19 replies to this topic

[Dylby1]

Hey guys,
I'm looking to make my own RCA cables for my sound system.

There's a few reasons
- i can make custom lengths
- something to do in my spare time
- I can learn something new while I'm between build stages

I'm not fussed if I don't save any money, I'm mostly doing it for the experience.

My main question, is what cable should I use?
I've seen some people use mic cable, some use coax and some use twisted pair, but can't find much on why they use each of those. the cable needs to be pretty flexible.

I'll be grabbing some RCA ends soon

Hoping for something around the same league as my stinger dream/hpm2 rca cables

[Dylby1]

Also how powerful should my soldering iron be for this?

I dont want it cracking but dont wanna overdo it either

[Rory_newton]

Very interested in this!

[Captn_Awesome]

gas or electric iron? Id suggest an electric iron for work like this where it can be done on a work bench.

BigV was making them (not sure if he still does) might be worth looking up what he used...?

I've made RCAs in the past just because I had parts laying about. Its pretty easy though buying is easier again.
IMO provided you have a decent RCA most of the time its route from source to amps is more important than the cable. my 2c

Edited by Captn_Awesome, 13 June 2012 - 03:43 PM.

[Dylby1]

I've got a little butane one, but i've been planning to get an electric one that i can just plug into the wall instead.
I dont reckon the little is much good for more than soldering 2 wires together.

Yeah i've seen a few things around that mentioned Big V's cables, I'll send a message his way just to suss it out

I was basically thinking of getting 4 core shielded cable, then I can do it as 2 channel cable instead of having 8 seperate cables coming from the processor.

I can cover it in techflex or something easy enough to pretty it up if i feel it needs it.

They're only going from the processor to the 3 amps, so in theory there shouldnt be much to interfere with them.
Ill be keeping them away from any power cables as much as i possibly can

[syd-monster]

20 to 35watt iron with a fine tip
60/40 fluxed solder (dont use crap, get decent new on a roll)
Get a 3rd hand stand
Also twisted pair cable is best and most straight forward.
Practice soldering on scrap first.
YouTube soldering videos.

[Dylby1]

20 to 35watt iron with a fine tip
Easy thanks
60/40 fluxed solder (dont use crap, get decent new on a roll)
That was gunna be my next question, so thanks again
Get a 3rd hand stand
Got one somewhere
Also twisted pair cable is best and most straight forward.
Ok, will keep an eye out for some, i found something called "Canare" which looked like it'd be easy enough to work with and looks good
Practice soldering on scrap first.
I've got basic soldering experience, but nothing major
YouTube soldering videos.
Have watched a couple today

[TMM]

I use a 50watt temperature controlled iron, at about 360ºC, which is probably overkill. I like a medium sized conical tip, even for small PCB work because i find fine tips just don't carry enough heat, ymmv.

I just use Jaycar WB1506 and some ebay plugs (got about 30 for <$1 each). The smaller audio cable split off from WB1554 can be used for multiple sets of plugs on the same cable where you need two cables going to the 1 RCA plug. Looks good enough for me:



Cat5 network cable also works well if you aren't worried about looks, and you can carry 4 channels per cable (4 twisted pairs). Get the stranded type as solid core is a bitch to work with.

Edited by TMM, 14 June 2012 - 07:45 AM.

[Captn_Awesome]

Cat5 network cable also works well if you aren't worried about looks, and you can carry 4 channels per cable (4 twisted pairs). Get the stranded type as solid core is a bitch to work with.

Cat 5 cable works brilliantly. As said the strand type is easier to work with though I have seen it argued that the solid type is better signal wise. I dont think too many people would notice and its probably just theoretical physicists that make these claims

[Dylby1]

I'm not madly fussed about looks, but if possible i'd like to have it silver with a clear shield (similar to my other cables)

I was thinking of getting some 5m RCA cables and cutting them down to the length I need then putting my own ends on them. If i do that I can make some that look kinda like a hybrid stinger HPM2/Bullet RCA.

IE this (just an example):
 RCAconnectors.jpg   186.34K   0 downloads

And this:
 rcacable.JPG   6.92K   0 downloads

My mate has some RCA's i can get cheap off him and i can get the ends pretty cheap so that's why I was thinking of going that way.

I'd only be able to use the 4 channel for 1 short length so it'd be a bit pointless buying anything to do that, i might aswell just make four 2 channel cables instead

[TMM]

Nothing wrong with doing that, should work out nicely.

