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DIY cables question

Hello,

I first dipped my toe into hifi during covid and being on a budget, I slowly bought used to build up my system including a decision to DIY my own speaker cables. I bought 20ft of Mogami 3014 wire along with some gold plated banana plug connectors and while having zero soldering experience gave it a go. To date everything works fine but I’m left questioning whether my potentially "shoddy" soldering work is my weakest link and is holding back my setup. I’ve been flip flopping back and forth on just buying some used name brand speaker cables so I can stop the torment. I guess my main question is, when wires work, is it black or white, meaning they either connect or they dont, or can bad soldering limit the max performance of the cables or furthermore my entire setup?

Aside from my DIY speakers cables everything else is name brand, I use AudioQuest Earth RCAs (TT to Pre) and AQ McKenzie XLRs (Pre to Hegel H360), and a Curious USB cable ( Stream Box S2 Ultra to Denafrips Pontus II)

Thanks in advance.



sc0rpi043
digsmithd
913 posts
 
I made a pair with same wire (3104) using pangea ultra somethings...solid quality connector.
spatialking's avatar
spatialking
610 posts
 
Back during the wild CB craze in which everyone who had a CB radio had to pump their power up to grossly illegal levels.  I was just starting my quest for high end audio back then.   My neighbor across the street was one of the those 1KW+ homebrew transmitters.   Needless to say it bled into my system big time.  I kept working with some of the RF engineers at work, as I worked in military avionics back then.   Eventually, I solved the problem - I found some 16 gauge coax wire with a full shield and I used it for my speaker leads.  The 16g center conductor was for the speaker and the shield was tied to earth, so four pieces of coax did the job for the two speakers. It turns out that the CB transmitter power was bleeding into my power amp via the speaker leads.   Since the amplifier output is also the input via feedback, that is how the RF was getting in.   Once I had the speaker wire shielded, it worked fine.   As for the dude with the illegal transmitter, about 6 months later the FCC descended like a hawk and arrested about 200 illegal CB's in the area.   End of problem.
mrupgrade
23 posts
 

I agree with oldhvyec, I've used Mogami 2477 / 3103 / 3083 with great results

over the years in my Home Theater . I use furez pure copper spades from avoutlet.com (crimmped) and have no need to upgrade.   

digsmithd
913 posts
 

Paul makes a good point...same has happened to me watching solder disappear some were...ohhh duh.Cables still worked and seemed fine but haunted by my lousy soldering i ended up at harbour freight and bought the portable anvil.It is just more stable for my use and as adjustable.Also something to plug connector in to cushion heat is good.I use double female connector.

A friend asked me doing this diy is there a point were your going to be fine even if your not the best solder pro...im still not great but have learned a little more on tips,y tube...all my interconnects test out and sound great...i do wish i had a place instead of my computer desk though to do this.

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