While it didn't seem like a whole lot of of people took me seriosly when I told you about the "GainWire" ( http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=287921#post287921 ) I'm hoping you will this time.
Here's a cheap, easy to make and very good performing interconnect:
1. Get some 30AWG "Wirewrap wire". The one you want is made of silvered solid core copper with teflon coating. Here's an example http://www.elfa.se/elfa/produkter/no/178479.htm
Price is about 25 cents/meter
This cable you can also use as internal signal and power wiring in all line-level equipment.
2. Get your favourite RCA/XLR connectors (I use Neutrik's -very good and reasonably priced)
Price: RCA $2 a piece, XLR=$7.
3. Cut to length, twist with a hand-drill and solder your plugs (solder with some percentage of silver is recommended). I also use some Polyolefin heatshrink inside the plugs to make the strain relief effective.
So, there you are:
1m pair of RCA cables: ~$10
1m pair of XLR cables: ~$30
For those who are interested; the capacitance is about 20pF/m. If you desire a more rugged cable, you can thread the twisted pairs through some PTFE tube of suitable diameter.
Here's a cheap, easy to make and very good performing interconnect:
1. Get some 30AWG "Wirewrap wire". The one you want is made of silvered solid core copper with teflon coating. Here's an example http://www.elfa.se/elfa/produkter/no/178479.htm
Price is about 25 cents/meter
This cable you can also use as internal signal and power wiring in all line-level equipment.
2. Get your favourite RCA/XLR connectors (I use Neutrik's -very good and reasonably priced)
Price: RCA $2 a piece, XLR=$7.
3. Cut to length, twist with a hand-drill and solder your plugs (solder with some percentage of silver is recommended). I also use some Polyolefin heatshrink inside the plugs to make the strain relief effective.
So, there you are:
1m pair of RCA cables: ~$10
1m pair of XLR cables: ~$30
For those who are interested; the capacitance is about 20pF/m. If you desire a more rugged cable, you can thread the twisted pairs through some PTFE tube of suitable diameter.
Attachments
If you require a screened version, you can get some screened heatshrink tubing http://www.elfa.se/elfa/produkter/no/177861.htm
The finished cables:
The finished cables:
Attachments
Maybe you need some glasses 😉
Yes they are thin, but also pretty tough because of the teflon coating. You want thin cables to achieve high bandwith.
I forgot to mention; it took me about 2 hours to make these two sets..
Yes they are thin, but also pretty tough because of the teflon coating. You want thin cables to achieve high bandwith.
I forgot to mention; it took me about 2 hours to make these two sets..
hum, i knew someone who made some just like that, 20awg, silver coated copper, teflon insulated. they sounded so terrible. im not sure what happened.
Terrible you say? The cables I made sounds really nice, and they haven't even burned in yet. They do however sound a tiny little bit brighter than for example my GainWire (made the same way, but with 24AWG magnet wire and PTFE tubing). These are also a little clearer/more revealing. Maybe if you have a overly bright sounding system or equipment that should be masked by some cable-effects this one is not for you 
edit: with my el cheapo/xbzls/balanced gainclone I prefered the GainWire-interconnects, but with the pacific/bzls/soz I think this one is much better. Haven't found a catchy name yet though 😉
edit: with my el cheapo/xbzls/balanced gainclone I prefered the GainWire-interconnects, but with the pacific/bzls/soz I think this one is much better. Haven't found a catchy name yet though 😉
Mad_K, all
I've done the same , using the same wire-wrap wire from Elfa,
the resulting cables sound pretty good, very open 😉
I soldered mine directly to the amplifiers, no phono plugs.
Thanks for that , I wasn't sure
cheers, 😉
I've done the same , using the same wire-wrap wire from Elfa,
the resulting cables sound pretty good, very open 😉
I soldered mine directly to the amplifiers, no phono plugs.
Thanks for that , I wasn't sure
cheers, 😉
-You're welcome. They where measured with a very expensive LCR meter at work, and showed 20-30pF depending on how tight it was twisted.
