I'm sure they do, but it would be a little money maker for someone perhaps. Does anyone on this site do diy audio youtube videos?
Two years ago I stepped away from a 30+ year career in engineering to convert a lifelong hobby into my own business making cables. I just celebrated my 1000th unit sold yesterday and am exhibiting 200% growth year-on-year. Couldn't be happier. I must be doing something right.
There's nothing so rewarding as making your own cables and experimenting with different cable types and if anyone tells you there's no difference between cable types don't believe them and do your own experimentation!
I always declare that at most there is only around 10-15% variation between any given cable type but that small margin is definitely amplified by our noodle to make it seem more pronounced. There's still a LOT we don't know about how our brain processes and translates audio signals, but nonetheless it's still extremely subjective and variable.
The cables you chose are using really good components. You can't beat Neutrik connectors imo and vanDamme cable is excellent. However, it might be prudent to check the quality of the terminations by rotating the cap to loosen it so you can slide the barrel backwards carefully to reveal the solderwork.
I also use this type of cable in my 'Indigo.Y' triple conductor XLR interconnect (A copy of Chord's ludicrously expensive 'Indigo Plus' cable).
vanDamme's 'Silver Series LoCap' cable is also unique and interesting to experiment with and has 3 different capacitance specs in the range.
It would be interesting to hear your impressions on using a balanced signal path if any. Most find the dark noisefloor and elevated signal transparency welcome. But that's where I'm going to leave it for fear of the 'cables don't make a difference' crew to wade in. >.<
This always makes for a great read:
https://www.alpha-audio.net/review/interlinks-dont-do-anything-or-do-they-32-rca-cables-analyzed/
It's regarding RCA cables but some of the observations can be applied to balanced cables.
Neutrik XLR connectors and vanDamme cable:
There's nothing so rewarding as making your own cables and experimenting with different cable types and if anyone tells you there's no difference between cable types don't believe them and do your own experimentation!
I always declare that at most there is only around 10-15% variation between any given cable type but that small margin is definitely amplified by our noodle to make it seem more pronounced. There's still a LOT we don't know about how our brain processes and translates audio signals, but nonetheless it's still extremely subjective and variable.
The cables you chose are using really good components. You can't beat Neutrik connectors imo and vanDamme cable is excellent. However, it might be prudent to check the quality of the terminations by rotating the cap to loosen it so you can slide the barrel backwards carefully to reveal the solderwork.
I also use this type of cable in my 'Indigo.Y' triple conductor XLR interconnect (A copy of Chord's ludicrously expensive 'Indigo Plus' cable).
vanDamme's 'Silver Series LoCap' cable is also unique and interesting to experiment with and has 3 different capacitance specs in the range.
It would be interesting to hear your impressions on using a balanced signal path if any. Most find the dark noisefloor and elevated signal transparency welcome. But that's where I'm going to leave it for fear of the 'cables don't make a difference' crew to wade in. >.<
This always makes for a great read:
https://www.alpha-audio.net/review/interlinks-dont-do-anything-or-do-they-32-rca-cables-analyzed/
It's regarding RCA cables but some of the observations can be applied to balanced cables.
Neutrik XLR connectors and vanDamme cable:
Hard to take pics of connections so small using a phone. What are you looking for precisely?
I see, it must be difficult.
They are not sharp enough.
Don't bother, cables look great and so are the connectors.
They are not sharp enough.
Don't bother, cables look great and so are the connectors.
Hmm.
Not the nicest soldering works or cable preparation i've seen but they should be ok ( worker didn't bother to even clean flux residues after soldering.).
Don't bully them when manipulating ( don't pull on the cable, use the connector's body) and you should not have issues.
Not the nicest soldering works or cable preparation i've seen but they should be ok ( worker didn't bother to even clean flux residues after soldering.).
Don't bully them when manipulating ( don't pull on the cable, use the connector's body) and you should not have issues.
One thing I noticed is the cable insulation says "Ultra Pure Silver Plated OFC" but the wire looks like plain copper near the solder connections. Not that I'm complaining as I'm not a fan of silver plating.
Don't worry, it's as it should be.
You don't notice the silver plating wires because they represent 25% of the total, that is, 7 wires out of 28.
