Thank you for this fabulous tutorial! I just made my first interlink cable set, exactly according to your instructions. You are a true inspirator.

WOW, Tharbamar!! So you’ll probably never see this but I just made these exact RCA cables plus the Mogami speaker wires in your other vid. I waited until both sets were done, played my gear with the old amazon interconnects and 2002 monster cable, immediately swapped to my new hand made cables leaving all volume and sound settings the same. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Playing a Marantz 2265b and Hafler DH220 on Klipsch Hereseys using Tidal from my iPad through a Schiit Modi DAC. Not sure if it’s that combo or if it’s the vintage gear that really brings out the difference or what, but I’m totally blown away. MOST. HELPFUL. VIDEO. EVER!! I owe you one!! I’m making my dad and sister sets for Christmas now.

I got tired of having excess cables for my home theater system, and wanted to make my own. I used this video and am now kicking myself for not finding this channel… the cables I made sound better than $150 king cobra cables I bought. Excellent video my friend

I just finishing making this cable. I used Mogami W2534 and Neutrik ProFi Locking RCA plugs. Wow Amazing. Crystal clear audio with completely silent background. Thank you so much!

Sir, You are doing everyone a great service. Thank-you for this and other tutorials. You have so much credibility given the sound demos you put up. If you can pass your test then it must be quality...

The sunglasses holder to clamp the wire is genius!

This video is great. The calmness of your voice, and the detail of your method actually makes me think I can do this myself. We shall see... haha! Thank you!

Beautiful presentation, it's refreshing to see someone not drowning everything in solder... :)

Thank you for this video. It got me on a journey. And what I ended up with is quite the opposite: shield soldered to ground on source end, but no shield on amp end.

Thank you very much for your advice and tell us about your experiences. A couple of weeks ago I made my own patch cables using Canare F-10 RCA connectors and MOGAMI Neglex w2549 shielded cable, which has two wires and a shield, the outer diameter is 6mm, perfect for the RCA CANARE F-10. According to the data sheet, the resistance, capacitance and inductance values are practically identical to the w2543 cable. I joined the two wires and soldered them to the center pin that I insulated with heat shrink tubing and then wrapped the mesh around the heat shrink and crimped with the RCA connector jaws. To finish, I have placed a second heat shrink that isolates all the contacts. The change has been noticeable, the sound is cleaner, sharper in the mid/high frequencies. I have added red and white heat shrink to your proposal to differentiate the L and R channels.

A freaking visor sun glasses holder... It's so brilliant. It literally makes me mad. I didn't think of it first.

Thank you for the tutorial Sir! Now I have a new project. A couple of weeks ago I saw your diy speaker cable video, and last weekend I made my own. I enjoyed very much doing my own cables, and they not only helped my system sound way much better, they also look great! All the best.

I made the same rig and it works perfect as the extra hand. This method is so easy to apart to and am to sound great as long as you keep it clean with no stray ground whiskers

I made a pair of these for my dac in 3 foot length and man did they make an improvement from my generic 17 foot rca cable. The sound is more open and the highs are better on my system noticeable right off the bat. Thanks for the tutorial.

I've been using the Switchcraft/Belden cables for a few years now. It basically ended my cable swapping habit. I also use the same Switchcraft connectors with twisted pair Duelund wire. Equally good with a more minimalist look. These recipes first appeared on another audiophile blog a while back. I know of at least one prospering cable manufacturer who slips the Belden/SC combo in a braided sleeve, rebrands it and sells it with a very hefty markup. Just goes to show you...

