DIY SNAIC
- Thread starter x21
- Start date
martin clark
pinko bodger
Anything you like! Discrete wires, encompassed by heatshrink, just fine. Keep the +v and its 0v resturn lightly twisted together ...but - There is no magic involved.
Hi X21.
I made my own using with components from HiFiCollective https://www.hificollective.co.uk
Screening Braid: BTUBE 4mm.
Cardas 23.5 AWG Black (0.75mm dia.) Litz Copper multistrand wire for signal.
PTFE silver plated copper wire 19/0.15 for power.
Deltron DIN plugs (from eBay)
I have a HiCap so two Snaics. However, I didn’t follow Naim principle of passing the signal from the NAC to the Hicap in one Snaic and signal back to the NAP in the other. I made a power only Snaic from Hicap to NAC (for the two 24 v rails) and a signal only Snaic from NAC to NAP. This was vastly superior in SQ to the Naim layout by keeping the signal and power separate and having a very short signal path (0.5M).
You imply that you only have NAC and NAP so no option other than signal and power in the same cable using 4 pin 240 degree latching or locking as appropriate DIN plugs.
If you’ve never attempted anything like this before then making a Snaic is pretty much in at the deep end. A “third hand” to hold the plugs and wires in place for soldering is a big help.
The insulation on the Litz wires has to be very carefully scraped off using a razor blade.
IMO litz is much better for audio SQ but you can use ordinary multi strand copper if you prefer. PTFE insulated cable is also better for SQ. The Snaic is a very sensitive part of the signal path so using the best components pays dividends.
Naim use braided outer but the braiding ends before the plugs. A wire is soldered to the braiding at both ends and passed through the plug to terminate on the ground pin. Terminating one plug is not too difficult as there is some slack but doing the other end is not so easy. Put heat shrink on both ends to cover the braiding up to the plugs.
Search on here or google for the pin layouts.
It's very satisfying having made something which outperforms the stock item so have a go, just be very careful with the pin layout - you don't want to blow anything!
I made my own using with components from HiFiCollective https://www.hificollective.co.uk
Screening Braid: BTUBE 4mm.
Cardas 23.5 AWG Black (0.75mm dia.) Litz Copper multistrand wire for signal.
PTFE silver plated copper wire 19/0.15 for power.
Deltron DIN plugs (from eBay)
I have a HiCap so two Snaics. However, I didn’t follow Naim principle of passing the signal from the NAC to the Hicap in one Snaic and signal back to the NAP in the other. I made a power only Snaic from Hicap to NAC (for the two 24 v rails) and a signal only Snaic from NAC to NAP. This was vastly superior in SQ to the Naim layout by keeping the signal and power separate and having a very short signal path (0.5M).
You imply that you only have NAC and NAP so no option other than signal and power in the same cable using 4 pin 240 degree latching or locking as appropriate DIN plugs.
If you’ve never attempted anything like this before then making a Snaic is pretty much in at the deep end. A “third hand” to hold the plugs and wires in place for soldering is a big help.
The insulation on the Litz wires has to be very carefully scraped off using a razor blade.
IMO litz is much better for audio SQ but you can use ordinary multi strand copper if you prefer. PTFE insulated cable is also better for SQ. The Snaic is a very sensitive part of the signal path so using the best components pays dividends.
Naim use braided outer but the braiding ends before the plugs. A wire is soldered to the braiding at both ends and passed through the plug to terminate on the ground pin. Terminating one plug is not too difficult as there is some slack but doing the other end is not so easy. Put heat shrink on both ends to cover the braiding up to the plugs.
Search on here or google for the pin layouts.
It's very satisfying having made something which outperforms the stock item so have a go, just be very careful with the pin layout - you don't want to blow anything!
Hi Pete, how do you insert a screen between power and signal using cat 5? I'd have thought you'd need 2 strands, each shielded?
Pete MB&D
Pete Maddex, the one and only!
It’s a twisted pair cable designed to work at high frequencies, the twist screens the pairs from each other they are twisted as different rates to improve the effect.
So I use the solid colours for signal and power and connect the white/colour wires to ground.
Naim use 3A mains cable for signal cables so I don’t think screening is very important.
Pete
So I use the solid colours for signal and power and connect the white/colour wires to ground.
Naim use 3A mains cable for signal cables so I don’t think screening is very important.
Pete