Has anyone used or had experience with using Ethernet cable (6a or higher) as a phono cable or even an interconnect. It seems to be shielded which would be good for a phono cable. I'm bamboozled with the amount of info and wires available out there that one is spoilt for choice. As I am on a tight budget I have some spare enthernet cable lying around and wandered if this would make a suitable phono cable. This is for a Garrard 401 TT into a Oakley 6 tube pre-amp, dynatron st70 tube power amp into tannoy gold's 12" speakers.
Any suggestions or advice would be most welcome.
Any suggestions or advice would be most welcome.
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Shielded Cat5 (the shielded type is not as common) actually has some very acceptable electrical characteristics, relatively low capacitance per foot, good shielding coverage, but it also has some difficult physical properties. The solid conductor version is not terribly flexible, and it’s difficult to terminate with the appropriate RCA connectors. It also has 8 conductors when one plus shield are all that is needed. No, you don’t want both channels in the same cable under one shield. As a mono cable, yes, it would work, but it may present a false view of the economy of it all.
Quality interconnects are inexpensive, to the point that making your own, buying decent connectors, soldering tools, etc., is actually far more costly. There’s no need to spend any more than $10-15 per cable ( or equivalent), and often half that is just fine. With the convenience of nice flexible double cable with color coded connectors, I can’t imagine attempting the shielded Cat5 version. And I work with the stuff all the time.
Quality interconnects are inexpensive, to the point that making your own, buying decent connectors, soldering tools, etc., is actually far more costly. There’s no need to spend any more than $10-15 per cable ( or equivalent), and often half that is just fine. With the convenience of nice flexible double cable with color coded connectors, I can’t imagine attempting the shielded Cat5 version. And I work with the stuff all the time.
Cat6a cable shielded or otherwise is not a cable anyone should be using for audio applications. CatX cable is actually a balanced transmission line used for high speed data transmission.
Good quality shielded audio cable for phono applications should only be a couple of dollars/mtr plus a few more dollars for connectors if you want to make your own. If you want your cables to look fancy then you can use cable sleeving.
As pointed out in the previous post you don't need to spend anymore than $20.
Good quality shielded audio cable for phono applications should only be a couple of dollars/mtr plus a few more dollars for connectors if you want to make your own. If you want your cables to look fancy then you can use cable sleeving.
As pointed out in the previous post you don't need to spend anymore than $20.
...which makes is PERFECT for balanced audio applications!
In fact, it is the current standard for broadcast studio wiring, like for the last 15 years. Google "StudioHub". I'll go even a step farther, the shielding is unnecessary in many applications.
It is not, however, good for home, unbalanced applications because its to difficult to work with. From a performance standpoint, it would work fine.
Wow. Bling for something nobody sees. Cool.
I am aware of balanced audio applications in professional and commercial environments, in fact balanced audio goes back past 15 years considering it has been used in public telephone networks for decades.
However i was pointing out that using computer networking cable for audio interconnects is ridiculous and considering balanced audio is almost non-existent in consumer audio we'll have to live with the ubiquitous RCA connector.....long live the RCA connector 🙂
However i was pointing out that using computer networking cable for audio interconnects is ridiculous and considering balanced audio is almost non-existent in consumer audio we'll have to live with the ubiquitous RCA connector.....long live the RCA connector 🙂
Low-signal level audio cables have a semiconducting polymer film to reduce tribo-electric effects which generate charge flows when the cable is moved. In other words they are designed to be non-microphonic.
CAT6 cables don't need this, so will be microphonic. This may not matter for fixed installations, but is pretty much a show-stopper for hand-held microphones.
I don't know if standard phono cables are normally low-microphony, but its a point to consider.
STP cables are a good match for MC cartridges into a balanced preamp, but much less so for MM due to the high capacitance.
CAT6 cables don't need this, so will be microphonic. This may not matter for fixed installations, but is pretty much a show-stopper for hand-held microphones.
I don't know if standard phono cables are normally low-microphony, but its a point to consider.
STP cables are a good match for MC cartridges into a balanced preamp, but much less so for MM due to the high capacitance.
Thanks for the replies guys. Looks like phono cable it will be. It was just a thought to see if anyone had used it in this matter. I did come across these in my searches, I suspect that the connectors and wire used would be cheap and nasty. Good for long runs though 10mts plus.
https://www.lindy.co.uk/images/500m-cat-6-phono-analogue-audio-extender-p9096-6802_zoom.jpg
https://www.lindy.co.uk/images/500m-cat-6-phono-analogue-audio-extender-p9096-6802_zoom.jpg
More and more pro-audio people are using Cat5 or Cat6 for XLR line level interconnects (4 channels per cable). Some use shielded and some use unshielded. Because they are designed for low cross-talk at high frequencies, the cross-talk at audio frequencies is extremely low, near -100 dB.
