Internal shielded cable choice

[drz400]

WHo uses what and is it easy to get?
And I'm not interested in tiny 30V stuff, something easy to strip and 2 conductors plus shield. I use Teflon 20gauge now, 1 conducter plus shield but it can be a pain to strip and I prefer having 2 conductors plus shield
Mogami? What are you guys liking?

[David Root]

In that class, I use either (1) milspec surplus 600V 2x22 ga. with a braided shield that I got a bunch of several years ago for about a dime a foot. Conductors and braid are silver plated; or (2) Cardas "audiophool" grade 2x24 ga. w/double teflon insulation and double foil shield, good for 5000 VDC, designed for use inside electrostatic speakers. $3.00/foot from Percy Audio. Needs 800 deg on the iron as the conductors have a polyimide lacquer on them, but is very flexible for 2-conductor 24 ga.

I have some other run of the mill stuff I sometimes use for pickup wiring, surplus computer type w/ only an aluminum foil shield, also very cheap.
Apex Jr. has good prices on some of these.

[dehughes]

I tried the RG174 wire at first, but vastly prefer working with the 22 AWG shielded single conductor teflon coated whatever-it-is that Apex Jr. offers. It's the same stuff that Soldano uses, FWIW...and works just fine for me.

[David Root]

dehughes, that sounds interesting. In single conductor coax I've been using Belden 8700, because it's much smaller dia. than RG174U, which is what I used to use. However the 8700 is only rated 30V and I have probably used it beyond its design limits on occasion (but not yet had any problems). For V1/V2 it's fine, but it is only 28 ga. 22 ga is bulletproof in this application.

What is the OD and how flexible is this Apex Jr. coax?

[mhuss]

Not dual center conductor, but I've been using the George L cable, it's widely available, flexible, and medium diameter.

--mark

[DaveH]

+1 on the George L stuff....I use the small diameter version.

[Allynmey]

+2 on George L

[drz400]

Not dual center conductor, but I've been using the George L cable, it's widely available, flexible, and medium diameter.

--mark

What is the voltage rating on it ?

[mhuss]

Good question -- there's no printing on the cable jacket. I'd guess 300v minimum. I've never done the "plate shield" thing, so it's never been an issue for me.

I just sent them the voltage question, I'll let you know if they reply.

--mark

[drz400]

Good question -- there's no printing on the cable jacket. I'd guess 300v minimum. I've never done the "plate shield" thing, so it's never been an issue for me.

I just sent them the voltage question, I'll let you know if they reply.

--mark

If you come off the plate for a long run before lets say a Fender style EQ before the EQ it can be nice to shield that, of course you can use a coupling cap first. But 30V is weird, the AC signal RMS can be higher than that

[mhuss]

But 30V is weird, the AC signal RMS can be higher than that

I was guessing 300 volts, a typical minimum for PVC insulated wire.

--mark

[chief mushroom cloud]

Canare balanced studio installation wire (don't know the part#). 2cond w/ foil shield + drain wire. Small, easy to deal w/ and fairly heat resistant when soldering (better than PVC).