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What RCA cables do you use, best for fighting noise?


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I am currently fighting a little alt whine and my cheap Walmart rca cables are letting in a bunch of it, I want to upgrade anyways so now is the time to do it. Yes, I know all the culprits to the whine so please spare me on that, just recommend a good quality rca brand/line that you personally know to be very well shielded that won't require a 2nd mortgage.

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Most "shielded" RCA cables will block radiated noise... assuming that's your issue. Currently I'm still using the same Monster Cable 6 channel that I've had for probably 8 or 10 years, some assorted Stinger stuff that I picked up super cheap at Darvex.com because they were on sale, and a few random ones I've picked up at Radio Shack and local audio stores.

From my experience the higher end stuff they sell at Radio Shack is about as good quality as anything going. Just be sure it says "shielded" and if you still have noise your problem is elsewhere.

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Well that depends on if your amps have balanced inputs or not.

That being said a lot of people's definition of "music" is a clipped 30 hz sine wave with some 80 IQ knuckle head grunting about committing crimes and his genitals.

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^^^ Yup, what he said. Plus I just want to add something to that.

One thing I noticed again with amps is the way they are made. Now this is just my experience and I am still puzzled as to why that is.

1. Anyway, back in 98 when I first installed my MTX 240 & MTX 280 amps with Monster Cable XLN201's, I had a whine. I tried the ground loop and it helped some but there was always a whine just suppressed or at least tolerable.

Later I upgraded to a Memphis Audio 16ST-3004 & 16ST1500D, the whine completely went away! Same cables,same power and ground! Something in the Memphis offers better isolation(?).

2. Fast forward to 2015, Devin's Jimmy. Avionixx CXA-1004 amp no whine once installed. Install was radio,RCA,amp. Again, the amp has some sort of good isolation (?).

No whine first time around.

Well with all the rain Florida had in July, the sunroof water outlet was clogged and water intrusion occurred and some water fell on the Avionixx and

2 fets melted. I installed a cheap T.M.A. 320.4 I had. Same cables, same power, same ground. Well wouldn't you know, a whine ensued!

I had to do what NEVER KNOWS BEST showed me last year. I had to "ground the RCA's in back of the radio". It worked!

I still think some times it's the way the amps are made that can be the problem.

3. When I started the Camaro install. Set up went without a hitch. Radio,RCA, amp. No additonal grounding tricks needed. The old school Lanzar Optidrive 50C & 2100 amps, and X3 crossover are "Optically Isolated". I wonder if that is what I am talking about? I later installed the JL Audio JA 1000.1 to run the T1 12's. Sure enough, I had to ground the RCA's to get rid of the whine!

Please educate me as well, whom ever reads this. Sometimes it's the equipment you're using!? Or one ground maybe ok for one amp, but horrible for another. Make sense?

-Frank

Edited, bc I spelled ensued wrong. Yeah, OCD.

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I have the Crescendo c1100.4, if anyone knows what inputs that has let me know, otherwise I'm going to test it tonight after work. When I check it do I need everything disconnected from the amp including all speakers, power, ground, remote and rca cables?

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^^^ Yup, what he said. Plus I just want to add something to that.

One thing I noticed again with amps is the way they are made. Now this is just my experience and I am still puzzled as to why that is.

1. Anyway, back in 98 when I first installed my MTX 240 & MTX 280 amps with Monster Cable XLN201's, I had a whine. I tried the ground loop and it helped some but there was always a whine just suppressed or at least tolerable.

Later I upgraded to a Memphis Audio 16ST-3004 & 16ST1500D, the whine completely went away! Same cables,same power and ground! Something in the Memphis offers better isolation(?).

2. Fast forward to 2015, Devin's Jimmy. Avionixx CXA-1004 amp no whine once installed. Install was radio,RCA,amp. Again, the amp has some sort of good isolation (?).

No whine first time around.

Well with all the rain Florida had in July, the sunroof water outlet was clogged and water intrusion occurred and some water fell on the Avionixx and

2 fets melted. I installed a cheap T.M.A. 320.4 I had. Same cables, same power, same ground. Well wouldn't you know, a whine in sewed!

I had to do what NEVER KNOWS BEST showed me last year. I had to "ground the RCA's in back of the radio". It worked!

I still think some times it's the way the amps are made that can be the problem.

3. When I started the Camaro install. Set up went without a hitch. Radio,RCA, amp. No additonal grounding tricks needed. The old school Lanzar Optidrive 50C & 2100 amps, and X3 crossover are "Optically Isolated". I wonder if that is what I am talking about? I later installed the JL Audio JA 1000.1 to run the T1 12's. Sure enough, I had to ground the RCA's to get rid of the whine!

Please educate me as well, whom ever reads this. Sometimes it's the equipment you're using!? Or one ground maybe ok for one amp, but horrible for another. Make sense?

-Frank

This is my fear, I just upgraded from a Kicker zx650.4 to my crescendo c1100.4 and boom, instant whine. I have it mostly isolated to the rca cables and already tried grounding the rca to the HU but no luck there (sony head unit btw) I'm definitely picking it up from rca and I also am getting a little from my passive crossovers but I'm going to tackle this one problem at a time.

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Don't get those then, those are meant for balanced inputs.

You need a single ended cable.

I'd get the smd single ended cables or the soundrive cables personally.

That being said a lot of people's definition of "music" is a clipped 30 hz sine wave with some 80 IQ knuckle head grunting about committing crimes and his genitals.

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Don't get those then, those are meant for balanced inputs.

You need a single ended cable.

I'd get the smd single ended cables or the soundrive cables personally.

Where do I get thoes, I looked and could not find the smd cables, not really looking to spend $$$ on cables though. The Knu Karma ss cables are a twisted coaxial which I thought is what you want for single ended input, the Knu Krystal cables are a braided pair for balanced inputs I thought?

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