AudioCircle

Audio/Video Gear and Systems => The Lab => Topic started by: Hantra on 30 Dec 2003, 07:41 pm

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: Hantra on 30 Dec 2003, 07:41 pm

Cost no object, what's the best hookup wire?  I only need 4-6 inches.  It needs to be 20 ga. or smaller, and preferably solid core. . .

Thanks!

B

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: ABEX on 30 Dec 2003, 07:58 pm

Do you need Silver or Copper?

I can send you samples of both if you want it. Sent you a msg. .Both are 26ga..

www.nearsota.com

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: Hantra on 30 Dec 2003, 08:14 pm

Larry:

Not sure man.  I just need something to come out of the Lynx to some female RCA's.  Right now I am using CAT5, and some Rad Shack RCA's.  I need to go with better parts, but I wanted to make sure it worked first.  And boy does it !!!!

Thanks for the generous offer!

B

Title: Cables
Post by: IanATC on 30 Dec 2003, 09:09 pm

IMO,
      materials used take a second seat to two factors:
1) How properly insulated is the cable?
2) How good is the attachment to the terminations electrically and mechanically?

I do not use terminations when possible.  I have avoided the Radio Shack/Tandy Rca's because they are flimsy.  There are better ends out there.

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: KevinW on 31 Dec 2003, 12:48 am

Hantra,
What exactly are you doing?  I must have missed a thread where you explained your project.  I'm wondering why you want solid core wire...

If you want my opinion on the best hookup wire... I'll bet you can already guess!!

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: Hantra on 31 Dec 2003, 01:06 am

Hey Kev. .

I'm coming out of a 25-pin Dsub adapter and going to female RCA jacks.  The output on my Lynx soundcard is only 25-pin.  I am currently using CAT5.  I only need an inch or so, and solid core is just easier for me to work with.  I have some PBJ here, but it's way too much wire to get in there.  Any ideas?

B

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: KevinW on 31 Dec 2003, 01:45 am

An inch of wire isn't going to make much difference regardless of what you use.  Good, high purity copper wire is hard to find in solid core, but perhaps DIY Cable has some Vampire wire that would work. You might have better luck with silver wire.  Use teflon insulated.  If you didn't want to use silver, try a plenum coated cat5, which is essentially teflon.  On cheap wire, the dielectric is as important as the wire itself.

If you want to go all out... cryo treat it.  This will make a difference.

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: _scotty_ on 31 Dec 2003, 03:52 am

Hantra, you are already using a high purity solid-core wire that is 24ga
and teflon insulated and you are going 1inch.  I would look for bigger places to find an improvement and not lose any sleep over this point in the chain.

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: EchiDna on 1 Jan 2004, 02:22 am

hantra, can't you cut the original cable's Dsub at 1 end and add rca's direct to the cable?

or (if you are willing to do this- what warranty?  :lol:  ) solder wire direct onto the solder pads of the sound card itself and mount the female rcas on a vacant pci slot 'hole' on the back of the pc itself...

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: Hantra on 1 Jan 2004, 03:12 am

Quote from: EchiDna

hantra, can't you cut the original cable's Dsub at 1 end and add rca's direct to the cable?

No need really. . . I would rather use my AU24 than the supplied Lynx cable.  

Quote from: EchiDna

or (if you are willing to do this- what warranty?  :lol:  ) solder wire direct onto the solder pads of the sound card itself and mount the female rcas on a vacant pci slot 'hole' on the back of the pc itself...

Nahh man. . .  I am not going to void the warranty on this card.  It's too expensive.  It sounds damned good as-is.  I just want to get some better components like jacks and wire.  It'll make me feel better, you know?   :lol:

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: EchiDna on 1 Jan 2004, 04:36 am

so are you going to buy an empty d-sub and just connect wire to the pins you want, direct to some rca sockets - is that it?

also - which lynx did you end up with? 1? 2? L22 (I think that is the name)?

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: Hantra on 1 Jan 2004, 04:41 am

Quote from: EchiDna

so are you going to buy an empty d-sub and just connect wire to the pins you want, direct to some rca sockets - is that it?

also - which lynx did you end up with? 1? 2? L22 (I think that is the name)?

Already did that. . .  I just want to use better wire, and jacks.  I am using crap right now just to make sure it works.  

I got the L22. . .

B

Title: What's the best hook-up wire?
Post by: bhiggins on 2 Jan 2004, 04:26 pm

I have used the the following teflon-insulated silver wire with good results.   This company was included on the VH website as part of the silver IC recipe.  I think you can get bare wire as well.

http://www.a-msystems.com/electronics/wire/silvertef.aspx

~Ben