Andythiing Posted July 1, 2021 Posted July 1, 2021 Hi - I’ve never really got into cables in any way and have always been a bit of a “flat earther” as eluded to in this video link - I have got some nice cables that have been given to me but after watching this video was motivated to try making my own if costs allow - can anyone advise if I can purchase similar grade materials as used in this video here in Australia and have a go myself? I’m thinking ordering his kit from the us is probably not the most cost effective way to just have a play - I realise it may be aesthetic but I like the look of the thick braided cable with the rope in the centre 3
Andythiing Posted July 2, 2021 Author Posted July 2, 2021 Well I just ordered some of what appears to be the same raw cable from Ali express - 5m delivered was $60. Past experience with Ali is shipping takes a while - I’ll update this thread when it arrives and I have a shot at making my own. 1
nothing1 Posted July 3, 2021 Posted July 3, 2021 i just bought 2 sets of thesehttps://www.ebay.com.au/itm/203165392552?var=503722313922 with spades both ends, going to run 2 cables for each speaker high /low frequencies, it wont be true bi amp set up but my Rotel RB 1582 has duel speaker terminals for left and right it might make some difference to bi-wire which is what i have now. I will add the rope and will cover with some of this https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/333914900848?var=542974661770 i will also get https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/174159010445 and use same braided sheaving on terminated wire parts. i watched a video on Audioquest cables and i was shocked to see even their $5000 speaker cables perform a lot worse in rejecting interference than some cheap cables as far as i am concerned Audioquest need to be taken to court for false advertising, it has become to common for manufactures to make claims that just don't hold up, can any body say class action1 1
andyr Posted July 4, 2021 Posted July 4, 2021 22 hours ago, nothing1 said: i just bought 2 sets of thesehttps://www.ebay.com.au/itm/203165392552?var=503722313922 with spades both ends, going to run 2 cables for each speaker high /low frequencies, it wont be true bi amp set up but my Rotel RB 1582 has dual speaker terminals for left and right it might make some difference to bi-wire which is what i have now. Sorry, n1 - I can't quite understand what you are trying to say. A passive "bi-amp" setup is when: your spkrs have 2 pairs of binding posts. you remove the connectors that come with the spkrs (which enable them to be driven with just one stereo amp) and you use one stereo amp on the tweeters - with its own spkr cables plus one stereo amp on the woofers - with its own spkr cables. This setup is not actually of much benefit - compared to an active "bi-amp" setup, when: your spkrs have 2 pairs of binding posts. you remove the connectors that come with the spkrs (which enable them to be driven with just one stereo amp) you also remove - or bypass - the passive XOs inside the spkrs and use an (external) active XO this active XO drives: one stereo amp for the tweeters - with its own spkr cables plus one stereo amp for the woofers - with its own spkr cables. The link you provides refers to a pair of 'shotgun' spkr cables that enables one stereo amp to have cables to the tweeter pair of terminals plus separate cables to the woofer pair of terminals. Which is commonly referred to as "bi-wiring" - irrespective of whether the stereo amp has single speaker terminals for left and right or dual speaker terminals for left and right. You are still only using 1 amplifier channel on each spkr. Andy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Ok step 1 - buy some cable - went to Ali express and purchased 5m cable - total cost $60 delivered - it just arrived - so under 2 weeks fro ordering - I know nothing about wire but it looks good and bugger it’s heavy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 (edited) I’m thinking I should make the cable as short as practicable? Am I right in assuming cable length matters? can i assume this guy is on the money? https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/speaker-cable-length-differences-do-they-matter Edited July 15, 2021 by andythiing
andyr Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 44 minutes ago, andythiing said: Ok step 1 - buy some cable - went to Ali express and purchased 5m cable - total cost $60 delivered - it just arrived - so under 2 weeks fro ordering - I know nothing about wire but it looks good and bugger it’s heavy 35 minutes ago, andythiing said: I’m thinking I should make the cable as short as practicable? Am I right in assuming cable length matters? The cable in the pic shows, what 24 separate wires - braided? That is going to give you a high capacitance cable - so, yes, make it as short as you're comfortable with (in terms of being able to change spkr positioning). But each separate wire seems to be stranded - which is bizarre! So you don't get the full benefit you normally get from using multiple insulated wires - which is that they are solid-core. Andy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Ok this is not as easy as it looks - or I’m just shite at apply heat shrink 1
andyr Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 14 minutes ago, andythiing said: Ok this is not as easy as it looks - or I’m just shite at applying heat shrink The black stuff in the pic looks like a PET braided shield ... not heatshrink? (All the heatshrink I've ever come across is a smooth-looking tube.) Andy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Andy I tried to get fancy - put some normal (4x) heat shrink on the some braided heat shrink (jaycar sell it) as a cover over that to make it look pretty hmmm not a careeer in this for me
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 This is the stuff https://www.jaycar.com.au/braided-heatshrink-sleeve-30mm-x-1-2m/p/WH5626
ray4410 Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 9 minutes ago, andyr said: The black stuff in the pic looks like a PET braided shield ... not heatshrink? (All the heatshrink I've ever come across is a smooth-looking tube.) Andy yep sure looks like braid to me also,an easy fix,just buy the right size heatshrink,cut the braid off and re do it with the heatshrink,it will look a whole lot better. 1
andyr Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 1 minute ago, andythiing said: This is the stuff https://www.jaycar.com.au/braided-heatshrink-sleeve-30mm-x-1-2m/p/WH5626 Aah, OK - thanks ... have never come across that! Andy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Hopefully I’ll improve - second end half way done - progress pic shows stipped wire - the black rope I fed through the centre of the wire is a special dark arts rope that will impart a warm tone to my cable - it also a some didactic reflective silver braided into the rope that will be a repellent of interference - sourced it through my local mitre 10 for $10
nothing1 Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 The worst part is when you plug them in turn on the stereo and the whole system goes bang, but as long as you where careful that shouldn't happen 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Ok - 2 cables completed - estimate I spent 4-5 hours making them - additional cost for connectors and heat shrink etc about $60 - mostly connectors - if I’d thought to order these from Ali express at the same time it would have been half that at least. im bi wiring off two amps so I can have very short runs as amps are next to speakers ie 1.25m - so 5m of cable will get me 2 pairs @ $60 per pair. I can say at this point the cables work and I haven’t shorted my speakers how do they sound? Hmmmmm!
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Only connected to one set of drivers per speakers at this stage - using existing reasonable quality cable on other drivers 3
andyr Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 1 hour ago, andythiing said: I'm bi wiring off two amps so I can have very short runs as amps are next to speakers ie 1.25m - so 5m of cable will get me 2 pairs @ $60 per pair. OK ... you are "bi wiring off two amps". So these are monoblocs? Andy
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Hi Andy - intergrated amps that can be switched - ie can seperate pre and main - so yes effectively mono blocks I think
andyr Posted July 15, 2021 Posted July 15, 2021 4 minutes ago, andythiing said: Hi Andy - integrated amps that can be switched - ie can seperate pre and main - so yes effectively mono blocks I think Mmmm ... I'm totally confoosed, mate. Why don't you tell us what amps you are actually using. Then we can tell you what you're really doing! Andy 1
Andythiing Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 Yep no worries - 2 x rotel 1312 as my amps and nakamichi ca5 as my pre amp - the Nak pre has 2x out so I’ve got 2 left outs and 2 rights outs going respectively to left and right rotels - this allows me to run 2 speaker cables to each speaker one doing high frequency connection one doing low frequency connection on the speakers (using internal speaker crossover) 2
Recommended Posts