DIY Cat5 Speaker Cables

[zach_t]

Getting ready to start some DIY Cat5 Speaker Cables.

I am thinking 15 pairs per speaker cable (3 lengths of Cat5 per cable). I plan on twisting all of them. For example, twisting 2 pairs to get 4 conductor wire, then twisting a pair of 4 conductor to get a 8 conductor, etc. When I am finished, I should have 28 wires twisted together, 14 for "+", 14 for "-". This should be equal to approx. 12-ga wire, correct? Any issues with this twisting pattern? It seems easier then the braids. I will be twisting with a drill.

I will not be able to always twist equal pairs. One the third set of twists I will have 3 sets of 8 and one set of 4. (2) eights will twist together, but then I have to twist an 8 with a 4. Then the 16 (from the 2 eights) with a 12 (from the 8 and 4). Any issues with this?

[gmilitano]

Only issue I can see with this is high capacitance. So make sure your amp can handle that. Post pictures when you are done.

Cheers

[philiparcario]

what is gauge of the wire 30 or 28 or 26?

[daryl]

Getting ready to start some DIY Cat5 Speaker Cables.

I am thinking 15 pairs per speaker cable (3 lengths of Cat5 per cable). I plan on twisting all of them. For example, twisting 2 pairs to get 4 conductor wire, then twisting a pair of 4 conductor to get a 8 conductor, etc. When I am finished, I should have 28 wires twisted together, 14 for "+", 14 for "-". This should be equal to approx. 12-ga wire, correct? Any issues with this twisting pattern? It seems easier then the braids. I will be twisting with a drill.

I will not be able to always twist equal pairs. One the third set of twists I will have 3 sets of 8 and one set of 4. (2) eights will twist together, but then I have to twist an 8 with a 4. Then the 16 (from the 2 eights) with a 12 (from the 8 and 4). Any issues with this?

If you have three lengths of CAT 5 then you will have twelve pairs (CAT 5 contains four pairs), this nets you twenty four total wires (twelve for + and twelve for -) and is equivilant to 13 AWG (24 AWG x 12 = 13 AWG).

Take a look at this one I built from Dayton professional wire.....
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=192678

[billfitzmaurice]

Only issue I can see with this is high capacitance.Higher inductance and resistance as well. IMO, a wasted effort. The entire concept flys in the face of the Superposition Principle. It may not sound any worse than standard wire, but it can't sound any better.

[daryl]

Higher inductance and resistance as well. IMO, a wasted effort. The entire concept flys in the face of the Superposition Principle. It may not sound any worse than standard wire, but it can't sound any better.

No Bill,

Inductance will be lower.

Resistance is what it is for 13 AWG it's always the same or it's not 13 AWG (were talking copper here of course).

[natediggidy]

You want to try something interesting? Go to your local Rat Shack and get a package of Mag Wire.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2036277&cp=&sr=1&origkw=magnet+wire&kw=magnet+wire&parentPage=search

Use two 22-ga strands per speaker (one- pos/one-neg). Some Magnepan owners use this stuff on their planar speakers with very good results and I wonder how it would sound on box speakers with cone drivers. The thinking is that it gives cleaner, more accurate bass.

This experiment will cost all of six bucks. Yeah, yeah, plenty of guys will say it won't work, I'm just interested in hearing from the guys who try it. :cool:

[Deward Hastings]

Resistance is what it is for 13 AWG
10-2C-TTP type CL2P (two conductor, red and black, with white outer wrap, plenum rated), 413 neatly twisted strands, reasonably low resistance . . . I think it was thirty eight cents a foot when I bought it, probably twice that now.

Works real good . . . suggest tinning the ends for better contact . . . far superior to 13 AWG regardless the weave . . . inaudible difference under 250 feet . . . or use a coat hanger . . . or cryogenically treated molten sodium in a stainless steel jacket . . . or if you've smoked too much to stand up then lie down and braid some Cat-5 . . . what else is there to do when you've smoked too much to stand up . . . your ex already thinks you're an idiot, might as well prove it to her . . .

[Andy_G]

You all seem to dismiss the RSI from braiding the wire !! :p

I "think" I noticed a slight difference in the top end response when I changed from QED silver anniversay to 3 braid Cat5e on the array section of Gumby, sort of a slight change in the "brightness" of the music.

[gmilitano]

No Bill,

Inductance will be lower.

Resistance is what it is for 13 AWG it's always the same or it's not 13 AWG (were talking copper here of course).

