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.)
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.)
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 ...
I recently tried out some cat 5e interconnects with some tellurium copper rhodium plated RCA solderless plugs found in eBay. Days of expensive $$$ famous tailor maxes are done smoking my cash. Very good match with my 300b amp and tube output CD player. Concerned about long term oxidisation , trying out amtrans hookup wire (.4mm pos, .5mm return). Very very pleased, enough so as to try them out next in a 23 step dact type passive attenuator , but will use these captive to the attenuator itself, hoping that skipping a series of solder , jacks, and plugs and a switch can help this inexpensive punch well above its class. Will try dual outputs with cat 5 plenum to sub plate amp to render irrelevant any of my audio fool concerns about possible treble roll off . My experiences with cat 5 only include pleasant listening, though not quite as vivid and spacious as the amtrans. Best regards, it's great to see so many willing to try so much.
Of course you can make RCA interconnects with Cat5 cable.
But if the question was can you make good RCA interconnects this way, then the answer is a big NO.
The two import needs of an unbalanced (RCA) interconnect that are not met:
1] Low return wire (Shield) end to end resistance.
2] Good interference shielding.
But if the question was can you make good RCA interconnects this way, then the answer is a big NO.
The two import needs of an unbalanced (RCA) interconnect that are not met:
1] Low return wire (Shield) end to end resistance.
2] Good interference shielding.
Haven't had any shielding issues with homemade twisted pair interconnects. Did have issues with both wireworld Polaris and kimber kcag . You haven't been startled unless you were enjoying some Louis Armstrong only to have a tugboat radio requesting a bridge lift blast into your relax time at twice your listening volume! Possibly I've become less fussy about how good an interconnect needs to be after returning to vinyl one toe at a time. Is there a typical hot to return ratio of resistance for best results? Did hear about this but only in vaguest of terms, so tried about 80% higher resistance on hot lead than return with amtrans hookup wire. Seems fine, but didn't have extra cabling to try with identical hot neutral wires. Any opinions on conductor size ratios for interconnects are welcome here.
For an unbalanced connection the return should be as low impedance as possible and completely surround the signal wire. The resistance of the signal wire (within reason) is almost completely unimportant. The capacitance between them should not be too high, especially if you have a poor quality source (such as cheap rubbish or 'high-end' stuff). Strangely, any decent commercial coax will meet this need. Cat 5 will not.
Any apparent improvement from Cat 5 is probably a sign that you like to add some noise and interference to your music. A little noise is sometimes misinterpreted as 'air'.
Any apparent improvement from Cat 5 is probably a sign that you like to add some noise and interference to your music. A little noise is sometimes misinterpreted as 'air'.
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Thanks for the input. Are you stating the return should surround the signal wire or that the return should be shielded. Also wondering now if the different lengths of wire necessitated by a coax configuration might be a problem as compared to a twisted pair set. Again , thanks for the input. Still very new to DIY on the electrical side of things.
I don't agree that conditions 1 & 2 are not met sufficiently.
A shield offers little extra than a twisted pair achieves.
Copper return has the same resistance as the copper flow. Lower resistance does not offer any advantage when there is NO OTHER current flowing in the Return than the signal itself.
This reminds me of my 6 year old grandson. When I tell him not to do something because someone could get hurt or that something could get broken. He replies "Well I did it yesterday and nothing bad happened".
In this modern world with almost every new electrical product being a source of interference, it's just a matter of time until unshielded unbalanced interconnects pick-up enough interference to be very audible. They are already picking up some noise and interference, you just don't notice it (or maybe you enjoy a little background noise).
audio return signal current isn't the only current in the unbalanced gnd/shield/return - chassis leakage, gnd loop current, some EMI
symmetry, 100% coverage, 360 degree shield-connector barrel termination all make differences - as commonly found in "video" RCA cable
Whitlock:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100706003250/http://www.smpte.org/sections/section_washingtondc/washington_previous/wash_jun_aes/
symmetry, 100% coverage, 360 degree shield-connector barrel termination all make differences - as commonly found in "video" RCA cable
Whitlock:
from:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100706003250/http://www.smpte.org/sections/section_washingtondc/washington_previous/wash_jun_aes/
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Yes, given a ground loop (always possible with domestic equipment) most of the hum voltage will be developed across whichever part of the loop has highest resistance. The interconnect may be shorter than the total length of mains cables so it could have a smaller (or at least comparable) resistance without being too thick.
If most of the equipment has ground loop breakers in place then this issue disappears, as the loop current will be small.
If most of the equipment has ground loop breakers in place then this issue disappears, as the loop current will be small.
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