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Anyone else making their own cables?

Over the years I have owned a lot of different brands of very sought after and very expensive cables(interconnections both balanced and single ended and speaker cables). Each time selling and then trying another. I recently have been experimenting with making my own. I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject of design. Also I have been dissecting some old inexpensive ones I had lying around. I am starting with ic's. From my experience and what I have read, when done right balanced is the superior method. What I had not realized is that single ended cables can be balanced as well. In fact Annolog(vinyl) starts out as balanced. This is the way I have chosen to make my cables. Also I have found that grounding at the receiving end and simply connecting the grounds at the sending side works best and in my view is the only real reason for directional cables. I have been using wbt and eichmann ends. I would like to hear from others with knowledge of design, cable types and materials, soldering, end type(brands) and their benefits and covers to improve final appearance. I would also be interested in any other point I have not mentioned or to simply disagree with any assertion I or anyone else makes on this subject. I do realize that cables are the single most controversial subject in this hobby. I am not trying to settle that argument. Just offer another option. It may even prove cheaper to buy a brand cable then make your own. I do not have a degree in engerneering nor am I an electrician or computer genius. Just a long time audiophile. My single ended cables are for vinyl set up(turntable to step up transformer to phono stage). Balanced everywhere else. My system is fully balanced(as earlier described) from end to end. Thanks for informative insights.
128x128pkoegz
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"What I had not realized is that single ended cables can be balanced as well."

Actually, single ended cables can't be balanced, otherwise they would be balanced cables and not single ended. I think you meant to say, cables with xlr connectors aren't always balanced and you need to be careful as to what the internal make up of the cable is before you buy it.
pkoegz's avatar
pkoegz OP
64 posts
 
Zd542, no I ment what I said. Single ended phono cables are balanced. They have two conductors attached to the rca plug. One to the center plug the other to the outside housing. Plus a shield ground wire that is separately attached to the sending and receiving units housings. Some times the ground is connected at only one housing end(my preference the receiving end) and just both cable grounds together at the other end. A standard single end cable has a single conductor to center plug and a shield wire attached to housing of the plug. Some times they have two conductors except one of them meets at the ends with a shield wire which connects both together to the outer housing of the rca plug. This is not balanced. Now both single ended balanced and standard balance cables are only of value if the sending and receiving units are balanced as well. The phono cables I have dissected are all wired this way as well as all the balanced ended connector type cables. Also it is my understanding as this is how the phono cartridge and tonearm are wired. Also well designed balanced phono stages, amps and preamps among other audio electronics are designed this way as well. Sorry for the long and maybe poorly explained description. If someone sees flaws or can articulate it better please do.
raymonda
855 posts
 
The cable that grounds the chassis together is not the same as a balanced cable.

A balanced cable is related to balanced circuit design.
pkoegz's avatar
pkoegz OP
64 posts
 
Did not say that but please explain Raymonda if you have some other way the cable is designed. I only know from what I have seen and read. I am very willing to listen(read) and learn from others. Please explain?
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
01-26-15: Pkoegz
If someone sees flaws or can articulate it better please do.
Here's my take:

Single-ended by definition means the same thing as unbalanced. So a single-ended cable or connection cannot be balanced.

It is possible for a balanced connection to be implemented via RCA connectors, but that is not usually done.

A balanced cable will have two symmetrical conductors, which are often twisted together and are often surrounded by a shield.

A balanced connection, which can also be referred to as a balanced interconnection or a balanced interface, will utilize a balanced cable, and the interface circuits in the connected components will utilize the cable in a manner such that the two conductors have the same impedance between each conductor and ground.

A balanced connection will often, although not always, convey signals on the two conductors that are of essentially the same amplitude but have opposite polarities. On the other hand, if one conductor is provided with a signal and the other is provided with zero volts (i.e., ground), that still constitutes a balanced connection, as long as the two conductors are symmetrical and have equal impedances to ground.

A balanced cable terminated with XLR connectors will have a signal conductor connected between pin 2 of the two connectors, and the other signal conductor connected between pin 3 of the two connectors. The shield will be connected between pin 1 of the the two connectors, and occasionally also to the housing of the connectors.

Some manufacturers use the same wire type for their XLR and RCA cables. In those cases, if RCA connectors are used one conductor will connect the RCA center pins together, and the other conductor will connect the RCA shells/sleeves together. The shield will usually be connected to the RCA shell at just one end. That end should preferably be connected to the component which drives the cable, as Pkoegz indicated (although I think he inadvertently left out the word "not" when he said "I have found that [NOT] grounding at the receiving end and simply connecting the grounds at the sending side works best and in my view is the only real reason for directional cables").

RCA jacks are available in forms which may or may not isolate the shell from the chassis of the component they are mounted on. Well designed modern components usually utilize isolated jacks.

Components utilizing XLR connectors should ideally connect pin 1 to chassis, but in many cases connect it to circuit ground/signal ground instead, resulting in increased susceptibility to ground loop issues or other adverse consequences. See this paper.

Regards,
-- Al
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