DIY headphone cables?

[Thomas Lutro]

Hi

I'm thinking about making a new cable for my Sennheiser HD650's (needing a shorter one more than anything else.)

I've found some pretty 2 pin connectors on ebay, and thinking REAN (Neutrik-ish) 3.5mm jack for the amp end.

Though I'm not sure what constitutes a suitable cable. It looks like most people use some form of star quad mic cable? But is there any need for the screen commonly found on these? Or is this just making it stiffer and heavier than necessary? And LCR, does it matter in practice?

I guess a pair of cables held together with a braided sleeve up to the necessary split would be easier than stripping part of the outer sleeve and replacing it with two separate ones?

Would appreciate any tips.

 

[staticV3]

Though I'm not sure what constitutes a suitable cable. It looks like most people use some form of star quad mic cable? But is there any need for the screen commonly found on these?

None at all.

And LCR, does it matter in practice?

Hardly.

I guess a pair of cables held together with a braided sleeve up to the necessary split would be easier than stripping part of the outer sleeve and replacing it with two separate ones?

You can find braided headphone wire on places like AliExpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000108594943.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000007820233.html

Simply remove the braid to where you want the Y-split to be, then twist the loose wires into pairs of two.

Twisted correctly, the pair will be locked together so that even if you let go, the wires will rest in twisted form.

To do this, twist each wire individually CCW, then twist them around each other CW.

You can even get some decorative Y-split pieces made of wood or metal:

 

[Thomas Lutro]

Thanks.

I was actually just thinking of getting sensible gauge individual conductors preferably with pliable insulation. A thought occurred to me when looking for suitable braided sleeves yesterday, and only finding coarse weave and presumably stiff, cheesy plastic ones. Why not just use broad flat boot laces, You can probably even find cotton ones for a nice soft touch. As a ferrule for the split, you'd probably be well served with just a short piece of plastic tube with glue lined shrink over it.

Re. the wire itself, It would probably be just as good to get mic cable by length locally, strip the outer sleeve and screen and use the individual conductors on their own. Quality brands like Klotz, Belden, Canare, van Damme and the others are not expensive at all.