How to Make You Own Audiophile XLR cables

In this video we learn how to make our own high-end, hi-fi, audiophile XLR balanced cables, with high quality mono-crystal OCC copper and cryo OFC copper connectors.
______________________________
Music: "Modern Jazz Samba" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
-------------------------------------------------
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 m of monocrystal OCC copper (NeoTech NEI-3004)
- 4 XLR connectors (2 male, 2 female) (NeoTech XLR OFC cryo pack)
- Silver-based soldering wire
- Nylon sleeve and heat shrink sleeves (optional)
TOOLS:
- Soldering iron
- Sponge or piece of cloth
- Heat gun (or strong hairdryer)
- Precision tweezers (optional)
- Electrical isolation tape (optional)
- Teflon film (optional)
- Bench vise or clasp
- Electric scissors
- Cable stripping pliers (optional)
- Cutter (optional)

[@sascharoll]

I‘ve been to several (worldwide known) mastering studios and have never seen a) audio signal cables with directions on them and b) that thick cable, especially for such a short length. Same goes by the way for loudspeaker cable - it always amazes me how much efforr „audiophile“ amateurs put into special cables for everything where the real professionals (who btw mixed and recorded the stuff you‘re playing back on your machines) just use ordinary material that technically does the job. I also have worked on world premieres of Hollywood movies in the tech departement where the director / rerecording engineer etc where full of praise for the sound... no magical cables where involved anywhere ;-)

[@SlowMenThinking]

Lurn How to solder your skills are worse than the screw type. Back in the day when I was trained 35+ years ago your attempt was a fail and go back and start again. A bad solder joint does bad things to the signal. the joints you made will not last too well. as for the cable you used the XLR had hot cold ground and shield terminals, In a balanced system ground should not be confused for shield. In a balanced system it is the common mode rejection that makes the signal to noise so good the shield is not that important and in some cases it can set up ground loops.

[@danacrooker1282]

Can't see what you're doing much of the time!

[@georgealeong8188]

Title should be how not to make You Own Audiophile XLR cables

[@thesimulations8900]

A ton of your shots are out of frame!😕

[@mikepiontek1550]

This video is very bad on so many levels. The sad thing is that people with even less knowledge are going to try this.

[@GFSwinger1693]

The background music just makes litstening to what you are saying tiring to focus on. Just saying. Additionally, the arrows on the cable have nothing to do with the direction of the braid but instead the direction of the twist in the StarQuad cable. The same is true for Eathernet cables using StarQuad. The direction needs to be continuous. The risk is messing that up at any in-line disconnect.

[@fazilkathree1767]

Lousy soldering you must tin the wires

[@kleejunkleelee3147]

nice video but you are wrong about the direction of current. It is EE 101. Electron in copper will flow from low to high voltage. So don't waste your money on so called hi-end "directional" cable. that's snake oil.

[@John.Smithing.lvl100]

Gold is less conductive than copper. Just look up on Wikipedia or something. I Don't understand why these audio products favor so much gold when in reality the only thing more conductive than copper is silver lol

[@williammilligan8432]

So I'm rather late to the party but I have to comment on this video. Before this however, a bit of context as to where I'm commenting from. I previously worked for a firm specialising in exactly this, building high end custom interconnects and test leads and balancing transformers. Amongst our customers were SSl, Mackie, Revox, Tascam, Studer, ballfinger to name but a few. We also made test leads and probes for some incredibly precise measurement equipment for the likes of Techtronix, Keysight, Rhode & Schwarz, Teledyne and Keithley. Not only are these applications extremely demanding in performance and precision but our products were (and still are) used by the manufacturers who built the recorders that mastered your precious reel-to-reel recordings and furthermore probably used our test leads to test and calibrate those very reel-to-reel decks, not to mention the one you listen on. So, I know a little about this subject and the physics involved in signal retention, degradation interference rejection, inductance etc, etc.

[@roberttroxell4006]

Thank you for showing the process in detail. I might even be able to do this! ☺️

[@michaelforsythe4335]

I got a hold of some of that wire and hooked it up to Xhadow XLR plugs. Wow............. absolutely fantastic sounding and I haven't even burned the wire in yet.

[@harrisedgar]

worderful.... I was looking for these, Thank you.

[@AriKona]

Rats. I was hoping to see your next video on reel to reel maintenance, but this turned out to be a very interesting video as well.

[@barbiegamaestan456]

Appreciate the video. In summary, if you want audiophile XLR cables, buy some cheap neutrik connectors and adequatly shielded cable and spend your money on someone that can solder properly or invest in yourself by learning to do it properly. If cash is still burning a hole in your pocket get a good quality temperature controlled soldering iron.

[@seanseoltoir]

I've found that a piece of braided 80-lb PE fishing line looped around the cables / wires works pretty good for removing insulation and not damaging the actual wire. Attach one end to something that won't move. Put a loop in the other end and attach it to a finger so that you can pull it tight. Then wrap the center once around the cable / wire that you want to remove the insulation from. Tighten the line by pulling with one hand and with the other hand, move the wire up and down the line. It either abrades the insulation or generates enough heat to melt the insulation. It will feel differently once you are through the insulation. You might need to keep the loop of line around the wire between your thumb and forefinger in order to keep it lined up. I think the smallest wire that I've ever used it on is 16-AWG though...

[@ronbackal]

That’s beautiful! Thanks for sharing this .

[@jeremytravis360]

I like your videos but would like to make a couple of comments. Firstly Sliver Solder (usually 56% - 80 % silver content) is used in repairing silver jewellery and has a very high melting point.

[@vinylcity1599]

That was very interesting, signal quality is definitely important!