UP SPOFC Classic XKE Instrument Cable

 

Van damme classic XKE instrument cable is a low capacitance cable for unbalanced audio use ~ in particular guitars, keyboards and other unbalanced output musical devices. Great attention has been paid to capacitance figure and overall screening of this cable type as the low voltage signals associated with unbalanced audio use are susceptible to high frequency losses and environmental noise. The twin screens of close lapped copper and conductive thermoplastic also minimise any handling noise, making this cable ideal for mobile on stage use.

The cable uses a mixture of Ultra Pure Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper (UP SPOFC) and Ultra Pure Oygen Free Copper (UPOFC) for its conductors. The additional advantage of UP SPOFC is that silver is approximately 5% less resistive than copper. High frequencies which gravitate to the outside of the conductor due to the skin effect, are conducted slightly more efficiently than the lower frequencies which tend to saturate the UPOFC conductor. In addition silver is less susceptible to corrosion than copper and so the plating offers a barrier between the conductor and the insulation or free air.

The insulation used is foamed polyethylene (PEF). Polyethylene is a good insulation material for this type of signal due to its low dielectric constant and relative flexibility. Foaming, the blowing of air pockets into the polyethylene material reduces the dielectric constant even further, to around 1.7 to 1.8. The use of this insulator ensures that capacitance figures are kept as low as possible and are also stable throughout the cable. In musical terms the low capacitance of the cable means that the high frequencies within the signal are transmitted efficiently and cleanly and do not bleed to the screen of the cable causing dull and lifeless signal transmission.

The PEF insulated centre conductor is then oversheathed with a conductive thermoplastic tube and tightly lapped Oxygen Free Copper screen to provide excellent screening and negligable handling noise. The low overall diameter outer jacket is a soft flexible anti abrasion PVC / Neoprene composite.

Please note when terminating this cable type, the black thermoplastic conductive layer beneath the lapped copper screen must be stripped back away fro the prepared centre conductor. If the centre conductor touches this screen then a dead short will occur and no signal will be transferred.

 

Cable Specifications:

Mechanical specifications:
Cable type ~ Van damme Classic Instument Series
Conductor material # 1 ~ Bare silver plated ultra pure oxygen free copper wire
Stranding ~ 3 x 0.20 mm
Conductor material # 2 ~ Bare ultra pure oxygen free copper wire
Stranding ~ 4 x 0.20 mm AWG 24/7 combined
Insulation material ~ Polyethylene ( XLPE )
Diameter ~ 1.65mm ± 0.10 mm
Screen #1 ~ Conductive thermoplastic
Screen #2 ~ 80 x 0.2 mm close lap spiral ultra pure oxygen free copper wire

Electrical specifications:
Conductor resistance ~ 84.5 Ohm/km
Shield resistance ~ 30.2 Ohm/km
Insulation resistance ~ < 2500 Mohm/km
Core to shield capacitance ~ <98 pf/m
Test voltage ~ 1000v no cracks

Overall jacket properties:
Jacket material ~ Flexible PVC / Neoprene composite
Overall diameter ~ 5.8 mm
Bend radius ~ 15 x overall diameter
Tensile strength ~ 0.85 kg/mm²
Elongation ~ > 250%
Heat shock ~ 120 ªCx h no cracks
Temperature range ~ -10ª C to +60ª C
Cable weight ~ 55 Kg / Km
Cable colours ( code ) ~ Black ( 000 ) ~ Brown ( 010 ) ~ Red ( 020 ) ~ Orange ( 030 ) ~ Yellow ( 040 ) ~ Green ( 050 ) ~
Blue ( 060 ) ~ Purple ( 070 ) ~ Grey ( 080 ) ~ White ( 090 )