[Dylby1]

Nothing wrong with doing that, should work out nicely.

Sweet, i figured its gunna be cheaper and a bit easier, plus i might be able to make use of the extra ends that are on the cables for a different job too

[syd-monster]

Canare is hi-end cable, top $$ + top brand name.

I don't recommend data cable either cat5, cat5e, 6 or 7, or any of these data cables.
Seems really good at first, hell I used cat6 mill speced Belden (those of you who know, know Belden) stranded and eventually it just let me down. The strands are too few and too weak and they insulation can't take the heat cycles cars dish out on them. Don't get me wrong, worked well for 3 to 4 other customers cars, for the first 2 yeas or so, after that started to breakdown.

Edited by syd-monster, 15 June 2012 - 12:33 AM.

[Dylby1]

Canare is hi-end cable, top $$ + top brand name.

That's the general impression i got of it

I can get a 50' roll of it for around $50 shipped (the 4 core stuff)

If i find it something i like doing (i usually love little fiddly jobs like this) i'll soon find use for the left over.

What i like about the canare is the braided shield instead of it just being strands wrapped around everything, and from what i can find its pretty flexible.

If i want to pretty it up i can get techflex pretty cheap to put on it so thats not a hassle either,

Its probably easier to work on than buying RCAs to modify too

Edited by Dylby1, 15 June 2012 - 12:58 AM.

[Hez]

I'd stick with 2core wire (3 if you include a ground, or 5 core with 2 wires for each + & -), wouldn't be putting multi channels in the same cable unless you REALLY want to save space, sure it's easier but with interference from cable next to cable plus it's much easier to damage the cable within. I also heavily believe in when it comes to signal cables, the thicker the better, hell my RCA's I'm going to be making will be using 2core 10g (end result will be about the same size as a RCA head), and won't be joined, so I'll have 6 RCA's running down, 1 for each channel (yes overkill?)

As for techflex, I've got a mate over in the states that ships it over for me, as AUS distributors charge a fortune for it. So let me know if you need some, will probably be ordering another batch soon anyway.

[Dylby1]

I'd stick with 2core wire (3 if you include a ground, or 5 core with 2 wires for each + & -), wouldn't be putting multi channels in the same cable unless you REALLY want to save space, sure it's easier but with interference from cable next to cable plus it's much easier to damage the cable within. I also heavily believe in when it comes to signal cables, the thicker the better, hell my RCA's I'm going to be making will be using 2core 10g (end result will be about the same size as a RCA head), and won't be joined, so I'll have 6 RCA's running down, 1 for each channel (yes overkill?)

As for techflex, I've got a mate over in the states that ships it over for me, as AUS distributors charge a fortune for it. So let me know if you need some, will probably be ordering another batch soon anyway.

My plan with the canare is to use both blue poor neg and both white for pos (or vise-versa) on one able, so each one will be twice as thick as 21 AWG. Whatever that is lol

I had decided to do single cables again, not sure if I mentioned it at all, so I'll have 8 single ones running around from processor to amps. Along with the 3 pairs running from the source to it haha. I think ones as big as yours would be overkill for me lol.

I've got a heap of tech flex coming off eBay for my power wires, not sure if I'll even need it. I'll probably use it just to protect it. I might be making a dress panel to cover the wiring but dunno yet.

[Captn_Awesome]

The strands are too few and too weak and they insulation can't take the heat cycles cars dish out on them. Don't get me wrong, worked well for 3 to 4 other customers cars, for the first 2 yeas or so, after that started to breakdown.

Thats interesting! I've not used it in a car so I can't further your findings but it is interesting as I know several guys using it in home environments and one mate using it in a studio (though he is a mad scientist). You are right about it being very fine and the end s become brittle with the strandard type as it wicks up the solder.

[Hez]

Dylby: Rather overkill than underkill xD

[Dylby1]

Very fair point Hez.

I've ordered some Canare L-4E6S and some Black Rhodium rca ends. I've got the heatshrink i need.

I'll buy some solder once it turns up and then i can get to work haha.

[TMM]

wouldn't be putting multi channels in the same cable unless you REALLY want to save space, sure it's easier but with interference from cable next to cable

Twisted pair doesn't suffer from much crosstalk as both wires are subject to the same interference, and since the audio signal is the differential of the two wires, it effectively eliminates that. Network cable is rated for 350Mhz, so using it for <20Khz audio is no problem at all, even over very very long runs.