Reference & Word Clock Cables

[zoltan]

@ConfusedThanks for starting the thread. It's been long overdue.

 

To comment on my own findings, I did ask the same thing from @MayfromSOtM who, as always, kindly and promptly answered. 
I will quote her reply here so she would not have to repeat it:

 

" The cable inside of the product case is effective much less noise external than the cable used in externally, so even though the cable inside of the product case is thin, there won’t be big loss. Of course, if the thick cable would be used internally, the result would be better but the thick cables are not available inside of our product.

 

And 40cm internal cable is our standard cable that used for all our product, and we don’t have the other length cable for the product."

 

That is pretty much we have all found on the internet as @seeteeyou also pointed out. 

 

I have not idea if a 20cm cable instead of a 40cm cable inside would really make an audible difference. Probably not large enough to justify the risk of damaging something inside as @Confused said. 

 

I hope somebody with a Habst or SOtM or Shunyata Research clock cable can tell us one day how big the difference is with the external part of the clock cable.

[zoltan]

1 minute ago, seeteeyou said:

We're only talking about those 50Ω U.FL cables between sCLK-EX and other SOtM components. Clock inputs from SOtM components are 50Ω. Clock outputs from sCLK-EX are also 50Ω. Obviously U.FL cables are 50Ω as well. Why would we mention anything about 75Ω?

SOtM products can be ordered with either. My SMS-200 ultra has 75 ohm input and my tx-USB ultra has 50 ohm input.

 

[zoltan]

On 2018. március 14. at 2:00 PM, Confused said:

I recall that @zoltan mentioned in another thread that they are configurable via firmware.  This was regarding a slightly different point, can the unit be swapped between 50 and 75ohm, for which the answer is no, they are factory configured by firmware.  I guess it is just possible that one tap is configured?  Unlikely though, I would have thought.

This is correct as fas as I know. When I sent my SMS-200 ultra to Korea for clock input/output upgrades, I was charged extra for the programming of the board to accomodate the changes.

[zoltan]

If my unit was 75 ohm (as it is not), I would choose something like this: 
https://www.fairviewmicrowave.com/mcx-plug-bnc-male-cable-rg316-coax-fmc0708315lf-p.aspx 

Perhaps 24 inches and that would be enough for both inside the unit and to the clock.

 

Unfortunately, the choice for 50 ohm cables is much more limited.

[zoltan]

23 hours ago, One and a half said:

50 Ohm from SAEC, reasonable prices. YEN33,000 for 1.5m.

 

Interesting that in the photo they seemingly have 75 ohm BNC plugs on the cables. 

 

I just ordered these from Japan https://item.rakuten.co.jp/auc-treevillage/8-2-bncp-bncp-06/?s-id=adm_browsehist_item using this cable

http://www.kantsu.co.jp/products/pdf/2v_type_50.pdf and the BNC connectors from here: http://www.almic.net/

 

These companies make cables and connectors to very high specs and both these companies specialize in making digital cables and digital connectors. But I have nothing to compare it to when it arrives 

[zoltan]

On 4/14/2018 at 8:21 PM, elan120 said:

 

1. Release stock cable from hot glue in multiple locations.  This is simple to do especially with the help of IPA, X-acto knife, and a little patience.

 

1

May I ask what is IPA? I know only Indian Pale Ale. A couple of pints of those to have the courage to touch the thing ? 

 

Also, more importantly, I noticed a thick grey cable going from the sCLK-ex to the USB board in your photo. It says something like "computer..ata". What is that cable? Where does it connect to on the USB board? Was that in the unit when you bought it?? 

 

I don't have that cable at all. See the photo in the first post of this thread (my photo that @Confused shared). 

 

BTW nice job with the clock cables!

 

Zoltan