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General HIFI => Cables => Topic started by: audiophool on February 27, 2011, 11:28:50 PM

Title: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: audiophool on February 27, 2011, 11:28:50 PM
Made up a pair of these based on some half-baked Eichmann theory (Keith - not Adolf).
Used 50c Jaycar RCAs - not for cost cutting but on the minimal metal theory (real Eichmann plugs would probably be better)
For the rest, 1 metre of solid core Cat 6 cable, separated the strands and somewhat de-kinked them.
Then braided using 2 strands for earth and one for signal, kept it simple, solid colour wire for signal and 2 x striped ones for earth.  Soldered connections both ends.
Doesn't sound too awful either, very clean, perhaps a little lightweight in the mids.
Total cost < $3
Pic is a bit fuzzy - sound isn't :P

Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: kajak12 on February 28, 2011, 12:59:27 AM
that was my first interconnect that i made exactly the same
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: treblid on March 19, 2011, 10:49:50 AM
Other than ethernet wires, what other types of wires are good for interconnects?
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: audiophool on March 19, 2011, 01:36:14 PM
that was my first interconnect that i made exactly the same

Obviously I have a bit to learn  :-[

I did add to these afterwards - I unsoldered one active wire and slipped a ferrite bead over it and marked the plug to show which end the ferrite was.  Don't know that it made any noticeable difference but thought it might reduce RF pickup.

Treblid, many things have been tried, you can find all sorts of recipes around on the net, Ozmillsy has another idea here.
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: omodo on March 19, 2011, 03:46:08 PM
try thinner wire, 31ga to 35ga enamelled copper (but not the sh!t jaycar sells)

also try leaving one of the ground wires floating at the load end

Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 19, 2012, 11:06:06 PM
I did a three wire IC with two for earth plated like a ponytail with one earth connected only at the source end, seems OK.

Used wire stripped from a $400 Monster HDMI cable, the Monster sounded no better than a good $20 HDMI cable so I'm not sure if the wire is even very good  :(
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: vitavoxdude on January 20, 2012, 01:19:03 AM
Most of us started out making interconnects to discover differences can be found for beer budgets.  It's the start on a long journey into DIY audio that has a way of bringing its own rewards.  There's little out there that can satisfy for such low budgets, that's until you get into the Duelands and silver transformers, then it's big bucks.  Enjoy and ask others here what has worked for them, it could save you wasted energy, time and money in the longer run.
V ;)
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 02:06:17 AM
I just fitted the new Duelunds in my amp, and they are very nice :)
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: Jehuty on January 20, 2012, 02:18:24 AM
Full Duelunds is the standard here data  :D Just kidding.... Enjoy your purchase, they are well worth the price!  :)
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 02:21:52 AM
So a pair of Alexandra's don't get me in the door  :(

 ;)

They are burning in nicely, had to drag the DAC out to make the process faster and easier  :D

Oh, I posted the Chinese to you today.
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: Jehuty on January 20, 2012, 02:24:00 AM
Thanks date, I look forward to listening to the Chinese  :)
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 02:26:07 AM
Meh...they are OK, but after replacing them with these... I'm not sure how I listened to them for a few months  ::)

Edit: I guess I'm being hard on them, they do have a romantic quality about them.
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: Jehuty on January 20, 2012, 03:46:45 AM
Sounds like ex girlfriends in my case....and yes they do have a romantic quality!  ;D
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 04:02:51 AM
The scary thing is, your right.. when I reread my post it could be describing a GF situation  :o

Have I swapped girls for caps?

Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: vitavoxdude on January 20, 2012, 10:37:22 AM
The scary thing is, your right.. when I reread my post it could be describing a GF situation  :o

Have I swapped girls for caps?


Well at least you don't have to go shopping for hours with them and tell them their arse looks lovely in that! :P  And you can drink beer / wine and your favorite munchies without having to use a plate, knife and serviette!
Until you've had bread c/w butter, jam and cream cake is wasted on you.  Why can't there be more women out there who are as passionate about audio as us blokes.  Damn damn and bloody damn. :( :( :(
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 04:39:09 PM
Yeah, the ones that have a passion for the same as us are few and far between , but if you snag one, never let them go!
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: kajak12 on January 20, 2012, 07:16:41 PM
Yeah, the ones that have a passion for the same as us are few and far between , but if you snag one, never let them go!
You got better chances of never let him go :P
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 08:02:11 PM
 :o

 ???

 :-\

Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: kajak12 on January 20, 2012, 08:20:54 PM
:o

 ???

 :-\


What i meant data being married to female your chances are none but for some who are on the other side (not meaning you) its much easier 8)
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 09:18:45 PM
Yeah, I got what you were saying, i was just messing about  :P

The girls that are partial to this stuff are few, and It's a strange thing, likeI was saying to you... It's said that they have better hearing than us guys in general.

But most of them seem to focus on the aesthetics more than anything.

Damn! bought a double LP today and I don't like it, bad mastering SQ  :'(
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: kajak12 on January 20, 2012, 10:58:31 PM


Damn! bought a double LP today and I don't like it, bad mastering SQ  :'(
sell it on sna :P
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on January 20, 2012, 11:25:41 PM
Nah, It's a double pic disc so might keep it and frame them....decorative  ;D
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: ozmillsy on February 04, 2012, 04:23:29 PM
Pic discs often sound inferior to the plain black equivalents.   I have a few pic discs, and they all sound ordinary.
Title: Re: Pauper's DIY interconnect
Post by: data on February 04, 2012, 06:29:05 PM
Took them back to EGG and Rick allowed me to swap, and I added a few bucks and got two nice LPs  8)

Ya' right too, while coloured vinyl can sound good, pic disks are normally very normal, but sometimes down right crap :)