uk/sle...-sleeving.html
    That's great Adrian, thanks for taking the time to post the links there too.

    Very interesting read that article. As I say in the post above Silver IC's DO have a lot to offer, they just don't have quite enough 'girth' in my system . . . and I do likes me some girth . . .
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  7. #7
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,242
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Opti-cal View Post
    That's great Adrian, thanks for taking the time to post the links there too.

    Very interesting read that article. As I say in the post above Silver IC's DO have a lot to offer, they just don't have quite enough 'girth' in my system . . . and I do likes me some girth . . .
    Your welcome Chris, I find cables a particular minefield, I definitely accept they make a difference and can in fact make a big difference, I have tried various cables out at the low to mid price point over the years, some a waste of time and money, one very well known manufacturers 1m RCA cable about £200 is sonically OK but from a RF interference impact it is appalling and what I find is bad is that it is highly recommended by quite a few reviews, not great at all IMO.

    I and a friend have formed the viewed that there is a lot very expensive stuff out their that does not offer great VFM, snake oil and smoke & mirrors stuff, contentious maybe but when you take a £500 phono cable apart and find it is made of a good microphone cable costing £15/m, with a £30 DIN plug and £20 RCAs off the shelf and a £5 worth of shielding to hide it all then it does make you wonder what is going on.

    As you rightly point out cables can be very much system dependent so it can be very hard and expensive to get it right unless you know someone who has the same system and has sorted the cable issue out which you also like.

    The RCA you have chosen I know of and believe quite a few use them and I was going to try them out as well when I got to making some cable up. By the way I did have a pair Belden 8402 RCAs made up and I do use it, I consider it a pretty transparent cable and it is good for low voltages.
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    At a touch more, Audio Note AN-C is a very nice interconnect cable. Around £80 per metre unterminated.

    Unless of course you're feeling particularly flush, then you could try their AN-Sooto at £6776 a metre. Unterminated of course.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  9. #9
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    At a touch more, Audio Note AN-C is a very nice interconnect cable. Around £80 per metre unterminated.

    Unless of course you're feeling particularly flush, then you could try their AN-Sooto at £6776 a metre. Unterminated of course.
    Well you can't expect them to do terminate it themselves for that puny sum . . . .

    I assume that stuff is for the Kondo Krew . . .
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2020

    Location: Suffolk

    Posts: 246
    I'm Ray.

    Default

    There have been quite a few cable posts in the last few years, this is one on XLR: https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...=interconnects

    Different people favour different cables, Mogami, Klotz, Sommer all has their fans. Maybe worth getting a few to try out and then sell the ones you don't want or you can buy ready made DIY ones for around £20-£25.

    Duelund cables only know of one fan but have read some bad user reviews also.

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