how to use shielded cable

[imaginarytime]

My chipamp is built, and it works, but I haven't permanently attached the input cables to the pot and back to the board and ground yet.

I'm a little fuzzy on the practical issues with shielded cable.

I've tested the model with some 18g copper and it is working fine, but I have some coax and miles of cat6 and cat5 I could pull out and other bits lying around.

I don't really appreciate all the nuance of shielded cable.

Q0: Should I worry about shielded input signal wire?
Q1: Is it enough to use coax from the post to the pot and back to the board or should it be on the ground too?
Q2: Is there something I'm supposed to do to ground the shield or does it just need to be present?
Q3: If Q2==yes, how?

 

[Speedskater]

A good start is:

Audio Component Grounding and Interconnection - diyAudio

 

[imaginarytime]

This link features a great many schematics and shows a great deal of the theory on grounds
and shielding, I'm on board with all of that.

My question is more about how than why. I shouldn't have added Q0 as it may have clouded the point of my post.

Q0, A: yes.

I find this on the page:

"use a shielded twisted pair for the interconnect cable, with one of the wires in the pair (as well as the shield) being the signal reference." This suggests that both the signal ground and signal should be shielded.

I think I understand the nature of coax, but I'm not clear on how these signal wires will be physically connected to the ground. Coax is so big. Is there a better way?

 

[lanchile]

Believe or not! it is very important to "shield" as much as you can those input wires because whatever they pick up...it will be AMPLIFIED!!!!. I use microphone wires triple shield and it is excellent. always try to keep those wires as short as you can. and always avoid those ground loops, also keep those input wires as far as possible from transformers.

 

[imaginarytime]

Thanks for your post. I appreciate your time.

I've built a long skinny box with signal at one end and transformer at the other. I think my grounding scheme is right---(I'm waiting until AndrewT gets out of the sin bin to post a picture. I hope I pass that test.)

The input wires will be less than a few inches.

How about cat6 pairs? I've seen setups in the pics thread with a pair soldered to the in and gounds in both directions.

 

[lanchile]

Thanks for your post. I appreciate your time.

I've built a long skinny box with signal at one end and transformer at the other. I think my grounding scheme is right---(I'm waiting until AndrewT gets out of the sin bin to post a picture. I hope I pass that test.)

The input wires will be less than a few inches.

How about cat6 pairs? I've seen setups in the pics thread with a pair soldered to the in and gounds in both directions.

if the input wires are a couple inches and far from transformers...you will be fine using those cat5/6 with no problems!!!

 

[imaginarytime]

Thanks. probably 4 inches at the most, depends on were I put the pot, so I'll favor keeping them as short as possible.

That will be more elegant than coax.