Making my own Cables

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trader941

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Ok, i'm not a super noob, but i have a nooby question.

Up until this point i have been buying cables, which kind of sucks, because they are expensive :). I have heard a lot around here about building your own cables, and I had two questions.

1.) What are the best connectors (Neutrik?) to use, and what is the best cabling? I would like nice cables, even if i have to pay a little bit (i'm just not buying mogami for $100 a pop)
2.) how do i put them together exactily.

Thanks :)
 
trader941 said:
Ok, i'm not a super noob, but i have a nooby question.

Up until this point i have been buying cables, which kind of sucks, because they are expensive :). I have heard a lot around here about building your own cables, and I had two questions.

1.) What are the best connectors (Neutrik?) to use, and what is the best cabling? I would like nice cables, even if i have to pay a little bit (i'm just not buying mogami for $100 a pop)
2.) how do i put them together exactily.

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Here's a pretty good tutorial to get you started

http://www.tubedepot.com/cable.html
 
Mic cables? Instrument cables? Balanced TRS cables? Unbalanced stereo TRS cables? RCA cables? What kind of cables are you making?

But first things first, you'll need a good soldering station. The 15 watt cheapies from Radio Shack wont cut it. Soldering "guns" are no good because even though they have a high wattage rating they have a hard time getting up to an appropriate temperature, so you have to sit and wait while holding the trigger for it to heat up ever single time you want to make a soldering joint.

Weller makes a good entry-level 40 watt soldering station for the hobbyist called the WCL100. Under $50 I believe but don't quote me on that.
 
I have a few guitars, the cables aren't cheap either, especially when you've got a whole studio to run cables through.

I have to make XLR, TRS (aren't they balanced by definition, ring being ground), and TS.

I've got some work on my hands if i decide to make all those cables lol.
 
I've use Neutrik, Switchcraft and Canare parts to make cables.

Sometimes Neutrik 1/4" plugs are too fat to go side by side on certain gear, but I like their 1/4" and XLR's the best. The Canare 1/8" and RCA plugs are the best. I usually get the gold ends.

I get my cable and parts from Markertek. The cable is cheap (relatively) in bulk. I mostly use Mogami 2792 wire which has a braided shield and a red and clear wire. I've used it for 20 years and the cables I made 20 years ago still work!

I primarily use a Weller 100/140W gun to solder. I've been using it for 40 years and it always works - heats up in maybe 8 seconds, cost maybe $25. I would insist on that particular gun 'cause I'm used to it, but you could use this and it works well too:
http://cgi.ebay.com/25-WATT-WELLER-...aultDomain_0?hash=item2557b861f2#ht_931wt_909
You could solder your whole studio with that.

I use balanced (stereo) wire for everything including unbalanced applications. I use a method where the braided ground is only attached on one end, and I believe that this, as well as the Mogami using conductive plastic shield on the red and clear wires, gives you way, way better shielding than the regular method.

It's hard to explain the method I'm talking about, I'll try and take some pics and post some pics in the next few days. We were just talking about this here:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=293879
 
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You can make very high quality cables with

Mogami Star Quad Audio Cables
Neutrick and/or Switchcraft Connectors

You can buy these in bulk from the aforementioned Markertek.

I buy lots of different colored 50 segments of the Mogami cable. Then, troubleshooting multi-wire setups is so much easier.
 
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