Tom-

Been working on the cables as I steal some time in the late afternoon.
Those 4 pole mini's are tough to solder.
I wound up with one wire on each pole and then splicing into the two conductor (per channel) to the 1/4 inch plug.

Using a Canare microphone at $.49 (yes 49 cents) per foot. Very well made but not sure the extra heft of the shield is necessary for headphone cables. Also plan to do some interconnects with left over cable just to humor a curious mind.

Perhaps this weekend there'll be a "Maiden Voyage."

Sounds great John. I use Canare and Mogami cables for all my XLR runs and have found they perform as well as high dollar cables on loan from my local brick and mortar. Zero difference.

It makes sense to run one cable per side. That way if you want to go balanced your can just replace the 1/4” with an XLR.

Techflex makes some very nice looking expandable braided sleeving you can use to give your finished project a very professional appearance.

The cables are complete and initial impressions are so far favorable.
Certainly enough to hold me over while making a decision on the next move. Final length is 17 feet and the braided shield was not connected. Never having built a headphone cable before, learned a lot and may modify a bit as shortfalls are evaluated in use.

Tom, my findings with exotic cabling in my system have also been anti-climatic. I am aware this is not a DIY forum and I am not disputing the findings of others. Rolling my own works well enough for this hands on guy and hopefully is not penny wise and pound foolish.

Enjoy the Sounds!

Excellent!

Cables continue to surprise me. Things I think will make no difference (ex. USB) really do, and things I think should make a big difference (ex. long balanced interconnects) don’t offer any sonic advantage.

I am driving the LCD-3's (purchased through Legend Audio) via a Bryston BHA-1 in balanced mode.

Made extension cables using Mogami Neglex cable and 4 pin XLR connectors from Amphenol ('AX' series).

I opted not to work with the 'mini' connectors up at the transducers, but instead replaced the 1/4" plug on the Audeze cable with a female 4 pin XLR. In that case I have one extension cable terminating at a 1/4 plug for the OPPO 205 and one with a 4 pin male XLR for the Bryston BHA-1.

CLP-

I understand to not "work with the minis." They are a bear to solder. My LCD 3's were purchased a few years back when they included a four (4) pin XRL as well.

To me, it seems weird that two (2) pins of the minis need to be linked together for the positive and negative terminals of the LCD 3's transducers.

When I get some moments, gonna' carefully remove the outer screens and test continuity
from the transducers to the male pins. My guess is that it will reveal the two pins necessary and negate needing to "short" pins 1 and 4 and 2 and 3.

In the mean time...:music:

Well, I did the continuity test this afternoon and going from the soldered wire on the transducers to the plug pins, 1 & 4 were both active as well as 2 & 3. Not sure why and certainly not going to pull the plug from the headset. :no:

End of Experiment.

Until my next stunt :music:

A wise place to stop. :yes:

Enjoy the LCD 3's!