I am considering jumping in headlong and making my own component cables. I will probably use the very popular Canare crimp-on connectors and either Belden or Canare cable.

My question is, my AR cables have the shield connected on only 1 end of the audio cables. Is this a generally accepted practice, and if so, is it possible to do with crimp-on connectors?


The main reason is because I am looking to move my 57" TV, and the connections are on the lower left corner, so instead of paying a huge amount for a longer cable, I decided to pay a huge amount and make my own!

I thought about partaking in DIY Cables for a while...then I came to the conclusion that I can get better cables than I could make for about 1/5th the price...check www.partsexpress.com, as I've found their dayton cables to be the shizzy, and they are very well priced.

However, if you still want to make your own, they have products for you too. I wish you luck in this...it really shouldn't be too hard, but to buy the materials in small quantity for only a handful of cables, you might be looking at a high cost, relatively speaking. But the satisfaction of saying "I MADE THIS f-in CABLE!!" may be worth it...

One of the cool things about making your own cables is that the lengths can be customized to be just right. It's nice to not have lots of slack cable hanging or rolled up.

I you used this method? With the Canare crimp? I heard that a cheaper "Ideal" die is usable, but trying to verify this.

Connecting a shield only on one end is a common practice. The main reason is to avoid ground loops which can be a serious source of noise.

How would you do that with crimp-on connectors? Trim the shield off at one end and then just crimp the barrel over the dielectric insulator? Thanks.

belboz,

I used to think that way too, until I move or re-arrange my place. Then, you find out your cables are either too short or too long. I tend to get cable that is too long, allowing me room for modifications to my equipment and placement.

That is when you make new ones and sell the old ones onEbay!