Yup, inductance should be lower. Resistance will be a function of how many conductors are used.

Capacitance will not affect the frequency response, but too much may cause you amp to become unstable.

[gmilitano]

Use two 22-ga strands per speaker (one- pos/one-neg). Some Magnepan owners use this stuff on their planar speakers with very good results and I wonder how it would sound on box speakers with cone drivers. The thinking is that it gives cleaner, more accurate bass.


That makes for a high resistance cable. Uniform insertion losses are increased and it effectively increases the Q of the driver. This is a common trick for stiff fullrange drivers like Fostex. Results are going to be dependent on the speakers you are driving.

Experimenting like this makes far more sense than blindly dropping hundreds of $ on speaker cables.

[billfitzmaurice]

Yup, inductance should be lower. Resistance will be a function of how many conductors are used.

Capacitance will not affect the frequency response, but too much may cause you amp to become unstable.
When twisted the length of the conductors versus lineal length of the cable is higher, causing an increase in resistance, capacitance and inductance. Not that it matters, as with the lengths of cable involved the difference is miniscule.
There are applications where twisted conductors have benefits. Speaker cables is not one of them. The same applies to using multiple smaller wires versus one larger one. Proponents of CAT-5 and similar nostrands have concluded that 1+1 somehow manages to add up to something other than 2. :confused:
As for using 22 ga magnet wire, copper is copper. So long as the resistance insertion loss remains below 5% of load impedance there's no reason not to use it. Use this link to find out what gauge wire is required for a given run:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-wire-resistance.htm

[daryl]

When twisted the length of the conductors versus lineal length of the cable is higher, causing an increase in resistance, capacitance and inductance. Not that it matters, as with the lengths of cable involved the difference is miniscule.
There are applications where twisted conductors have benefits. Speaker cables is not one of them. The same applies to using multiple smaller wires versus one larger one. Proponents of CAT-5 and similar nostrands have concluded that 1+1 somehow manages to add up to something other than 2. :confused:
As for using 22 ga magnet wire, copper is copper. So long as the resistance insertion loss remains below 5% of load impedance there's no reason not to use it. Use this link to find out what gauge wire is required for a given run:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-wire-resistance.htm

No Bill,

This speakers/electronics thing really isn't your bag.

The twisting in CAT 5 has only a miniscule effect upon length.

The multiple parallel runs while increasing capacitance also divides inductance by the number of parallel runs resulting in DRASTICLY lower inductance.

Stranded wire has less skin effect than solid wire and when you compare stranded vs. solid the stranded will appear to have less inductance due to the reduced skin effect.

Inductance/skin effect are quite prominent at the top of the audio range.

Heres a loop impedance measurement of 21' Sound King staranded speaker wire which is already 0.7 ohm at 20khz.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-4/144711/Wire-1.jpg

[Æ]

Higher inductance and resistance as well. IMO, a wasted effort. The entire concept flys in the face of the Superposition Principle. It may not sound any worse than standard wire, but it can't sound any better.

I agree with you. More hassle than it's worth.
Why not just buy a nice piece of 12 or 14 gauge stranded wire and be done with it? Unless one is on an extremely tight budget or can get lots and lots of network wire for free.

There is a certain panache associated with being able to show off your home made cables regardless how good they do or don't perform.

You might be right about the inductance. But I can't remember if it's self inductance or mutual inductance. One goes up and the other goes down. But I could care less.

Anyway I always keep my loudspeaker cables as short as possible. Less resistance, capacitance and inductance per foot!

[Froste]

Just a note about what you want to do:

If I were doing this I would use 4 cables, 2 shielded, 2 unshielded. Use the shielded for the "+" and the Un for the "-". I have seen problems from mixing + & - within a single Cat5 cable at high volts (> 10). The longer the lenght the greater the chance of problems. Cat5 cable has each pair twisted, with with the 4 pairs twisted together at a specific rate, and is desgin to work a low volts, so using higher voltatage will null the twist interface effect of cat5.

Just a thought.

[djg]

WWZD? (What would Zaph do?) BTW, he just pulled some designs off his site. He is replacing seas system with MCM/ Vifa design!

[terryo]

I've tried all sorts of stuff, and have seen some pretty wild stuff as well.

I know a guy who has been chasing this stuff for several decades and he's told everyone that: "Price is no object in my desire for the best sound, even if it costs $.65!"
He built amp stands for each triamped speaker that allowed him to mount a mono amp directly behind each module and connected them with 2 or 3 inches of 12 AWG wire from Lowe's. He said that this is the best that he's used.

