# What does everyone use for RCA cables?



## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

what are good the good and reasonably priced RCA cable brands?


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)

There's lots of debate about this...
I kinda subscribe to the idea that cheap RCA cables work just as good as expensive ones (based on my own experience).
However, I can fully understand the logic and principles behind developing a good RF rejecting cable.

To answer your question; I've found (and used) a few decent brands of cables:

Knuconceptz makes a good quality cable, that is very well priced:





Krystal RCA Kables







www.knukonceptz.com





Monoprice cables are dirt cheap, and very good quality:





Monoprice 1.5ft Premium 2 RCA Plug/2 RCA Plug M/M 22AWG Cable - Black - Monoprice.com


Despite the introduction of more advanced audio and video signal cables, such as HDMI® and Toslink, most audio and a large number of video connections still use the common RCA connector.This is a



www.monoprice.com





I am currently using Stinger 8000 Series cables, and they are excellent:








8000 Series


Stinger Audiophile Grade Design Improves Sound Quality, Noise Rejection, and Offers Easy Installation. Oversized Silver-Plated Copper Conductors Provide Tight Bass Response and Crystal Clear Highs




stingerelectronics.com


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

jimmydee said:


> There's lots of debate about this...
> I kinda subscribe to the idea that cheap RCA cables work just as good as expensive ones (based on my own experience).
> However, I can fully understand the logic and principles behind developing a good RF rejecting cable.
> 
> ...


actually both of these you mentioned are shortlisted, as well as the jl audio, and focals. 
thing is the cart easily hits $100-200 (hard to swallow), that's why i want to see, what others have had success with.
since i need about 4ch for input and 12ch for output. 

but stinger's 8000 seem like a decent choice.


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)

fghanem said:


> i need about 4ch for input and 12ch for output. but stinger's 8000 seem like a decent choice.


I'll be honest; I only got the Stingers, because they looked cool. They don't sound any better than the cheap ones...


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

I am using Magomi wire and Neutrik Profi ends.
(Mostly because the lengths are long and they are odd lengths.)

I also do not believe that they matter much, and a foil jacket and braided jacket of the wire seems to do the trick.

There is no dishonour in buying cables, as they are a bit of a PITA to assemble and solder, but not too bad.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

as long as they don't pick up noise and of enough gauge to pass current i am cool with that, i had generic Sony's that didn't intro any noise, it was fine by me. some cables are just noise magnets.



jimmydee said:


> I'll be honest; I only got the Stingers, because they looked cool. They don't sound any better than the cheap ones...



but the prices are ridiculous on some cables, i thought it's just passing electrons without coloration is it's purpose.



Holmz said:


> I am using Magomi wire and Neutrik Profi ends.
> (Mostly because the lengths are long and they are odd lengths.)
> 
> I also do not believe that they matter much, and a foil jacket and braided jacket of the wire seems to do the trick.
> ...


it's more work than i want to do, or know how to do correctly, i just want the cheapest option that will get the job done correctly.


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## nhtunes (Jul 31, 2016)

They are pretty much the same for sound quality. The plugs themselves are the weak link, whether it's oxidation or the wiring fails. I've got a box of bad RCA's from the years. They help hold the ball of useless chargers, Cat5 cable and other adapters together.


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## dsquared (Aug 10, 2016)

I use the Stinger 8000s . I like the flexibility they offer plus you can snug the plug once installed on your I/O.
They also make the 9000s which cost many times more and not sure what they offer at that price .


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

dsquared said:


> I use the Stinger 8000s . I like the flexibility they offer plus you can snug the plug once installed on your I/O.
> They also make the 9000s which cost many times more and not sure what they offer at that price .


i think i'll go ahead with the 8000's since the price isn't too much and like you said i like the snug plugs.

Thanks peeps for the feedback.


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## Petererc (Dec 28, 2016)

Canare wire and Nuetrik connectors. Takes some time you can make them the length you need. Saved a bunch of money. This is Diyma right?


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

Petererc said:


> Canare wire and Nuetrik connectors. Takes some time you can make them the length you need. Saved a bunch of money. This is Diyma right?


You’re right, but sourcing parts here (Lebanon) isn’t easy, especially during lockdown.
So I want something priced right and delivers good signal and readily available.
As it is I have my work cut out for me.

too many parts procured, what was going to be a simple system 4Ch plus sub metamorphosed into 12 Active channels with dsp and honestly I just want to start with the wiring ASAP so I can start listening
No competitions here or anyone who cares about car audio so it’s strictly for me.


