DIY DC power cables

4 hours ago, tboooe said:

Question....I modded my SU-1 DDC to accept 5V directly from my LPS-1.  Inside the metal (aluminum?) case, I have a short cable made (6") going from the DC input to the board.  Does it make sense for me to try a starquad configuration for that internal DC cable?  

If you can it would be nice.  That's what I'll try to do with my SU-1.  But getting pairs of big conductors into the crimp terminals for the two-pin circuit board plug will be difficult.

17 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

If you can it would be nice.  That's what I'll try to do with my SU-1.  But getting pairs of big conductors into the crimp terminals for the two-pin circuit board plug will be difficult.

You guys saw this, right (I posted about it a few days ago)?  Is the cable quality bad?

https://kitsunehifi.com/product/singxer-su-1-dc-power-conversion-kit-kitsunehifi-2-1mmx5-5mm/

6 hours ago, Em2016 said:

 

Hi John, will the DC plugs with screw-in terminals fit next to the USPCB, for both the USB REGEN and ISO REGEN?

 

Those DC plugs are quite large compared to a normal cable plug and may clash with the USPCB or even clash with the cheap hard adapter, side by side?

 

Cheers

Yes the DC plug with the screw terminals fits nicely on any of the REGENs with the USPCB.

You are going to have to bend the wire down very sharply if you want to avoid hitting the device the USPCB is plugged into. This is assuming you are using the USBCB on the upstream side of the REGEN (which is the side with the DC in jack. If the USPCB is on the downstream side (connected to the DAC) then there is no issue since the only thing on that endplate is the downstream USB jack.

John S.

Me being mean and buying cheap connectors I might have a way around DIY style...

Drill out the brass shell in 1 mm increments. to accept the 6mm canare..

on the hot pin slit slot in 2 or 4 places and use needle pliers to open it up.

?

Does anyone know if there's a max. recommended length per DC cable?

24 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

Does anyone know if there's a max. recommended length per DC cable?

There is no such thing, other really gross things like "a mile is probably too much". The longer the cable the more resistance and inductance you have, thus it is probably good to keep the cables aa short as possible.

Thus if you are using an LPS-1 you should have it close to the load.

John S.

I found the cable at https://www.pacrad.com/canare-bulk-cable-audio-4s6-bk656.html

Pacific Radio has been around L.A. supplying the studios for many years.

I live a few miles from there and have been buying from them for many years.

49 minutes ago, JohnSwenson said:

There is no such thing, other really gross things like "a mile is probably too much". The longer the cable the more resistance and inductance you have, thus it is probably good to keep the cables aa short as possible.

 

Thus if you are using an LPS-1 you should have it close to the load.

 

John S.

Thanks John.  So you'd consider the cable that you included with the LPS-1the max, or again, even then, shorter is better?  

And so that Canare 4S6 won't fit in the Oyaide's newer model?  If so, seems those really ugly/easy to use plugs are the only viable connectors...esp. so for a Y cable correct?

4 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

Yes the DC plug with the screw terminals fits nicely on any of the REGENs with the USPCB.

 

You are going to have to bend the wire down very sharply if you want to avoid hitting the device the USPCB is plugged into. This is assuming you are using the USBCB on the upstream side of the REGEN (which is the side with the DC in jack. If the USPCB is on the downstream side (connected to the DAC) then there is no issue since the only thing on that endplate is the downstream USB jack.

 

John S.

Cheers John

6 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

Yes the DC plug with the screw terminals fits nicely on any of the REGENs with the USPCB.

 

You are going to have to bend the wire down very sharply if you want to avoid hitting the device the USPCB is plugged into. This is assuming you are using the USBCB on the upstream side of the REGEN (which is the side with the DC in jack. If the USPCB is on the downstream side (connected to the DAC) then there is no issue since the only thing on that endplate is the downstream USB jack.

 

John S.

Btw if you're wondering why I'm using the USPCB upstream of the ISO REGEN, I have a Chord Mojo Dac. So I need to keep using my Curious microUSB downstream.

Any plans for a microUSPCB for Chord Mojo / Hugo / Hugo2 / most DAP's ? I did ask in another thread but didn't get a reply.

Cheers, Sean

Markertek with fast efficient service (always the case with them in my experience), I have the Canare 4S6 cable in-hand today, and just eyeballing it this indeed appears will be a tight squeeze with the Oyaide DC-2.1 plugs.

I'll do a little test fitting tonight but probably won't get around to actually making a cable until this coming weekend.

Is this what I need to to make my own DC connection to the SU1 circuit board using Canare 4S6?  http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Molex/03-06-1023/?qs=mrPiglD9aYJ15b1kZUQNJA%3D%3D&gclid=COb1srHYwNMCFY02gQodXPMPcw

17 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

Is this what I need to to make my own DC connection to the SU1 circuit board using Canare 4S6?  http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Molex/03-06-1023/?qs=mrPiglD9aYJ15b1kZUQNJA%3D%3D&gclid=COb1srHYwNMCFY02gQodXPMPcw

No, I am pretty sure the SU-1's DC header pins are 3.96mm pitch.  So a connector more like this will be used:

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/molex-llc/0009501021/WM18813-ND/1220229

Remember, that's just the housing.  You have to order separately the correct crimp pins.  And those pins require a special and expensive tool with a specific die for crimping.  I have a number of these tools (for several different crimp pin types and sizes) and they ranged in cost from $85 to $375 dollars (and that's not even for the good ones; this is part of the racket with these connector companies).

