Thread: can noise be the cause of cheap RCA cables?

anyone?

Originally Posted by popuptoaster

i would say no, but, i would say that noise can be caused by cheap RCA cables! LOL

seriously, cheapo cables can be a bit marginal on the sheilding side, usually ok for home use where there is far less electrical noise. also make sure you RCA cables are as far away from any power wiring as possible.

hmmm. how would i do this if my mobo is under my stock deck (in-dash carputer)

Originally Posted by GruvThang

Make sure you are not using a 6ft cable looped around the blower and back! Make it neat, coiled up with twist ties or even better zip strips.

sorry what do you mean by 'looped around the blower and back!' ???

Yes, you will probably hear noise if you are using RCA cables (especially cheap ones). Because RCAs are analog, they are picking up all the EMI being generated by your engine. There are two ways go loose the EMI.

1. Use a digital signal to carry your audio (USB works). You will probably have to find an external auxillary input unit which will work with your deck (since I haven't seen the brillant idea of putting USB audio input on a deck). EMI does not interfere with a digital signal, so the audio is crystal clear.

2. Put your computer close to your deck and use very short high quality RCA cables.

Cheers

Originally Posted by selzier

Yes, you will probably hear noise if you are using RCA cables (especially cheap ones). Because RCAs are analog, they are picking up all the EMI being generated by your engine. There are two ways go loose the EMI.

1. Use a digital signal to carry your audio (USB works). You will probably have to find an external auxillary input unit which will work with your deck (since I haven't seen the brillant idea of putting USB audio input on a deck). EMI does not interfere with a digital signal, so the audio is crystal clear.

2. Put your computer close to your deck and use very short high quality RCA cables.

Cheers

hey you seem to know what ur talking about.

i have a AUX-in adapter that takes in RCA (red/black)

i know where to get high quality RCA, but where do i get quality RCA-to-headphone adapters?

also? ur saying that option #1 is impossible since there is no aux-in usb adapters?

Originally Posted by chicochu

hey you seem to know what ur talking about.

i have a AUX-in adapter that takes in RCA (red/black)

i know where to get high quality RCA, but where do i get quality RCA-to-headphone adapters?

also? ur saying that option #1 is impossible since there is no aux-in usb adapters?

Is the headphone adapter coming out of your sound card?
If so, use 1 cable with headphone (1/8'' audio) on one end, and RCAs on the other end.

1/8 plug ------------------- RCAs

Skip the RCA to 1/8'' adapter, because that is just more unshielded ends to receive EMI. You said your computer is right under your deck, so if you are really paranoid you can buy that cable, cut it as short as possible, and wire it back together (use teflon tape and tin foil as a shield). The more cable you have, the more EMI you are gonna pick up.

You can buy an external auxillary input adapter (like the one you have) with USB or Optical S/PDIF inputs. Optical will work as well, since it is not analog.

Remember to cross power / signal at 90 degree intersections if they have to cross at all. Magnetic fields in power wires are tiny, you won't be affected unless they are absolutely touching. You don't need GOOD rca's, just get something shielded. Ground the shielding. Also, your noise is probably a gain/signal impedence problem. Put something between your computer and your amps if its really bad. I'm assuming thats what you have hooked up, since you didn't tell us anything. Sound cards don't put out the same kind of signal that your amps were designed to take. Voltage is too low, you're cranking the amp, etc. Try a line driver, use audiocontrol, they make great stuff.