D I Y Audio Cables

[MicroMara]

19 minutes ago, KT88 said:

I find this thread very valuable and also very motivating to buy or build the best or personal most suitable cable for yourself. Here is a lot about what I can learn. The following post is only about contacts not about the need of good wiring.
I also understand that you really need sensible contacts on the loudspeaker terminals and amplifier terminals. I just sometimes wonder that there is obviously an inner life and an outer life of speakers (and possibly some amplifiers). On the outside, some speaker manufacturers praise their beryllium, copper, gold and whatever terminals. Inside, it sometimes looks quite different. Below is a picture of a very reputable manufacturer who also builds high quality drivers. The Danish brand Dynaudio. How are the connections inside? There are cable lugs on the chassis just like the ones in my car to connect the horn and the same cable lugs are in my dishwasher to supply the sewage pump with electricity. It's exactly the same in my Tannoy Canterbury, also in my Stirling Broadcast...all connected with cable lugs made of normal sheet metal. I am not concerned with fraud or deception - and if anything, where would the deception be...outside or inside the speaker? I don't mean that in a negative way, obviously these kinds of inside connections are very reliable over many years and also very satisfying in terms of sound. Look at the picture below...outside Iridium something terminals and inside at the chassis the washing machine cable lugs. I didn't want a discussion about good or bad, much or little, high quality or simple. I just wanted to show how it is. Of course, I realise that the external connections to the driver are exposed to greater stresses because they are plugged in and unplugged more frequently. Banana plugs, for example, are certainly more suitable than spade lugs for this purpose, but the photo shows sober industrial standard on the inside vs. emotional hi-fi standard on the outside. This photo was published by the manufacturer Dynaudio itself.

 

 

 

I must agree what you´ve said , have a look at all these european brands like dynaudio, focal , b&w etc.etc.

They all boil with water in view of production manufacturing costs, using cheap but mostly good standard quality components for x-overs, inside cables or connectors. Hope that these flat ferrules are made of tin plated copper and not simple metal 

[the real Duke Spinner]

Whom may recommend quality cable connectors for high end construction ??

[MicroMara]

21 minutes ago, the real Duke Spinner said:

Whom may recommend quality cable connectors for high end construction ??

You may have a look at these from Audioquest , the SureGrip Line . Beryllium Copper , silver or gold plated

 

 

 

[parlophone1]

Have any one of you heard the difference in sound reproduction due to cable connectors?

This is not "funny" question, just want to know if there is a difference in using expensive ones.

Common sense is that connection should be good enough to enable good signal path.

Do these connectors plated with beryllium, gold, silver etc. conduct better?

[MicroMara]

2 hours ago, parlophone1 said:

Have any one of you heard the difference in sound reproduction due to cable connectors?

This is not "funny" question, just want to know if there is a difference in using expensive ones.

Common sense is that connection should be good enough to enable good signal path.

Do these connectors plated with beryllium, gold, silver etc. conduct better?

It´s a question about material quality mix , conduction and connectivity, not about price. See page 6 , there´re Beryllium Copper Connections for soldering and they aren´t expensive . In the past we all used tin coated connectors or ferrules, we were happy with them as well. A solid copper conduction needs a tin, silver or gold coating otherwise you´ll have corrosion that effects the transmission. Of course a full metal plug hasn´t the same electrical conductivity like a full copper plug so there are audible differences...IMO ...!

[amped]

Don't know if I'll hear a difference but copper is a great conductor and gold doesn't tarnish. Every little bit helps. I'm sure they're connecting to gold plated steel or brass in the amp and speakers. Why add to that?  Not a lot of $$ more. I paid more in shipping getting these things from the UK but I couldn't find them here.

 

Spent tons of time trying to decipher the descriptions on amazon and it seems like none were what I wanted.

 

I would've gotten them made by BJC but don't love their connectors. 

[the real Duke Spinner]

13 hours ago, parlophone1 said:

Have any one of you heard the difference in sound reproduction due to cable connectors?

This is not "funny" question, just want to know if there is a difference in using expensive ones.

Common sense is that connection should be good enough to enable good signal path.

Do these connectors plated with beryllium, gold, silver etc. conduct better?

