Great deal on inter-connects

[NOSValves]

I read a post by Rivendell61 over in technical questions the other night and he mentioned www.bluejeanscable.com I shot over there and looked over what they offered. They use Belden brand wire model 1505 and 1694A which technically looks good on paper and spec's out the way I prefer, low capacitance and great shielding from noise. So I went ahead and ordered a few sets on Monday night much to my surprise it landed at my door yesterday I thought wow that was fast! Let me tell you these cables are a great deal they use Canare RCA termination which is good quality and far from cheap. The great part is it will fit on vintage gear with just a slight interference (even stacked 4 side by side like many amps have them although some care will be required on these amps). All this for $25 and a $3 option if you want the pair installed into a techflex shield.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Thanks for mentioning this place Mark!

Craig

[Piranha]

Sweet!

[fini]

Those terminations look like they'd work with vintage gear (closely-spaced jacks). True? If so, I'd buy 'em just for that...

[rplace]

In the past I used nothing but Audioquest inner connects but by the time I got the cabling of my dedicated room I was just not ready to dump that much money into all the cables I needed. I now have many, many Blue Jeans cables and could not be happier with them. Very satisfied - quick shipping, great email communication. Have bought from them 3-4 times and would buy again.

[Deang]

Speaking of wire -- Rich you have mail.

[NOSValves]

Those terminations look like they'd work with vintage gear (closely-spaced jacks). True? If so, I'd buy 'em just for that...

Fini,

they work great like I stated above! They do touch each other but there is no problem getting them in place. It's not an issue to have the outer portion of the barrels touching. They are much better Fit then many modern IC's. I installed 4 in side by side it takes care for amps that have there RCA inputs setup that way but it will work. With amps with just two directly together there is no problem they slide in with ease.

Craig

[JeffDurbin]

I'm looking for 7-channel interconnects that are about 1 foot in length and about 1/2 that price at Blue Jeans Cable. I don't want excess cable hanging all over my cabinet.

I found some six inch ones at www.accessories4less.com marked down to something like $3.99 but I don't think they will be long enough because I want to make sure I have enough airflow around my amp (assuming I actually go through with separates - see my other post in home theater.)

[fini]

I guess I need to read the WHOLE post... ;^)

[ScorpsFan]

Thanks for the Blue Jeans info, I'll check them out as I am looking for inexpensive interconnects to re-wire everything into a new cabinet. I've also had good success at Accessories4less and their IXOS cables.

Anyone tried any from here: AVcable?

http://www.avcable.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PPC&Category_Code=RCA_CABLES

Thanks

[Cal Blacksmith]

Bruce R in his book "Audio Reality" describes how to make top quality

interconnects for low bucks. Even how to eliminate the ground loop

problem with some cables. From what I understand, if you are not the

"roll your own" type the blue jeans cables seem to be a good deal.

[scott0527]

Thanks for the Blue Jeans info, I'll check them out as I am looking for inexpensive interconnects to re-wire everything into a new cabinet. I've also had good success at Accessories4less and their IXOS cables.

Anyone tried any from here: AVcable?

http://www.avcable.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PPC&Category_Code=RCA_CABLES

Thanks

I have. They're great. Website takes a little getting used to. I use them for the Switchcraft connectors which will stack side by side on vintage gear better than any other connector I've ever seen. No interference at all. You can get them nickel plated or gold plated, pretty much any length cable you want. I think they use Belden 1800F wire. Blue or black, your choice. A nice 3 foot pair of cables with Switchcraft RCA's probably runs about $30.

I recommend them for high quality, no nonsense, audio and video patch cables.

[NOSValves]

Bruce R in his book "Audio Reality" describes how to make top quality interconnects for low bucks. Even how to eliminate the ground loop problem with some cables. From what I understand, if you are not the "roll your own" type the blue jeans cables seem to be a good deal.

This is not just a good deal. This is an excellent deal. I can make my own with ease and at the price there selling these at it's just not worth building your own IMHO. These cables are just what cables should be pass the signal with as little effect on the sound as possible and excellent shielding to block out any pesky noise! I'm currently adding up the lengths I need to replace all my cables with there fine product. I measure the capacitance and its ridiculously low even whips the snot out of the belden cable Rick (3Dzapper) has been sending so generously too some of us.

Craig

[Erik Mandaville]

Craig:

"These cables are just what cables should be pass the signal with as little effect on the sound as possible and excellent shielding to block out any pesky noise!"