From here
https://docs.rs-online.com/3f03/A700000007664694.pdf
Very very scruffy termination work, especially pin 1 (ground) with all those loose strands poking everywhere, but then these have been made to a cost and subsequently thrown together in the least amount of time as possible.
The wires also don't look like they have been pre-tinned and not enough solder fills the pin buckets to ensure a strong bond, which risks dry joints, cracks and failure. A shame as with only a few seconds more spent per pin they could have been fine.
I spend enough time on my customer cables solder work as I would expect to receive in cables myself and with good technique, good quality solder and an iron you're comfortable using a 100% tip top quality termination can be made in no time at all!
This cable type has 2 stranded hybrid copper/SPC conductor wires which is actually a silver alloy plating and used on pins 2 and 3. The shield, which is normal helix-braided copper has been used for the ground pin 1.
There is a well-established method of soldering pins which I have been using for years and have never had any failures by using. It's always a good idea to learn how to do things properly so that you can take a pride in your work without fear of customers coming back to you complaining of failure.
This proper old-school video has been invaluable for me and for anyone else curious to learn how to solder pins or improve on their current technique it may be beneficial. FF to 18.00 to see the best method of soldering wires to pin buckets.
This is an example of one of my RCA connectors which has a Beryllium pin and a cable with a single conductor coaxial geometry. There is sufficient solder which has been deposited in the pin bucket so that when the pre-tinned wire is applied along with just the right amount of heat and time that it makes a perfect termination, leaving a nice shine on the slightly convex outside surface of the solder joint.
I use this in my adverts to demonstrate the quality of my soldering. It's good marketing.
This termination method for XLR connectors and heavy gauge silver wire (3mm DIA) is a bit overkill, but at least i am 100% sure it would never fail or corrode due to taking care for strong soldering and sealing with layers of heatshrink.
I think your cables will probably be fine and you won't notice any degradation in the sound quality. Maybe good to measure them though (?), but it's obvious they have been made to a cost/time constraint and without as much care and attention to detail which I prefer to use.
I know my customers go poking around in the connectors so I try to make the 'big reveal' at least as satisfactory for them as possible >.<
I also supply photos of the build process if they're requested.
I have nothing to hide 😉
The wires also don't look like they have been pre-tinned and not enough solder fills the pin buckets to ensure a strong bond, which risks dry joints, cracks and failure. A shame as with only a few seconds more spent per pin they could have been fine.
I spend enough time on my customer cables solder work as I would expect to receive in cables myself and with good technique, good quality solder and an iron you're comfortable using a 100% tip top quality termination can be made in no time at all!
This cable type has 2 stranded hybrid copper/SPC conductor wires which is actually a silver alloy plating and used on pins 2 and 3. The shield, which is normal helix-braided copper has been used for the ground pin 1.
There is a well-established method of soldering pins which I have been using for years and have never had any failures by using. It's always a good idea to learn how to do things properly so that you can take a pride in your work without fear of customers coming back to you complaining of failure.
This proper old-school video has been invaluable for me and for anyone else curious to learn how to solder pins or improve on their current technique it may be beneficial. FF to 18.00 to see the best method of soldering wires to pin buckets.
This is an example of one of my RCA connectors which has a Beryllium pin and a cable with a single conductor coaxial geometry. There is sufficient solder which has been deposited in the pin bucket so that when the pre-tinned wire is applied along with just the right amount of heat and time that it makes a perfect termination, leaving a nice shine on the slightly convex outside surface of the solder joint.
I use this in my adverts to demonstrate the quality of my soldering. It's good marketing.
This termination method for XLR connectors and heavy gauge silver wire (3mm DIA) is a bit overkill, but at least i am 100% sure it would never fail or corrode due to taking care for strong soldering and sealing with layers of heatshrink.
I think your cables will probably be fine and you won't notice any degradation in the sound quality. Maybe good to measure them though (?), but it's obvious they have been made to a cost/time constraint and without as much care and attention to detail which I prefer to use.
I know my customers go poking around in the connectors so I try to make the 'big reveal' at least as satisfactory for them as possible >.<
I also supply photos of the build process if they're requested.
I have nothing to hide 😉
Last edited: