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If you have the capability of using the AES/EBU interface with your digital equipment, I highly recommend using it vs. digital coaxial cable (S/PDIF). In my experience the digital AES/EBU works significantly better in all system configurations I have tried, including my current system. These IC's still remain my reference.

Why Belden 1874A?
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The reasons I chose this particular Belden cable are:

* 24 AWG Solid Bare Copper
* FEP Teflon insulated conductors
* Tight impedance tolerance due to bonded, twisted pairs
* Low capacitance

Click here for full specs. on this cable

Parts Required:
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* Belden 1874A- 3 ft. samples available from Belden Cable 1-800-BELDEN-1

* Neutrik Male and Female XLR plugs- available at Parts Express
The Parts Express # for the male is 092-062. The # for the female is 092-060 

* 1/4" O.D. Polyethylene Tubing- available at most Hardware Stores. This is commonly sold as "ice maker tubing".

* Polyester Yarn- available at most Fabric Stores

Flexible Nylon Sleeving

Construction:
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Step 1) Measure an appropriate amount of cable for your IC plus 6". Remove the blue jacket and liberate the twisted pairs from their PVC bondage :-).
Step 2) Segregate the twisted pair with the least amount of twists per inch. In my cable it was the green pair.
Step 3) Take the polyester yarn and wind it around the twisted pair along its length until you have built up just enough thickness for the wire + yarn to be eventually pulled through the 1/4 O.D. Polyethylene tubing.
Step 4) Cut the Polyethylene tubing to desired finished length.
Step 5) Fish one of the other (previously removed) pairs of wire down the tubing until about 2" is sticking out the other side. This wire will be used to pull the wire (with the yarn on it) through the tubing.
Step 6) Pull the wire with the yarn on it through the tubing by using the wire inside the tubing in Step 5. The wire with the yarn on it should be relatively snug, but still able to be pulled through with ease. Pull until you have pigtails of the wire with yarn sticking out of each tubing end. Discard the "fish" wire.
Step 7) Trim wire length and strip for termination. Terminate both ends with the Neutrik XLR's. You will not need to use Pin 1 (ground).
Step 8) Plug them in and enjoy!

I did not find that these needed alot of break-in time, but your system may be different. I also use mine unshielded, however you may want to shield yours by doing this:

Before you terminate, take some aluminum foil (like Reynolds Wrap) and cut into long 1" strips. Wind these strips of aluminum foil around the PE tubing in a "mummy wrap" style. Make sure to overlap the foil so you get 100% coverage of HF heebie-jeebies- you should have about 2 layers. Starting at the load end of the IC, tape a bare copper wire (about 24 ga.) to the end of the tubing and proceed to wind the wire around the foil, about one complete spiral for every 3 inches or so. Terminate this drain wire to the source end XLR only at the ground (usually Pin 1). The other end of the drain wire should not be terminated. Sensitivity of digital signals to EMI problems associated with ground loops is at least as critical (if not more so) than analogue systems- so DON'T connect the load end to ground. If you wish, you may now use expandable nylon sleeving to give the cable a hi-end look. Finish terminating the XLR's.

Notes:

* This cable IS NOT the same as Cat5 Cable. The bonded, twisted pairs of the 1874A are responsible for the tight impedance toleranceand make it ideal for digital AES/EBU. Regular Cat5 is NOT suitable.

* You may also use copper shielding braid, but you should still use the foil too. Braid is good for shielding lower frequencies, and foil is good at HF. Since digital signals are high frequency signals in the MHz range, foil is the way to go.

If you are looking for an assembled cable, please check out what VH Audio has to offer.

Would you like to review your "finished cable"? Click here

Legal Stuff: 
All content on this site is property of Christopher J. VenHaus copyright 1999-2003, all rights reserved. All images are copyright protected and may not be distributed in any manner without written permission. I do not endorse, and expressly forbid attempts to "commercialize" any of my cable designs for profit, without permission. 
 
 

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