Constructed DIN to XLR using Mogami W2534 Cable

Not convinced connecting 2 of the cores to 0v is the way to go.

If it doesn’t improve in a few days, it might be worth snipping off one of the 0v cores.

It will only take a couple of minutes.

Interesting but I don't understand why you would suggest not connecting 2 cores to 0v. From my perspective it's like two pairs in one (screened) cable sheath. I appreciate that the capacitance will be a tad lower but it's only 60cm long. I'll look up the cable specification. 

I am going to try Mogami W2549 next except that is not perfect as the 0v will be the outer screen

I think you should read this.

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...-use-din-connections

Particularly the second half.

Hi NewNaim,

You are right to connect both 0V lines AND the screen to 0V at the 272 - that's what's referred to as a pseudo-balanced configuration.  It gives a slightly different balance of RFI rejection than an unbalanced configuration (0V connect via the screen).  In my environment, it works a little better but YMMV.

Connecting both 0V cores is also correct as 0V caries the sum of the current in both the signal line cores, so ideally you should have no more than 1/2 the impedance of the signal lines.  (It can also be argued that this should be as low as possible, hence true unbalanced is better as the screen has lower impedance, but the electrical modelling I did indicates a small advantage to the pseudo-balanced configuration.)

I used that same configuration earlier using W2534 for a Lavender interconnect replacement.  Not an easy solder job is it!

P.S.1   Part of your link above doesn't work try this for simplicity
https://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/272-2549-300

P.S.2  I just realised on that thread you asked if I tried the Witch Hat DIN-XLR cables...  No I didn't.

Fatcat,

Using 2 cores of W2534 doesn't create an effective earth loop because they are twisted together within the shield hence there's no significant differential pick-up at frequencies lower than the MHz range,  On the other hand in the high AF and RF range, the screen is effective in shielding both the signal and 0V cores.  Hence W2534 with two 0V lines is properly protected all the way from DC to >1GHz

Thanks for the inputs and sorry for the radio silence but I was MIA for the last 24hrs. I couldn't get my head around why there would be an earth loop in this particular situation and your last post Huge elegantly explains why I didn't need to struggling with it.

Sorry about the bad URL, I have no idea what happened and my ">" is missing too. I'm always so careful to check URLs. I embedded the correct one in the text 272 + 2549 + 300 but since it doesn't show as such, I was clearly too hasty with the longhand version - my bad.

The next experiment will be with Mogami W2549. This may all be a mute point as we also run our TV through the systems and the W2534 constructed shows the shortcomings of our TV DAC, so some compromise decisions may be needed.

Agreed that soldering the DIN was fun. I had a third pair of hands to help courtesy of the lovely Mrs NewNaim16. I did observe that my hands are not as steady as they used to be though ;-)

Mrs NewNaim16 and I constructed a DIN > XLR using Mogami W2549 with the screen used as the 0v connection. We think that we might just possibly prefer the presentation of the W2534 Quad Cable but could be imagining there's any perceivable difference at all! Either way, in our system and environment, both our W2549 and W2534 cables add a bit more realism and sparkle compared with the standard cable. However, I can understand why the standard Naim cable works, although maybe not optimal, across a range of situations.

At the same time, we're also favourably auditioning NAC A5 Speaker Cable which delivers a fuller sound with more bass than our Tellurium Q Black, which was purchased when we had different speakers. Unless Tellurium Q Black II blows it out of the water, we'll be switching to NAC A5.

That's also the same type and degree of difference I found between W2534 and W2549 when used as an interconnect cable from an ND5 XS to a Nait XS 2.

However in my environment (which seems to be electrically noisy) I found W2549 greatly superior when used for the the (mono) DIN to XLR cables connecting a NAC-N 272 to a NAP 300DR.  For these mono cables I used the W2549 wired in pseudo balanced mode, as you described for your wiring of the W2534.

These little tweaks are very interesting. I think that constructing a stereo DIN > XLR from W2534 Quad Cable on a commercial basis while actually making any money and selling it at a reasonable price might be a challenge.