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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: blu666z on January 15, 2004, 02:54:13 AM
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Gonna try my hand at making some XLR cables. Bought 100ft from Giant Squid. Where is the best place to get connectors? I know I want right angles for both male and female but not sure whether to go with Switchcraft or Neutrik.
-Kevin
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Neutrik
i always used markertek. thier site sucks, but just get the part numbers from the archives and you will be able to find your stuff easily
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+T! Making cables is fun! Enjoy!
I just bought some Neutrik right angles just the other day - black ones and some more canare orange cable (day-glo!)...
Terry
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+T! Making cables is fun! Enjoy!
its a good idea to run your completed cables through a cable tester to make sure you done it right
i just got a behringer CT100. cheap buts works well.
chris k
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+T to everybody. How much am I getting myself into w/ right angles for my first project?
-Kevin
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Anybody know why higher end cables almost always have switchcraft xlrs rather than neutrik? I recently bought some kimber kcags ($450/meter) and they came with switchcraft "studio grade" xlrs
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honestly, a lot of the "this is better" or "that is better" with cables, especially in the lower price range is hype. my favorite is the gold hype. gold doesnt make anything better (well unless you are working underwater, but thats a different story). copper does, because of how it oxidizes, silver does too, but not gold.
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Is the silver contacts worth getting if you don't have silver cable?
-Kevin
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Two more q's and I think I'm done.
1. Is there any kind of stress relief in right angles?
2. Is it bad to heat shrink each connection seperately? Thought this might help control the problem I have know of stray strands touching the other connections.
-Kevin
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On Switchcraft vs. Neutrik:
At the risk of just being flame bait, I have to say that I really dislike Switchcraft XLR connectors. (Their others might be great; my experience is with their XLRs.) I've had a number of them come apart or go out of alignment where they're very difficult to insert. The last such problem I had was on a pair of Blue Kiwis... Luckily I had a micro screwdriver set with me to loosen it, plug it in, then tighten it back up.
On the other hand, I've had nothing but amazing experiences with Neutrik. They're really easy to assemble, tough as hell, shaped properly to allow easy use with all kinds of equipment, and I've NEVER had a a problem with one.
On silver/gold/etc:
Buy what you like. Truthfully, gold plated connections aren't going to make enough difference to amount to squat, but if you like them, buy them. Heck, the price difference is only a few bucks!
Personally, I've decided to stop buying black things when they're to be used in dark places. But that's just me. :)
1. Is there any kind of stress relief in right angles?
In Neutrik right angles, they have the same kind of stress relief as the straight cables. There's a plastic mechanism inside the metal housing which exerts force on the cable when you screw on the end cover. The cable has to overcome that force before it places longitudinal stress on the solder joints.
2. Is it bad to heat shrink each connection seperately? Thought this might help control the problem I have know of stray strands touching the other connections.
Maybe someone else has a better idea, but I don't see how you could do that. First off, the wire is something like 22ga., which means there really aren't any "stray strands" from the two (or four, wired together into two) connections. Secondly, there'd be no place to put the heat shrink during the soldering operation. If you used short pieces, you'd shrink it while soldering.
The shield, on the other hand, has to be unbraided and wound into a lead. There it's easy to leave stray strands.
What I usually do is select and cut a, say, 3/4" long piece of heat shrink tubing and slide it onto the cable before attaching the end. Then after I've done all my soldering work, I slide it up to cover the little bit of shield that is always exposed just above the strip joint of the outer covering and shrink it.
As far as right angles vs. straights, it's not that bad. Remember that you can always screw up a few times if you need to. Just be sure to clean up your solder each time.
I'd recommend ordering a few feet more than you need so you can a) practice stripping it a few times, and b) have a little supply in the closet for other projects later. It's so cheap, why not?
Good luck.
Chuck
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Great info! +T. Got extra cable. Don't have a lot of faith in my soldering....never been able to quite figure it out. Don't learn w/o trying though right?