I'd recommend going to Lowe's and buying a "Utilitec" 16 AWG, 40 ft. extension cord (approx. $8.50 ea), cut it to desired length, add termination of your choice and be done with it. You've got 3 wires (red, white and black) so you can play "designer of exotic cables" and pair two wires for positive and one negative or just the opposite, or leave one wire unconnected although you you should get a 9 volt battery holder and incorporate it by wiring the positive end of the battery to the unused, free floating wire.
"Holy Exotic Cables, Batman!"

I use a pair of them myself and they're as good as any I've tried.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[daryl]

Just a note about what you want to do:

If I were doing this I would use 4 cables, 2 shielded, 2 unshielded. Use the shielded for the "+" and the Un for the "-". I have seen problems from mixing + & - within a single Cat5 cable at high volts (> 10). The longer the lenght the greater the chance of problems. Cat5 cable has each pair twisted, with with the 4 pairs twisted together at a specific rate, and is desgin to work a low volts, so using higher voltatage will null the twist interface effect of cat5.

Just a thought.

Not at all,

CAT 5's properties are constant regardless of voltage up until voltage is high enough to puncture the insulation (+/- 80V isn't enough).

It would have to be pretty non-linear for it's characteristics to change with voltage (not the case).

[daryl]

I agree with you. More hassle than it's worth.
Why not just buy a nice piece of 12 or 14 gauge stranded wire and be done with it? Unless one is on an extremely tight budget or can get lots and lots of network wire for free.

Yeah pretty time consuming and unwieldly (wouldn't be my choice).


You might be right about the inductance. But I can't remember if it's self inductance or mutual inductance. One goes up and the other goes down. But I could care less.

Huh?

Not that you care (except that you cared enough to comment) you would not quantize speaker wire inductance in terms of mutual or self inductance.

Using multiple CAT 5 with each pair recieving + and - divides inductance by the number of pairs (inductances in parallel).

Connect 16 pairs and terminate with a 6.25 ohm impedance and you'll have radio frequency bandwidth (not that you need it but high frequency rolloff from inductance wouldn't be a concern as it is with normal speaker wire).

[Æ]

Not that you care, you would not quantize speaker wire inductance in terms of mutual or self inductance.

Using multiple CAT 5 with each pair recieving. . .

"I" before "E" except after "C"

You are absolutely right, I don't care.

My loudspeaker cables are usually in the 6ft. range (or less) so whatever the inductance is, it's quite small. Less than the 21 feet of Sound King cable you tested!

By the way, my loudspeakers are internally wired with 12 gauge Monster XP Compact Precision Stranded High Resolution Speaker Cable with Magnetic Flux Tube and LPE Dielectric. Do you care? Na, na, na.

[gmilitano]

The multiple parallel runs while increasing capacitance also divides inductance by the number of parallel runs resulting in DRASTICLY lower inductance.

Stranded wire has less skin effect than solid wire and when you compare stranded vs. solid the stranded will appear to have less inductance due to the reduced skin effect.

Inductance/skin effect are quite prominent at the top of the audio range.


Bang on. The only thing I would add is that too much inductance will affect speaker cable response (current) and that too much capacitance will affect interconnect cable response.

[Froste]

Daryl,

Sorry to disagree, but I'm speaking from experince not specs, I have been work with computer cable for over 35 years and have seen Cat1-6, used for anything you can think of, from tieing up guards to using it as tree graland, I've dealt with over 1M feet of the stuff. And I have seen problems with running high votlage thru it with + & - in the same cable, also I have seen it work fine. All I'm saying is I would not run + & - thru the same cable if I don't have to.

[daryl]

Daryl,

Sorry to disagree, but I'm speaking from experince not specs, I have been work with computer cable for over 35 years and have seen Cat1-6, used for anything you can think of, from tieing up guards to using it as tree graland, I've dealt with over 1M feet of the stuff. And I have seen problems with running high votlage thru it with + & - in the same cable, also I have seen it work fine. All I'm saying is I would not run + & - thru the same cable if I don't have to.

Hi Froste,

What you are suggesting simply isn't possible, wire is linear and it's characteristic will remain stable until you puncture it's insulation.

The voltage rating for CAT 5 is 300 volts RMS (at least from Belden).