They don't work as well for phantom powered microphones.
They don't work as well for phantom powered microphones.
> I have some spare enthernet cable
So why are you even asking?? Just try it.
And don't over-spec it.
For a couple decades most of my longer (>50') audio runs were CAT3 cable.
So why are you even asking?? Just try it.
And don't over-spec it.
For a couple decades most of my longer (>50') audio runs were CAT3 cable.
Good question. My experience with electronics is very limited but I can solder up wire. My diploma is that I wouldn't know what to solder to where especially when it comes to grounding, balanced, semi-balanced. Use 2 sets of wire or just one. Is the capacitance low enough etc
Most people lack the equipment and capability to properly evaluate the impact (or lack of impact) of any type of cable change. In the case of an internconnect between phono and preamp you'd need a calibrated test record with frequency response tones or sweeps and the ability to correctly analyze the total system with and with different types of cables looking at response, noise, separation, etc. It's frankly more than most people would want or be able to do. That makes picking the right cable first a better idea, even though based on cable specifications alone, Cat5 would "work" just fine electrically, also an analytical process most would not undertake.
Compound that with uncontrolled sighted testing and the limitations of simple listening tests.
And that's why someone would ask.
Come on.
A cable is not rocket science.
Try lamp cord and listen.
In many cases you will not hear a difference.
Most lengthy posting is just bla bla bla.
A cable is not rocket science.
Try lamp cord and listen.
In many cases you will not hear a difference.
Most lengthy posting is just bla bla bla.
That's great advise! Try lamp cord, listen, and discover why it's not a good choice for a phono interconnect.
Or save some time, learn a little, ask the experts, and pick the right cable the first time.
I get the point, and don't completely disagree. Most of the cable obsession is nonsense. Like what different cables "sound like"..etc., more noise in the information that the reality. There are a few aspects that are important in some applications. The "rocket science" is recognizing the few instances where cable type, length, termination and design do matter, and realizing that the rest of the situations don't.
Phono interconnect - high Z source, load sensitive, unbalanced, low level:
1. Shielding
2. Low C and L
3. Ease of proper termination (or buy with the connectors already on)
4. Cost
Shielded Cat5 wins 1, 2, and 4, but misses 3 fairly significantly.
$10 Amazon cables win all 4. Lamp cord misses 1, 2, and 3, and wins 4.
And we're not even talking about what it sounds like!
Or save some time, learn a little, ask the experts, and pick the right cable the first time.
I get the point, and don't completely disagree. Most of the cable obsession is nonsense. Like what different cables "sound like"..etc., more noise in the information that the reality. There are a few aspects that are important in some applications. The "rocket science" is recognizing the few instances where cable type, length, termination and design do matter, and realizing that the rest of the situations don't.
Phono interconnect - high Z source, load sensitive, unbalanced, low level:
1. Shielding
2. Low C and L
3. Ease of proper termination (or buy with the connectors already on)
4. Cost
Shielded Cat5 wins 1, 2, and 4, but misses 3 fairly significantly.
$10 Amazon cables win all 4. Lamp cord misses 1, 2, and 3, and wins 4.
And we're not even talking about what it sounds like!
Good response and I like your theology. Question: how best to wire up to RCA plug at each end using Ethernet cable.��
Solder one wire to the center contact. Cut the other 7 off. Solder the drain wire to the shield contact of the connector. Heat shrink around the whole nasty mess because you won't get the sleeve over a Cat5 back onto the connector.
It would be ugly.
And very much not worth the effort.
It would be ugly.
And very much not worth the effort.
Would that be to solder the ground at both ends or just the PA end.
Would it be detrimental to use 2 wires to center pin?
Would it be detrimental to use 2 wires to center pin?
Standard RCA > RCA interconnects have the shield bonded at both ends.
2 wires is not detrimental or advantageous, other than it's even harder to physically manage at the connector.
2 wires is not detrimental or advantageous, other than it's even harder to physically manage at the connector.
Ok, thanks very much for the info, I'll be trying that soon. Infact I've just come across some cat 5 so I have a few cables to experiment with.
About the 2 wires my train of thought is that they are s twisted pair and should therefore make for less RFI etc.
About the 2 wires my train of thought is that they are s twisted pair and should therefore make for less RFI etc.