DRV134 cable recommendation

Scott Kerstein

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DRV134

Customer is looking at using a couple DRV134 to drive analog audio long distances (500 ft). Datasheet calls out Belden 9452 cable which is a twisted pair cable (one pair plus a shield). Is there a recommendation for a cable that has two pairs in a single cable? Or do they have to be separate? They want to run stereo so that would involve two twisted pairs and their end customer does not want to run two separate cables.

Thanks.

over 12 years ago

0 Bruce Trump over 12 years ago

Guru 21975 points

Scott,

Sorry but I don't know of any previous experience with this type of cable. My best guess is that it would work okay with some loss in high frequency channel separation. I think the real audible significance would be minimal.

I believe that I have seen cable with separate foil-shielded twisted pairs along with a single ground wire. Foil shielding is less durable but for permanent installations, should be okay.

Regards, Bruce.

0 Scott Kerstein over 12 years ago in reply to Bruce Trump

Expert 1395 points

Thanks.

0 Andy Peters over 12 years ago

Genius 3945 points

Scott Kerstein said:

Customer is looking at using a couple DRV134 to drive analog audio long distances (500 ft). Datasheet calls out Belden 9452 cable which is a twisted pair cable (one pair plus a shield). Is there a recommendation for a cable that has two pairs in a single cable? Or do they have to be separate? They want to run stereo so that would involve two twisted pairs and their end customer does not want to run two separate cables.

Several vendors sell multipair or "snake" cable, which is two or more jacketed shielded-twisted pairs inside one overall outer jacket (and possibly an overall shield). Typical vendors of the raw cable are Mogami and Belden. Whirlwind, ProCo, HAVE, Markertek and others sell cable assemblies with your choice of connectors.

These things are bog standard in the pro-audio world and are easy to find. It is not uncommon for a snake run to go 500' feet from a stage to a recording truck or to the front-of-house mixing console.

Google "audio snake cable bulk" for examples.

0 Scott Kerstein over 12 years ago in reply to Andy Peters

Expert 1395 points

Thanks.

0 Scott Kerstein over 12 years ago in reply to Scott Kerstein

Expert 1395 points

Could shielded CAT6e cable work?

0 Bruce Trump over 12 years ago in reply to Scott Kerstein

Guru 21975 points

Scott,

I checked with my brother, a systems integrator who has installed many long-run balanced line audio systems. His favored cable is now CAT type cables. He has had very good results with shielded multiple-pair CAT cable (twisted pairs inside a single shield). He has installed many 400+ foot runs with no problem.

Regards, Bruce.

0 Andy Peters over 12 years ago in reply to Scott Kerstein

Genius 3945 points

Scott Kerstein said:

Could shielded CAT6e cable work?

Shielded CAT6 works well. You might wish to measure crosstalk to see if you actually need individually shielded pairs, which CAT6 does not provide.

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DRV134 cable recommendation