Cat-5 interconnects?

pploeser
pploeser Posts: 88
edited March 2010 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
I'm catching the audio bug again, partially thanks to the Polk forums, partially thanks to many boring hours at work to daydream. One thing I've never really done much research on until recently is cables - IC's and speaker. I made a couple sets of interconnects a while back with some microphone cable and some basic Neutrik RCA connectors. I think my iron was overkill and messed up at least one of the RCA plugs, as it don't work so well anymore. I have my doubts about the others. All of that to say, I've seen a few articles online about people using cat 5 cable to make interconnects. I've got an ethernet cable that's been sitting around for a couple of years, that I'd be willing to cut up as an experiment. Anyone have good/bad results with this? Recommended RCA connectors to go along with it? A quick search didn't bring up any related threads here. Maybe I'm opening up a can of worms.:confused:

I have a set of Transparent MusicLink interconnects, but it seems silly to have a $125 set of cables between my source and preamp and a set of cheap (possibly poorly assembled) DIY cables going to the power amp. I'm thinking of selling the musiclink IC's to fund some DIY cables, or maybe a couple sets of less expensive IC's. I guess my thinking is that it makes more sense to have matching cables from the source all the way through to the power amp. Or maybe I should look for another set of used Musiclinks? Open to suggestions... I'm honestly not sure I could tell the difference between them and something less (or more) expensive. I don't really have the setup to do a good A/B comparison.

Next on the list would be speaker cables... no real investment there yet.
Post edited by pploeser on
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Comments

  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2010
    Cat5 sucks for IC's. I tried it.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,570
    edited March 2010
    Can of worms ....indeed

    :D
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,649
    edited March 2010
    Or maybe I should look for another set of used Musiclinks?

    That's the best idea I read in your post.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    That's the best idea I read in your post.

    Ditto
    Jake
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  • pploeser
    pploeser Posts: 88
    edited March 2010
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone heard of the McIntosh branded interconnects, like these on eBay?

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-Mcintosh-RCA-Hi-End-Audio-Cable-1M_W0QQitemZ170462981127QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27b062ac07#ht_500wt_1182

    I didn't even know there was such a thing until recently. Do they come with new McIntosh gear?
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,145
    edited March 2010
    Just buy a set of Ben's cables and call it done.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • pploeser
    pploeser Posts: 88
    edited March 2010
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Just buy a set of Ben's cables and call it done.

    So Ben, what are your cables and how much do they cost?

    I'm not opposed to building some of my own. I just ask about the McIntosh cables since I already own some of their stuff.
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2010
    They are Silver cables with Teflon insulation. They are $60 a pair for 3 footers. I think there are some for sale in the FM to save you $15. Just do a search on them if you want to find out about them. Most people go from mine to MIT's which are much more expensive.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,145
    edited March 2010
    ^^^That's Ben, FYI.^^^ ;)
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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