[billfitzmaurice]

Skin effect is a very real concern at microwave frequencies. Within the audio bandwidth it's only of importance to those who use it as an advertising tool for selling overpriced wire, and to those who believe the hype.
TV cables with runs measuring in miles manage to operate well into the GHz range without suffering from any of the ailments that the cable mountebanks want you to think plagues us in the measly 20 foot long 20kHz bandwidth runs that we use. But if you can prove otherwise the Amazing Randi will make you rich enough to afford any cables you may want.

[daryl]

Skin effect is a very real concern at microwave frequencies. Within the audio bandwidth it's only of importance to those who use it as an advertising tool for selling overpriced wire, and to those who believe the hype.
TV cables with runs measuring in miles manage to operate well into the GHz range without suffering from any of the ailments that the cable mountebanks want you to think plagues us in the measly 20 foot long 20kHz bandwidth runs that we use. But if you can prove otherwise the Amazing Randi will make you rich enough to afford any cables you may want.

LOL your too much Bill,

For solid core 12 AWG wire impedance is increased by a third at 20khz due to skin effect and only 3% for stranded wire.

Inductance is the major concern being like 6 times greater than DCR for standard speaker wire varieties.

Alternate cable construction methods (just stranded vs. solid gives considerable benefit) can greatly reduce skin effect and inductance at the top of the audio range.

[Sooper]

Somewhat off the beaten path but I feel compelled to interject... shielded cable provides the cleanest path in critical low level digital circuits. The quality of the cable and length are directly proportional to distributed (X/C and X/L) constants. I don't see much cause for concern in the distances used in one's living room, but I'd surely be interested in whatever gains a shielded high quality speaker cable might yield.

I'm curious, has anyone tried Litz wire?

[JRT]

Getting ready to start some DIY Cat5 Speaker Cables.

I am thinking 15 pairs per speaker cable (3 lengths of Cat5 per cable). I plan on twisting all of them. For example, twisting 2 pairs to get 4 conductor wire, then twisting a pair of 4 conductor to get a 8 conductor, etc. When I am finished, I should have 28 wires twisted together, 14 for "+", 14 for "-". This should be equal to approx. 12-ga wire, correct? Any issues with this twisting pattern? It seems easier then the braids. I will be twisting with a drill.

I will not be able to always twist equal pairs. One the third set of twists I will have 3 sets of 8 and one set of 4. (2) eights will twist together, but then I have to twist an 8 with a 4. Then the 16 (from the 2 eights) with a 12 (from the 8 and 4). Any issues with this?

Consider using Canare Starquad 4S8 loudspeaker cable, one cable per amplified channel. You should be able to find it for around $0.50-$0.55 per foot plus shipping.

http://www.canare.com/files/Page%2041%20canare_catalog12_web.pdf

[billfitzmaurice]

Somewhat off the beaten path but I feel compelled to interject... shielded cable provides the cleanest path in critical low level digital circuits.

I'm curious, has anyone tried Litz wire?Shielding is used in interconnects to minimize noise pickup. It does so at the cost of higher capacitance, but as the loads are high impedance capacitance isn't that much of a concern. Driving the low impedance load of a speaker capacitance is a concern, while noise pickup in the cable is not, so shielded cables aren't beneficial for speakers.

[tombond]

I can't add anything to the technical discussion here as I'm certainly not qualified. However I do have an observation. If I take the T/S parameters of a speaker using my WT3, and I use cat5 in between the tester and the speaker it does alter the T/S parameters.

[Sooper]

I'm in the same boat as you Tom, learning more stuff every day. Yep I guess shielding the speaker wire falls into the bad idea category. But Litz wire might make sense in relation to the skin effect / proximity effect concerns?

[daryl]

Shielding is used in interconnects to minimize noise pickup. It does so at the cost of higher capacitance, but as the loads are high impedance capacitance isn't that much of a concern. Driving the low impedance load of a speaker capacitance is a concern, while noise pickup in the cable is not, so shielded cables aren't beneficial for speakers.

Again Bill you are commenting where you shouldn't.

In unbalanced connections the shield is necessary as the return path for the signal.

It doesn't add more capacitance because the interconnect won't work without the shield.

In balanced connections the added capacitance from the shield isn't a big deal so long as the cable is fed with a balanced signal.

The high impedance environment in line level interconnects means capacitance is the BIGGEST concern as it places a heavy load on outputs which aren't designed for low impedance.

In speaker wires the environment is very low impedance and capacitance is NOT a concern (except where it threatens amplifier stability).

Shielding is not used in speaker wire not because it "adds capacitance" (LOL) but because the signal level is so high that interference isn't signifigant.

