DIY Interconnects

Posted by: Rockingdoc on 11 November 2000

I have been making my own cables for years as I'm afraid I don't accept the Naim party-line about their feeble bits of wire.

After much experimenting I feel the best cable available is Shark twin-core screened, with 130 x 0.07mm conductors in each insulated core. I run this pseudo- balanced; that is with one internal cable each for signal positive and negative, and the screen attached to signal negative at the source-end only. Available from Maplins recently, part no.EL12N at £3.49 per metre.

To my amusement I discovered that Audio Salon are selling EXACTLY this cable for £125 per 1 metre terminated pair. Now that's what I call a mark-up.

Malcolm

Posted on: 11 November 2000 by BrianD
*********************************************
After much experimenting I feel the best cable available is Shark twin-core screened, with 130 x 0.07mm conductors in each insulated core.
*********************************************

Malcolm

Can you describe the qualities of your cable please as compared to that provided by Naim? I'm asking because I'm using the standard Naim interconnect.

How about sending me some to try since I wouldn't have a clue how to do this myself?

Brian

Posted on: 13 November 2000 by Tony L
quote:
After much experimenting I feel the best cable available is Shark twin-core screened, with 130 x 0.07mm conductors in each insulated core.

Been there, done that. I tried the Shark (Maplins) stuff between my HiCap and 135s, initially it sounded a little more transparent and clearer, though it only took a couple of bars to realise it had killed the groove almost beyond recognition.

I only really discovered how to listen to cables relatively recently, as the difference between most is just tonal (i.e. low grade eq). The key discovery to me was learning just how fundamentally badly some (especially silver) cables time - the Shark stuff is no exception here.

With a good length of cable (the supplied Naim ones, and Aro for home made leads), the rhythm section of a band plays properly in time - it gets the foot tapping and makes me wish I could play that well. With a crap cable (virtually everything else regardless of price) the groove goes, its often like replacing a top jazz drummer with some pissed fat bloke from a cabaret band. Assuming the system is able to time remotely well in the first place, the difference is absolutely enormous.

Tony.

Posted on: 13 November 2000 by rohit
to Mark/users who have looked inside the SNAIC etc. (since i have not)

- is the shield grounded on both ends or only one? if one, which end ?
thanks.