Building interconnects

NJPOLKER

It has been awhile since I have done anything to my system so I have decided to build myself a couple sets of interconnects. So far my plan is to speak with Jeff at Sonic Craft and have him help me decide which componets I should use. Then simply order them and construct them. I hope it goes that simple
I am aware I can probably buy complete sets at a reasonable cost but I would like to build them myself. The cost should be around $200. for both sets at a length of one meter. I hope the performance is what I want and that is my only real concern. How far wrong can I go?
As usual if you have any suggestions please let me know.

drumminman

I built two sets of IC's using Chris VenHaus' recipe here: http://www.venhaus1.com/diysilverinterconnects.html

They are very, very good, but you must follow his recipe. When I built mine he did not carry the wire, which he now has. You can source cheaper (but not better) wire and save a little money.

I also built his braided CAT 5 speaker cable, which is labor intensive. It's also quite good.

Disclaimer: No ties to CVH, only a satisfied customer.

heiney9

Make sure to research it and get it right. Usually really good cables have a design (geometry, like twisted pair, etc) and they contain a directional drain and incorporate some sort of shielding. Learn about the dielectric properties of insulation, etc. I would steer clear of silver unless you are familiar with it's brighter sonic signature and like it. Good luck it's sounds like fun. It's different than speaker cables because signal integrity is much more important since the signals you are dealing with are very small.

H9

george daniel

look at the Oyaide PAo2,,you can buy the cable and some Vampire RCA's--be sure if you go this route to get the large Vampires--I'll search for a link.

here

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=cables&n=123178&highlight=eduardoo&search_url=%2Fcgi%2Fsearch.mpl%3F

drumminman

heiney9 wrote: »

Make sure to research it and get it right. Usually really good cables have a design (geometry, like twisted pair, etc) and they contain a directional drain and incorporate some sort of shielding. Learn about the dielectric properties of insulation, etc. I would steer clear of silver unless you are familiar with it's brighter sonic signature and like it. Good luck it's sounds like fun. It's different than speaker cables because signal integrity is much more important since the signals you are dealing with are very small.

H9

Silver can be bright, but it's usually due to construction geometry or materials used. The Finesilvers have extemely low capacitance due to the spiral wound parallel wires that never cross. They also use superior materials such as teflon and ultra pure small gauge silver wire. Hi purity Soft annealed silver is supposed to be even better; the worst silver to use is sterling (too many impurities).

I've found the Finesilvers to very smoothwith great clarity, and have great tonal balance top to bottom, while producing a stunning soundstage. Of course, YMMV.

fbm211

If your not on a budget----Eichmann RCAs.

Face

drumminman wrote: »

Silver can be bright, but it's usually due to construction geometry or materials used. The Finesilvers have extemely low capacitance due to the spiral wound parallel wires that never cross. They also use superior materials such as teflon and ultra pure small gauge silver wire. Hi purity Soft annealed silver is supposed to be even better; the worst silver to use is sterling (too many impurities).

I've found the Finesilvers to very smoothwith great clarity, and have great tonal balance top to bottom, while producing a stunning soundstage. Of course, YMMV.

I agree, not all silver is bright.

fbm211 wrote: »

If your not on a budget----Eichmann RCAs.

They may not be the sturdiest, but are the best sounding termination I've played with.

quadzilla

I'm rather a fan of the cotton insulated 28 ga UPOCC silver from http://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html for ICs. Run 2 conductors (center and return) through a copper braid from http://www.diycable.com/main/default.php?cPath=89_119_132 (1/4"), then through whatever color techflex you like, terminate with some good silver RCAs, and it makes a helluva cable. Not bright, but very detailed with great extension at the top and bottom end. Just make sure you only terminate the shield at the source end, and then mark the cable with some heat shrink. May run a bit over your price if you follow that formula though. But that's basically how I build mine.

Your biggest problem with that budget will be the connectors. 8 good RCA connectors alone will easily blow that budget, and the termination makes a huge difference in how a cable sounds.

fbm211

Right on mike.My revelation ICs and RAL cryo prophecy ICs are more refined and warmer sounding than the air matrix cables I use to have.