[sdiy] Best way to wire up a multi-channel cable?

[Chromatest J. Pantsmaker]

It loaded for me.  They're using USB-C connectors with whatever wiring to
patch polyphonically. The most signals that I'm seeing on any one module is
8 per cable.  USB-C has 24 pins.  I suppose they *could* be running
High/Low/Shield for each of 8 signals, but I feel like that would be
ridiculous.  I'm going to bet that they are doubling up and using 12 pins,
8 signals and 4 grounds, but I'm just guessing here.

Anyway, using balanced audio for modular would be pretty silly.  You'd need
a transformer or extra op-amp for every signal input and output to convert
between balanced and unbalanced.  Noise really only gets picked up on long
cable runs (like 20-feet MINIMUM) and VERY low signals (mics, guitars).
We're talking about tenths of volts and smaller. Modular levels are way
beyond that.

So, for your cables, run 16 audio pins and 4 ground pins and call it a day.

On Fri, Apr 18, 2025 at 3:49 AM Gordonjcp <gordonjcp at gjcp.net> wrote:

> On Fri, Apr 18, 2025 at 06:55:06AM +0200, cheater cheater via Synth-diy
> wrote:
> > i mean, it's for a modular. so a single cable won't be long, but the
> > signal doesn't just go through one cable, it will go through ten.
> >
> > tip top are doing something similar and i believe they're doing
> > balanced as well.
> >
> > https://tiptopaudio.com/art/modules-details/
>
> Their website is at ten minutes and still loading on a 2Gbps connection,
> so I suspect it's down just now ;-)
>
> Is this like a "stage snake" for joining two cabinets? I seriously doubt
> you'd need balanced signals if it's short, like less than a couple of
> metres. Just normal modular outputs and inputs will be absolutely fine.
>
> The output of a module is pretty low impedance and the input is pretty
> high impedance, so it's unlikely crosstalk is going to bother you, and the
> signal is pretty large so it's unlikely noise is going to bother you.
>
> The connectors will be large, if you have a lot of them.
>
> If you're really going insane with it, look at the "EDAC" connectors they
> used to use on old mixing desks. Strong enough to survive even the most
> brutal roadies, but hellish expensive. Or you could even go to Amphenol
> MIL26 bayonet plugs which are highly squaddie-resistant (but not completely
> indestructible).
>
> --
> Gordonjcp
>
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