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i have to replace the reverb wires on my old traynor....my question is, can i use any old RCA cables i have laying around? i notice the "vintage" ones seem to have a stiff nylon core....do i need to buy specialized wire at $40 a foot?

Nah, you don't need anything special. I just use whatever coax is handy, RG8 mini, RG174, or chop up a stereo patch cord.

$40 foot cable is for HiFi kooks that have more money than brains

Cheers!

Any old audio cable will be fine, no need for costly audiophool "snake oil" is needed in this application. FWIW, the reverb "tank" introcuces its own audio "strangeness" into the signal, so fancy cables would just be a waste of money... Then take the savings (from the $40) and get sone nice cold brewskis Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_06 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_03 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_01 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_09 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_11

/ed B

ok thanks, i replaced them tonight with regular old RCA cables, works fine. my only concern is that there is a lot less metal in the modern RCA wires that i used. the center wire was too small for my strippers, which go down to 20 gauge. maybe i'll get a bit of decent coax somewhere

If you want to get "fancy" (AKA overkill) with this, then get some RG-58/U coax cable, and some semi-decent RCA plugs (Rat Shack should have all of this) and roll your own cables, measured to the proper lengths. RG58/U works very well for audio and usually has pretty decent quality shielding. If you don't have any additional noise / hum issues, then just staywith the cheapo RCA cables...

FWIW, the output cable from the reverb tank would be the more "critical" one, as it handles relatively low signal voltages into a relatively high gain stage.

/ed B

I'm not sure which Traynor you're replacing them on, but I'd use 90 RCA connectors at the amp end. Otherwise, those ends of the reverb wires will likely stick out beyond the cabinet and cack on you sooner rather than later.

If you're making your own cables, Canare GS-4 cable is good, durable, inexpensive, and fairly easy to work.

Chris

i hear ya, they do jut out a bit from the tank. but the OG ones were stiff nylon, the newer ones are... limp, and flaccid.
i replaced them with some thin, weak looking El Cheapo ones i had laying about. but, it worked wonders- i now have reverb, which actually works.
hopefully this winter i will get into that amp and do stuff up right; i forgot 90 degree RCA cables even existed.