You inspired me to make my own RCA interconnects using Canare L-4E6S Star Quad cable and Paillics locking RCA plugs. They sound much better than the Audioquest Diamondbacks I was using.

first of all love the content i thought it was amazing, then when i saw everything was readily available with free shipping and similiar price to the us while being from the uk was mindblowing. you dont get this stuff with the likes of keyboard cables

Tip... Put the connecter shell, spring and heat shrink on the cable, before doing all the stripping.. will save you hassle of getting them on after

Nice using the car visor sunglasses clip for cable hand I picked up a helping hand at a yard sale it has 4 aligator clips on adjustable arms and a stainless cup for water or solder sponge they can be expensive though

I love it, you are awesome and your video has helped me! I would like to share with you a tip I have learned along the way. If you have nitrile gloves on when you make your cables, you wont get any skin oil on your cable insides. Thanks again brother and cheers!

4 year old video and still a great video. Good job man thanks for the video

Thank you for the best instructional video on making cables

Thank you for your knowledge! I ordered a roll of Mogami W2534 and 40 Neutrik plugs for way cheaper than I could get a handful of decent interconnects, and I know they will be the right length for my audio project. Awesome!

Hi, it's been a long time, but in the comments it was said several times that the shielding should be connected only on one side, but no one explained properly why it should be done that way and what advantage it has. This connection system is taken from the studio equipment when connected by XLR which is connected by three wires 1-GND; 2-positive signal; 3 negative signal - if any interference is induced on the route to the cable connected in this way, it will affect both the positive and negative wires, in the target device these two signals will merge again and thus the induced hums will be canceled - this connection works at very long distances. Our home devices mainly use RCA connectors (cinch) where we only have a combined signal on the center pin - to reduce the interference of such connections (it only works for short distances) the so-called directional connection of cables is used - we need a shielded cable with two inner wires - one of the wires connect the active pin, on the signal side (e.g. CD player) connect the second wire and shielding to the external contact (GND), connect only the second wire to the external contact at the connector on the signal output side! we terminate the shielding so that it cannot touch this external contact. The shielding must therefore always be on the side of the signal source! never the other way around! Cables are also sold that have directly printed arrows between the text indicating the type of cable (I always connect cables that do not have arrows so that the direction of the signal corresponds to the direction of the text). How does it actually work - if a disturbing signal is induced on the cable connected in this way, it is on the shield in antiphase with the GND wire and it is partially canceled - tested in practice and it works - I have not only all the cables of my HI-FI connected this way, but also the test cables used in audio equipment repairs where there is a lot of interference at the workplace. I always recommend GND soldering Nice day 🙂 Tom

The one issue of not soldering the ground and just folding it over the cable and then crimping over is that you're putting wires between the rubber cable jacket and the metal crimp part of the connector, so when you crimp the connector, it's not gripping on tightly onto the rubber cable jacket, but is instead holding onto the "slippery" metal. I mean you can imagine the difference in grip levels between two metal pieces in contact and a metal in contact with rubber. This way only your signal wire is actually really solidly connected on both ends. It's all fine if nobody ever pulls on the cable violently. I always solder the ground as well, and then use a shrink tube with glue, so that it actually shrinks and glues everything together. That way you have no issue of breaking the cable at the connector, since you have the signal wire soldered, ground wires soldered, shrink tube glued on and the crimp holding everything together.

I love you videos you are an amazing guy honesty is King God bless

You should try leaving one side of the shield floating. I prefer it better that way

This is a very enjoyable and informative video. I can"t wait to make some of those cables for my system.

Te cables I made from this wire and 8412 were every rolled off and bottom heavy. I used them to poser my subwoofers. I used Canare F10 RCAs and Wonder Solder. I tried the 3103 speaker cables from Mogami and they were fine.

Thank you for tutorials.Your video will help a lot of us music enthusiasts.

This is such a great video. I've made one set of the Belden so far and tested them on two systems, both with Naim amps. The Supernait 2 and XS 3. PMC speakers and Neat speakers. Both systems have the Blusound Node. It's such a vast improvement over some top name interconnects, including Chord and Rega. The dynamic range is superior and the sound is richer. If you're looking for more of a "3d sound" then I'd recommend giving this a try. I will probably give the speaker cable video a try at some point but it's harder to find that cable in the UK for some reason. Thanks for your expert instructions on how to make these.

