My DIY spiffy looking speaker cable guide..

can someone give an honest review/opinion of the canare 4s11?

i ordered 25 feet from bluejeans as well as locking bananas, and picked up some flex cover and heatshrink from the local fry's.

seems like a simple process, i'm quite sure the cable will fit the bill so to speak...

just looking for some quasi-professional opinions.
 
This diy guide for cables is another nifty job just like the acrylic amp cover. Gotchaforce, you have my blessing to quit your day job.
 
Gotchaforce,
I used your tutorial to build a set of cables last weekend with great results although I used the Belden 5000 cable. the results are posted in

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=175889

Thanks for the great tutorial, made it very easy and the cables look and sound great!
Regards,
Jim
 
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I followed the basic framework of the instructions you posted, gotchaforce, and must say I'm very happy with the results. I had some Belden 5T00UP 10ga cables with locking banana plugs I'd put together from Blue Jeans Cable, but they looked rather plain compared to what you had done. Of course they don't sound any better, but they certainly do look better.

The braided sleeve I selected is Flexo Nylon Multifilament Braided Sleeving from Techflex. It looks great and is pretty tough too.

Here is one of them:

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Thanks for the DIY project! I appreciate it.

John
 
Very nice.

Every cable I have, it eventfully ends up with techflex.... I love that stuff.

You took it to another level, great job.
 
Just ordered the supplies to turn my 10AWG Vampire wire into nice looking cables with high WAF, since for the time being my music system is in the living room my wife will appreciate the clean look of the DIY cables.

Even though I ordered Zebra Cables interconnects, are their similar threads on DIY interconnects as nice, as these speaker wires? I have to rewire my HT system, and would love to have something clean looking, and able to perform.
 
Is the 25' roll of techflex enough to cover 2 10' speaker cables ? How much does the 3/8 techflex shrink ?
 
Just finished my set of DIY Speaker Cables. Used the Vampire Wire #2100C 10AWG and Monster Cable Quick Lock Banana Plugs that I already was using as my main speaker cables in my music only system. Added a pair of Vampire Wire Bar-8 Connectors (perfect for the small terminal screws used in vintage amps), red nylon braid, 1/4" red, 1/4" white heatshrink, 1/2" 3:1 red, and 1/2" black heatshrink. It was an easy job, no soldering involved, and the cables came out great.

1. I separated the cables, but left them attached at one point, then I proceeded to twist the cables securing them with a piece of red electrical tape every 8" or so (some people use hot glue).

2. Once they were twisted I took the 6" of single legs and slided 1/4" round heatshrink over each one (red for positive/white for neutral), then proceeded to shrink the side where the banana plugs go (Monster Quick Locks have a rubber grip, so don't install them prior to applying heat to the heatshrink, or they will probably melt or deform). Don't worry about marking + and -, as the cable has lettering on one side only, so you decide if the marked wire becomes + or -, and slide the appropriate heatshrink color over the corresponding leg.

3. Proceed to slide the red nylon braid over the cable, and cut it so there was about 2" of twisted cable showing on each end. Secured the braid with a small piece of red electrical tape.

4. Slide a 3" piece of 1/2" 3:1 red heatshrink over each end to cover the area between the braid and the individual heatshrink pieces. Don't apply heat yet.

5. Install the Monster Quick Lock Banana Plug in the cable legs where heat has already been applied to the 1/4" heatshrink.

6. On the other end legs crimp the amp side connectors (apply solder if you want).

7. Slide the 1/4" heat shrink over the crimped ends of the connectors, and apply heat to shrink.

8. Accomodate in place the 1/2" x 3" 3:1 red heatshrink. I will cover the braid ends and the Y part where the individual legs start. Apply heat.

9. Cable is finished.

I tried to use 14 mm cable pants, but the cable jacket was too thick to thread on the legs of the pants, just too tight. Maybe using lubricating oil, putting the cable pants in hot water, or both will work, but didn't have the patience to try that. Also, I used 1/4" nylon braid, as it expands to three times it's size, but when it expands the braid separates and the inner cable will show thru, so with a caliper measure the approximate total outsided diameter (OD) of the cable you are using, and order the braid size closest to the OD. That way braid will not be "see-thru".

Sorry, no pics, as my wife was out with the camera, but when I do my HT system speaker cables I will document it.
 
Is the 25' roll of techflex enough to cover 2 10' speaker cables ? How much does the 3/8 techflex shrink ?

Yes...Shrinkage depends on your cable Outside Diameter (OD). If you're cable is close to 3/8" there will be very little shrinkage, but if you're cable is twice the OD (3/4") there will be a significant amount of shrinkage. But, in general 25' is plenty for 2 x 10'.
 
Awesome write up! I just ordered all the components. Can't wait. My current cable is an embarrassment...
 
Well... I built mine at lunch today. All went well actually except that the locking banana plugs have a really small opening at the rear that makes it hard to get the wire with the shrink tubing in. I finally got it in far enough that it holds pretty good. I guess I could have just inserted the wire and have the tubing stop right at the plug but then I think it would bend weird, (my speakers have bananas that face up and out to the side so the weight of the cable would make it band right where the banana connects.)

Can't wait to get home. Now that I've successfully made two, I think I'm going to order more materials and get everything else converted.

Thanks again for the writeup! Fun little project!

Edit: I used large spade plugs on the amplifier side and with a 700 degree tip, I was able to get solder to flow fairly decently. Now I'm totally sold on making these myself.
 
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Flat Wire

Do you think the Techflex would work over flat speaker wire? I have 12awg flat wire from Monoprice that is not very attractive.
 
Nice thread! I recently built a set of speakers that was inspired by an old thread on Home Depot outdoor extension cord.

The current Home Depot brand cord is under the Husky moniker. I used the 14 gauge outdoor cord (red and black). First, I cut a 50 foot length into 4 equal sections. Each cable has three smaller wires inside, of course, which I twisted into one wire and soldered into spades. I use two whole sections for each speaker.

I have to say that they beat my AudioQuest type 4's hands down. I'm a believer of hand made speaker cables!

-Phil
 
This is a great DIY thread! Like devnull, I went with Belden 5T00UP instead of the Canare. I ordered from Blue Jeans cable with the locking banana clips, got Techflex off of ebay real cheap and some Cable Pants from Parts Express. I also used some shrink tube I had lying around. So I made myself a pair of 12 foot cables:

DSCN0701.jpg


DSCN0702.jpg
 
Well... I built mine at lunch today. All went well actually except that the locking banana plugs have a really small opening at the rear that makes it hard to get the wire with the shrink tubing in. I finally got it in far enough that it holds pretty good. I guess I could have just inserted the wire and have the tubing stop right at the plug but then I think it would bend weird, (my speakers have bananas that face up and out to the side so the weight of the cable would make it band right where the banana connects.)

Can't wait to get home. Now that I've successfully made two, I think I'm going to order more materials and get everything else converted.

Thanks again for the writeup! Fun little project!

Edit: I used large spade plugs on the amplifier side and with a 700 degree tip, I was able to get solder to flow fairly decently. Now I'm totally sold on making these myself.

could do something like this

audio_12.jpg


where you heatshrink the twisted copper for an inch or two and then put it into the banana plug so you got a lot to spare..
 
Gotchaforce - Very nice cables and a Great job on the tutorial. I have some cables to build and you just gave me step by step instructions. Thank You.:thmbsp:
 
Considering the heat-shrink source. They sell (I got mine at Walmart) under 15$, little butane Flame Throwers that work wonders.
Just found one at parts-express Link.

Many options in that department at a cheap cost..... Comes in handy for other projects also
 
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