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In Reply to: RE: DC umbilicals, final results posted by paco on October 19, 2015 at 02:28:31
The twist of x per inch should be constant instead of crap all over the place. Plus the distance between the wires should be uniform. IE tight.
One can easily make the wires tighter by wrapping them with plumbers tape. Then flexing the pair some. Afterwards you can remove the tape and the wires should stay tight, or at least a more uniform distance apart. (Also putting some spin on the wire when twisting them together (the slight coiling from off the reel is very helpful in this method), and leaving them FLAT on the ground and wrapping them around each other makes the pair tighter, better than flopping the wire about up in the air in front of your face. Which from the pics is exactly how you did it. I can TELL.)All of that is for good reasons electrically.
Yes I am being picky as Hell..
Good job anyway.
I have two preamps with umbilicals from power supply to pre, tubed so more wires what with B+ voltage etc.. I am too lazy to replace the wire in them. But I am certain doing so WOULD improve the sound.
Edits: 10/19/15Follow Ups:
I agree. The consistency and long-term stability of a precision high twist ratio secured along the entire length of a twisted pair is a vital aspect of DIY cable building. A tightly twisted pair firmly wrapped with a layer of PTFE Teflon tape provides two fundamental benefits:
1. Noise Cancellation: In order to provide a proper level of noise reduction, a precision and consistently high twist ratio of the two opposing conductors should form a mirror image along the entire length of a DIY twisted pair. Inconsistent twisting and sloppy gaps between the conductors will affect the performance of a DIY cable build.
2. Resonance Control: IME, a precision-built twisted pair with a consistently high twist ratio should be firmly secured along the entire length of the cable build via a mummy wrap of PTFE Teflon tape in order to keep the the two opposing conductors firmly held together without gaps that will stand the test of time, and very importantly, to help mitigate the audible effects of cable resonances which is an often overlooked aspect of DIY cable building.
Tip: Instead of the extremely thin, white colored PTFE Teflon tape typically used for general plumbing needs, I highly recommend the use of the often grey colored, thicker heavy duty PTFE Teflon tape such as Oatey FASTape (model #306220) available at Home Depot, which is much easier to work with, and takes fewer layers of PTFE Teflon tape to accomplish the same task.
See link:
"Oatey FASTape (model #306220) available at Home Depot"
That sounds like just what I need. I've use the thin white stuff since the late 60's but it's too wimpy for the low impedance end of things like speakers and power. Never too old to learn and Home Despot is close so I'm sure glad you mentioned it.
Tnx, Rick
Oatey FASTape PTFE Teflon tape is good stuff. I often use it for cable termination projects requiring an outer diameter cable build-up material for connectors instead of heat shrink. You can use just enough for the task, and Teflon provides excellent dielectric and mechanical properties vs. softer plastics. The only caveat that should be fully understood is it could be very dangerous if implemented as a user-made electrical insulating material. Safety first...
"it could be very dangerous if implemented as a user-made electrical insulating material."
Thanks for the warning, I'll keep it in mind.
I believe that you are concerned about it cold-flowing off a sharp surface that should be insulated. And it definitely can do that so I'll be certain to stick in a piece of fish paper or add other insulation if I use it in that manner.
On the other hand that very physical characteristic along with it's low dielectric loss, is the reason that it's handy for working on shock and vib issues in RF and audio stuff.
Rick
That seems to be a good idea to consider. A layer of Nomex or similar, then wrapped with several layers of thick, heavy duty PTFE Teflon tape would seem to be a trustworthy notion, but only if there is no chance of the configuration creeping off the insulated area. Even then, I'm not confident enough to suggest the method in a public forum.
yep, yep, the last pic was only before trying; after getting so terribly GOOD sound i improved the twisting, similarly to the second pic, just for peace of mind; thanks anyway! best, paco
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