Topic: Just made new low-profile/chopped cables.

[SMsound]

Just finished a new set of cables based on some recent info you all shared here. I spent all summer lugging around full size Canare and Mogami star quad singles & snakes. A couple weeks ago, I saw that Schoeps had started shipping the CMC1-Lemo pre's with a super small cable that would save me a ton of space/weight. I decided to build my own similar XLR cables with some similarly-sized Mogami W3031 cable (2.8mm overall diameter with braided shield) and some chopped XX neutriks with black mica-dyed epoxy. Angled connectors on the mic side; straight on the recorder side (my different recorders would all want different angles to not be in the way...).

PS, if anyone has tips for sealing chopped female XLR's I would love to hear them. I used hot glue to seal inside the silver button before pouring epoxy in, but it took a few tries to accomplish this without making the button hard to push due to hot glue wanting to get inside.

I made 2x  15' cables and 2x  30' cables.  Shown next to a pair of full size Canare star quad 30' cables for comparison. The Pinecil was a godsend when soldering these tiny cables (thanks for the tip Voltronic)

[voltronic]

The Pinecil was a godsend when soldering these tiny cables (thanks for the tip Voltronic)

That was an intentional soldering pun, right? 

Seriously, great work. Are the channel IDs at the cable exits just short pieces of heatshrink?

[SMsound]

Seriously, great work. Are the channel IDs at the cable exits just short pieces of heatshrink?

Thanks---I got the inspiration to make them from watching your threads here (these are my first cable builds).

For the channel ID's I cut 1/8" long rings of Sumitomo Sumitube B2(3X) 9/3mm Flexible Polyolefin 3:1 Heat Shrink Tubing, since it comes in a ton of colors. The 3mm minimum inner diameter means that it won't work on the Mogami 3031W unless there's already a layer of heatshrink on the Mogami (which is fine since I put an inch of heatshrink on where it exits the Neutriks). I thought about using colored epoxy instead for channel ID colors, but I decided on black dyed epoxy because the connector backs are sometimes visible when filming. The hope is that these little color heatshrink rings are small enough that they won't show up on video depending on how I position them.

https://www.performanceaudio.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Sumitomo%20Sumitube%20B2(3X)%209/3mm%20Flexible%20Polyolefin%203:1%20Heat%20Shrink%20Tubing

Since I can't get that color heatshrink with adhesive lining, I added a little bit of hi-heat silicone sealant inside before shrinking it on.

[fireonshakedwnstreet]

Awesome stuff

[voltronic]

For the channel ID's I cut 1/8" long rings of Sumitomo Sumitube B2(3X) 9/3mm Flexible Polyolefin 3:1 Heat Shrink Tubing, since it comes in a ton of colors. The 3mm minimum inner diameter means that it won't work on the Mogami 3031W unless there's already a layer of heatshrink on the Mogami (which is fine since I put an inch of heatshrink on where it exits the Neutriks). I thought about using colored epoxy instead for channel ID colors, but I decided on black dyed epoxy because the connector backs are sometimes visible when filming. The hope is that these little color heatshrink rings are small enough that they won't show up on video depending on how I position them.

https://www.performanceaudio.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Sumitomo%20Sumitube%20B2(3X)%209/3mm%20Flexible%20Polyolefin%203:1%20Heat%20Shrink%20Tubing

Since I can't get that color heatshrink with adhesive lining, I added a little bit of hi-heat silicone sealant inside before shrinking it on.

I've been looking for some good 3:1 shrink - thanks!

You really did a lot of work on those connectors, and it shows. If you're worried about drawing attention on video, maybe for the next one use gray and black for the second pair? I like that combo and have 3D printed caps in those colors from Gotham for the next right-angle XLR cable I make.

[checht]

Anyone used the Cable Techniques connectors or familiar with their cable?
https://www.cabletechniques.com/lopro-xlr-mini-xlr

I like that the exit angle is changable...

Thx

[SMsound]

Anyone used the Cable Techniques connectors or familiar with their cable?
https://www.cabletechniques.com/lopro-xlr-mini-xlr

I like that the exit angle is changable...

Thx

^^ If you dig around the reviews in various retailers, you'll find a bunch of reports of both these Cable Techniques and the Switchcraft low profile XLR's failing. That's why I made my own.

About 2 weeks ago, these new alternatives came out. They are made by SquarePlug, which has made good TRS connectors for a long time but never XLR. They look a lot better to me, but nobody has tried them yet, so no reviews. They are straight plugs not right angle:
https://www.performanceaudio.com/squareplug-spxm-low-profile-true-heavy-duty-3-pin-male-xlr-connector-black.html

https://www.performanceaudio.com/squareplug-spxf-low-profile-true-heavy-duty-3-pin-female-xlr-connector-black.html

I'll probably buy some for my next build. If they are good then it would save the annoyance of working with epoxy.

[voltronic]

^^ If you dig around the reviews in various retailers, you'll find a bunch of reports of both these Cable Techniques and the Switchcraft low profile XLR's failing. That's why I made my own.

That's good to know.

About 2 weeks ago, these new alternatives came out. They are made by SquarePlug, which has made good TRS connectors for a long time but never XLR. They look a lot better to me, but nobody has tried them yet, so no reviews. They are straight plugs not right angle:
https://www.performanceaudio.com/squareplug-spxm-low-profile-true-heavy-duty-3-pin-male-xlr-connector-black.html

https://www.performanceaudio.com/squareplug-spxf-low-profile-true-heavy-duty-3-pin-female-xlr-connector-black.html

I'll probably buy some for my next build. If they are good then it would save the annoyance of working with epoxy.

I saw these when they were released, and I was very interested in them. I really want them to have an adjustable exit right-angle version, though.

Thanks for the purchase link on these! Let us know how they are to work with.

[voltronic]

SMSound - did you ever purchase any of those SquarePlug XLRs? I will have some new cable builds coming soon and I'm wondering what diameters of cables they work well with, how everything fits together, etc.

[SMsound]

SMSound - did you ever purchase any of those SquarePlug XLRs? I will have some new cable builds coming soon and I'm wondering what diameters of cables they work well with, how everything fits together, etc.

Not yet! I've almost pulled the trigger a bunch of times but keep putting off my next build.

Their published specs say they accommodate 4.5 — 6.2 MM cable. I've been loving the 3mm Mogami in the first post of this thread, so that means I'll need a bit of heatshrink where the cable enters the XLR (which I would do anyways).

[sounddguy]

I've been using Canare L-2E5 cable  with Switchcraft AAA3FBLP plugs with out any issues.  I love the weight reductions.