What cable to use for audio (phono) diy connections?

[Capitol]

You really need screened twisted pairs. Not easily available. I did manage to get away with using telephone cable, two grounds commoned and one wire for each signal over a 10M run. As you have found hum present, I wonder if there is an earthing problem between the two rooms. There should not be any significant hum from pick up. The other possible problems causing hum and distortion are that the output and input impedances are not matching. Check what the values are and if in doubt, try terminating the amplifier input with 1K Ohms across each input as a start. Also check that the computer output is not at too high a level. I'd expect the amplifier to work with 1V rms at most, frequently less.

Regards Capitol

[Dave Plowman]

At the impedances and levels most interconnects work at, induction or whatever isn't usually a problem - just keep them a few inches away from other cables. Lighting cables with a dimmer somewhere tend to be the worst.

Different matter with an LP pickup wiring, though. ;-)

[Craig Graham]

Yeah, but "account" is rather meaningless in that sense. When you pay by cash immediately and don't need any references, the "account" they create is little more than a customer number to be used for junk mailing you.

[Lurch]

That it might be but they still require it so what can you do about it! ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[Craig Graham]

What I didn't make clear perhaps is that they simply created the "account" for me automatically the first time I placed a credit card order by phone. No forms needed to be sent in or anything. They call it a cash account, distinct from their normal accounts, and it's no more than a customer record in their system same as most other mail order people have. If you don't have the account number to hand and they can't find you, they just make a new one.