Making my own XLR cables

[quantum1]

I'm looking into making my own XLR cables. What would I be looking for when buying the bulk cable? I mean, cable characteristics such as shielding, the type of material, etc.

Could you recommend some places to get decent quality cable. I live in Canada. Or maybe some websites that sell it.

Also what should I be looking for in connectors?

Thanks

 

[ssscientist]

Good connectors, like Neutrik or similar, are important.

The actual cable is not.

I go to my local home store and buy lawn mower extension cord which is MUCH cheaper than and audio oriented brand you'll find on the internet. I usually go for the thinnest one they have because I want some flexibility iin the cable. Then I cut both ends off, attach a male xlr to one end and a female to the other and prrrrresto, I have a brand new mic cable. Doing it this way lets me buy the next grade up in Neutrik connectors.


.

 

[blazingstrings]

ssscientist! I hope your joking!


quantum1,
If you can find a supply house for guys who install network and home audio stuff generaly they will sell mic cable in bulk.
I think 22-2 is what your looking for, thats two conductor with a ground and preferably with a shield. SHould look like three wires inside plus foil or braided copper outside.

Nuetrik are my favorite because of years of use with little issues.
Solid and better looking too!

Are you any good at soldering? Do you have a ohm meter? Have you strpped cables before?

All good things to know and own.

Later

-Blaze

 

[dgatwood]

I go to my local home store and buy lawn mower extension cord which is MUCH cheaper than and audio oriented brand you'll find on the internet. I usually go for the thinnest one they have because I want some flexibility iin the cable. Then I cut both ends off, attach a male xlr to one end and a female to the other and prrrrresto, I have a brand new mic cable. Doing it this way lets me buy the next grade up in Neutrik connectors.

Smartass....

 

[petermiller]

If you need any materials I can supply them for you if you need , always use neutrik connectors and belden, canare, or mogami cable. If you do they will last. Be ware though the price of copper is going through the roof of late, pricing is changing almost daily.

 

[MadAudio]

+1 on Neutrik, though Switchcraft are pretty good, too.

 

[petermiller]

oh yeah by the way, if you use the cheap cable , the two conductors will have their normal jacketing as well as a semiconductor jacketing to aid in the continuity of the shielding. This can be problematic in that you have to remove that portion of the semiconductor that is exposed under the shielding, if not you will have failure in the connection as it touches either pins 2 or 3. And most importantly it just takes more time to do (another step)

 

[jaykeMURD]

Not to hijack quantum1's thread, but I'm looking into this myself.

Since I'm "stepping up" some of my signal chain, I want to make sure my cables are up to par. I'm definatley gonna make my own.....mostly XLR, possibly some 1/4 TRS and/or TS interconnects.

What I want to know is WHERE can I buy bulk audio cable; quality cable that is!

Canare, Mogami, etc. I wouldn't really want over 100ft. I know where to get Neutrik or Switchcraft connectors (EvilBay), just can't seem to find anywhere that sells what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

 

[MadAudio]

You're also going to need some kind of continuity tester, whether it's a multimeter or a cable tester. You'll want to be absolutley sure you don't have any shorts at all.

 

[chestwick91]

i wanted to do this myself then found pulsar tech. net to be honest man you can get some really good cables for like 4 bucks and the connections arnt the best but i have bought like 10 from there and there great if you are careful with the connections...and if one breaks your out four dollars
i like um

 

[ssscientist]

No, I'm not joking and I had no idea this would bring so many nay sayers out of the woodwork.

I've been using cables made this way very sucessfully for a decade or more.

Why does this not make sense?

Why do you want to spend more money than you need to?

It baffles me that there's even a discussion about this...

.

 

[blazingstrings]

No, I'm not joking and I had no idea this would bring so many nay sayers out of the woodwork.

I've been using cables made this way very sucessfully for a decade or more.

Why does this not make sense?

Why do you want to spend more money than you need to?

It baffles me that there's even a discussion about this...

.

Dude! Now hes just making me giggle!

-Blaze

 

[ssscientist]

Dude! Now hes just making me giggle!

Please don't call me Dude.

And who's making you giggle?

It can't be me.

Run my little plan past any experienced studio or live engineer and see what they say before you start laughing again...

I make these cables carefully being sure to use a continuity checker, clean off all superfluous sheilding and then press my well honed soldering skills into use. If you want me to make you one just to see how it works for you, PM me and give me a few weeks to get it to you.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Run my little plan past any experienced studio or live engineer and see what they say before you start laughing again...

Dude, you got me laughing now. Zip cord is cool for speaker cables but I can't even say it doesn't sound good because in 20 years of doing audio work I've never seen an extension cord mic cable, lol. Do you have any audio clips?

Just out of curiosity how do you get 3 wires out of a 2 wire extension cord?

 

[blazingstrings]

Uh oh you have been called "Dude" ssscientist....... Oh my what an insult. How shall you settle this injustice lash at him with an extension cord?

And your making me chuckle even more now.

I'll pass on the cable since I am very happy with the quality ones I have made myself thanks. Mogami mic cables tends to trump "Hardware hank" cables in my book.


OH! and I did ask a studio engineer with 30 years of experiance about your special little cables.
He asked me were he can buy the drugs your on, cause it sounds like good stuff.

Oye!

-Blaze

 

[ssscientist]

Just out of curiosity how do you get 3 wires out of a 2 wire extension cord?

Reread my original post.

I use lawnmower extenstion cords.

Not 'zip cords'.

The ones I use have 3 wires.

They are 3 wire extension cords.

One for hot.

One for cold.

And one for ground.

And your making me chuckle even more now.

Glad I can be of service. One more closed mind to add to the list.

.

 

[RAK]

For bulk cable, I recommend Gepco. Neutrik is probably the biggest name in audio connectors I mean those XLR/1/4" combo jacks are sometimes known as Neutrik connectors), but obviously not the only one.

www.gepco.com

 

[blazingstrings]

Glad I can be of service. One more closed mind to add to the list.

.

Uh yeah thats me "Mr. closed minded"...........
I am actualy quite the oposite sir, Its not that I dont think your cable would work but when it comes to high or low quality or pricey or cheap I just cant find a good reason to buy and extention cord to make a cable when I can buy a product thats intended for this specific use at a good price as it is...............

Hey I get flack for saying I own a $150 10ft Two-Rock "Crystal Clear" guitar cable, and that I feel it is a higher quality cable.
Folks have said "dude your nutts"...... Oh well!

No offense but hey, I would rather spend 25 cents a foot on some "Mic cable" becuase I know what I am getting.

-Blaze

 

[Nick98338]

Take a look at www.markertek.com

 

[Minion]

Reread my original post.

I use lawnmower extenstion cords.

Not 'zip cords'.

The ones I use have 3 wires.

They are 3 wire extension cords.

One for hot.

One for cold.

And one for ground.



Glad I can be of service. One more closed mind to add to the list.

.

Actually I have done the Same thing and the Cables work perfectly well....

I actually don"t use extention cord wire but I use a 3 conductor 22 gauge cable that I buy in bulk at the Hardware store for about 0.30c a Foot....It is a Bit stiffer than regular Cables but it is also a lot tougher and so much cheaper than buying the stuff that is specificly made for Patch cables and they work just as well.....


Cheers