I managed to find a deal on 3' soundstream BLT cable for $1/pair. Knowing the difficulties in finding the cable, I jumpted on the deal. Now, I need this cable to run the length of my car and extending the 6 wires isn't the problem - my concern is the shield. I stripped an area in the middle of the cable and there is foil wrapped around the 6 wires and then braided wire (similar to a radio antenna cable) wrapped overtop everything.

My question is: Is it okay to use aluminum foil to extend the shield? Or is there a better alternative? Does the shield need to be braided wire?

Also, there is also a bundle of what looks like fiberglass or teflon strands in the middle of the 6 wires. Will I need to extend that as well? If so, what should I use?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

~Eddie

My question is - if this is a BALANCED line cable, why is it shielded? ;)

Hey man, I asked for input!!! :rolleyes: We'll discuss this after I figure out what's necessary to extend it, k? ;)

lol - my question IS input... [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Constructive input please... hahahaha. So, do you have any clue as to whether or not this will work?

Of course I know whether it will work or not.

What are the advantages of using a BALANCED cable?

The idea of a balanced cable is that it is not prone to noise issues and therefore doesn't need to be sheilded from noise....

Why don't you just go to a pro-audio shop and get the lenght of cable you need?

Dukk, if you know whether or not this will work (regarding extension of the cable - not the idea of "balanced" cable itself) then can't you just say "YES" or "NO"??? That's all I'm asking... not whether the soundstream cable is actually balanced because it is also shielded... that's not the point of my inquiry.

JRace, what pro audio shop will carry this type of cable?

If I merely answered you question, what have you learned? What happens the next time this issue comes up but with, for example, a different brand of cable? Then you have to ask again.

The question is not so much "can I extend the shield with aluminum foil"? The question should be: If this is really a balanced system, does the wire NEED the shield? Answer = no. Jared already explained why.

Yeah I could have explained all that in the first place but I thought the mental exercise may be worth it [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Looking into the BLT cable it apears to be a 6-pin mini DIN interconnect cable, and not the standard XLR terminated balanced cable.

If that is the case then you may not be able to find it a pro-audio shop. Looks to me like a computer keyboard connector...

I understand what you're getting at and the purpose of a true "balanced" cable... however, regardless if this is really a true balanced or not, the point is that Soundstream decided to shield it. I'm not going to argue whether or not this cable is really balanced or not... or why it needs a shield to begin with. Heck, maybe it's just a marketing gimmick and it's not a real balanced cable. Personally, it makes no difference to me because I have to use the cable one way or another. But if there is a shield in the first place, I'd rather play it safe and duplicate how it was originally made - with the shield. Then again, don't XLR cables have a shield as well? Some even have mylar, teflon or some other dielectric, aluminum and braided copper shields all in one cable!

So maybe the question should be "Are soundstream balanced cables really balanced... or is it just a gimmick?"

Maybe I should just get really really long PS2 cable (if that's possible)and call it the day... [img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

I think that first we should establish: can a cable be balanced?

no.

The system the cable is in is balanced and if it really is then the shield won't matter worth beans.

Don't fool yourself - Soundstream ordered a generic cable out of a wire catalog. If it has their logo on it then they paid a few cents more.

[quote]Originally posted by ChinaMan:

Quote:

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Maybe I should just get really really long PS2 cable (if that's possible)and call it the day... [img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

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that would work.