Need Help With Building DIY Grounding Cable


Hello,

I am planning to build a DIY grounding box. I am planning to connect my DAC and Integrated amp to this grounding box by connectig the unused RCA input terminals on the both. For this I need to create two cables with Banana at one end and RCA at the other end so that I can connect them via speaker binding post on grounding box.

I need help with how & where to attach (solder) the cable on RCA socket.

I also need help in understanding if I can connect both L & R RCA input sockets on same amp to same grounding box (assuming I am going to solder the wire on the shell/-ve part of RCA connector)? Also Can I similarly connect all unused inputs on DAC/Amp to grounding box.

I understand attaching multiple inputs to grounding box is not going to amplify the effect & I just want to do it for protection of those input terminals.

Regards,

audio_phool

128x128audio_phool

You might want to post this question at DIYaudio.com.     Also, I recommend building two separate ground boxes - one for analog, one for digital.  Surprisingly, I discovered that even the ground wires can pass along digital nasties to analog.  When I re-routed them separately, the SQ cleaned up.  

@steakster Thanks for your reply. I am going to build two grounding boxes, earlier my plan was to make 1 bigger one..but now changed it making 2 boxes with smaller dimension. I don't have account on DIYaudio, so thats why I am hoping someone would answer all my queries here.

I have built 3 ground boxes. 1 each for my speakers with subs built in and one for my system power conditioner. I have them posted on my virtual system. I have noticed an improvement using them.
I connected my main ground box to my power conditioner’s ground lug spade to the ground box with banana. My speakers are connected spade to banana.
You can connect individual components to the box directly as well using one open rca or use one component (Amp) as a component hub connecting all components to the amp then only the amp connects to the ground box. Some use alligator clamps on open rca input but I feel rca connectors stay connected better. I soldered my rca’s to outer ground connection. I have not needed to separate digital and analog. Good luck with it. Fun stuff.

Check out this link very helpful ground box info. I own one of his RF Router for my HT system. Also, search agon thread on ground boxes.

 

@tksteingraber Thank you for your response. Yes I am going to connect the bnana plug to the shell/-ve of RCA plug leaving the center pin as it is.  I saw the photos and desription of your ground box, it surely looks nice.

Just remember signal ground and chassis ground are not the same. If you components are balanced be very careful. Typically the neg on the RCA or the outer circle is the only thing connected to ground as long as the components are not XLR/ balanced. 

@hsounds my components are not balanced and I am not using any balanced input to attach the ground box, it will be only to the unused unbalnced inputs on DAC and integrated amp. Thanks for the caution.

You should check out Puritan cables. They have these RCA spring clip to banana ground cables. There is a great trick for this. Get yourself a speaker wall plate with 5 red and 5 black 5 way posts. They are usually $15. Take one stripped copper and connect it in a loop. Start with the top red and go round robin entil you end up back at the red from behind the plate. Connect all of your signal ground together. Leave one of the ten posts open to connect your star ground to a ground. I use Puritan GroundMaster. If you do not want to put 8’ rods in the ground then buy the GroundMaster City. It lets you use the buildings ground without the worry of damaging your equipment. They make a Puritan RouteMaster as a star ground. I just told you how to make one for $15. 
if you are doing a chassis ground and a signal ground you will need two separate star grounds (speaker plates) and two separate GroundMaster City devices if you decide to connect them to ground. Never combine signal ground and chassis ground unless you confirm with you component manufacturer. I am going to do the chassis ground this winter. I have friends who have tested it out. They say it really creates a black background. My system is really good already but it will be a fun experiment.