DIY Canare 4S11 Bi-Wire cables...

[edwelly]

Hello all... While I realize bi-wiring isn't any magical enhancement, I thought I would make some anyway. I used canare 4S11 cable, techflex, heat shrink and locking bananas - I am pretty proud of how these turned out as I did some looking around on the net and found these to look almost as good as some costing $500 +

 

[sawdin]

Questions

I recently purchased the new Denon AVR 3806 which can supposedly be bi-amped (according to Audioholics review) along with a pair of Revel Concerta F12 speakers. I'm thinking of basically doing the same thing that you did. What type of techflex did you use, the FlexoPet (which comes in colors) and needs to be cut with a hot knife or the CleanCut which you can cut with a pair of scissors? Where did you get the colored shrinkwrap? Also, what is the red (tape?) material at the end of the blue shrink wrap?

TIA,

Dino

PS..Have you used the Canare 4S11 before? I know Blue Jeans Cable uses it but it is often ragged on by the esoteric types over at Audioasylum.

 

[edwelly]

I recently purchased the new Denon AVR 3806 which can supposedly be bi-amped (according to Audioholics review) along with a pair of Revel Concerta F12 speakers. I'm thinking of basically doing the same thing that you did. What type of techflex did you use, the FlexoPet (which comes in colors) and needs to be cut with a hot knife or the CleanCut which you can cut with a pair of scissors? Where did you get the colored shrinkwrap? Also, what is the red (tape?) material at the end of the blue shrink wrap?

TIA,

Dino

PS..Have you used the Canare 4S11 before? I know Blue Jeans Cable uses it but it is often ragged on by the esoteric types over at Audioasylum.

I used the fire retardant tech flex as I wanted something other than black. I got it on eBay as I only wanted 20 feet. I used a hot knife to cut it. I did get a sample of the techflex you can cut with scissors, Clean Cut, it is much nicer but I only have 6 inches of that
the heat shrink I got from www.partexpress.com and that is red heat shrink on the end. Not happy with the end so I order some 3-1 heat shrink today and I will redo the ends this week.
I am not sure why anyone would rag on the canare 4s11 cable as it is VERY nice - better than anything else I have used for $0.68 a foot...

 

[claudermilk]

Nice cable. I cannot imagine why anyone would have an issue with that Canare cable, it's good stuff. I got mine through partsexpress along with that same FR Techflex (looks awesome on the 4S11). I used the basic FlexoPET cut with scissors & just burned the ends slightly right after cutting. I've got a picture of my results in the 4S11 thread on the Interconnects forum.

There's a few of those megadollar cables I am certain is exactly what we have done & many I strongly suspect of the same. It's a matter of do you want to DIY or fork over more $.

 

[sawdin]

More Questions...

Thanks for the information. I have a few questions if you don't mind:
1. I don't see the Fire Rated TechFlex at partsexpress. However, I am thinking that I may go with one of the colored FlexoPet offerings and singe/melt the end after cutting.
2. What size techflex did you use?
3. From the photo on the other thread, it looks like you wrapped the 4S11 in FR techflex. Then it looks like black heat shrink at the split, but what is coming out of the black heat shrink? On your post, it sounds as if it is just smaller black and white heat shrink but it looks like colored techflex or some other type of wrap, it does not look like heat shrink. Then it looks like the red and white stuff is covered with black heat shrink into the connector. What size heat shrink and techflex did you use at various stages?
3. Where did you get your locking bananna plugs? Blue Jeans Cable, partsexpress, someplace else?

Thanks for your help,
Dino

PS...It looks quite nice!

 

[edwelly]

Thanks for the information. I have a few questions if you don't mind:
1. I don't see the Fire Rated TechFlex at partsexpress. However, I am thinking that I may go with one of the colored FlexoPet offerings and singe/melt the end after cutting.
2. What size techflex did you use?
3. From the photo on the other thread, it looks like you wrapped the 4S11 in FR techflex. Then it looks like black heat shrink at the split, but what is coming out of the black heat shrink? On your post, it sounds as if it is just smaller black and white heat shrink but it looks like colored techflex or some other type of wrap, it does not look like heat shrink. Then it looks like the red and white stuff is covered with black heat shrink into the connector. What size heat shrink and techflex did you use at various stages?
3. Where did you get your locking bananna plugs? Blue Jeans Cable, partsexpress, someplace else?

Thanks for your help,
Dino

PS...It looks quite nice!

1. I am not sure if Parts Express sells the FR stuff. the ONLY reason I used it was becuase it has the whire tracers on it. If yuou are considering ordering black, I bought 100 ft from Westlake Electronics for less than $30 - can't beat that with a stick
2. I used 1/2 inch
3. I wrapped the cable in TF, and I taped (just a little) the ends. One of the problem I was having was using the heatshrink at this point becuase it would show EVERYTHING underneath, tape wrap, etc. To fix this I used a hollow metal dowel and cut it about 1.5 inches. I then slide the dowel over my end (with the tape underneath) and heat shrinked that. Presto - no tape lines and it looks pretty cool. I am going to remove the red shrink and I bought some 3-1 shrink to solve that issue.
4. eBay...

I will check back later today if you have any other questions...

 

[claudermilk]

My answers are in the other thread. We probably ought to pick one to concentrate on before someone gets bent out of shape.