-Kevin
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and have fun with those right angles! i know i did the first time, must have burnt myself 5 times with that damn solder gun before i got both of them soldered. and then one wasnt even good...
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If you've never soldered before, check the Archival Info forum for links to a tutorial or two.
Whether you're using straight or right-angle XLRs, definitely use tape to secure the cable and connector to the table to minimize play. I always find it useful to slide each cable and the shield into their pins so I know I have the lengths correct before soldering.
Try using a toothpick or something similar to unbraid the wire - start near the end of the cable and slide the toothpick from a single point towards the end of the cable. Separate the resulting strands a bit, slide the toothpick a bit farther down the cable, and do it again. Bit by bit you'll unbraid however much shielding you need. And then, as others have noted, twist that sucker into a tight, compact lead and finally trim to the appropriate length.
If you're concerned about loose strands, just make sure you twist the shield thoroughly. And if you're really worried about it - I found shrink wrap in such small lenghts and diameters difficult to work with, and also didn't have any at the time, so I used some "liquid electrical tape" to slather into the connector to insulate the wires/braids from each other.
Oh! And whatever you do, don't place the solder gun down with the tip away from you, accidently rotate it around by nudging the cable with your leg, and then NOT look at it while you pick it up by the tip (which, of course, you think is the handle). YOUCH!!
Edit: Luvean reminded me of this in another thread: tin your wires and shield! This will help ensure a quality solder joint as well as help tame any potentially loose individual strands.
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are you using a soldering gun or a pencil? i own both and i use the gun for quick repairs, especially in the field (always have one in my kit i bring with me for larger scale recordings) but man if im working on my own i love the feel of the pencil in my hand. ive only burned myself with the gun, never the pencil. i love the control of the tip so much better.
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I totally agree that a pencil is easier to deal with here. I have yet to burn myself with mine, though I did finally invest in a nice stand for it ($7) so I don't have to sweat it falling off the little one that came with it. It also has a sponge you can moisten to clean the tip.
Chuck
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yah i got my pencil from Fry's, super cheap with a nice set including stand
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And last but not least. When standing barefoot on the concrete floor, do not touch the tip to see if it's hot. ;D
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I've got a pencil.
-Kevin
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I actually bought a Weller Soldering Iron off ebay for around $50 shipped a while back...makes soldering incredible easy. It is a pencil type with a base that is a cable runs back to...so the electronics are not in the pencil and it is lighter...easy to work with. That and a stand for it...I would recommend it to anyone! You will see the Weller Soldering stations pop up on ebay from time to time!
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I actually bought a Weller Soldering Iron off ebay for around $50 shipped a while back...makes soldering incredible easy. It is a pencil type with a base that is a cable runs back to...so the electronics are not in the pencil and it is lighter...easy to work with. That and a stand for it...I would recommend it to anyone! You will see the Weller Soldering stations pop up on ebay from time to time!
Who gave the idea for that one Nick?
-JB
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Who gave the idea for that one Nick?
-JB
credit where credit is due...idea from Jason!
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honestly, a lot of the "this is better" or "that is better" with cables, especially in the lower price range is hype. my favorite is the gold hype. gold doesnt make anything better (well unless you are working underwater, but thats a different story). copper does, because of how it oxidizes, silver does too, but not gold.
Humidity can cause wierd green funk in some alloys with copper and this causes problems.
Never use a product called "De-Oxit" on cables. When it ages it makes the green funk develop faster.
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weller soldering stations are all over ebay. got one last night.
jt
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If you've never soldered before, check the Archival Info forum for links to a tutorial or two.
I always find it useful to slide each cable and the shield into their pins so I know I have the lengths correct before soldering.
thats what i do too, that def minimizes play ALOT!!!
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Who gave the idea for that one Nick?
-JB
credit where credit is due...idea from Jason!
haha, just bustin your boys. 8)
-JB
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most of this info has been posted here already, but these two links are very helpful.
http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2069 (http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2069)
and
http://www.recordingeq.com/EQ/req0400/cords.htm (http://www.recordingeq.com/EQ/req0400/cords.htm)