Analog Cable Help

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I’m looking for help from everyone, whether objective, subjective, or a combination of the two. 
 

I need to run a balanced interconnect 30 feet, under my floor. It will lay right next to and probably will touch a Romex 12AWG power cable under the floor.  The cable will connect from DACs and Preamps to amplifiers.

 

I’m a fan of Transparent Cables but a 30 foot balanced cable is going to be too costly. I looked around at Redco to create my own cable but the options were hard to understand. 
 

Question: Can you guys give me recommendations for this cable?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Looks like there's a star quad cable available from Blue Jeans cable.

 

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/balancedaudio/index.htm

[The Computer Audiophile]

Two of them here as well - https://www.iconoclastcable.com/xlr/index.htm

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, Jud said:

Star quad here as well, seems reasonably priced: https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/a12.html

 

Edit: Oh, balanced. They have that also, just have a look around their site.

Thanks Jud. Looks like I can order a 30' Gotham GAC-4, same as on the Ghent Audio site, with enhanced RF shielded Neutrik connectors for $78 from Redco. A 10' version from Ghent is $125 (likely $375 for 30'). I like to support HiFi manufacturers, but the price difference of roughly $300 per cable is a bit too large. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

26 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

will it run parallel to the Romex or across it at 90o?

 

also is the Romex always carrying current?

Parallel and always carrying current.

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 hours ago, Jud said:

Star quad here as well, seems reasonably priced: https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/a12.html

 

Edit: Oh, balanced. They have that also, just have a look around their site.

I went to the Gotham site and found four different versions of the GAC-4 cable Looks like Ghent has the "best" one, so I'm not sure the price difference wasn't warranted. Still searching. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Here are the cables I'm looking at https://gothamcables.com/en/gothamcables/starquad

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

How much access is there to work on things?

I have to fish the cable through. So, none. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I wonder if squeezing some kind of conduit in there would help? Not sure I can do it, but maybe.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I may be able to run this conduit. If, the XLR connector will fit through it. 

 

1 in. x 50 ft. Galflex RWS Metallic Armored Steel Flexible Conduit

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-1-in-x-50-ft-Galflex-RWS-Metallic-Armored-Steel-Flexible-Conduit-55091601/202935698

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, sandyk said:

Chris

 I suspect that it may be very hard to get anything other than a cable without connectors through that.

 Do you know of anyone locally capable of fitting crimp type connectors after you get the cable through ?

 

Alex

 

True, I'm not sure how to pull the cable through that many feet. 

 

I'm sure I can find someone local, but I hate to call them over for a 30 second job like this. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I ordered the Gotham 11301 GAC-4/1 UltraPro from Ghent. 
 

https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/x01.html

 

http://gothamcable.com/en/gothamcables/starquad/11301gac41ultrapro

 

Will decide on how to run it when it arrives. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

9 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

Looks like you found a great sweet spot of quality and price.

I think so. I did some research after everyone offered such good advice and came to the conclusion that this cable is a really good one and that I can benefit from its shielding. 

 

Check out this PDF about the cables. A good read. 

 

 

UltraWhtPaper.docx.pdf

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - The cables from Ghent arrived while I was on vacation. I'm going to figure out the install under the floor this afternoon (hopefully).

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

take pics & videos - sound track also (we want to hear how Minnesotans curse)

 

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

Well gosh darn it anyway!!

 

Just finished up. There were a few f-bombs when I nearly sliced my fiber cables that run form the basement to the upstairs in half.

 

Photos to come. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Ok, I have everything done and music playing. Here are some photos, one video, and some explanations of what's what. 

 

Rather than run the new audio interconnect next to and likely on top of the Romex power wire, I decided to drill a second hole in the floor and run the new interconnect under the floor without any other cables near it. 

 

 

 

 

After drilling holes on both sides of the listening room, I taped the new interconnect to my wire fishing flexible fiberglass rods. These rods are about three feet long each and just screw on to the end of another one. 

 

 

 

 

 

Here you can see the end of one rod. I pushed them through and just kept screwing additional rods on until I hit the end on the other side of the house 

 

 

 

Here is the cable coming up through the new hole behind my components on the other side of the listening room. 

 

 

 

Here is the cable coming out of the hole behind my components. 

 

 

My crawl space after running the new analog interconnects and the existing fiber connections from downstairs in the basement and out to audio endpoints that support fiber. There is a black fiber "whip" cable that contains about 8 fiber strands inside. I nearly cit this cable in half with the hole saw because it was still spinning when I took it out of the hole and set it down. Close call. 

 

 

Everything looks a bit messier when the Ethernet cables are added and run through the wall into my listening room. I also added tinfoil over the holes. Once in a while mice get into our attic and I want to make sure I know if they ever reach this crawl space. This won't stop them, but at least I'll know they were there.

 

 

 

Three Ethernet cables, two fiber cables, and two analog interconnects (one go through this hole twice to coil up the 40 feet of extra on the right channel).

 

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone who helped me with this project. I highly recommend Ghent cable. They made me a 40 foot pair of balanced interconnects and shipped them out right away. The price was very reasonable. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

25 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

"without any other cables near it" - good idea

 

you need a sharper hole saw if it smoked; a nice cordless drill is good too

 

I had thought the floor was finished - are the holes in the listening room or next to  it?

Floor in the listening room is finished. Floor in the crawl spaces on each side of the listening room is unfinished. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

23 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

The computer nerd in me likes the Ubiquiti WAP 👍

Great stuff. My network is all UniFi. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

a nice cordless drill is good too

Not a fan of them. Been through more batteries over the years than I care to remember. There are always battery issues when I need the drill most. Plus, I believe corded drills have better power. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

this site needs a cordless tools debate!

 

 

(honestly, the newer Li batteries are much better than even NiMH ones - try a cordless drill and see how you like it)

Such a subjective response without any statistical data to back your opinion. As if I can't have an opinion unless I've tried it, blah blah blah.

 

 

Only joking. I know we all have good senses of humor and need to exercise them once in a while :~)

[The Computer Audiophile]

I need to cryogenically treat my Sears drill first.

[The Computer Audiophile]

7 minutes ago, fas42 said:

On a serious note, I bought a heavy duty electric garden shredder years ago - serious stuff, made from thicks sheets of metal, all welded together, with a commercial quality electric motor. Had a big warning in the guide, "Do not use a long extension cord!!" - IOW, the voltage drop when sucking big amps could be a problem.

 

But I wanted to shred waaay down in the back yard - so I started a hunt for serious power cable, and finally found the one local place that sold 240V/25A cable by the length - emptied half the shops reel! 😁 Lovely, juicy copper in it, it was a battle to get the cord into the plugs at either end - and worked nicely. Unit had a plenty of grunt - now and again triggered the circuit breaker on that spur when working on some really meaty branch; had to wander back to the house and reset it, 😉.

This is my go-to place for extension cables. 
 

https://www.badassextensioncords.com/