Also, the pins for these terminals will not be accepting much more than about an 18awg wire.  If you have a soldering iron and want to avoid the headaches, order this cable: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA27C4HH7046

and then cut it very short and solder-splice your star-quad wires to it.

I recommend this cable in the SU-1 thread a month or so ago, and I am pretty sure it is the one that Tim at  Kitsune is using for the kits with plate, screws, and pre-soldered DC plug he is selling for a very reasonable $28.  UPS is supposed to deliver my Kitsune kit this evening.

Best,

--Alex C.

On 4/24/2017 at 2:51 PM, Superdad said:

 

Your plugs are absolutely the original style if you bought them more that about 6 months ago.

Indeed they are, just did a Canare 4S6 test fit tonight and it looks like this project is a "go" for this weekend:

The 4S6 is very flexible and has a soft supple outer jacket, this will make a nice DC cable that isn't so stiff that it fights how you want to dress it or puts strain on the input jack.

23 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

No, I am pretty sure the SU-1's DC header pins are 3.96mm pitch.  So a connector more like this will be used:

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/molex-llc/0009501021/WM18813-ND/1220229

 

Remember, that's just the housing.  You have to order separately the correct crimp pins.  And those pins require a special and expensive tool with a specific die for crimping.  I have a number of these tools (for several different crimp pin types and sizes) and they ranged in cost from $85 to $375 dollars (and that's not even for the good ones; this is part of the racket with these connector companies).

 

Also, the pins for these terminals will not be accepting much more than about an 18awg wire.  If you have a soldering iron and want to avoid the headaches, order this cable: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA27C4HH7046

and then cut it very short and solder-splice your star-quad wires to it.

I recommend this cable in the SU-1 thread a month or so ago, and I am pretty sure it is the one that Tim at  Kitsune is using for the kits with plate, screws, and pre-soldered DC plug he is selling for a very reasonable $28.  UPS is supposed to deliver my Kitsune kit this evening.

 

Best,

--Alex C.

Oh, I totally didn't know that at all, Thanks so much Alex for explaining that to me.  No wonder I was clueless about that connection hehe

I am indeed handy with a solder iron, so I'll follow your lead on the cable and Tim's kit.  

Thanks again Alex,

Chris

Slightly off topic but star quad related:

my speaker cables our diy, and made from 14 awg, four strand audio quest speaker cable design for in-wall installations.

when terminating them, I paired them together (since I'm not biwiring).  Problem is I didn't pair them diagonally.

now so far as I can see these four wires are not twisted at all, but just run parallel inside the casing. 

Would redoing the pairing so they are diagonally paired make any difference theoretically with speaker wires of this sort?

thanks.

4 minutes ago, sockpit said:

Slightly off topic but star quad related:

 

my speaker cables our diy, and made from 14 awg, four strand audio quest speaker cable design for in-wall installations.

 

when terminating them, I paired them together (since I'm not biwiring).  Problem is I didn't pair them diagonally.

 

now so far as I can see these four wires are not twisted at all, but just run parallel inside the casing. 

 

Would redoing the pairing so they are diagonally paired make any difference theoretically with speaker wires of this sort?

 

thanks.

Theoretically, twisted star-quad construction might help a cable reject RFI noise when subjected to very adverse conditions. Are you giving up anything by using good quality, 11AWG equivalent speaker wire that is not twisted? No, not in my opinion, unless you live within 100 feet of a cell tower, or high-voltage power lines.

3 hours ago, sockpit said:

Slightly off topic but star quad related:

 

my speaker cables our diy, and made from 14 awg, four strand audio quest speaker cable design for in-wall installations.

 

when terminating them, I paired them together (since I'm not biwiring).  Problem is I didn't pair them diagonally.

 

now so far as I can see these four wires are not twisted at all, but just run parallel inside the casing. 

 

Would redoing the pairing so they are diagonally paired make any difference theoretically with speaker wires of this sort?

 

thanks.

Yes, the star quad configuration is NOT just about shielding, the big reason for using it in low impedance circuits such as DC cables and speakers is that the inductance is much lower with starquad.

So even if there is no twist, pairing diagonally opposite conductors will significantly reduce inductance of the cable. In most circumstances this will improve the sound through the speakers.

John S.

A minor detail i finaly figured out. The oyaide connectors have what i thought was an o ring on the 5.5mm OD shaft.

But they are just 3 spacers/ silicone washers.

For those not buying oyaide O rings work but are fixed widths. So make your own from 5mm silicone tubing.

ie

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361492365924

A rubber cutting tip is use a clean blade dipped on soapy dish detergent and water. Use a steel rule or similar to flatten the tube for a straight cut washer.

Just when I got the SU1 cable worked out, and began to look for DC connectors, it now seems working with 'high end' connectors isn't working so well or at all.

I'd love to use the best DC 2.1mmX5.5mm connector - solder (that I can easily use with the 4SG) available.  So can you guys please point me to a couple of connector options?

It's a great find John, that this cable is so versatile as both a DC power cord, and as the internal DC wire hookup wire.  Thanks for sharing man!