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## DavidRam (Nov 2, 2014)

The Stinger 8000s are great, if you wanna go extra pretty there are the 9000s...  I have those in my current build, but unfortunately they are completely hidden from sight...


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## gijoe (Mar 25, 2008)

I use these:









Amazon.com: UGREEN RCA Cable 2RCA Male to Male Stereo Audio Cable Gold Plated Car Audio Subwoofer Adapter Dual Shielded Red and White Cable RCA Cord for Home Theater Amplifier Hi-Fi System Car Audio Speaker, 6FT : Electronics


Amazon.com: UGREEN RCA Cable 2RCA Male to Male Stereo Audio Cable Gold Plated Car Audio Subwoofer Adapter Dual Shielded Red and White Cable RCA Cord for Home Theater Amplifier Hi-Fi System Car Audio Speaker, 6FT : Electronics



www.amazon.com





They are very inexpensive, the ends fit snug, and they do a perfectly good job rejecting noise.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

DavidRam said:


> The Stinger 8000s are great, if you wanna go extra pretty there are the 9000s...  I have those in my current build, but unfortunately they are completely hidden from sight...


9000’s are over my budget, I believe I’ll go ahead with the 8000’s seems like good cables and everyone is happy with them


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

gijoe said:


> I use these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


problem is the length i need at least 15 ft, since i have the amp rack way in the back of my SUV


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## crdi_lover (Jul 19, 2018)

Has anyone here tried or checked out RCA's from a manufacturer in Taiwan called MPS?

eBay example of the RCA

1pair MPS M-75 RCA Cable Coaxial Wire High End OCC TV DVD CD Amplifier DIY HiFi | eBay

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


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## Bnlcmbcar (Aug 23, 2016)

I use all digital coaxial cables for my analog RCA connections.

Specifically these:









ESOTERIC AUDIO USA D7 Coaxial Digital Audio Cable | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ESOTERIC AUDIO USA D7 Coaxial Digital Audio Cable at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

I've used Knu in the past and they failed over time. I wouldn't recommend them again. I am currently running cables I built myself using 61801EZ cable and Rean connectors. Building your own is more work than a lot of people want to do. For custom built cables, I would talk to Joe at RSD Custom Cables. If you want something simple and off the shelf, I would just order whichever Stinger cables meet your budget constraints.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Also, I have always thought that this break down from Tony D'Amore was helpful for determine which _type_ of RCA cable you should be using.

If the head unit has SE outputs and the amplifier has SE inputs = coax cable
If the head unit has SE outputs and the amplifier has Diff inputs = twisted pair
If the head unit has Diff outputs and the amplifier has Diff inputs = twisted pair
If the head unit has Diff outputs and the amplifier has SE inputs = bad no matter what as you will be shorting out half of the head unit's outputs. In this case you would need an amplifier with Diff inputs or a converter to convert the head unit's outputs to SE 

In other words, check to see if your amp has differential inputs. If it does (and the manufacturer will usually say so), run twisted pair. If the amp manufacturer doesn't list "differential" or "balanced" inputs, it likely has single ended inputs and you can run coax.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

great information, thanks a lot!

I believe my HU as well as my amps are SE output and input

Alpine ILX-w650 HU
Helix DSP ultra
Alpine PDX-v9
Alpine S-A32F
Infinity kappa k600 mono amp
Kicker 12 PX100.2 mini amp for the center channel

so according to the information you provided i am better off using a normal coaxial cable.
would a twisted design affect performance or pick up more noise is the question?





rton20s said:


> Also, I have always thought that this break down from Tony D'Amore was helpful for determine which _type_ of RCA cable you should be using.
> 
> If the head unit has SE outputs and the amplifier has SE inputs = coax cable
> If the head unit has SE outputs and the amplifier has Diff inputs = twisted pair
> ...


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

fghanem said:


> problem is the length i need at least 15 ft, since i have the amp rack way in the back of my SUV


That is why three people here on this thread mentioned making their own.




fghanem said:


> ... so according to the information you provided i am better off using a normal coaxial cable.
> would a twisted design affect performance or pick up more noise is the question?