BTW shielded speaker wire is readily available but not as popular as unshielded.

[billfitzmaurice]

I can't add anything to the technical discussion here as I'm certainly not qualified. However I do have an observation. If I take the T/S parameters of a speaker using my WT3, and I use cat5 in between the tester and the speaker it does alter the T/S parameters.
That's because the cable will add its own DCR, Le and capacitance to that of the voice coil, and when you change one parameter you change them all. But this applies to all cables, so to minimize the effect use as short a cable as possible when taking measurements.

But Litz wire might make sense in relation to the skin effect / proximity effect concerns? It might in applications where skin effect has some bearing, such as where it was first quantified, in the cabling to microwave transmission and radar antennas.

[Æ]

Again Bill your commenting where you shouldn't.

In unbalanced connections the shield is necessary as the return path for the signal.

It doesn't add more capacitance because the interconnect won't work without the shield.

In balanced connections the added capacitance from the shield isn't a big deal so long as the cable is fed with a balanced signal.

YOUR?
Don't you mean you're, as in you are?

All my interconnects have a shield, but do not use the shield as a return path and yet they still work! Ha.
My interconnects all have two identical conductors inside a shield.
The shield is only connected electrically to one end of the cable, so it doesn't conduct the signal.

My equipment is unbalanced.

[Deward Hastings]

My interconnects all have two identical conductors inside a shield.
. . .
My equipment is unbalanced.
I've used two identical conductors unbalanced (actually used twisted pairs from Cat-5 cable) for RCA interconnects without problem . . . in some cases the noise rejection is better than single conductor shielded. When is a shield not a shield? When it's a ground conductor . . .

[daryl]

YOUR?
Don't you mean you're, as in you are?


OK I changed it.


All my interconnects have a shield, but do not use the shield as a return path and yet they still work! Ha.
My interconnects all have two identical conductors inside a shield.
The shield is only connected electrically to one end of the cable, so it doesn't conduct the signal.

My equipment is unbalanced.

Yes, if your interconnects have paired conductors and a shield connected at one end only then the '-' conductor is the return path instead of the shield.

I'm sure you understood that I was reffering to standard coaxial interconnects where the shield is absolutely necessary and the capacitance can be below 15pf/ft.

Interconnects that use pairs, one of them acting as the return path and their shield connected at one end only (or sometimes no shield) are more suceptable to ground loop issues.

This is because there must not be a signal between the grounds of interconnected componets as they each reference their own ground to define a signal.

The large diameter, large gauge ground shield of coaxial cable has lower resistance and lower inductance than the '-' wire in a pair and therefore is more effective at shorting the two grounds to the same potential over the distance between the two componets.

That type of interconnect however is SUPERIOR in balanced systems and to feed car audio amplifiers which usually have floating inputs because balanced/floating inputs do not define signals in terms of their own ground.

A low impedance connection between grounds isn't necessary with balanced/floating inputs since ground differentials are rejected and a twisted pair gives the highest noise immunity.

[wg_ski]

That's because the cable will add its own DCR, Le and capacitance to that of the voice coil, and when you change one parameter you change them all. But this applies to all cables, so to minimize the effect use as short a cable as possible when taking measurements.


And if the speaker got moved the speaker between those measurement sets, expect different results. Truly "free air" is difficult to do well. Try measuring something like an EVM12L and you'll see just how sensitive it is to placement, proximity, and noise in the room. Not so bad with a typical 88dB/W 6.5", but it's not compeltely foolproof.



It might in applications where skin effect has some bearing, such as where it was first quantified, in the cabling to microwave transmission and radar antennas.

The problem with all the marketing hype over skin effect is that it's real. Solid #12 wire is not as good a conductor - measurably and audibly - than stranded at 10KHz. It's measureable in high tension transmission lines at 60 Hz where the conductors are several inches in diameter. Just going to a normal stranded wire makes it negliglible at 20 KHz - at least compared to the attenuation due to the inductance. However, the door has been opened for the marketing folks to push way past the point of diminishing returns. And that can of worms is so large I'm not sure a large enough can exists to re-can them.

As far as TV cables, microwave feeds and such are concerned, the cables are impedance-matched, properly balancing the inductance, capacitance, and resistance of the cables. This is the only reason they remain distortion free on long runs. Such matching is not needed on cable runs a very short fraction of a wavelength (like a speaker wire). To do so with speaker wires would require a controlled impedance speaker load (yeah right), and a lot lower inductance and higher capacitance per foot cable than could reasonably be achieved. I'm sure they've tried. I'm sure the prices are ridiculous. And without a controlled load impedance, any benefit would be lost.

