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All studios, big or small can have problems with buzzes and hums. These
types of problems can quickly make the product put out by the studio unprofessional or
even unusable. One of the things that a project studio owner needs to
do is to make sure cables are in good working order. A poor shield connection in a
microphone cable can cause hum, yet you will still get audio.
In previous tips we showed you how to test cables. Now we're giving you
some tips on how to repair or even wire cables. |
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The Tools |
| The solder you need is rosin core electrical
solder, not the acid core solder used by plumbers. The solder makes sure you have a
good connection between the wire & the terminal (when it is applied properly) You
can use a soldering "pencil" that you plug in and it heats up. You keep
this in a holder so you don't burn down the building. You can also use a soldering
gun that you hold a trigger and it heats up the tip for one use. The pencil should
be rated between 30 and 50 watts. The gun rating to use is between 75 - 150 watts.
You will also want a pair of needle-nose pliers and could use a set of
strippers. The tools should cost between $20 and $40 at your local Radio Shack or
check out the link for high quality tools at affordable prices. |
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Tip #1 - Do The Prep |
| A big reason poor connections are made is because heat doesn't
transfer correctly from the tip of the gun or pencil to the wire & terminal. The
tip of the soldering pencil/gun must be shinny when the connection is made.
This is accomplished by "tinning" the tip. To tin it, heat it up and melt
solder on it. Wipe away the excess with a damp cloth or sponge. Do this often
as the thin coat of solder you are applying will "boil-off" the hot tip. As
the tip sits there heated up, the tip will dull in color. Just before making a
connection, run the hot tip over the damp cloth or sponge to restore the shinny solder.
Most wires in cables are composed of small strands. Take these strands
and twist them together. Run the hot tip over the wire and apply a small amount of
solder. This makes all of the strands connect together and makes it like one solid
wire. This helps assure you have a good connection and is called "tinning the
wire." |
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Tip #2 - The WIRE Melts
The Solder |
| When making the connection, the tip of the
pencil/gun heats the wire and terminal. The WIRE & TERMINAL heat the solder to
melt it. Apply the solder to the wire and terminal. Don't melt the wire on the tip
and try to "paint" it on. A good connection will appear shinny after it is
done. A connection made with improper heat (called a "cold-solder
connection") will appear dull. If you are repairing an old
connection, heat up the terminal and shake off the excess old solder before applying new
solder. |
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Tip #3 - Keep the
Insulation |
| The insulation of the wire must be stripped back about 3/8 inch
to make the connection. Be careful not to cut into the fine stands of the wire.
It is important that after you are done, the insulation is
butted right up to the terminal. All too often an inexperienced person will strip
away too much insulation and there will be too much wire exposed. As the cable is
used and twisted, the wires accidentally touch causing a short.
To keep these wires properly insulated, cut the individual wires to the right
length. Generally the insulated wire sticks out of the cable about 3/4 of an inch -
BUT use the right amount to keep each wire's insulation right up against the terminal.
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