Neither picks up any significant amount of magnetic field coupled noise.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

Holmz said:


> That is why three people here on this thread mentioned making their own.
> 
> From what I have seen in the movies, I assumed everyone in Lebanon knows how to solder.
> 
> ...


good pun! 
anyways, i know how to solder(i think), it's finding the right wires and interconnects, (very limited choices in my neck of the woods, evident from my gear) and honestly i just want to put everything together already.


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

That was not a pun, and it was not good... so I removed it.
(Sorry)

Those Neutrik profi amd the others ends and wire that were mentioned are pretty common.
Soldering is not too hard, and the 15' ones sort of come in as needing a DIY...

Shorter ones can use anything, as most people doubt you can hear any difference.


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## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

My go to is Blue Jean cable when i can't find what i am looking for off the shelf. A little more expensive maybe but rock solid. Recently had them make up a 12 ft Y cable when i could not find one anywhere.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

Holmz said:


> That was not a pun, and it was not good... so I removed it.
> (Sorry)
> 
> Those Neutrik profi amd the others ends and wire that were mentioned are pretty common.
> ...


no harm, no foul.
there's a professional audio place that stocks Proel wires( https://www.proel.com/index.php?route=product/products&cat1=776&cat2=779 ), i'll see if they have anything i can use, otherwise i'll either go with the focal rca's since i can easily order from germany, or the stingers i can get as well.


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

Nmkelectronics in UAE carries Neutrik and Rane.
But any RCA would work about the same.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

Holmz said:


> Nmkelectronics in UAE carries Neutrik and Rane.
> But any RCA would work about the same.


unfortunately they don't have an online store, and in 90% of the cases, stores don't deliver to Lebanon during Corona time(even ebay). i guess i'll just wing something out, without breaking the bank.
thanks for your time


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## ckirocz28 (Nov 29, 2017)

fghanem said:


> what are good the good and reasonably priced RCA cable brands?


Stinger 4000 series. Anything more seems like a waste of money. These have no noise or other issues, are tough, and fit tight places. They're not pretty though.








4000: 2 CHANNEL DIRECTIONAL TWISTED PAIR INTERCONNECT 12FT/3.7M


$31.00 Oversized OFC conductors provide excellent sound quality Continuous connection construction (C3 Tech) provides unmatched signal transfer Split-tip connector allows better signal transfer Compact connector design for easy installation Twisted pair winding patterns improve clarity and...




stingerelectronics.com


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## F150Man (Apr 14, 2017)

Knuconceptz


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

I couldn't order from the states, so no Stinger, i ended up ordering the Focal Elite from germany, I hope they are okay,(they look nice) knowing focal is a good brand. 

Notice how high shipping cost (%42) of total cost.


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## Envyrao (Mar 19, 2020)

How are TCHERNOV CLASSIC XS RCAs. I find Peter from PSSounds use it often in his install. I also have option of DIY Furutech FP 126 (G) Plugs and FC 62 Coaxial Blue Cables to connect my Helix Ultra and Helix C Fours and C One Amps.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

F150Man said:


> Knuconceptz





rton20s said:


> I've used Knu in the past and they failed over time. I wouldn't recommend them again.


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## F150Man (Apr 14, 2017)

What would cause them to fail ?


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## I800C0LLECT (Jan 26, 2009)

My knukonceptz RCA wires shorted out and caused a pop in my speakers... Blew my audiofrog tweeter. Took quite a while to identify the culprit. Definitely learned my lesson as to why you need a capacitor to protect your equipment.

Replaced with another set of knukonceptz. RCAs and that set didn't function on arrival.

Only speaker I've ever blown. I wont use their RCAs now

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


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## selftc (Jan 22, 2007)

i have used Raptor MID Series for many years. very affordable and local shop carries them.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

F150Man said:


> Did you just make that up ?


No. And I don't appreciate the insinuation from the likes of you.



F150Man said:


> What would cause them to fail ?


My guess would be a solder joint failure at the connector. I didn't waste time pulling them apart to perform a forensic analysis, given the fact that RCA cables are a pretty simple component.


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## F150Man (Apr 14, 2017)

rton20s said:


> No. And I don't appreciate the insinuation from the likes of you.
> 
> 
> 
> My guess would be a solder joint failure at the connector. I didn't waste time pulling them apart to perform a forensic analysis, given the fact that RCA cables are a pretty simple component.


The likes of me ? An old white guy ?


