REVIEW: DIY2 by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable

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Chris,
Thanks very much for sharing your recipe for DIY CAT5 cable. I was quite intimidated when the 252ft of CAT5 cable(12ft pair x 1.5 x 14 per the recipe) showed up at my doorstep. I planned on making a bi-wired pair using all 56 twisted pairs, 18 pairs for the low-end and 10 pairs for the high-end. I did this based on one of the DIY CAT5 review threads that Jon Risch posted to. To achieve 18 twisted pairs:you need to braid 3 twisted pairs 6 times. You'll then have 6 separate lengths of braided wire each consisting of 3 twisted pairs. Take 2 of those separate lengths and twist them firmly together. Do this 3 times and you have 3 separate lengths of braided wire eah consisting of 6 (3 and 3)twisted pairs. Finally, braid the remaining 3 separate lengths together and your done with one low-end speaker cable. The high-end is much simpler: braid 3 twisted pairs 2 times and a braid of 4 pairs. Braid these together(3,3,4) and your done. One note about the twisted 4 pairs. When you braid them with the other two lengths of twisted 3 pairs, the 4 pair will be a few inches longer than the other two because the 4 pair is thicker. I wrapped the 4pair around the two 3pairs at the end to even the length.
I just want to say to anyone contemplating building these cables that it took me 26 man-hours to build. I suppose that's because I was working with 18ft lenghts of cable. I took my time and tried to be as precise and consistent as possible. It wasn't as hard as I expected. Once you get started braiding, you develope a technique for avoiding all the pitfalls of working with thin wire. The hardest part was braiding the 16 lengths of 3 twisted pairs and 2 lenghts of 4 twisted pairs. Even then I did not get a single blister or feel any cramps in my fingers or hands. You have to be very patient because this is very time consuming and could easily cause you to try and cut corners. Don't, it gets much easier as things start to take shape. The only blister I got was towards the end,as a result of my own stupidity and lack of concentration for only a few moments. It happens, but I corrected my technique, and continued on without being hindered by my blister.
Chris you recommend buying an additional 50% of cable for constructing the original recipe. Thats due to all the braiding required to make two lengths of 27 twisted pairs. I purchased based on this formula, but changed to a bi-wire design. I needed at least a 12ft length when completed, so I was working with 18ft length wires. I ended up with 15-16ft lengths because I had two separate lengths per side. Those contemplating bi-wiring may take this into account and save a few bucks when ordering. I'm very happy about the added length because I can position my speakers to a more advantageous position when my significant-other is not around.
I've had my CAT5 speaker cables hooked-up to my modest system for three days now. It replaced 14ga. Monster Cable(the cheap stuff). The difference was EXTRAORDINARY! I do alot of reading on the internet with regards to hifi, audiophilia, DIY, etc... That's how I found this site. You read reviews of equipment and the reviewer uses all those adjectives and euphemisms to describe the effects he or she experiences. Well I admit, I have never heard what a truly good system sounds like. But I can understand when someone uses words like transparent, clarity, harshness, edginess, bloomy, tight, open, laid-back, airy, etc... when it comes to describing what they hear,I just don't have any experience of that nature, until now. When I added these cables to my system I really experienced a remarkable change in my Snell CIV's. The edginess and harshness of the high range,(that I now know I lived with for years), is gone! I guess I can attribute part of this remarkable change to bi-wiring my speakers for the first time, but only a small part when you consider what I was using for cable. Because of my modest means(aka: significant other) I followed the DIY-Tweakers path to better sound when my 12yr old CD player died. I searched the web for the best CD player for the least cost. Since the advent of all the new formats were upon us(DVD-A, SACD), I decided to position myself for one of the "Universal Transports" when they are resonably priced. So I bought a CHEAP Sony CD player and an MSB Link DAC III. Since then I built the "Max Rochelin Memorial Interconnects"for the DAC to pre-amp, pre-amp to amp. Quite an improvement for little cost. But nowhere near the improvement of the CAT5 speaker cables.
Chris, I'm sorry if I rambled on, but I just want to relate to anyone out there who is in the same situation I was in before I built your cables, that they will never regret the time spent building these gems. I never will. And that by building your own interconnects for little cost compared to the mass marketed products will give you a sense of how much better can be obtained sound-wise for a fraction of the cost.
Again, thanks very much

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Topic - REVIEW: DIY2 by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable Review by Gerry P at Audio Asylum - Gerry P 08:42:41 04/15/00 (2)

DIY2 by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable - Shawn Harvey 07:15:18 04/19/00 (0)

DIY2 by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable - ChrisVH 09:32:41 04/15/00 (0)

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