Build your own tonearm cable

[binspaul]

Hi,

What about the idea of DIY tonearm cables ? Few questions are:

1. What should be the ideal wire gauge ?
2. What is the best conductor that can be used ?
3. What should the insulator be made up of ?
4. Do we need to twist them as pairs or can we use them as strands ?
5. Which one is the best: stranded or solid core ?

Please post your ideas/comments....

Best regards,
Bins.

[Geek]

Kynar wire-wrap wire. The thin stuff found at Radio Shack.



Cheers!

[Jeffrey Davison]

30 or 32 gauge...

This is great wire for tonearms (other than Van Den Hull MCS Silver.. which is waayyyy pricey but very very nice)
Very reasonably priced solid core can be had at:
http://www.a-msystems.com/physiology...silvertef.aspx

JD

Originally Posted by binspaul

Hi,

What about the idea of DIY tonearm cables ? Few questions are:

1. What should be the ideal wire gauge ?
2. What is the best conductor that can be used ?
3. What should the insulator be made up of ?
4. Do we need to twist them as pairs or can we use them as strands ?
5. Which one is the best: stranded or solid core ?

Please post your ideas/comments....

Best regards,
Bins.

[AuroraB]

The kynar ww wire is OK, but it better be secured mechanically, so that the wire can't move in towards the solder joints. It's single strand an breaks easily with movement. ( DAMHIK - I worked with wire wrap for several years... )

[sandbasser]

Originally Posted by binspaul

Hi,

What about the idea of DIY tonearm cables ? Few questions are:

1. What should be the ideal wire gauge ?
2. What is the best conductor that can be used ?
3. What should the insulator be made up of ?
4. Do we need to twist them as pairs or can we use them as strands ?
5. Which one is the best: stranded or solid core ?

Please post your ideas/comments....

Best regards,
Bins.

I'm interested in the answer to questions #3 & 4 too. I have an old Rek-O-Kut tonearm that badly needs rewiring. I have some Cardas 33ga wire that I purchased from Percy Audio - but I don't really know how to proceed. I'm wonder if I should twist it (in pairs or all 4) or litz braid it, or what? and should I find some kind or braided shield or what. (If you haven't guessed, I'm pretty much a noob to DIY.)

Hopefully some of the wizards on this forum can provide some illumination.

Thanks,

[binspaul]

Hi,

Found some nice cables of 36 AWG from 3M (3M™ Round, Jacketed, Discrete, Twisted Pair Cable, 3600X/14). Seems like we can use this for our purpose.

Please comment...

Best regards,
Bins.

[AuroraB]

I know some have used cables from cheapo headphones......
just strip the outer jacket.

[oleslot]

Hello there
I have used this A-M Systems | Teflon® Insulated Silver Wire catalog number 786000 with very good result. Compared with van den hul and audio note it is not expensivt.

Yours Ole

[moray james]

Mouse cable (fron a wired computer mouse) has I think 5 insulated stranded wires (about 30-31 gage) in it (just cut the cable open and pull the wires out) that work just great and costs nothing to salvage from a dead mouse. Have used this and it sounds just fine. I would not endorse using a solid core wire as the slitest knick when stripping the dielectric and you will end up with a broken wire and a pain in the butt.

[lowpoke]

Originally Posted by moray james

Mouse cable (fron a wired computer mouse) has I think 5 insulated stranded wires (about 30-31 gage) in it (just cut the cable open and pull the wires out) that work just great and costs nothing to salvage from a dead mouse. Have used this and it sounds just fine. I would not endorse using a solid core wire as the slitest knick when stripping the dielectric and you will end up with a broken wire and a pain in the butt.

I've read testimonials from a number of people that have used mouse cable with great results. Naturally there are many who dismiss this as an inferior practice.
Although I can't help but think the majority of nay-sayers haven't actually listened to the results first hand.