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## Ainuke (Aug 27, 2014)

I'm going to say that the install location makes a difference as well. If you're cramped for space and need your cables to make tight turns close to the terminus, you're going to be better off with lighter gauge cables, otherwise the pressure/tension on the connections is going to make them more likely to loosen, eliminating any possible gains from using heavier gauge cables. If space is no concern, or you can anchor the cables, nevermind. Also, avoiding long runs, like from the dash to the trunk, is going to have benefits as well; bluetooth/wifi connections, increasingly, are going to make separating your UI/control element from your player element advantageous. If your head unit is just an interface for the media player in the trunk with all your other goodies, interference from the vehicle's electrical system is limited to your speaker runs.

All that said, I'm using cheap Monoprice, but my RCA runs from the DSP to the amps are <18". Will probably work that down to about 12" when I rearrange things a little. (Currently splitting the DSP/amp locations between under the front seats and in the floor compartment behind them in my Odyssey.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

F150Man said:


> Oh go **** yourself you little ******.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

There are indeed plenty of cases on here alone with knu konceptz cables failing. That said, i use stinger x2 for normal builds, and RSD Cables for larger ones. 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


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## Bayboy (Dec 29, 2010)

I used to be exclusive to Knu years ago. I wasn't buying the top of the line but let's face it.. they were supposed to be good regardless. Well, they worked fine until they stopped working. Always figured they were just too delicate for the long haul. Used other brands since and haven't had an issue even after using from one vehicle to the next. 

Man & Machine... Power Extreme!


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## drphilb (Oct 23, 2014)

I am running Wirez Signature series , they have a good noise rejection properties. Here is a demo on how well they work.


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## drphilb (Oct 23, 2014)

There is also a video from JL that debunks this video, I just watched another one that explains the differences of twisted pair vs shield - this one depends on the quality of the amplifier which was pretty interesting


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

SkizeR said:


> There are indeed plenty of cases on here alone with knu konceptz cables failing. That said, i use stinger x2 for normal builds, and RSD Cables for larger ones.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


any experience with the focals?


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## Eddyirie (Feb 7, 2020)

fghanem said:


> what are good the good and reasonably priced RCA cable brands?


 $60 sundown 20’ cables are well worth the price. Made quite a difference.


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## Ge0 (Jul 23, 2007)

Now that radio shack closed down I am at quite a loss 

Ge0


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

Coming from the home audio world.... A quad shield rg6 cable is sweep tested to 3ghz and is approx $.04/ft... Good compression ends are $2 a piece and the crimp tool is $30 and you can make custom length noise free cables for the rest of time. They are a little bulky in a car environment compared to high dollar options but effective and noise free. I regularly make 150+ft rca cables for home audio distribution with no noise. I also have cat5 audio baluns that do 1400ft over twisted pair with no degradation. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## DoubleCrown (Jun 26, 2019)

Which knu cables specifically are failing for people? I just swapped all power, distribution and analogue to the top line stuff from them


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## LBaudio (Jan 9, 2009)

In my system Im using complete Kimber cable - Hero with WBT 0144 goldplated plugs, QED coax cable from source to DSP
Before that I used DLS Ultimate balanced (Supra cables) with their Ultimate plugs


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

DoubleCrown said:


> Which knu cables specifically are failing for people? I just swapped all power, distribution and analogue to the top line stuff from them


The ones that failed on me were the older Karma designs. I have no idea if the design is any better, but I'm not going to take that risk.


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## CCole (Sep 9, 2020)

It really surprises me that no one uses coaxial RG-59(or 23)compression fittings and wire. Sorry about the quality. Camera phones took crappy pics at the time.







.
Granted you need a $30 tool to make them but the wire and fittings are so cheap. We've been building racks with massive matrix analog audio switchers for 30 years without issues. This is in very close proximity to wires carrying 2400 watts @ 60hz, 24VDV, 12VDC, etc. I've seen racks that look like a wire recycle bin that have zero noise on 40 speakers. I can build a dozen interconnects in 30 minutes cut to exact lengths with $40 in materials. And no soldering iron required. 






Connectors & Adapters | Snap One


CategoryShortDescription




www.snapav.com





Home automation guys chime in. Oh yea I run Stinger 9000's in my vehicle. Ha!


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## diy.phil (May 23, 2011)

I picked up a cheap cable from amazon for my new TV to the subwoofer amp. It had some random noise and hum. That's because there's a bunch of audio/video/power cables behind there. Then I realized it's like a supermodel... thin and pretty cable. So I changed it to the Monoprice cable (also from amazon) and this one solved the problem. This one's ugly and fat... must have twice or quadruple the insulation, and still approximately the same price.


