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cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:45 pm
by rgorke
So, I have built my own cables for many many years. However, I am having a horrible time with the latest I am trying to build. I am using either Switchcraft or Harcon plugs. When I test the cables I get a strong continuity beep from my DVM but when I plug it in, the gain is cut almost in half. I put in other cables, try different units, still the same.

Could the cable be bad? It is Mogami that is probably 4-5 years old. I am at a loss...and more than just signal loss. Do connectors go bad?

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:39 pm
by rgorke
Found the culprit. Using Switchcraft 380 (the short ones) plugs....the ground lug, while screwing the cover on, got pushed too close to the signal lug. Amazing how such. A minor thing can cause such problems.

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:14 pm
by Coot Boy
Did you not test for continuity between + and ground to see if there was a short with the DMM?

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:34 pm
by rgorke
Coot Boy wrote:Did you not test for continuity between + and ground to see if there was a short with the DMM?
That's what was driving me nuts. I was getting continuity but not the entire signal.

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:02 pm
by Coot Boy
All's well now then :shock:

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:22 pm
by rgorke
Coot Boy wrote:All's well now then :shock:
Yes, I think what happened is in stripping the internal wire of my Mogami cable, a couple/few of the strands got cut thereby some of the signal on one end goes no where.

All is well today!!!

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:24 am
by Xplorer
but if some strands got cut ... these wires still had contact with the others all along the cable, so there's no reason that some of the signal would go nowhere.

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:37 am
by rgorke
Xplorer wrote:but if some strands got cut ... these wires still had contact with the others all along the cable, so there's no reason that some of the signal would go nowhere.

That is what I thought. All the high end went away. I have no logical explanation.

Re: cables, Cables, CABLES!!!

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 3:20 pm
by Coot Boy
Yeah, I would have thought you'd either have signal or not, 2013 could be a bad year :lol: