Converting Schoeps KC5 cables to separate KCY and AK I cables

[ero3030]

here is my PFA for the nbox cables.  pretty cool.  all i need is a 2nd m248 and i'm set.   ed

[jbell]

Have you noticed any sonic differences??  Looks sweet

here is my PFA for the nbox cables.  pretty cool.  all i need is a 2nd m248 and i'm set.   ed

[ero3030]

nope, and for 79 bucks who would of ever thought? no one, until jon.  i'm sure there is other products out there doing the same thing/idea,  but not for our application.  very commendable.   ed

[hi and lo]

I ran MK5 > Nbox Cables > PSP2 > R44 last night and it absolutely smokes!

[F.O.Bean]

Checked with Posthorn, Redding, and Vark.  The MK is $296 from you vendor of choice.  Redding only had one in stock and Vark was out of them. 

And thats for a SINGLE MK collette cable to connect to the mkxx caps, correct? Some of this is slightly over my head. But iVE NEVER been too good w tech specs. Just give me the damn gear and I'll pull a smokin tape with it tho So how much would a KCY>PFA cable cost It would go from 5-Pin Male Binder>PFAs>+48v Phantom Preamp, correct?

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Checked with Posthorn, Redding, and Vark.  The MK is $296 from you vendor of choice.  Redding only had one in stock and Vark was out of them. 

And thats for a SINGLE MK collette cable to connect to the mkxx caps, correct? Some of this is slightly over my head. But iVE NEVER been too good w tech specs. Just give me the damn gear and I'll pull a smokin tape with it tho So how much would a KCY>PFA cable cost

Correct, that's aprox $300 for a single channel. $600 for a pair, the PFA is like $80 each. It's not cost effective to build your own active cable, never really has been compared to what Vark does (which is essentially build it for you). The advantage that i see is that you get a balanced connection or a different feature set, not a price break. You already own a KCY, just get a PFA to put behind it if that's something your interested in, and read up on the polarization voltage differences.

What hi/lo is proposing is chopping a set of KC5s into 2 pieces, and put the PFA in the middle and not use the body end, or just having the collettes > cables (not together) > pfas.

[jbell]

Jon told me he can only build a mono 5pin binder PFA because of cabling size.  So getting a KCY PFA from Jon isn't going to happen.

[hi and lo]

Yup. I'd rather have Jon spending his time making preamps than niche cabling solutions. We've got plenty of good cable makers on the board that solving this problem is really quite trivial.

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Jon told me he can only build a mono 5pin binder PFA because of cabling size.  So getting a KCY PFA from Jon isn't going to happen.

well duh, binders are tiny plugs. You don't have to stick the PFA in the binder plug though, just do an adaptor cable that terminates in fullsized XLRs; a female binder > full sized XLR cable and stick the PFA in the XLR barrel. Need a barrel for each due to pin constraints? Have your binder>pfa cable be a Y cable and stick 2 XLR pfas on the end of it. Schoeps cables too thick? Same thing, use thinner cabling for the smaller extension pfa cable. presto, once you do a 1 foot extension cable, you resolve most of the problems.

Yup. I'd rather have Jon spending his time making preamps than niche cabling solutions. We've got plenty of good cable makers on the board that solving this problem is really quite trivial.

Agreed.

If Rob or Ted or Jon can wire a binder>binder cable, I would bet money they could do a Y cable to full sized XLRs, and at that point, you're doing a similar PFA design as what Jon's prescribed for the nbox cables.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Having done a lot of internal work with actives over the years, and being up to my elbows in active projects right now, I am trying to work out how to offer services for some of these more tricky re-cabling jobs and adapter configs, and also bench testing.

[ero3030]

here is the inside of the xlr for my PFA.  same deal on both sides.  alittle board heat shrinked and solider in place

[F.O.Bean]

Ed, so thats all I need to go from my KCY>Your Cable>+48v Phantom Preamp If so, I'm down for one

[hi and lo]

Here are some pictures of the Nbox PFA I just finished customizing. I used a Schoeps KCY/KLY splitter box and Colette cable to make the PFA bulletproof. The Schoeps splitter box provides the perfect amount of pressure via grooves for strain relief on the Colette cable and is completely shielded. The Colette cable is also well shielded and the extra weight and thickness of the cable makes it preferred for long-term use in a crowded gear box. This cable should now be able to last a lifetime of abuse in the field

I'll be making one of these for the KCY PFA variety later this week, along with hopefully a KC PFA. That should put to rest my desire to make a KCY / AKI setup.

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nice photos, did you use a large light box for them or what?

[jbell]

What is the cost to put one of these together??