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## JohnnyOhh (Feb 19, 2015)

I think that co-ax is not really well suited for the automotive environment. It doesn't do tight bends well, a lot of installs require require tight bends/turns in really tight/small spaces. The smaller the RCA barrels the better.

Also, I _think _most people/amps/systems utilize twisted pair low level RCA pre-amp signals, generally speaking.

I'm a fan of the T-Spec "V8" series from Sonic. twisted pair rca variety, affordable, can fit in tiny spaces.



CCole said:


> It really surprises me that no one uses coaxial RG-59(or 23)compression fittings and wire. Sorry about the quality. Camera phones took crappy pics at the time. .
> Granted you need a $30 tool to make them but the wire and fittings are so cheap. We've been building racks with massive matrix analog audio switchers for 30 years without issues. This is in very close proximity to wires carrying 2400 watts @ 60hz, 24VDV, 12VDC, etc. I've seen racks that look like a wire recycle bin that have zero noise on 40 speakers. I can build a dozen interconnects in 30 minutes cut to exact lengths with $40 in materials. And no soldering iron required.
> 
> 
> ...


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## Ayrton (Jan 17, 2006)

I make my own with Canare star quad microphone cable






Canare Corp.: Star Quad Microphone Cables: Star Quad Microphone Cable(L-4E6S / L-4E5C)


Number one manufacturer of electronic cable, connectors, cable assemblies, and patch panels for broadcast, audio, video.



www.canare.com


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## Old'sCool (May 16, 2021)

auricle audio design "Encore!" Teflon.
(Kapton is pictured, but better suited for home/less humid spots than a trunk.)



Edit to add:

If you want bang per buck, there's an Ebay seller currently liquidating Esoteric RCAs. Like $13/pair for 4 or 5m pairs. The Esoterics have a huge barrel, however, which can add difficulty on tight panels with cramped inputs. If you've got no room issues, those Esoterics are a great value.

Edit again! Stinger Select would also be a decent budget choice, if you run more than 4ch from your source to your trunk. Also pretty cheap on Ebay, but nowhere close to the quality of those Esoterics, which offer excellent noise rejection via thick shielding. The Stingers rely on twisted pair design, which can help cancel some RFI, but not like well shielded cables.


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## Old'sCool (May 16, 2021)

drphilb said:


> There is also a video from JL that debunks this video, I just watched another one that explains the differences of twisted pair vs shield - this one depends on the quality of the amplifier which was pretty interesting


Yeah...that test is quite fishy LMFAO.

I know for a fact Zero Noise are decent at noise rejection, as I install them in cars pretty much weekly. 

In a car, noise rejection trumps any nuances you'll gain from higher-end but noisy home cable designs (noisy in a car, not typically in a home).

In a home system, I only install cables I built. If a customer wants to opt out, I don't pressure them though; margins are WAY higher on bigger names than my house brand.


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## steelwindmachine (May 15, 2017)

My Kenwood DMX906S RCA pre-outs have a <= 300 ohm impedance and 5V/10-ohm output level.

My Kenwood X801-5 amp has a input impeadance of 10k-ohm.

How do I know if these are balanced or differential?


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## khlae (Dec 31, 2016)

steelwindmachine said:


> My Kenwood DMX906S RCA pre-outs have a <= 300 ohm impedance and 5V/10-ohm output level.
> 
> My Kenwood X801-5 amp has a input impeadance of 10k-ohm.
> 
> How do I know if these are balanced or differential?


I think you mean single-ended vs balanced? if the ring on the RCA connectors are all connected together/connected to chassis ground, it's not gonna be very balanced. Otherwise check the manuals.


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## Muu (Jan 22, 2020)

Neutrik ends on van damme cable, cheap enough but decent quality, same as we use in the studios at work.


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## figgie (May 19, 2010)

I use Canare Starquad L-4E6S and Neutrix RCA all held together with SAC305 solder and SAC305 no-clean flux, then marine heat shrink for strain relief on the rca.

I love the canare stuff due to different colors of the jacket.

Weapon of choice is jbctool rework station.


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## sghovanlou110 (Aug 26, 2021)

Hi, thank you for the information. Is there a specific model of the Esoteric's that you recommend? I think I found the seller that you are referring to but he has a lot of models. Thanks in advance! 