Industrial instrumentation cable only has one end of shield connected to common of the receiving end for best shielding. This explains arrows on high end connectors that this guy showed in another vid but didn't know why.

Your soldering station is brilliant!

I always recommend connecting the shield on only one side. The side has to be marked. Connected side goes to preamp.

I did one like this from van damme cable, same 4 wires inside with shielding. I have done a van damme silver series, and a simple mogami copper coax with shielding. they all sound the same. maybe the van damme silver series a tiny bit different 'better' in sound but they pretty much the same.

thanks for sharing BTW, if you are doin' it alone you can also use ruberband in nose and mechanical pliers so you can easily and cheaply convert them into crab pincers, i do it all the time also, using silver solder would be propper for high end

As a retired EE, and having worked with a lot of people in digital and analog signalling, I cannot wrap my head around the idea of connecting the shield to both ends of a cable unless it is coaxial (Mr. Yazaki's method). Twisted pair is much preferred over coax for high-impedance low level connections between audio gear. I was taught the standard method and never deviated. To demonstrate why the standard method is preferred, put a Japanese connected RCA cable next to a strong EM field. You will hear hum from the ground loop between the shield and the black wire. It's physics. Belden 8402 interconnects go back to The Absolute Sound in the 1970s as far as a thing with audiophiles. Belden 83318 is far superior, but is very expensive. I built interconnects based on the 83318 cable in the 1980s for a high end shop as a hustle going to school.

Suggestion: Test the continuity before sealing with shrink wrap...just in case. It has saved me more than once.

Tried mogami for headphones but they dont offer the clarity of silver cable, and silver cable is so direct and crisp in its sound you need to use gold on the negative. Combine those two and youve got an amazing quality sound. I picked up a used set of single crystal silver cables ($30), i have a set of gold plated ofc ($30), and ive ordered 2m of gold filled copper cable (actual gold layer fused to a copper core ($20 for 2m). Im going to run a length of silver and the gold plated ofc as the positive and the gold filled alongside the remaining silver as the negative. Using cotton shoelaces (2mm) and a layer of shrink wrap to protect the cables. And terminated in mini aviation sockets. About $110 overall. You wont find a pro set of equal quality under the 10k mark. More money than sense. Btw found soviet airforce comunications wire for aircraft (pure single crystal silver) for dirt cheap on bthe bay, great sound out of that but its very stiff cable, no good for my headphones but for interconnects it could be perfect...and its very cheap

Just ordered 1) 0.7m of mogami 2534 pre built with Neutrik plugs. 2) 3m of Mogami 3104 speaker cable. 3) 5m of Canare 4S8G speaker cable. 4) Almit KR-19RMA soldering iron. for my Mid-Fi and Lo-Fi at a total of 9,000Yens only shipping to my city. Have high hope of them😄. PS: I don't buy banana plugs because I can reuse my QED Screwloc and Audioquest Suregrip 100 by cutting out some of the wires at the ends.

Fine video sir Berkeley also a fine school.thank you peace

Excellent visual and your commentary is spot on.=!!!!!!!!!!!!

i bought my own RCA connectors ( good quality ones) from Amazon. But the difference being is…. I’m using solid copper electrical wire; as opposed to the stranded, flexible type. The difference in sound quality is very noticeable; depending on whether you have a good musical ear or not. I’m also using bi-amp / wire speakers. Sunday am 23rd October 2022. U.K. Southampton

Very helpful. Thank you

Love your work. Thank you!

I got so excited I ordered all the wires and parts and I have no clue what is going on anymore. My wires cost more than my speakers. But I ordered the interconnects first and now I have no clue what is going on.

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent! You made it soo simple. Will be giving it a try. Thanks for sharing!

Tharbamar have you tried only soldering one side of the braided shield to one end and leave the other braided end disconnected? This is another method and you attach the connected side to the source of your equipment such as the DAC. Apparently it offers better noise rejection, something called a "Faraday cage" when you do it this way.

