Good quality RCA > XLR cables

[Linus]

Cool. Just ordered a bunch of stuff from them so I can build 3 cables. Also needed the XLR sockets for my amp build, so that worked out that they carry those as well.

Cool! Let is know how it goes. Don’t forget the bright colour sleeves, that’s how people know they were expensive.

 

[starfly]

Cool! Let is know how it goes. Don’t forget the bright colour sleeves, that’s how people know they were expensive.

Ha! My stuff is all black.

 

[Speedskater]

For an RCA to XLR interconnect, any good Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable with a braided shield will do.
The real discussion should be about whether the shield should be connected at the RCA end or not. Some papers or drawing indicate yes while others no.

 

[Chrispy]

Yeah, maybe I should, since I'll also be building my own amp. But then, where can I get good quality wires/cables, that are well shielded?

Ideally with fairy dust so I can hear the angels singing. /s

Several sources.....I'm still working on some Belden I bought to make some along with Neutrik connectors. The fairy dust, just sprinkle your own on....

 

[starfly]

Several sources.....I'm still working on some Belden I bought to make some along with Neutrik connectors. The fairy dust, just sprinkle your own on....

Thanks, I ended up ordering Mogami. They didn't carry any Belden for the type of cable I was looking for at Redco.

 

[Chrispy]

Thanks, I ended up ordering Mogami. They didn't carry any Belden for the type of cable I was looking for at Redco.

What's Redco? Not heard of them....

 

[starfly]

What's Redco? Not heard of them....

https://www.redco.com

If you live in the US, seems like a good place to shop for quality audio related stuff.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

+1 for the DIY option
it’s fun and rewarding.
The soldering iron pays itself on the first pair of cable you make. Mogami et Neutrik for all my cables here.

*cough* (see top link)

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=how+to+so...o+making+your+own+audio+cables&t=brave&ia=web

Regards,
Wayne A.Pflughaupt

 

[DonH56]

Too modest, Wayne...

Direct link to the good stuff: https://www.hometheatershack.com/th...ed-diy-guide-to-making-your-own-cables.13000/

The good thing about Wayne's tutorial IMO is that it not only discusses what to do and use, he discusses what not to do and use. The not part of this stuff is what most of us learn the hard way.

"Experience comes from making lots of mistakes. Wisdom is learning from them. So far, I've got lots of experience." - me

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Too modest, Wayne...

Direct link to the good stuff: https://www.hometheatershack.com/th...ed-diy-guide-to-making-your-own-cables.13000/

The good thing about Wayne's tutorial IMO is that it not only discusses what to do and use, he discusses what not to do and use. The not part of this stuff is what most of us learn the hard way.

"Experience comes from making lots of mistakes. Wisdom is learning from them. So far, I've got lots of experience." - me

Thanks for the kind words, Don. I tried a direct link but when I posted it only opened HT Shack's front page. Either I'm cursed, of you have some kind of voodoo!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

By far I think Grimm TPR and Belden 1804A are much easier to tear apart.

Ain't gonna argue that!

However, the Canare is more supple than Mogami at least (which is also easy to work with). Won't make a difference behind an audio rack, but it sure did for my guitar cables.

The Canare isn't that bad if you use the proper tool to pick the braid apart...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Guddu]

Any opinion on Gotham cables - like Gotham GAC 4/1 Quad cables?

 

[Guddu]

Fine cables. But they are thicker in diameter. It depends on whether you need it to be strong. For rack use I won't bother.

You are right, thicker but still flexible enough.

 

[Guddu]

But it is going to be heavy and somewhat stiff. You will have headache managing it.

its true, and so need a bit longer length as well!!

 

[Blumlein 88]

Ain't gonna argue that!

However, the Canare is more supple than Mogami at least (which is also easy to work with). Won't make a difference behind an audio rack, but it sure did for my guitar cables.

The Canare isn't that bad if you use the proper tool to pick the braid apart...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I don't remember now which Belden I used for some XLR's. It was rather stiff. Not really hard to put ends on, and it was very slender, but when finished it didn't want to bend very easily. Definitely not something you'd want on microphones for that reason. Okay for equipment connections. The Canare suppleness is something I Iike, but Mogami is plenty good as you say.

 

[DonH56]

Belden makes a bunch of different cables, as do Canare and Mogami.

What would be cool is a list/ranking of cables folk have used but that would probably be tough to compile and sort.

The trend towards huge, thick, inflexible cables is ridiculous IMO. Good cables need not be so thick and hard to bend.

 

[Speedskater]

One 2003 Audio Engineering Society paper tested about seventeen cables, but you have to decode the model numbers:

BA - A 0.262" diameter rubber covered portable microphone cable with a braid shield. This cable was Muncy's cable #2. [1]
BDA - A 0.194" diameter 76 ohm twisted-pair braid/drain-shielded portable microphone cable.
BDAM - A 0.138" diameter 60 ohm twisted-pair braid/drain-shielded portable cable.
BD95 - A 0.272" diameter 95 ohm twisted-pair braid/drain-shielded portable cable.
BDD1 - A 0.211" diameter 110 ohm twisted-pair braid/drain-shielded portable cable.
BDD2 - A 0.235" diameter low-loss 110 ohm twisted-pair braid/drain-shielded portable cable.
BDQ - A 0.24" diameter quad-star braid/drain shielded portable microphone cable.
BF - A 0.14" diameter twisted-pair braid/foil shielded cable for fixed installation.
CP A 0.25" diameter portable twisted-pair microphone cable with a conductive carbon plastic shield.
FDA1 - A 0.135" diameter twisted-pair foil/drain shielded cable.
FDA2 - A 0.14" diameter 60 ohm twisted-pair foil/drain-shielded cable.
FDA3 - A 0.138" diameter 45 ohm twisted-pair foil/drain-shielded cable. This cable was Muncy's cable #5. [1]
FDA4 - A 0.132" diameter twisted-pair foil/drain shielded cable.
FDD1 - A 0.143" diameter 110 ohm twisted-pair foil/drain-shielded cable.
FDD2 - A 0.19" diameter low-loss 110 ohm twisted pair foil/drain-shielded cable.
SA - A 0.19" diameter portable microphone cable with three twisted conductors and two served copper
spiral shields wrapped in opposition. This cable was Muncy's cable #1. [1]
SD - A 0.204" diameter 110 ohm twisted-pair cable with two spiral shields wrapped in opposition.

and you have to puzzle out the charts as well.
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/AES-SCIN-ASGWeb.pdf

 

[starfly]

So when making a RCA > XLR cable, is it better to connect pin 1 and 3 at the RCA side (ie, attach both to the RCA shield), or jump them on the XLR side?

 

[DonH56]

Thanks for the kind words, Don. I tried a direct link but when I posted it only opened HT Shack's front page. Either I'm cursed, of you have some kind of voodoo!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

No, maybe I am just less cursed, or maybe it's because I held the PC's power cord threateningly when I copied the link so it behaved... Definitely no voodoo.

 

[Dreyfus]

So when making a RCA > XLR cable, is it better to connect pin 1 and 3 at the RCA side (ie, attach both to the RCA shield), or jump them on the XLR side?

RANE recommends:

RCA Out to XLR In:
2-conductor shielded cable
shield lifted at the RCA and connected to pin 1
common ground from the RCA connected to pin 3

XLR Out to RCA In:
2-conductor shielded cable
shield lifted at the RCA and connected to pin 1, then shorted to pin 3
common ground from the RCA connected to pin 3

Source: https://www.ranecommercial.com/kb_article.php?article=2107

But it probably depends on the circuit of the input.