Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?

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Captainhemo

Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« on: 14 May 2013, 03:15 am »
Was wondering if anyone is using the markertek Pro series interconnects and if so , what they  think of them ?
http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Audio-Cables/Stereo-RCA-Cables/Hosa-Technology-Inc/HRR-003X2.xhtml

Or, any other suggestions out there for a  cheap & cheerful interconnect ?

thanks
-jay

Speedskater

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #1 on: 14 May 2013, 12:36 pm »
While 'Markertek' and 'Redco' are the highest quality pro cable vendors and custom cable fabricators, Hosa products would not be my first choice. Note that 'Markertek' has a 350 page printed catalog of unique solutions.
I would look for cables using Belden, Canare, Gepco or Mogami products.
Also look at BlueJeans cables.


Speedskater

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #3 on: 14 May 2013, 04:18 pm »
Star-Quad cables and RCA connectors don't mix.

It's hard to beat this cable at any price.

Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 Analog Audio Cable
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/subwoofer/index.htm

fredgarvin

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #4 on: 14 May 2013, 04:22 pm »
Star-Quad cables and RCA connectors don't mix.

It's hard to beat this cable at any price.

Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 Analog Audio Cable
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/subwoofer/index.htm

i've been using these for some time and am pleased with them.

Captainhemo

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #5 on: 14 May 2013, 04:31 pm »
Thanks guys,  I  actually found the Blue Jeans LC-1's shrotly after posting that last night.  Think I am going to try them. 

-jay

Sarmck

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #6 on: 14 May 2013, 04:36 pm »
i've been using these for some time and am pleased with them.

+1

Wayner

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #7 on: 14 May 2013, 06:35 pm »
I've given up on Bluejeans cables as I think they have damaged the output jacks of my Onkyo Tuner, because of the weight of the cable and the really long RCA plug.

I have since "re-tipped" the entire vinyl room using Audioquest Evergreen cables for non-critical components (FM tuners), and have discovered Emotiva cables, and use them (analog and digital) for connections between preamps and amps. I find the Digital cables to work wonderful on tube equipment and their analog cables work great with SS gear. They have a sure grip, small scale RCA jack, and the cable is high quality. http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/interconnects

Better and cheaper then Bluejeans in my books.

Wayner

rif

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #8 on: 14 May 2013, 07:43 pm »
I'm not a big fan of the canare rcas that blue jeans uses either. But you can always buy the cable in bulk from them and use your own rcas (rawcable.com). And parts express carries belden now. Personally I've been using belden 1694a mainly, but have some bjc too.


fredgarvin

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #9 on: 14 May 2013, 08:24 pm »
 :D

Wayner

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #10 on: 14 May 2013, 08:39 pm »
I'm not a big fan of the canare rcas that blue jeans uses either. But you can always buy the cable in bulk from them and use your own rcas (rawcable.com). And parts express carries belden now. Personally I've been using belden 1694a mainly, but have some bjc too.

But...the Emotiva's have the same pf rating and are cheaper.

Wayner

rif

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #11 on: 14 May 2013, 08:49 pm »
My comments on the canare connectors are for some of their other attributes, not audio quality. I doubt that I could hear any difference between them and any other well made connector. The belden is a well built cable and is cheap enough (maybe $0.60/foot), and I need so little,just makes sense for my needs.



Captainhemo

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #12 on: 14 May 2013, 10:56 pm »
Well, i ordered one of the  Bluejeans LC-1 's.  I'll see how it is.  Man, I find it hard to believe they'd be so heavy as to harm the  input jacks ,  gess we'll see.
Looked at the  Emotiva cables  too.   If I don't like the BJC   , that may be my next stop.  The  X Series  IEC power cable looks like a good deal for an  inexpensive power  cable

-jay

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #13 on: 14 May 2013, 11:01 pm »
But...the Emotiva's have the same pf rating and are cheaper.
Wayner

But they don't have the same Ohms rating and that's what counts! That's shield end to end Ohms.

Emotiva  X Series RCA
DCR: .03316 ohm. per ???

BlueJeans LC-1
DCR:  0.0017 Ohm per foot
Capacitance, conductor to shield: 12.2 pF/ft

Speedskater

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #14 on: 14 May 2013, 11:04 pm »
Looking at photo's from this week-end's  'Munich 2013 High End Show' lot's of expensive cables appeared to be tons heaver.

gregfisk

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #15 on: 15 May 2013, 01:42 am »
Like these?

http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Audio-Cables/RCA-to-RCA-Cables/TecNec/SC50RR.xhtml

http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Audio-Cables/RCA-to-RCA-Cables/TecNec/MSC1-5RR.xhtml

http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Audio-Cables/RCA-to-RCA-Cables/TecNec/BSC50RR.xhtml

Letitroll98,

a few months ago I decided to try and find some decent cables with out paying for all the marketing hype and ended up with the Mogami cables you point to in your second line. These are made to order and made very well I might add and they have worked wonders in my system.

Greg

DaveC113

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #16 on: 15 May 2013, 02:27 am »
If you can DIY IC cables, the cables I make with switchcraft RCAs instead of Furutechs would be really cheap (and really good). About $10 for the switchcraft RCAs, $15 for the Neotech wire and ~$5 for the mil spec ground wires... if anyone tries it out post up if you like them  :thumb:  Check out my website (davescables.com) for pics, the pics are enough info to be able to build them yourself. Even cheaper and easier would be a simple twisted pair of Jupiter Condenser's cotton insulated hook-up wire or Neotech UPOCC copper/teflon. I'm not a fan of most prefab shielded coax/star quad type cables, they can be decent but never great.








Wayner

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #17 on: 15 May 2013, 11:45 am »
But they don't have the same Ohms rating and that's what counts! That's shield end to end Ohms.

Emotiva  X Series RCA
DCR: .03316 ohm. per ???

BlueJeans LC-1
DCR:  0.0017 Ohm per foot
Capacitance, conductor to shield: 12.2 pF/ft

Capacitance is what counts in an interconnect cable. Since most interconnects are 1 to 2 meters long the DCR is of no consequence, unless it's a ridiculous  number.

Wayner

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Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #18 on: 15 May 2013, 12:53 pm »
Hi Wayner, I have a very different viewpoint on unbalanced analog interconnects.
What counts are:

In no particular order.

a] Robust connectors
b] Good shielding
c] Very low end to end resistance of the shield/return.

Got to run, be back later.

Wayner

Re: Cheap & cheerful Interconnects ?
« Reply #19 on: 15 May 2013, 03:04 pm »
We agree on 2 out of 3. That's something to work with.

Wayner