Audio Grade Cat6 Cable Build - Ethercon to Ethercon

[@billylaguardia]

Hi Everyone. Billy here. Just a bit of clarification. Belden 1303e is designed for the entertainment industry. I am referring to it as "audio grade" in the description because Belden calls it "Ethernet Snake Cable" and heavily references audio protocols that the cable is compatible with. I assumed (perhaps incorrectly), "audio grade" was an overarching term that would guide entertainment industry humans to this video. Beyond "1's and 0's", this cable also works well in applications where analog audio is run using this cable as a multicore trunk line. Because the pairs are individually shielded and there is a separate drain line for common grounds beyond the braided shielding, this is an excellent for those running analog audio. I am in no way saying that this cable will make your "1's and 0's sound better" or different than normal ethernet cable. In summation: this cable features additional shielding and a more flexible jacketing allowing it to wrap more easily than your normal "pull box" style cable. Will pull box STP cable function in essentially the same way? Yes. If you have any further questions, please let me know. Or, you can use your significant electron manipulating powers to search Belden 1303e cable to read the full specs: then come back to this comments section and tell me what was incorrect. Happy Halloween! -b :)

[@zombienoob410]

lol it guys must be fun at parties, they always know better and pick everything apart. I'll be ordering some cable and connectors from you soon, I was looking for a source of belden 1303e. Thanks for making it available! Happy halloween!

[@billylaguardia]

@ well thanks! Add a note to your order with your shirt size and I’ll send you some LM swag!

[@Konjux]

@@billylaguardia I think "Audio grade" is a suiting term, as its application is in the audio world, so it hints at the cable being suitable for that. No clue how people can see it differently when the context of the video and the channel is audio based. Thanks for your content, it's made me more confident that my own cablemaking is up to standards.

[@brenthandycts131]

@@Konjux because there is so much Audiophile BS, with people selling $600 unbalanced RCA cables, balanced cables and Ethernet cables with $9 Neutrik connectors, fancy Techflex and Belden cable, then saying the sound field is better, jitter is reduces, frequency response is extended, etc, etc. I get triggered. The test bench provides all the truth we need.

[@jeshurunjohnson8634]

Well actually......thanks for posting your videos, they've given me some confidence to make my own cables and such!

[@billylaguardia]

Ha! I'll take that "well actually"!! I believe in you!!

[@brenthandycts131]

The title of this video is kind of misleading. CAT cables have physical and electrical requirements. If those are met, the cable will work and your data will flow. There is no audio grade CAT cable. That's just marketing BS. The cable either works, or it doesn't. The differing copper categories yield different lengths and bandwidths. You must use the cable recommended by the manufacturer of whatever you are connecting. There are audio protocols like AES50, MADI, etc using CAT cable to connect devices that aren't networkable. In those situations, the cable doesn't necessarily need to meet the same specifications as cable used for networking. In fact, there are guys like Dave Rat of Rat Sound commissioning their own cables to get more distance, or in some cases more reliable operation than what is possible with typical CAT cable used for data. My company always recommends and installs shielded cable. In situations where we have total control during an installation, we can get away with one braided shield. There are some situations in live production where each pair must be shielded. And all of these cases, different connectors will be used. Some cable manufacturers will recommend connectors for their cables and provide cross-compatibility charts. In the case of Belden, their connectors work with their cable without issue. You just have to have their compatibility chart. Shielded cable minimizes the possibility of outside interference with data flow. Some manufacturers use the shield. In fact, there are manufacturers stating if you don't use the shielded CAT cable, the warranty will be invalid. They will be able to tell why the unit failed when the shield is not used. Getting back to my original point. Slapping audio grade on any data cable video is misleading. Digital audio is data. You can't extrapolate more audio data out of the signal then what is there. You can cause problems by using an inferior cable. You can always disrupt the data flow. But the data is the data.

[@billylaguardia]

@@brenthandycts131 www.belden.com/products/cable/audio-cable/ethernet-snake-cable/1303e

[@zombienoob410]

Well actually in some applications audio is passed via cat, radial catapult for example. Belden 1303e is rated cat6a, it has shielding on all the pairs isolating them, thus making it acceptable for ANALOGUE AUDIO GRADE USE. Yes technically its overkill as twisted pairs eliminates noise, shielding in between avoids cross talk. It is a cat6a cable that can be used for data or audio over cat, braided and foil shelled. If you wanna test it to make sure it meets technical specs go ahead. Dave Rat sells a very similar type, called superCAT, superCAT XM is cat6a and he guarantees that it will run AES50 over 100 meters. The cables meet the same specs.

[@billylaguardia]

@ an excellent “well actually”! Belden 1303e (which is what I am using in the video) does have analog audio in mind. The conductors/insulation are thicker than normal “pull box” style cat cable. Which is why you have to use an Ethercon or industrial RJ vs the normal plastic crimp connectors. Belden calls it “audio grade” which is why I use that nomenclature. Also why I put the link to Belden’s spec in response to the OP’s “well actually”.

[@brenthandycts131]

@zombienoob410 ​@zombienoob410 Right, and I made that delineation. I stated non-networked devices don't necessarily need to meet CAT data requirements. In the cases of the 4-channel analog over CAT, it might be preferred to have CAT5e (24AWG) instead of CAT6A (23AWG). CAT7 and above gets down to 22AWG, which is what cheap stage snake cable is. I believe larger diameter cable is better, and will likely hold up better unless it has some type of stage grade, heavy duty or armored jacket.

[@zombienoob410]

@@brenthandycts131 Can you find me a link to a cat5e that’s thicker, shielded, rated for POE, has a flex rating of 2,000,000 and cheaper than 1.99 a foot? For studio use with powered microphones with runs under 100ft the difference with slightly thinner cables is negligible, I’m more concerned about POE, flexibility and isolation. Beldon 1303e meets my requirements and is cheaper than Lapp 2170488. Cross talk drops something from -90ish db to -115ish between 5e and 6a. And if I ever do go digital the cable will meet requirements with no issues.

[@aaronho4242]

What other cables can u use to make lighter duty versions of the cable?

[@billylaguardia]

You can use any Shielded Cat5e or above.

[@philtuttle]

Is this not shielded?? Between the braid and the drain wire, I would assume it is. But…?

[@billylaguardia]

@@philtuttle 1303 has foil shielding around each pair with the drain wire in the center of the bundle. The only interruption of the braid is where the connector is terminated.

[@philtuttle]

@@billylaguardia so, yes it is a shielded cable?

[@billylaguardia]

@ 🤣🤣 it is indeed! Sorry for the over explanation. This thread is getting deep

[@--AP--]

What industrial rj45 connector do you recommend? I have some thick shielded cat6 that I have trouble getting in standard rj45s.

[@billylaguardia]

I use the Cable Matters 180078 www.cablematters.com/pc-938-164-6-pack-tool-free-cat8-shielded-rj45-field-termination-plug.aspx

[@brenthandycts131]

@@--AP-- Neutrik and Belden have shielded connectors for large diameter cable. You can't use unshielded RJ45s with shielded cable.

[@--AP--]

@brenthandycts131 yes, was just having a hard time parsing all of the different options. If there are some specific models targeting the extra thick outdoor rated shielded cable, that would be helpful.

[@--AP--]

@@billylaguardia thanks! And an additional thanks for all the great information!

[@billylaguardia]

@@--AP-- no problem at all. This cable was hard to find a connector for. I actually called Belden when I received the cable to see if they recommended a connector….and they didn’t have one spec’d! So it took me a lot of research and ordering to find the Cable Matters plug! Glad I could help!!