[Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables

Thu Nov 8 17:42:12 EST 2007

Hi Bob,

Yes, I do have analog selected as the "mode". The gold plated audio cables 
are just plugged into the standard RCA type input/output jacks. I can select 
the output mode on the front of the Sony ZA5 ES DAT deck as - analog or 
optical or coaxial. I can also select the input mode on the Sony CDRW deck 
as - analog or optical or coaxial.

I do have the optical cable connected to the Sony ZA5 ES DAT output direct 
to the Sony CDRW deck. It does not pass through the Sony GX-80 ES amplifier, 
hence I can not monitor the audio.

Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "wolfbob" <wolfbob at csnsys.com>
To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back" 
<vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 6:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables

> Duane,
> How do you have the DAT and CDRW connected? By analog audio? There is 
> probably a better way using either optical or coaxial. The static may not 
> go away, but it will sure be different than what you get with the analog 
> path.
>
> Bob
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
> To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back" 
> <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 3:01 PM
> Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables
>
>
>> (LOL!) Funny Pete, but also very true. The on again/off again ones are 
>> enough to drive even I sane. Now that is a frightening thought in itself! 
>> But those that explode and blow their inerds all over the Ham Shack and 
>> very easy to find in the circuit!
>>
>> I remember one day when W8QWL was here and had to change the AA cells in 
>> his antenna analyzer. He removed each cell and tested it on his VOM. The 
>> third of four cells literally exploded! BANG! Scared the constipation 
>> right out of Denny, and startled me sitting about five feet away. Mercury 
>> flew out of that exploded cell and got on his clothes and skin. 
>> Fortunately Dennis was not injured.
>>
>> I have never, nor had he, even heard of any AA cell simply exploding like 
>> that. Sounded like a cheap firecracker on the fourth of July, not one of 
>> those good ones like the 'Black Cat'!
>>
>> Pete, I wonder if there is some potential between the Sony ZA5 DAT deck 
>> and the Sony CDRW deck?
>>
>> One thing I have learned is that any cassette tape one tries to record 
>> direct to a CDRW deck almost always fails. I spent 100 hours working with 
>> some historic cassette tapes from 1981-1983 and it was a nightmare! There 
>> is something about those analog cassette tapes, old or current, that the 
>> CDRW decks do not like. Hence, I am wondering if this periodic static 
>> might also be caused by something in the DAT tape. Who knows.
>>
>>
>>
>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
>> dfischer at usol.com
>> HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
>> http://www.w9wze.net
>> HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
>> hhrp.w9wze.net
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
>> To: <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 5:42 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables
>>
>>
>>> Anything that is mechanical, (motors, belts, drive trains, etc.) have 
>>> the
>>> potential for generating static, and propagating it either through the
>>> air or through the circuitry. Likewise, even components have the
>>> potential for generating noise, which is perceived as static and/or
>>> creating distortion. A capacitor that is starting to break down can
>>> periodically generate "noise" into the system. Current through a
>>> resistor, depending upon the resistor's makeup and age, can sometimes
>>> generate noise over time. Likewise IC's and all semiconductors also have
>>> to the potential, due to current leakage, to develop static and/or
>>> distortion. Trying to find the culprit can be a real test of sanity.
>>> Probably why I like burned out components or defective parts that blow
>>> up. They're much easier to find and to diagnose the problem.
>>>
>>> Pete
>>>
>>> On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 17:23:25 -0500 "Duane Fischer, W8DBF"
>>> <dfischer at usol.com> writes:
>>>> Hello Peter,
>>>>
>>>> I had already tried what you mentioned and it did not cause the
>>>> static to
>>>> occur.
>>>>
>>>> The Master recording on DAT does not have any static or any kind of
>>>> audio
>>>> distortion on it. Hence, if the source is the DAT deck, it is not
>>>> coming
>>>> from a defective recording.
>>>>
>>>> I have used a high end, supposedly 'top quality' optical cleaner on
>>>> the CDRW
>>>> deck to be sure that the Laser track is free from whatever. I also
>>>> used a
>>>> special DAT cleaning cassette to clean the high speed DAT heads.
>>>>
>>>> If I monitor the source, the DAT, as the CDRW deck records the
>>>> signal from
>>>> it, I never hear the static. Normally this static will be right at
>>>> the start
>>>> of a recording and last X seconds. However, it has happened three
>>>> quarters
>>>> of the way through a forty minute recording too.
>>>>
>>>> I am wondering if it may be generated by friction between the DAT
>>>> heads and
>>>> the DAT tape as it is being played?
>>>>
>>>> I have also heard reports that some brands of blank CDR discs have
>>>> had
>>>> problems with sporadic static. I normally use Sony and Maxell
>>>> "music" CDS,
>>>> as I do not record music with computer software. Anyone else heard
>>>> these
>>>> periodic reports of static issues with blank CDR discs?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
>>>> dfischer at usol.com
>>>> HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
>>>> http://www.w9wze.net
>>>> HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
>>>> hhrp.w9wze.net
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
>>>> To: <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 5:15 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> > If you play something between these two units and move the cables
>>>> around
>>>> > and/or tap the connectors with a stick and hear static or
>>>> distortion
>>>> > static (I'm not really sure what distortion static is), then the
>>>> problem
>>>> > is most likely in the cable or connectors. If this activity
>>>> doesn't bring
>>>> > upon the static, most likely it's coming from one of the units.
>>>> >
>>>> > Pete, wa2cwa
>>>> >
>>>> > On Tue, 6 Nov 2007 16:58:10 -0500 "Duane Fischer, W8DBF"
>>>> > <dfischer at usol.com> writes:
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Hi All,
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Have any of you used the supposedly better quality gold plated
>>>> audio
>>>> >> cables?
>>>> >> The pairs I have are six feet long with male RCA plugs on each
>>>> end.
>>>> >> Very
>>>> >> heavy shielded cable, I am not sure of the gauge.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> One thing I noticed when I first installed them was that they
>>>> fit
>>>> >> very
>>>> >> tight! Removing them was not something one was supposed to do
>>>> >> often!
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Since gold is not subject to corrosion I have left my four pairs
>>>> of
>>>> >> audio
>>>> >> cables connected for the past eight years.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> I am now getting some periodic static distortion between my Sony
>>>> ZA5
>>>> >> ES DAT
>>>> >> deck and the Sony CDRW deck. I have the gold plated cables on
>>>> both
>>>> >> the
>>>> >> input/outputs of the DAT deck running to the amplifier and from
>>>> the
>>>> >>
>>>> >> amplifier to the input/output of the Sony CDRW deck. I have
>>>> checked
>>>> >> all
>>>> >> cables to be sure they are not loose. I even partly unplugged
>>>> each
>>>> >> one and
>>>> >> then re inserted it in case of a poor connection.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Nothing I have done thus far has eliminated the sometimes there
>>>> -
>>>> >> sometimes
>>>> >> not static. Any suggestions or experiences with such cables to
>>>> >> share?
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Thank you.
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
>>>> >> dfischer at usol.com
>>>> >> HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
>>>> >> http://www.w9wze.net
>>>> >> HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
>>>> >> hhrp.w9wze.net
>>>> >>
>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>> >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>>>> >> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>>> >> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>>>> > List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>>> > ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > -- 
>>>> > No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>> > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>> > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.18/1104 - Release Date:
>>>>
>>>> > 11/1/2007 6:47 PM
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>>>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>> Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.18/1104 - Release Date: 
>>> 11/1/2007 6:47 PM
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 
> 269.15.18/1104 - Release Date: 11/1/2007 6:47 PM
> 