Old'sCool said:


> auricle audio design "Encore!" Teflon.
> (Kapton is pictured, but better suited for home/less humid spots than a trunk.)
> 
> 
> ...


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## sghovanlou110 (Aug 26, 2021)

Old'sCool said:


> auricle audio design "Encore!" Teflon.
> (Kapton is pictured, but better suited for home/less humid spots than a trunk.)
> 
> 
> ...


It looks like the RCA's they have are labeled on their website as "home" audio, while their "car" audio stuff looks more like the stinger 4000, twisted non shielded etc


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## jessiedog2009 (Nov 15, 2021)

rton20s said:


> I've used Knu in the past and they failed over time. I wouldn't recommend them again. I am currently running cables I built myself using 61801EZ cable and Rean connectors. Building your own is more work than a lot of people want to do. For custom built cables, I would talk to Joe at RSD Custom Cables. If you want something simple and off the shelf, I would just order whichever Stinger cables meet your budget constraints.


I have heard the "too much work" argument many times before and it always makes me wonder about the rest of the installation. With a little bit of practice, you should be able to build every RCA cable your system needs in far less time than it took to build a sub enclosure or install a few amps, especially if ANY part of your system involves fiberglass, body filler or glue .

Measuring, cutting and terminating cables is not that difficult and doesn't require a bunch of expensive tools. The cables look better and make the final install easier because there isn't a bunch of extra length to coil/wrap/tape/hide. The cables perform at least as well, or better, than purchased cables, especially if you get serious about strain relief/sleeving/heat shrink etc. My favorite benefit is pride in building my own cables that are superior to anything I can buy.

The down side for me, was having to remake cables because I measured wrong and they were an inch too short  I got over that by the second install.

That said - do what you feel comfortable doing.

Someone mentioned Canare cable and Neutrik connectors. I spent a long time in "pro audio" building amp and processing racks for pretty large scale PA systems for bands playing venues up to 2500 seats and those two choices are the "gold standard". Same goes for the recording studios I spent time in as a recording musician.


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## jessiedog2009 (Nov 15, 2021)

fghanem said:


> I couldn't order from the states, so no Stinger, i ended up ordering the Focal Elite from germany, I hope they are okay,(they look nice) knowing focal is a good brand.
> 
> Notice how high shipping cost (%42) of total cost.



Thanks for your post. We forget how spoiled we are here in the US with the ease of Amazon/UPS/FedEx/USPS.


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## jessiedog2009 (Nov 15, 2021)

JohnTB72 said:


> Coming from the home audio world.... A quad shield rg6 cable is sweep tested to 3ghz and is approx $.04/ft... Good compression ends are $2 a piece and the crimp tool is $30 and you can make custom length noise free cables for the rest of time. They are a little bulky in a car environment compared to high dollar options but effective and noise free. I regularly make 150+ft rca cables for home audio distribution with no noise. I also have cat5 audio baluns that do 1400ft over twisted pair with no degradation.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk




Your post would start a massive s%$t-storm on a home audiophile site where $$$/prestige/snake oil reign supreme


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## Porsche (Jun 29, 2008)

kimber carbon in my next build


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## jessiedog2009 (Nov 15, 2021)

I have seen a few references to "balanced" cables and input/output on gear equipped with RCA connectors.

How does an RCA connector with two conductors transmit a balanced audio signal, which requires three wires? In a balanced audio circuit, one path carries the signal, another path carries the exact signal with the phase reversed and the third path carries the ground. When the inverted signal is summed with the original signal, the noise is removed. 

Or is this marketing BS like "balanced" speaker wires/amps for headphones where speaker level signals are, practically, immune to noise.

Thanks in advance for teaching me something.


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## fghanem (Jan 9, 2011)

jessiedog2009 said:


> Thanks for your post. We forget how spoiled we are here in the US with the ease of Amazon/UPS/FedEx/USPS.


I couldn't agree more! but on a positive note, the Focals turned out to be a great choice, with zero noise issues, under all conditions.


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

That August 4th disaster probably slowed things up…
But glad you got it all working.


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## khlae (Dec 31, 2016)

jessiedog2009 said:


> How does an RCA connector with two conductors transmit a balanced audio signal, which requires three wires? In a balanced audio circuit, one path carries the signal, another path carries the exact signal with the phase reversed and the third path carries the ground. When the inverted signal is summed with the original signal, the noise is removed.


