# Making RCA interconnects from CAT6 FTP



## t3steve

I am not try to stir up trouble this is a real question.

I know that people don't like RCA audio interconnect cables made from CAT5e UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cable but the shielded CAT cable looks similar to shielded twisted pair mike cable.

What about using
CAT6 stranded FTP (foil shielded twisted pair) or CAT5e Stranded ScTP
and wiring it like you would shielded twisted pair mike cable combining all the solid color wire on the center pin and all the stripe wire on the ground strap on the RCA plug and leaving the foil shield floating.

Quote from http://www.canare.com/TopicListWithDetails.aspx?topicCategoryCode=Faq

Two conductor twisted pair cable such as L-2B2AT (or 4-cond L-4E6S Star Quad) are intended for Balanced circuits, but may also be used for Unbalanced assemblies. One of several wiring tricks, is to solder the blue conductor to the connector's center pin and the white conductor to the shield ground contact. An installer may then choose to "float the cable shield" by not soldering the overall braid (or drain wire) at one or both ends of the cable. This technique may result in better "unbalanced" circuit noise rejection.

So What do you think?
Has anyone tried this?

Steve


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## nholmes1

I've done similar in the past, but now just use baluns to transport the signal over cat5 as its more reliable and better noise rejection as it actually does balance the signals while transported over the STP/UTP cable and then back to unbalanced on the other end. 

You technically can do it just fine.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Generally speaking, using Cat-5 or -6 for interconnects is a risky venture. While twisted conductors do demonstrate some noise-rejection properties, it’s not nearly as robust at rejecting EMI as a good shield.

That said, your proposed scheme using shielded Cat-5 will work fine from a functional standpoint, as long as you don’t mind having gnarly, non-supple cabling in your equipment rack. Keep in mind this cable is only suitable for analog audio purposes, not video or digital audio.

Regards,
Wayne


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## t3steve

Thanks Wayne
Now I just need to find a source of the canarecable you recommend in your soldering article


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Markertek is a reliable source for both the Canare cable and the Neutrik RCAs I like to use. They also sell Mogami, another excellent cable brand.

Regards,
Wayne


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## t3steve

Thanks again Wayne


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## Anthony

I've bought my Canare cable at Westlake, Markertek, and SJ Media. They were all similar price.

The Neutrik RCAs are pretty nice. Parts Express used to sell them and I've used them on several cable runs that used microphone cable as opposed to coax (which I crimp instead of solder).

Good luck.


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