Crazy people hear things ...

That are not there. 🙄

[MicroMara]

31 minutes ago, the real Duke Spinner said:

Crazy people hear things ...

That are not there. 🙄

sure ? 😂

[captainbeefheart]

14 hours ago, parlophone1 said:

Have any one of you heard the difference in sound reproduction due to cable connectors?

This is not "funny" question, just want to know if there is a difference in using expensive ones.

Common sense is that connection should be good enough to enable good signal path.

Do these connectors plated with beryllium, gold, silver etc. conduct better?

 

On a technical level sure different metals have different conductive properties but it's such a minuscule difference there is absolutely no way it can be audible.

 

So long as your connections are tight and clean, no oxidation, the minor differences in metal properties is moot.

 

 

[pcbiz]

15 hours ago, parlophone1 said:

Have any one of you heard the difference in sound reproduction due to cable connectors?

This is not "funny" question, just want to know if there is a difference in using expensive ones.

Common sense is that connection should be good enough to enable good signal path.

Do these connectors plated with beryllium, gold, silver etc. conduct better?

 

I have a very high resolution system, so yes, I definitely hear the difference. I replaced the tin spade connectors in my La Scalas to copper connectors. I replaced one driver's connector at a time so I could listen to the difference. Each copper connector for all three drivers gave me a little more gain and presence.

 

Lots of folks say the best connector is the bare copper wire. I would have done that, but my wire was too fat to wrap around the crossover screws. Copper connectors served the same purpose.

[MicroMara]

another new  DIY Speaker Cable built , a Single > Bi Wire Version ( 16 x AWG 18 into 4 phases x 4 AWG 18 ) to be used for my Cayin Monotubes with german WBT Plugs as well as WBT Binding Posts, connected into my DIY external X-Over

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[parlophone1]

A question here, sorry if it is already answered.

 

I am trying to make a power cable for hi-fi application. Under the outer protective coat the cable has a thick braided metal shielding.

Do I need to connect the shield of a cable to the ground wire before putting it in a connector?

I have been reading that in most applications the shield should be connected to ground wire at one end.

[OO1]

Google Youtube  

 

 

 

[parlophone1]

Thanks.

I also found short video tutorial on Furutech site that shows similar, so my initial opinion is confirmed.

 

[parlophone1]

Well, the ingredients are here:

 

I think Van den hul Mainsstream is the main contender for the cable. Available locally, can cut it to desired length.

[parlophone1]

Finally put it all together.

It has been awhile since I messed around with cables, and here is the thing of connecting three wires together (3 for L, and 3 for N - seven wires with a ground wire). Since the wires are positioned in a star configuration, all are different lengths when you try to connect them together ... and the space inside the connector is not that big. But one cut here and another there, and we are done 😊

 

 

[OO1]

looks expensive

[parlophone1]

1 hour ago, OO1 said:

looks expensive

 

Well, yes and no.

Thing is those components are not so cheap. But I only need one cable and wanted to do it right as much as my wallet permits. Buying everything separately and doing connection part myself saved me at least 30% of the price Van den hull asks for the complete cable. And I don't know the quality of connectors they use.

[MicroMara]

11 hours ago, parlophone1 said:

Finally put it all together.

It has been awhile since I messed around with cables, and here is the thing of connecting three wires together (3 for L, and 3 for N - seven wires with a ground wire). Since the wires are positioned in a star configuration, all are different lengths when you try to connect them together ... and the space inside the connector is not that big. But one cut here and another there, and we are done 😊

 

 

Very nice , I´m shure that you´ve saved at least one third or more of the end customers price. DIY is the best alternative to save a lot of money , there´re so much nonsense cable products like rca, power cords, Speakercables, etc. available in the world market and everybody is telling you " We´ve got the best " 😂 Spent 1K $ for a set rca and your gear sound better than ever bevore. 🤣

[the real Duke Spinner]

On 12/9/2022 at 5:49 PM, pcbiz said:

 

I have a very high resolution system, so yes, I definitely hear the difference. I replaced the tin spade connectors in my La Scala

I would not go so far as to refer to Klipsch as *high resolution*.  🤔