I agree these cables look good for the money, and the terminations look excellent. One of the issues with a conventional coaxial design has to do with the fact that the shield, which is supposed to be responsible for RFI/EMI immunity, MUST be connected at both end of the cable as the ground return. This suggests that, depending on one's system and household electrical environment, there is the possibility that the shield itself may create more problems than it solves. However, if they are working fine for you, I think that's great. I have had instances here where coax (single conductor plus shield/ground) very much added to the noise aspect of the system. The problem was cured immediately with a pair of twinaxial ICs I made, where the shield, being connected at one end only (usually the low impedance side of the circuit) provided active shielding, but was unable to include with the signal the grunge it was keeping out. A very small value capacitor can also be used on the ungrounded side, as well. I've been using two-conductor plus shield cable here because it provides a much quieter background than standard coax. Actually, one pair of cables that has been giving excellent results between the Denon 2900 and Lexicon is the absolute cheapest stuff I found at Radio Shack. This is the cable with the really cheap red and white plastic terminations.

20-something pfd/foot is not as low as it might be, but it's not that high either. Excellent mic cable is available from Parts Express, and I've made several pair of quite long ICs from that in the last couple of months. However, twinax stuff often has higher capacitance values than most coax counterparts, but this cable sounded very good, with no roll-off of HF information that I could detect. If one's preamp has a low output impedance, very long runs should be possible with virtually no signal degradation.

Erik

[Parrot]

Your system would first have to actually have HF response and second you

personally would need the ability to hear it, I would think.

[jt1stcav]

..."Excellent mic cable is available from Parts Express, and I've made several pair of quite long ICs from that in the last couple of months."

Sorry I cannot add anything technical to this discussion, but I am one of the recipients of Erik's grounded interconnects using the Dayton Pro microphone/signal cables (MSC-1), and terminated with quality Neutrik machined brass and nickel plated RCA connectors (NYS352G): http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=092-112.

Erik did a spectacular job in constructing these two pairs of 10' interconnects (used for my new Dayton Audio DLS 10" subwoofer: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-632). Although the sub is positioned much closer to my amp/preamp than I previously anticipated, even with several feet of cable coiled neatly behind the sub, there is absolutely no hum or signal degradation whatsoever. These new ICs replaced my Cardas QuadLink 5-C interconnects between my amp and linestage pre, and to my ears they sound just as good as the $275 meter-length Cardas at a fraction of the cost! To me these home-made ICs are also a great deal on interconnects, equalling (if not surpassing) those high-end megabuck audiophile cables from Cardas, Kimber Kable, et al (pics will be coming soon).

[Z4!]

Your system would first have to actually have HF response and second you personally would need the ability to hear it, I would think.

The "Parrot" is obviously baiting...I'll bet he is a master at it.

[jt1stcav]

Ooohh...good one.[:S]

[Erik Mandaville]

Jim:

Thanks~

It was something I could do for you in return.

Erik

[sfogg]

Another good place for reasonably priced, well built cables is Markertek.

http://markertek.com/

They also sell all the supplies for anyone that wants to try them themselves.

Erik,

I haven't tried them yet but I keep meaning to pick up a pair of the

Neutrik Pro/Fi RCA connectors to try out. Have you ever used them? They

are expensive at around $16 a pair but the neat trick with them is you

can *hot* plug them without causing noise problems like what happens

when you hot plug any normal RCA connection.

For hot plugging you would likely only need them at one end of the

cable and as long as you disconnect that end first/connect that end

last it would be hot pluggable without noise problems.

For those that don't know the reason you can't hot plug RCAs is the hot

disconnects last with the ground disconnecting first. Once the ground

path is broken between the two devices you end up with a very loud

ground loop until the hot connection breaks. When plugging them in hot

connects first before ground and you get the same condition. The

Neutrik Pro/Fi connectors have extending ground connectors on them. It

makes it so hot disconnects first when unplugging them which avoids the

ground loop and on insertion ground makes contact first so again no

ground loop noise.

Granted hot plugging isn't terrible needed but for someone that runs

multiple pre-amps or amps it could come in handy for a set of

interconnects. Ditto with a bench setup so you don't need to keep

turning the equipment on/off when changing connections around.

Shawn

[Marvel]

Although quite opinionated, the Jon Risch

pages give great information on making your own cables, plus a lot of

info on different cable types and part numbers. He suggests the twinax

cable as well. Only problem is the twinax he recommends is $1.80 /ft

from digikey, and that is in a 1000 ft spool. I would have to go into

business to do that.[:'(]

Bruce

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/index.htm