DIY Audio Signal Patch Cable for Two Amplifiers

Welcome back guys! You remember i said you that i'm going to make an another instructable for making a patch cable which will connect two identical subwoofers or amplifiers to one audio source?? This is it!! This instructables is useful for DJ enthusiasts also as they'll get to know how their patch cables are manufactured and how they can make one for themselves. Their are several types of patch cables and this is just one of them!

Step 1: Materials and Tools Needed

Materials needed:-
1. 3.5mm Stereo socket.
2. 3.5mm Stereo Phono Jack.
3. Two RCA Jacks.
4. 1 or 2 mts. Stereo shielded wire.
5. Adhesive(Strong enough to seal).

Tools needed:- Insulating tape, Pliers with inbuilt stripper or separate stripper, Razor, Soldering iron, etc..

Step 2: Working With Shielded Cables

Working with these types of wires may be challenging if basic and proper knowledge is lacking. These are actually two-cored cables with a shielding of ground cable in a zig-zag form. The shielding of signal wires is important as it reduces the impact of outer interfering signals and prevents a hum in the amplifier. Stripping these wires may be difficult because here normal wire strippers won't work, infact it'll just easily damage the shielding wire and make a mess out of it. So, here i'm going to use razor that may sound funny, but it really works! ;)
1st locate a place where you want to strip the wire. Now using razor, try to peel the cover slightly from every side of the wire. Now gently pull out the cover as shown in the image; you'll get wires naked cleanly. Then use a pin or a needle to pull out the two wires(red and black) from the bottom of the cut. Now strip those two colored wires normally as you do. I had an inbuilt stripper on plier, so i used that. Follow the image and you're done!

Step 3: Preparing 3.5mm Socket

Always remember that Red wire is for right channel and Black wire is for left channel. For your convenience i've labelled the 3.5mm socket in the image. Take a desired length of shielded wire and following the 'Step 2' method, solder it on the socket terminals. Then take a piece of steel wire and wrap it around the socket to make a nice firm grip of wire. Lastly, cover the whole socket using insulating tape and put some adhesive to seal it.

Step 4: Preparing 3.5mm Jack

The jack is clearly labelled and all you have to do is to follow the very 1st step and soldering it correctly on correct pins. The red wire goes to the right channel, black goes on left and the shield wire is soldered on the ground metal pin of the jack. After finishing don't forget to grab the wire in the jaws of ground metal pin of the jack, as it will make a sturdy grip!

Step 5: Preparing RCA Jacks

RCA Jacks can be easily prepared as it has only two terminals. After following the 'Step 1', ground wires being common to both Jacks, connect and solder the red wire to the signal pin terminal of the Red Jack and do the same for black. Follow the last diagram that shows wiring of RCA Jacks. Then grab the wire firmly to the metal case jaws.

Step 6: Join the Wires

Join the wires neatly and correctly. First of all, join all the sheilding wires, then the red and the black one. Take a small piece of solder wire and wrap it on all the three joints. Heat the joints slightly using the iron and the solder will firmly stick onto it! ;)

Step 7: Tape the Joints and Seal It

Firstly, tape each joints and insulate them well. Then wrap the tape nicely covering the whole joint. Check the whole wire using a continuity tester before sealing it. If everything's alright, seal the tape joints using the adhesive and you're finished!

Any questions or suggestions are heartily welcomed! :)