It can't provide a shielded balanced signal. Phone cords and ethernet are also unshielded balanced signals. In the case of my car, I used microphone cable and the shield in the cable is not electrically connected to the ring of the RCA connector. I extended the drain wires on the shield out and figured I'd ground them somewhere but haven't bothered yet cause any additional noise on any power source is already low enough to require a loopback to even measure. You get away with a lot when the overall noise floor is so high.


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## figgie (May 19, 2010)

I mentioned i build my own... 

Might as well show it

Nice things is lots of different colors in this series.
















I just use the 2 x 23awg for each side and do not connect shield.

Works wonderful.


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## matt81 (Dec 31, 2018)

I'm using the gladen AEROSPACE RCA cables with my system


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## jriggs (Jun 14, 2011)

My new, absolute favorite RCA cable, is Mogami 2964 wire and Amphenol ACPL Black Chrome Body, Gold Plated RCA Connectors. Total noise rejection. I had a subtle but very audible, high pitched whine I could not get rid of with some other, much more expensive, cables. The Mogami did the trick at a fraction of the cost. Plus their highly flexible and small diameter, making them very easy to use.


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

khlae said:


> It can't provide a shielded balanced signal. Phone cords and ethernet are also unshielded balanced signals. In the case of my car, I used microphone cable and the shield in the cable is not electrically connected to the ring of the RCA connector. …


You can tie that shield to anything.

In a balanced it makes sense to gourd the shield to the shell, but an RCA can be tied, on one end, both, neither, or even tied to separate ground.


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## khlae (Dec 31, 2016)

Getting shielding right in a noisy environment with random devices can get messy if products are made badly. At least I don't live near an FM broadcast tower nowadays!


Holmz said:


> You can tie that shield to anything.
> In a balanced it makes sense to gourd the shield to the shell, but an RCA can be tied, on one end, both, neither, or even tied to separate ground.


You can technically do whatever you want with the shields if it makes you happy...

That reads a bit wierd to me, I think to clarify, the way you're supposed to do it in a balanced XLR interconnect is shield tied to the shell and pin 1, the other two pins carry the audio signal, and the shield is chassis ground (not audio ground).

For balanced 2 conductor shielded interconnects, tying the RCA ring to the shield renders the cable design pointless, as now its basically a 1 conductor shielded cable and it's not a balanced interconnect.

Rane has some good RaneNotes about good interconnection practices...


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## Holmz (Jul 12, 2017)

khlae said:


> Getting shielding right in a noisy environment with random devices can get messy if products are made badly. At least I don't live near an FM broadcast tower nowadays!
> 
> You can technically do whatever you want with the shields if it makes you happy...
> 
> ...


Yeah - I was referring to RCAs using a twisted pair with a shield.









Why We use Shielded Cable and Twisted Pair Cables ?


Twisted Pair Cables provides better immunity to magnetic fields than two closely spaced parallel Shielded Cables.




instrumentationtools.com





It says:
“Shielded cable is relatively inexpensive and is recommended in all applications. Connect shields to ground at both ends of the cable if the cable does not contain any analog signals; connect the shield to only one end if the cable contains analog signals”



khlae said:


> …
> For balanced 2 conductor shielded interconnects, tying the RCA ring to the shield renders the cable design pointless, as now its basically a 1 conductor shielded cable and it's not a balanced interconnect.
> ...


When the shield is tied only at the TX side, then the 2 conductors at the RX end act somewhat “as balanced”. And the shield being tied to the TX chassis does act as a shield assuming that any current drains to ground. But an RCA is not really “balanced”. And effectively it shoudl be same a tying the shield at both ends…

There is certainly less confusion when there is only 2 wires, or a single wire and a shield… like a coax.
They seem to work just being tied at one end when used in a home system.


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## khlae (Dec 31, 2016)

In my setup, the difference has seemed to be a wash without wiring an analog loopback to a sound card to do synthetic tests to see what's better so... eh, I'm not in a hurry. It's not a competition car.

These are a couple of the Rane documents about balanced connections:




__





Sound System Interconnection


RaneNote 110 explains the cause and prevention of ground loops and how to interface balanced and unbalanced gear with proper connections and wiring.



www.ranecommercial.com








__





Grounding and Shielding Audio Devices


Since the Audio Engineering Society has adopted the "pin 2 is hot" standard, what is the correct use for pin 1?



www.ranecommercial.com


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