alternative connectors

[dvenardos]

I was looking at this old thread:
RCA Jacks, Binding posts and Attenuator, need sugestions!
Steve Eddy was bringing up the point why use RCAs as interconnects, it is a terrible plug. I have a couple of my first DIY projects in the works and I was thinking, "Well, if I am going to learn to make my own cables why not put a different interconnect on any of my DIY components"? You can always have an RCA on one side and then whatever on the other for connecting with standard equipment.

Have you used any alternate connectors on your projects and how do you like them?
Steve was recommending Redel connectors. I couldn't find pricing on them but the other stuff made by Lemo is pretty darn expensive (I am cheap).
One person was also asking about the basic 5 pin DIN or what about computer connectors?

Please share.

Thanks,
Don

[nukaidee]

I swear by neutrik professional series =) xlr for balanced stereo, powercon for ac, and speakon for speaker outputs.. but thats just me. on the other hand I also have bad habits of connecting things with 3.5mm plugs (i've been told they're not so good)

[infinia]

Why not use what the pro's use? Can't imagine the nightmares if they used RCA and bannana's.


XLR for line level - can rigged for single ended use
http://www.parts-express.com/wizards...+conn&x=24&y=8

Speakon for amp to speaker
http://www.parts-express.com/wizards...128&srchPromo=

[dvenardos]

XLR is one of the options I was looking at, although, most of the ones that I was looking at are three pin, but I see that you can get up to seven pin in the Neutrik.

Do you guys like XLRs?

[Geek]

XLR is great for balanced connections. Gimme a BNC for unbalanced anyday

Cheers!

[infinia]

Originally posted by dvenardos
XLR is one of the options I was looking at, although, most of the ones that I was looking at are three pin, Do you guys like XLRs?

XLR are all 3 wire, ie 2 plus shield.
They are great for audio and balanced is hard to beat for an extra boost in S/N ratio (+6dB over SE). They are really good in single ended mode ( psuedo differential) as well.

[planet10]

Originally posted by dvenardos
Steve was recommending Redel connectors. I couldn't find pricing on them but the other stuff made by Lemo is pretty darn expensive (I am cheap).

That is what Allen Wright also recommends and uses. Pricing (10-$13 each) is not more expensive than "good" RCAs, and a lot less than premium ones that they probably out perform.

dave

[AndrewT]

XLR or BNC.
the only sensible high reliability cheapish connectors to consider.

Use two core + screen for XLR and used braid + foil + core for BNC.

[SY]

I use DIN for phono, XLR for line level. I have been sorely tempted by those little gold RF jobs that I see used in a lot of wireless routers...

[Geek]

Hi SY,

Originally posted by SY
I have been sorely tempted by those little gold RF jobs that I see used in a lot of wireless routers...

There should be plenty of dead ones around for scavenging. Might be an experiment!

My only concern with those is they are usually designed for < 100 insertions, according to some spec sheets

Cheers!