[Æ]

I'm shure you understood that I was referring to standard coaxial interconnects where the shield is absolutely necessary and the capacitance can be below 15pf/ft.

I'm sure you don't know how to spell sure.
SHURE is a company.

Since when are interconnects made from Cat5 standard?



The large diameter, large gauge ground shield of coaxial cable has lower resistance and lower inductance than the '-' wire in a pair and therefore is more effective at shorting the two grounds to the same potential over the distance between the two components.

You haven't seen the insides of some of the coaxials I've experienced.
Some cables are so poorly manufactured that the shield hardly even qualifies as such! They may not have lower resistance either.

[daryl]

Hi AE,


I'm sure you don't know how to spell sure.

That's not all! (LOL)


Since when are interconnects made from Cat5 standard?

Wasn't referring to CAT 5 interconnects and I didn't think Bill was either?


You haven't seen the insides of some of the coaxials I've experienced.
Some cables are so poorly manufactured that the shield hardly even qualifies as such! They may not have lower resistance either.

I'm sure (shure?) none of us here would settle for such poor quality wire.

For unbalanced interconnects I would recommend low capacitance guitar cord with heavy shielding.

[billfitzmaurice]

I've used two identical conductors unbalanced (actually used twisted pairs from Cat-5 cable) for RCA interconnects without problem . . . in some cases the noise rejection is better than single conductor shielded. When is a shield not a shield? When it's a ground conductor . . .How much noise pickup you'll get using an unshielded interconnect varies widely with the source and load impedances, the length of the cable and the signal strength. For low output impedance devices feeding high input impedance devices at line levels with short cable runs the HF losses from the higher capacitance of a shielded cable may offset the noise rejection factor enough so that unshielded cables will work better. OTOH try running an unshielded cable where the source impedance is high and the signal level is low into a high gain stage, as in an electric guitar pickup and amp, for example, and the noise will be unbearable. Most consumer electronics fall in between the two extremes, and to err on the safe side shielded interconnects are the norm.

[Æ]

For unbalanced interconnects I would recommend low capacitance guitar cord with heavy shielding.

I used 6mm microphone cable. Made for Radio Shack, not made by Radio Shack! It's a very high quality cable.
I prefer long interconnects over long loudspeaker wires.
Æ

[wingnut]

I prefer long interconnects over long loudspeaker wires.
Æ

Why? I would think that audio interconnects would be much more susceptible to induced noise and signal loss -esp. with long runs - than higher voltage speaker cable.

[billfitzmaurice]

Why? I would think that audio interconnects would be much more susceptible to induced noise and signal loss -esp. with long runs - than higher voltage speaker cable.
I havemy HT sub amp in the same cabinet as my receiver and run a 15 foot speaker cable to minimize any ground looping potential. In pro-sound applications cable insertion loss is much more of a concern than induced noise on line-level send cables, so the amps are usually located as close as possible to the speakers.

[daryl]

I used 6mm microphone cable. Made for Radio Shack, not made by Radio Shack! It's a very high quality cable.
I prefer long interconnects over long loudspeaker wires.
Æ

Hi AE,

With long interconnects you might keep in mind that driving balanced cables with an unbalanced signal (both shield and one center conductor grounded as you described) you are essentially doubling the cables capacitance which can rolloff high frequencies due to the load presented to the source componet.

I said earlier I liked low capacitance, heavy shielded guitar cable (Elixir has with 9pf/ft capacitance).

I was just looking around and I see Bluejeans has a cable (LC-1) with 12.2pf/ft capacitance with a large diameter double braid shield and comes terminated with RCA's.

Looks to me like the Bluejeans cable would be the way to go even though capacitance is a little higher.

[Æ]

With long interconnects you might keep in mind that driving balanced cables with an unbalanced signal (both shield and one center conductor grounded as you described) you are essentially doubling the capacitance of the cable which can rolloff high frequencies due to the load presented to the source component.

Hi Daryl,
Yes, I'm familiar with the concept. I have some articles in my library. And can perform the necessary computations.

I also have an LCR meter and I checked out the capacitance and resistance (impedance at 1 KHz) of my cables. They were (very) good to go. My cables aren't extremely long, just long.
Besides, I can only hear up to maybe 15KHz.
I assure you, I do nothing but excellent work and thoroughly test and inspect all my finished projects.
Thanks
Æ