RCA interconnect with Cat5 ?

[gychang]

I will be making speaker wires with Cat5 cables. Can I do the same for RCA interconnects?

thanks,

gychang

[vinylkid58]

Sure. I have a 5' long pair running from phono-integrated, single pair of wires with rat shack connectors and braided plastic sheath.

Jeff

[FastEddy]

Re: the RCA ("line level") cables / connections using CAT5 ... I would suggest that silver plated or pure silver CAT5/CAT6 wire is a very good choice for making RCA to RCA (or XLR to XLR) signal cables, especially if you can get the teflon coated stuff ... silver having less restance than just about any metal other than super conductors and Teflon being the insulator of choice for various reasons in audio. Silver cabling is available, GigaBit / 1000baseT / EtherNet for server farms and longer industrial strength installations, although it might be more pricey than silver audio cableing ... but it might be found in commercial remodel jobs as surplus for the costs of removal or online as "used"..

There should be nothing wrong with using "ordinary" copper CAT5 cable for audio signal cables, except that it is rather a combersome operation to strip and mate to RCA connectors ... and the results will probably not be any better than "regular" quality audio cabling.

(I use twisted pair #22 AWG silver with silver shielding and teflon insulation for all signal lines greater than a few feet in length = ... and don't bother seeking out CAT5.)

[gychang]

Originally posted by FastEddy
R I would suggest that silver plated or pure silver CAT5/CAT6 wire is a very good choice for making RCA to RCA (or XLR to XLR) signal cables, especially if you can get the teflon coated stuff ...

where can I get some of these cables?

thanks,

gychang

[FastEddy]

Since you appear to be in Irvine California, you should be in luck = many surplus wire/cable distributors in your area. ... I got my latest batch from an eBay reseller of stuff surplus in east LA. ...

[JC Fardo]

4 Play

[FastEddy]

http://www.euronet.nl/~mgw/diy/cabling/uk_4play_1.html = exactly right! ... teflon covered CAT5, silver if you camn find it ... gold plated connectors are a nice touch = some say this helps reduce conductivity questions at the connector, pretty in any case ... I use 'em when I cxan get 'em surplus = rare ...