You’re the best! Subscribed and thumbs upped!

The Mogami 2534 currently costs €3.41 per metre, the Belden 8402 €17.50, so the decision in favour of the Mogami is quickly made.

I was educated today. 🙏🏼 thank u

Thank you! Would appreciate a video on DIY audiophile XLR cables.

With some extra time will save you some extra bucks. Thank you for sharing. Good job.

I made some sets of belden 8412 rca interconnects ...because the specs and costs were perfect and enabled me make some very neat specific custom runs, rather than have the horrible spaghetti junctions behind the rack, so I highly recommend that those interested have a go. What's to lose? Now initially they sounded OK, better than what I had but a little constrained, but here's the thing... they kept getting better and more open and dynamic and funnily showed the strengths and unfortunately weaknessess in my system. Now I was always an ofc copper cable junkie but these cables do take a bit more time to open ?? Now I'm not sure whether that was down to my hearing getting used to them or that burn in makes a difference... So please don't respond because it is all subjective , but to me they are simply great cables to make interconnects... especially if on a budget and dont have the funds or need to buy the hyper brand cables. That's not to say they are not good or valid, but DIY will always be a cheaper way to go. However just like hi-fi there are many different cables out there..so it's easy to fall into the same upgrade traps. but belden cables are great

his voice is smooth as oil

Very good video , I used the belden cable with some solderless locking connectors though I connected the shield to one end only , very good interconnect , though I would like to know why connecting shield to both ends is a good thing or not , thanks again. Ian

I just had an idea of using RJ45 wires for my RCA's 😅 I hope it'll sound good lol

Your videos are very informative and helpful, much appreciated. What is that little clamping piece you are using? That seems very convenient.

Intrigued! I will build a pair for my phono stage and try them out.

Hmm but wouldnt putting both wires together increase capacitance? Even the official mogami rep that i asked said its better to put one wire to ground. What do you think? Did you ever notice any difference or even tried and compared both methods?

It would be great to see a solder-free version

If you’re connecting the shield to ground at both ends, you’re defeating the drain potential of the shield. Best to leave one end unattached

Awesome video. I will try some before long. I do have one question, which I believe I already know the answer, but will ask anyway: Subwoofer RCA cables are done the same way correct?

Thanks for the great video. Which cable is best to use with a subwoofer?

I wish I could get you to wire up a complete wiring harness for my sound system in my truck 4-channel amplifier component speakers with a monoblock powering two 10in subwoofers

Please tell me why or what is the benefit of using the 2 pair inner (whites) as a connect to the shield and ground? Is this a better shielding result versus just using the shield as ground ONLY? And if so why? My first thoughts are that its worse because you are bringing signals closer to the actual feed wires (blue) vs just an outer shield grounded that is farther away from the feeds. (blue). OR is what you are doing here in this video (Japanese Method) actually creating and Outer and Inner shielding effect that is overall a better shielding scheme? Thank you for this awesome video too....and in advance if you are able to answer my question for better understanding of the benefits of what you are suggesting in this video.

good work

Can you use each individual conductor on the mogami to make a single rca pair or is that not recommended? Looking at making my own cables for multiple amps in the car but with as little separate cables as possible

The soldering never really come close to serious factory termination that some of them were done exceptionally well.

Dear Tharbamar, I see these Mogami 2534 cables pre built with Neutrik/Rean nys373 plugs selling for ¥1920 only on Amazon jp. I think I will get them. No need to think twice for such a price. Great video Tharbamar!

Both cables are constructed with the “Japanese” method. The only difference is the cable being used. It would have been better to build one of them as “directional” cables. A directional cable uses one wire for hot, one wire for the return, with the shield connected only at the source. The shield “floats” at the other end and is not connected. There is a big difference in the way the two different cables sound. Japanese constructed cables sound dull and closed-in, compared to directional cables, which are more open and transparent.

