Making Quality XLR Cables #4 - Quad Mic Cables (Public)

In this video I terminate a quad conductor mic cable and discuss various aspects of making mic cables, tinning, shrink wrap tricks, and more

The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to make quad mic cables that allow multiple microphones to connect to a single input. The process involves using braided shields, neutral connectors, and strain relief to ensure proper labeling, easy pairing of wires, and clean soldering of the wires to the connector. The video also highlights the importance of using clean and wet solder and offers tips on how to test the shrink wrap and check every possible fault for an XLR cable. By following these guidelines, users can create high-quality XLR cables that are resistant to humidity and corrosion.

If you like this and other videos I do, please join this channel to get access to more videos, early access to videos as well as to be able to join my weekly zoom chats:

Also check out:

00:00 Into
00:11 What is a quad mic cable and usage
00:50 Connector type and advantages
02:18 Preparation for the build and loading connector parts on the cable
04:13 Strip length and stripping the jacket
06:14 Pre rigging the conductors
06:55 Stripping the internal quad wires
07:45 Tinning the ends
09:10 Trimming the ends
09:46 Tinning the female connector
10:10 Soldering the female connector - no shrink
10:42 Inspecting the connection
11:15 Checking the strain relief
11:41 Assemble
12:10 Preparing the male cable end
14:05 Tinning the male end
14:35 Preparing the shrink wrap
15:30 Trimming the ends
15:48 Tinning the connector cups
16:00 Soldering to the connector - with shrink
17:00 Soldering the ground wire with shrink
18:18 Heat to the shrink wrap
18:43 Overall shrink
19:35 How much does shrink wrap shrink?
21:37 Assemble
22:00 Testing the cable with a meter
23:22 Outro

[jasoncorder]

Excellent video. Your attention to detail and the explanation of tips and tricks that you have obviously learned by doing for many years, is excellent! For example, the rubber band over the needle nose pliers to create a hold for the connector is a great idea. I like the explanation of the heat sink on the ground to keep the heat shrink tubing from shrinking wile soldering. I have experienced the same. Thank you. Incidentally, I learned how to solder from a Heathkit course (anyone remember Heathkit) LOL. Learning how to solder correctly is invaluable. Thank you!

[joefunsmith]

As a VERY small time operator, I truly appreciate stuff like this. I learned on-the-job doing gratis work for a non-profit. To cut costs I bought a 1000' roll of XLR and a box full of Neutriks and relied on soldering skills I learned in high school electronics class almost 30 years prior. Even so, those cables are very robust. Not quads, but I didn't go bargain basement on the cable. If I ever need to expand or replace, now I have new skills learned from a real pro. Thank you Dave and YouTube.

[michael_emm]

Using the pliers as a heat sync is genius! That part always drove me nuts! Such simplicity with pliers and a rubber band! Great content as always!

[veloramaru]

Thank you sir! Just saw every parts about XLR cables - extremely useful. I was wondered about chassis ground and quad cable soldering - everything was covered in your lessons. I'm not a PRO - just DIY guy doing audio for myself and friends. So now i was instantly upgraded my knowledge. Thanks again, good luck!

[cwize]

Thanks for doing these vids!! So many people still are rubbish at soldering - so much over-stripping, cold joints, etc. I will say after soldering 1000s of cables in my life - the rubber bands on the needle nose was new to me. (DOH!) what a great little tip.
At the production/install company I worked for in the 90s, we added a piece of heat shrink that went over all the conductors and the end of the overall jacket just to provide more bite to the connector’s strain relief - but that was largely due to the old Switchcraft A3M/F days.

[LasseHuhtala]

Your videos aren't only interesting and informative, they are strangely meditative too. 😎

[mypetdrgn]

thanx so much Rat... so helpful and down to earth!

[UncleWalter]

I'd really love to see how you handle the braided shielding on the Canare star quad, especially the poking a hole and pulling through method that you described. I've heard others mention it but haven't seen it demonstrated. It's the most available cable stock to me and aside from the PITA shield, I really like it. I've had reasonable success with the picking method if I use my ESD tweezers which seem to be just the right taper and point to separate the braids, but it's still a pain when I have a big ol' pile of cables to do.

[LorneVignettes]

I really like your channel. I really wanted to learn how to make/fix my own cables. This is a big help.

[caracine]

Great well-done informing video once again about the basics of pro sound that most take for grande. Also, that XLR test tool is awesome as I've used mine several times already. It saves lots of time. Well done. Thanks!

[harvestministriesproductio]

Thanks for the video. Consise info that is useful to a lot of people.

It funny because I solder in the opposite order so I can manipulate the cable a little easier till I attach the shield. I also like to fully tin the shield and signal cables on most of my cables to avoid oxidation.

Love the pliers with the rubber band helping hands not always very helpful. I ended up making a panel with 2-1/4, 2-male and 2- female connectors along with wiring diagrams to help ease the process and get less crossed wires..

Definitely will be sharing your video for tips to people learning.

[GHohn]

Great video Dave. Always neat to see a real pro at work.

[thejonathanhatch]

So thankful for you sharing your genius!

I didn't catch it, but what sizes of shrink tubing are you using for everything?

[J_GPersonal]

Hey Dave. What conditions warrant shrinking individual terminals? I really appreciate you sharing your expertise in audio engineering. This video and your recent panning video were really helpful. I was going spend money on tools to make an upcoming installation more efficient, but took several thing off of my list after watching this. The needle nose and rubber bands is brilliant! It's like a 4 in one tool, and I happen to have several pair scattered about various tool bags. Thank you for saving me time and money.

[per-johanaltin]

Thanks for this great info! What brand is the slide on cable tie?

[OberstHulmbug]

I've soldered stuff for 50+ years, including a zillion XLRs and I still learned a few new tricks here, pretty neat! :)
But didn't Hughes Aircraft go metric long ago just like NASA?

Anyway, thanks for managing to make a soldering instruction video both entertaining and informative! Greetings from Sweden 😀

[djlotfiwah]

Hello, thank you for this video, i have build my own cable using your method using the same cable and connector but surprisingly, the sound is lower and less clear than an unbalanced connexion, is it normal ? i checked the gable with a tester and nothing is wrong . have you an idea ?

[andYzm]

The canare quad shield is the worst. I usually use the point of my multi-meter probe. Nice video!

[stephenbaldassarre]

Odd how I'm just about to sit down and make a bunch of mic cables when this pops up in my suggested list. It's amazing how much better AND cheaper home-made cables can be.

[anonymous_friend]

I made up 5 quad cables for my tom mics, and my stripping job wasnt so great. Does the occasional absence of 1-3 copper strands on one leg of a twisted pair make much of a difference?