Interconnects Amp/Preamp and Pre/CD Player, Pre/Tuner Opinions,... Please

[NMR Guy]

Hello All:

I have my own opinions from my limited experience and from what I've read on this site and other internet forums.

Which would be better for a interconnect between a tube amplifier and my tube preamplifier and why? (Digital coax or regular copper RCA)

I have always heard that the interconnect between my preamplifier and a cd, (CD being digital of course) that one should use digital coax. Is this true and why? Does anyone have a converse opinion. Could you tell the difference if you just used regular copper RCA interconnect(s)?

And of course the preamplifier to tuner interconnect. Regular copper RCA or a coax? Could one tell the difference between the two?

Thanks as always,

[Cal Blacksmith]

There is a lot of debate on interconnects but I am in the camp of wire

is wire and if you get reasonable quality cables, you will be just

fine. Some people go nuts with multi-thousand dollar per meter cables

but that is just crazy!

I just use cables at the $20 per each price point as the connectors on

these cables are much better than the $1.99 Rat Shack cables. You will

get other views but this is mine. And no I can't hear the difference,

if I could I would go with whatever sounds better.

[RTTR]

www.bluejeanscable.com

Is what I use, recommended to me by multiple forum members. They are cheap, great quality, and some of the best connectors for the money out there.

[NMR Guy]

Thanks guys, I do appreciate the infofmation on the makers of interconnects. (I too have used BlueJeansCables.

I am talking about using COAX verses regular Copper RCAs between amplifiers and pramplifiers and between preamplifiers and cd players.

Note: As I mentioned I have some Blue Jeans Cables, and if you want the same or better quality at even cheaper prices TRY "Krystal Kable." Do a search and see how you can beat Blue Jeans Prices and get the same or better quality. (In my opinion)

Thanks again,

Comments on my questions?

[NOSValves]

Here are my cables of choice

Mentioned above for the no frills effect but very well built. These will do just what a cable is designed to do. Pass the signal and shield it from outside effects.

www.bluejeanscables.com

If you want your cables to look and feel like a million bucks with audiophile barrels then go here. These will perform the same but look like a million bucks. Careful his standard cable is very stiff if you need flexable order 1505 based cables.

www.zebracables.com

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I'd stick with the Blue Jeans stuff. I

f you know how to solder, GLS makes a high quality RCA for about $2 each on ebay. Then go to your local Guitar Center and ask for Mogami Quad microphone wire (high quality studio stuff, about 65 cents a foot). If you need XLR's try Neutrix. I have made a lot of cables using this stuff.

Chris

[turntable3]

@nmr guy

the distinction between coax and the so-called regular copper interconnects

is the construction of the cable.

coax is single-wire with shield (note: the single-wire normally is copper - in expensive cables silver or not so expensive silverplated) - usable only for single-ended rca-connections - shield is connected to (-) and the signal-wire to (+)

regular copper interconnects consists of 2 wires with one shield surrounding them (materials are the same like the above ones) - this cable you can use with balanced connections if configured for that purpose - but many people use such cable for rca-connections using both internal wires for rca-connector (+/-) with the shield soldered only to the receiving end on (-) only - this in fact gives better shielding against high-frequenzy-radiation

hope this helped

Jack

[gonzp]

I ran into this epay store and I am wondering if anyone has used these cables? They seem to be decent cables fairly priced.

http://stores.ebay.com/JINSANITY-AUDIO-CREATIONS_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

[Mark Hardy]

All things being equal, you'll get better shielding from quality coax (e.g., name-brand RG-58, RG-59, or RG-6) than generic I/C cabling (which is also coax, by the way). The quad-shield stuff mentioned would also be very good in that regard. Noise shielding may or may not be an important factor for you (it generally is for pro/MI applications).

I like, and use, home-made I/C's fashioned from a twisted pair of varnish-insulated, 30-gauge magnet wire (Radio Shack quality, not single-crystal stuff for superconducting magnets or anything of that sort). Terminations are very generic RCA's. These sound very good and provide more than adequate hum/noise rejection for me.

The ONLY problem with such fine cabling is that the I/C's are a bit delicate. If you feel like splurging, jacket the twisted pair in Teflon tubing.

[NOSValves]

Gonz,

The Canare cable is nice stuff but usually slightly hi in the capacitance per foot compared to the belden based IC's. So some HF roll off will be the result but hey that very well could be a good thing depending on your system as a whole. Nothing earth shattering though. I used Canare GS6 guitar cable for home brew inter-connects for a few years. In fact I still have a bunch. Not sure what actual cable this seller is using in the Canare line so bear that in mind. I wouldn't hesitate to give them a try very good pricing for sure.

Craig

[Corvette6769]

I recently paid $25.00 for a 500-foot reel of Siamese RG6 75-ohm coaxial cable with dual 18 AWG Solid Copper Center Conductors, 100% Bonded Foil shielding and 95% Braid shielding Swept-tested to 3.0GHz, to make my longer patch cables.

Now I need at least twenty 75 ohm RCA Plug connectors (like the Canare RCAP-C53), but am having trouble finding an inexpensive source for the connectors.

So far I see $2.50 each connector + shipping + the cost of a special crimp tool and die set if the three RG6 crimpers I already own are different.

Anyone know of suitable alternatives for terminating RG6 coaxial cable with RCA fittings that are more economical?

[NOSValves]

Yup its cheaper to just buy them predone for you!

[Corvette6769]

Yup its cheaper to just buy them predone for you!

Even 100-foot and longer patch cables?

So far I am in at 2.5 cents/foot (per channel).

[NMR Guy]

Yup its cheaper to just buy them predone for you!

I do agree. As I've mentioned I have constructed all of my power cords that are IEC and have on one occasion tested them in a local high end HiFi shop aganist $900.00 power cords connected to their $4000. each mono bolcks and on their very pricey Mark Levinson preamplifier,...no one in the shop could tell the difference. (They no longer smile behind my back when I come in to pick up a small part I do not wish to order from parts express)

I have constructed a couple of pair of interconnects from a receipe I found via the net,...and have concluded they are too much of a pain in the rear end to make myself. I currently have Blue Jeans cables in most of my HiFi systems.

With a "New" HiFi I am about to bring on line in my study I would like to try somehting in the way of either a pure silver or hyperlitz design between my amplifier and my preamplifier. I would like to know if I can hear the difference,....without breaking my piggy bank!

I'll keep looking. If anyone out there has a pair of pure silver interconnects of something in the way of a hyperlitz design that they wish to sell or trade for I would be interested.

As always thanks for the replys and insight.