Glad you like it too; I'm getting a little ****ed when I think about that people feel they need to buy cables for thousands of dollars. (I'm also a little ****ed at myself -I used to be one of those people until I escaped from Audio Hell
)
Glad you like it too; I'm getting a little ****ed when I think about that people feel they need to buy cables for thousands of dollars. (I'm also a little ****ed at myself -I used to be one of those people until I escaped from Audio Hell
)
cowanrg said:
20 guage is too thick... i've used 33 guage with PVC from Radio Shack, the teflon is better (but more expensive). you can play with geometry a bit and get further improvements -- ie wrap the wire around teflon core from high end cable-vision wire (it is some work to remove the outer cover, braid & inner conductor).
dave
Mad_K said:
I hope you will pardon my obvious ignorance, but what exactly is involved (and what is the sonic improvement) of having cables that are "burned in"?
Regards,
Bill
Next try going from 30 gauge wirewrap to 30 gauge enameled wire.
You go from a cable that's 75% dielectric to one that's just 26% dielectric. 16% if you use a single build wire.
Double your runs and do a quad braid and you reduce dielectric involvement even more and you've got a cable whose dielectric is mostly just air.
A half pound spool of Belden 8055 is only $21.75 from Mouser. That's 1,615 feet. Pretty much a lifetime supply of interconnects there. 🙂
se
You go from a cable that's 75% dielectric to one that's just 26% dielectric. 16% if you use a single build wire.
Double your runs and do a quad braid and you reduce dielectric involvement even more and you've got a cable whose dielectric is mostly just air.
A half pound spool of Belden 8055 is only $21.75 from Mouser. That's 1,615 feet. Pretty much a lifetime supply of interconnects there. 🙂
se
Steve, I've got an interconnect suspiciously similar to what you're describing 😉 How long does it take to burn-in the air? Do I have to start that process again if there's a breeze?
SY said:
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh. 🙂
Only if you happen to be staying in rattan-festoon pension in Goonrat. Otherwise, don't worry about it. 🙂
se
SY said:
It clearly depends on the CFM - and I'm sure there's a formula for it - but it escapes me at the moment..... If the need is urgent, please contact me and I will do my best to dredge up the relevent science-fiction on the subject.....
🙂 🙂
Mad_K said:
Most of the wire wrap wire is insulated with either tefzel or Krynar. Neither has as low a DA as teflon. But both have superior physical properties.
The silver plating used is not good for sonics. A high dollar substitute is the 32 ga XLO wire from Michael Percy. It is 6/9's purity and 30 cents a foot. It is insulated with teflon and it not silver plated.
I have tried a bunch and now use the smallest ga Vampire cast wire. It is ennameled, and runs 10 cents a foot or so. I think the listed ga is 26.5 or so. But you have to burn off the varnish before soldering.
George
hum, interesting. i may give it a go one day. i was being a bit generous in saying it was terrible. it was quite frankly one of the worst (if not THE worst) sounding interconnects ive heard. monster cable mark 300 blew it away (thats their cheap crap, and all they have is crap).
eh, some day i guess. for now i get audioquest and synergistic at 75% off, or free if i sell enough. it sounds good enough for me.
eh, some day i guess. for now i get audioquest and synergistic at 75% off, or free if i sell enough. it sounds good enough for me.
planet10 said:
I see this thread has attracted some of the larger fishes. Please keep in mind the heading of this thread. It is not meant to be the final word in interconnects, but a cheap, simple (fast/easy to make) and very good diy interconnect. And it is excactly that.
Personally I'm aware of all the things that have been mentioned, and while I don't agree with everything I don't feel like discussing it in this thread. My goal here was just to let all the other fishes have something nice and easy to make, without feeling the need to go to exotic materials and complex geometries. All that comes naturally later when the
tweak-monster awakens.
So, turn of the computer, twist some cables, and listen to your favourite music. And maybe a little
as a reward 😉
Personally I'm aware of all the things that have been mentioned, and while I don't agree with everything I don't feel like discussing it in this thread. My goal here was just to let all the other fishes have something nice and easy to make, without feeling the need to go to exotic materials and complex geometries. All that comes naturally later when the
tweak-monster awakens. So, turn of the computer, twist some cables, and listen to your favourite music. And maybe a little
as a reward 😉- Status
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