Matthew Robinson Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Hi, So over the summer, while I have a bit of spare time, I'm planning on making myself some audio specials. I was thinking of making some polarity reverse cables with red cable and earth lift with green. I also remember someone on here mentioning 'N' shaped cables with two each of male and female connectors that can be used for gender changing both ways and splitting the signal. Basically, I wanted to know if anyone could think of any other useful audio specials? What do you think of the colour scheme, is there a 'standard' colour scheme in use? Most importantly (and this is the main reason for the thread), how many of each should I make? Thanks,Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
organised confusion Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I've seen the red for phase and green for earth quite a bit, good to have. That N cable sounds great, may have to give it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 TRS - XLR , both sorts, are often useful. So too are leads for MP3 player headphone sockets; mini TRS - 2xTS being the one I need most often, but with some other sorts in the box. E2A: You've got those "N" shaped cables the wrong way up though. They're "Z" shaped :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky-zulu Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 "Y" splitters for both directions would be useful too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Robinson Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Thanks to all those who have replied so far, I will add TRS-XLR cables. Anyone like to offer any suggestions about numbers for each type? "Y" splitters for both directions would be useful too.The 'N' or 'Z' cables can act as splitters as well as gender changers. E2A: better to make combined jack to both male and female XLR or individual jack to each type of XLR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky-zulu Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 "Y" splitters for both directions would be useful too. The 'N' or 'Z' cables can act as splitters as well as gender changers. Very true; I'm half asleep this evening. Though I would also say that having a few Y's around would help if you don't want that extra bit of cable flapping about and you're tight for space in a rack/ dogbox etc. but that's just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstewart Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 If you're feeling flush, TRS jack to Convertcon XLR? The TRS-XLRs I have always seem to be the wrong sort! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Robinson Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 If you're feeling flush, TRS jack to Convertcon XLR? The TRS-XLRs I have always seem to be the wrong sort! Actually, having looked it up on farnell's website, a convertcon is £7.53 as opposed to £4.90 for an XLR of each gender, so not too bad. Neater, and less soldering... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 If you're feeling flush, TRS jack to Convertcon XLR? The TRS-XLRs I have always seem to be the wrong sort! That's what I was going to suggest! Mini-jack to 2x XLR cables are also useful. My phase reverse cables are yellow - a convention which I'm led to believe is common in the broadcast world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramdram Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Was obliged to make up a pair of phono (blush) to 1/4" mono jacks for CD to DI box (dual)for using balanced lines from DI box out. And XLR to phono (even more blushing)from DI box (dual) to VH (village hall) homebrew amp. (Really needed the lift switch at that venue.) Not forgetting 1/8" stereo jack to two 1/4" mono jacks for lappy/PC o/p for machine to DI box (dual). "Y" leads; you might want to take a look here: http://www.rane.com/note109.html before cobbling up any splitters. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Robinson Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Thanks to all for advice on other audio specials, but nobody has given me an answer to the fundamental question- how many of each type should I make? 1? 2? 5? 10? 50? Also, I don't have an infinite budget, which is more useful out of earth lift and polarity reversal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 How many will you need? One more than you make, how ever many you make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramdram Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Well MR, how long is a piece of string? Or perhaps more to the point we don't know exactly how "you" work sort of thing. How many instances have you had in the past year, say, where you found the need for an audio special? Can you predict how many times you might need a special for this year...and of course neither can we, ** laughs out loud **. Were you to build two of each, one as a spare, then you would be better off than you were in the past. (The leads I cobbled up, especially those terminated in phono plugs for I/p to an amp, in that specific venue are, in all probability, one offs. If we toured that venue again we would NOT ever use their homebrew amp...or for that matter their homebrew lighting desk in a wooden box, where you had to reach down into the box to move the faders. You see a lot in amdram...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 ... is there a 'standard' colour scheme in use?In the broadcast world Yellow is for phase reversed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_s Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 One thing that I decided was a very good idea after reading about in on here, that no one has yet mentioned in this thread, is a box of 'connector to terminal strip' adaptors for each type of (audio/data!) connector that you're reasonably likely to encounter, so that you can make up an adaptor as required if faced with something surprising. As for how many do you need, I'd say go on past experience and throw in a few more to be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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