AES/EBU Digital Interconnect for DIY ?!

Discussion in 'DIY Discussion' started by BlueMax, Jul 18, 2005.

  1. BlueMax

    BlueMax

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    Hi
    I want to put together an AES/EBU digital i/c to connect a DIP Upsampler to an M-Audio Super DAC.

    Advice please on suppliers of good quality connectors and cables.
    Any DIY projects on the net?
    Thanks.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 18, 2005
    BlueMax, Jul 18, 2005
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  2. BlueMax

    zanash

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    I can do both .....i've a varriety of cable, single solid core, or stranded coax, twisted pair coax all silver plated ptfe insulated, or even make your own using silver....assuming you want RCA to RCA though I can get XLR's....... pm me.......
     
    zanash, Jul 19, 2005
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  3. BlueMax

    BlueMax

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    Zanash.. Thanks.
    The AES/EBU connectors I am looking for are for these:
    [​IMG]
    The black round one to the right (Digital in)



    [​IMG]
    The black round one to the left with three pins. (Digital out)

    Know any good quality makes/suppliers?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 19, 2005
    BlueMax, Jul 19, 2005
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  4. BlueMax

    Will The Lucky One

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    Those are XLR plugs you'll be wanting then :) I think Neutrik ones are the best, from what little I've read...
     
    Will, Jul 19, 2005
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  5. BlueMax

    zanash

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    but the signal is not balanced ? why go to the expense .....

    but yes neutrik are damn good..

    if you go that route i've some nice dayglo orange shielded twisted pair...ptfe silver plated
     
    zanash, Jul 19, 2005
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  6. BlueMax

    zanash

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    oh yes about 6mm dia
     
    zanash, Jul 19, 2005
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  7. BlueMax

    I-S Good Evening.... Infidel

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    The AES/EBU signal is balanced.

    Bluemax - it's not really worth DIY when you can buy Gotham GAC-2 terminated in solid Deltron XLRs for about £12 for 1m. Farnell 430390
     
    I-S, Jul 19, 2005
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  8. BlueMax

    BlueMax

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    Downloaded a PDF file on Gotham Cable from Farnell. Apparently it is a specially developed 110 Ohm double-shielded cable that use twin-ax design. And the price is low.

    But I need only about 0.4 meters and DIY will be fun :)
    How about using three silver plated (or pure silver) twisted pair wires plaited together like Kimber and terminated with Neutrik XLR plug and socket?

    Or is co-ax superior for digital?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 21, 2005
    BlueMax, Jul 19, 2005
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  9. BlueMax

    3DSonics away working hard on "it"

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    Hi,

    best cable you can make for the job:

    1) Cliff plastic XLR Plugs (they are also best for normal XLR Cables)

    2) High quality 50 Ohm coaxial cable, two length, some solid or foamed PTFE cable is readily available with fairly small diameter and a performance similar to semi-rigid cable.

    Take the two cables and twist them around each other. Join the screens and use as "pin 1" aka signal ground. You may wish to consider grounding the screen only on one side of the cable (usually receiver side) and the other side connect the screen to pin 1 via a 10nF low inductance capacitor.

    Use one center conductor each for pin 2 & pin 3 (aka signal).

    Works exceedingly well.

    Ciao T
     
    3DSonics, Jul 19, 2005
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  10. BlueMax

    zanash

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    Well...
    the orange cable would be £2/0.5m
    or enough 0.5mm [4n] silver and ptfe too make 0.4m cable £10
    and £6 ish for the neutrik IDC plug and socket
    so cost is relatively small
     
    zanash, Jul 20, 2005
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  11. BlueMax

    BlueMax

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    This design makes very good sense. :)
    I will give it a go if I can find a supplier of specified XLR plugs and 50 Ohm co-ax.

    In the past, I have used number of cable designs by Thorsten and got excellent results.

    That is except the UBYTE-I that involved (for very good reasons) removing the outer sheath and braid. It was a pain to make cos Maplin seem to have changed the spec and copper foil kept breaking off. People in Belgium who could buy Jobarco cable (no braid) were very happy though.

    Thanks.
     
    BlueMax, Jul 21, 2005
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  12. BlueMax

    BlueMax

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    Farnell is out of stock on Gotham GAC-2 / Deltron XLR cables at the moment.
    But they stock
    CLIFF 3 Pin Female Line Connector (APF CP3003) Farnell 149323 £1.64 and
    CLIFF 3 Pin Male Line Connector (APM CP3004) Farnell 149322 £1.50

    Also NEUTRIK XCC Series designed to transmit digital audio signals.
    NEUTRIK NC3FXCC Digital 3 Pin XLR Socket. Farnell 3886177 £4.16
    NEUTRIK NC3MXCC Digital 3 Pin XLR Plug. Farnell 3886189 £2.62
    They might need a special crimping tool.

    Can't find high quality 50 Ohm coaxial cable as yet. :confused:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 21, 2005
    BlueMax, Jul 21, 2005
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  13. BlueMax

    3DSonics away working hard on "it"

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    Hi,

    Note, some very fancy US made cables use the same connectors heavily disguised....

    Hmmm, how about RG223 or RG178 or RG316?

    Ciao T
     
    3DSonics, Jul 21, 2005
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  14. BlueMax

    Stevo

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    Why are you looking for 50ohm cable when the AES trasmitters / receivers are expecting to see a 110 ohm connection? Aren't you wasting your time?

    FWIW Van Damme also do a special 110ohm for AES/EBU and it's cheap.

    Stephen
     
    Stevo, Jul 22, 2005
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  15. BlueMax

    3DSonics away working hard on "it"

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    Hi,

    Well, most supposed 110 Ohm cable is actually closer to 100 Ohm (as is the standard Cat5 etc that often is used in studios for long runs), plus at the frequencies involved (64 X 44100Hz or 5.6448MHz) the wavelength is quite long.

    Other issues actually come considerably more to the fore.

    Try for yourself. As I have been always using mixtures of studio and consumer gear I just MAY know what I'm talking about, 'scope jokeys and nay sayers nonwithstanding.

    Yes, also it's particulary good. Try it. And while you are at it, see how much a random sample deviates from your revered 110 Ohm impedance and then do the same test with the dual Coax (which is 100 Ohm, in case this escaped your notice) which has a very tight CI spec.

    Ciao T
     
    3DSonics, Jul 22, 2005
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  16. BlueMax

    Stevo

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    Relax, I'm not pretending to be an expert here.
     
    Stevo, Jul 22, 2005
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