Great video! Which cable & connectors would you recommend for a diy interconnect phono cable? I'm getting lots of EMI from mine, so I guess it's time to change it for a low capacitance one.

Any comment on the sound signature of these two builts? Can you use these for digital transmission via COAX port?

Nice

Brilliant video, can i use this kind of rca cable for my Turntable and make groundwire with it,i have RCA connectors on my turntable

Nice work - and nice English! I'll be very interested to make signal cables using the methods and materials you showed. Also very clear diagrams! Well done! Nice video! All the best, Rob in Switzerland

Hello Tharbamar, you said in one comments that you preferred the Belden 8402 over the Mogami StarQuad... so: 1. How did it compare to the BJ LC1 that use their Belden custom made wire with utralow capacitance? 2. Since the new Belden generation (8412) seems to have a quad (8412P) with lower capacitance, did you find that the Mogami StarQuad was quieter at the end? Thanks! Very good demo!

I doubt that it changes the sound but surely will reduce the hum. Thanks for sharing the secret (or schematic) of theses cables. Another way to do it is to connect a big braid between the chasis of all equipment.

Hi, which interconnects are your best? Did you compare them? Kind regards and have a nice 2021!

Iam using Mogami 2803 as rca interconnect(Canare F10), and Mogami 3173(Neutrik LXR) as balanced, what you guys think? Any better suggestions?

You should try soldering gold or silver for better sound and get silver or gold rca connector to get that fuller and richer Soundstage.

why do you ground the braided shielding at both ends? is 1 end not recommended?

What's about fabel or Our Dutch one: van de hul (okay the commerce took over with the price!But he was one of the first 🥇 who looking into cable's!Yes????The DUTCHMAN (but heh man I 💕 ove you honesty!!!!so God's peace to you !

Its me again, planning for purchasing dac : ares 12th or draco to go with SX11, do you still recomend belden 8402 or 8412 made XLR cables for these combinations ? BTW my speaker is Sonus Faber Sonetto I .

or you can pre cut the excess wire before crimping it. i guess it'll be much easier.

Pro gear uses spec Belden cable, transformer balanced, low impedance 3 conductor plus physical ground summing on all racks driven 6' into the ground. Audiophile cable uses high impedance two conductor. That's why pros don't believe in snake oil.

Hello Tharbanar. Useful video. Thanks for that. I'm just curios, can all 4 cores be solder as signal and just solder the braided wire as ground?

Can the Mogami W2534 quad cable be use to make a 2 channel interconnect within the same cable?

I enjoy your videos, thank you. I have a question about grounding. Is it only one end or both ends being grounded?

Can you please do a video on how to make twisted rcas for car audio ?

Would love to get some of you audiophools in blind A/B tests using the most crap cable and the $10k cables. Hilarious. This is all romance not reality. Anything above $30 is a flog.

Does tying ground to shield at both ends of the cable introduce the possibility of a ground loop? How do these cables compare to methods using a telescopic shield?

Tharbamar, these cables with the Mogami 2534 gave me superb results. I think I'm going to try making XLR cables with the 2534. Your thoughts?

is there a follow up video on these cables?

Very interesting and informative Video. But I have a Problem. I need interconnects to plug my record Player in. How do you get the ground with These cables. Do I just put a spade on the ground you connected to rca shell? Thank you in advance.

Wondering if you connect shield at both ends. Typically your hot and grounded conductor carry the signal and the shield only connects at one end so it shields the cable but carries no signal.

Help please. Does connecting ground to both ends--either the Yazaki-san method, or coax with shield connected to both ends--risk ground loop issues? Wouldn't this be worse than a 2-conductor cable wired with the shield and ground at the source end only? Thanks for any input.

Why don't you ground the shielding on just one end?

Belden 8402 Cable is $5 a foot , Switchcraft 3502 $9 a pair , Mogami W2534 $2 a foot