# DIY audio cable shielding?



## j3ff86

I have my sound card hooked up to my computer case's front audio panel, and I get faint electrical noise when I open folders, scroll through websites, etc. Is there any way to add EMI shielding to the front panel cable myself? For example, wrapping the cable in aluminum foil tape? Or do I need a special kind of tape to block the interference?


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## CDBacklash

Tin foil (not aluminium) will block the RFI


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## j3ff86

Ah I thought aluminum/tin foil were the same thing. I'll look for some at the hardware store tomorrow.


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## SleepyOne

Belden do a braided copper shield which you can cover normal cable with.

Take Five Audio - Canada's Online Source For High-End Audio, Parts and Accessories - Braided Copper Shield


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## JamesL

You can get those braided shields in a lot of places, but aluminum foil if implemented correctly can do the job as well just as well, if not better. make sure it's grounded, else it won't attenuate either HF or ELF. 

 I'm just speculating, but I think the noise has more to do with the way your soundcard pulls power off the PCI bus.. and how the motherboard handles the power, since afterall.. the cpu and pci bus draws power from the same 12v rail.

 Do you get the same kind of noise when you connect the headphones via output on the back?


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## j3ff86

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you get the same kind of noise when you connect the headphones via output on the back?_

 

None at all. I've held the front cable in my hand and moved it around while my headphones were connected, and it's loudest when it's next to my hard drive, so I know it has to do with cable interference.

 Also I think the front panel is already grounded if you look at this pic:


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## JamesL

You have to make sure the shield is grounded. Not just the front panel, though the panel you seem to be referring to is just a plastic piece to which the jacks are attached to.


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