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Audio Mixing Interface and Console, Digital Mastering Studio Recorder, Firewire Control Surface, Digital Audio Workstation, DJ & Club Mixer, Portable, Home, and Rack mount CD/Minidisc/MP3 player/recorder/editor, iPod dock, Digital Analog Converter (DAC), Preamp, Integrated Amplifier, and of course, the headphone Amplifier for your SoundStage Headphones!

Milian Acoustics is proud to offer Premium Quality Custom Audio Cable Assemblies. Designed to meet the needs of Professional and Home Studios, Live Venue and Audiophile Setups alike, Milian Acoustics will connect your entire chain of audio devices in one simple order! No matter how complex or unique the setup, the cable designers below allow you to build each cable exactly to your own specifications. With the millions of different combinations available, you can be sure to have your cable built exactly the way you want it!

Stereo  - For all Stereo, 2 Channel, and Dual Mono applications. Use this Builder for 3.5 Mini Interconnects like for connecting your iPod to Home Stereos, Headphone Amplifiers, or any other Stereo Devices. All varieties of Headphone Extension Cables are also made here.
Single & Multi Channel  - For all Single and Multi-Channel Discrete Cable Sets. Use this Builder for your Analog RCA Interconnects, SACD, DVD-A, Dolby 5.1,6.1, and 7.1 stereo connections. Build balanced (TRS) and unbalanced (TS) Patch Cords as well as all single and multi-channel Mixing Board and Multi-track recording interconnections here.
Snake Cables  - For all Multi Channel Snake Cables. A great way to get great sound for multiple channels well organized into a single jacket. Ideal for the same applications as Single & Multi-channel builder above, but enabling you to fit up to 16 channels in a single cable!
Y-Lead & Send/Return  - For all Splits of Balanced & Unbalanced cables, as well as Send/Return Insert Cables. For a breakdown of how to achieve each possible function of this builder, please refer to the Notes page.

Premium Standards of Quality: A Premium Warranty to Match
All Cables are made to order and hand crafted with the finest materials. Made with 4% Silver Solder, Oxygen Free Copper, and a wide selection of the finest terminations. All Cables come with the Milian Acoustics 30 day no questions asked return policy, and a full service 2 year warranty. If you have any problems with your cable for 2 years, just send it back to us and we'll repair or replace it free of charge.

Important Aspects of Audio Cables: What you need to know before you connect your audio rig
Milian Acoustics is a custom cable assembly house, and can assemble cables for you using any termination or cable available in the world. We have scoured the earth for the world's best wire, sleeving, and terminations to offer them to you in the cable builder above. We are always seeking new cable materials and new options for your custom built cables are always coming in! If you would like to stay up to date on the new offerings available from Milian Acoustics, feel free to sign up to our Email list for updates whenever new stuff comes in.

Milian Acoustics uses products from a variety of the world's premier audio manufacturers. Our cables include choice components from Neutrik, Switchcraft, Mogami, Gepco, Belden, TechFlex and many others. These companies have painstakingly designed their products to have the best possible electrical, mechanical, and physical properties. Every audiophile and professional deserves the best quality cables and components assembled exactly to specification, and this is the mission of Milian Acoustics.

The chart below describes all the relevant data to be considered for your cable assembly. To learn more about each aspect of quality cables, click on the desired term.

	OFC � Star Quad	OFC � Twisted Pair	OFC Solid Core Coaxial	SPOFC
DC Resistance (R)	25 Ω/Mft	10.5 Ω/Mft	6.4 Ω/Mft	23.7 Ω/Mft
Inductance (L)	0.12 μH/ft	0.15 μH/ft	0.11μH/ft	0.18 μH/ft
Capacitance (C)	20 pF/ft	17 pF/ft	16.3 pF/ft	12 pF/ft
Metallurgy	High Purity Oxygen Free Copper	High Purity Oxygen Free Copper	High Purity Oxygen Free Copper	High Purity Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper
Geometry	Star Quad	Shielded Twisted Pair	Solid Core Coaxial	Shielded Twisted Pair
Shielding	Spiral	95% Braid	Quad Shield (Dual 95% Braid, Dual 100% Foil)	95% Braid
Dielectric	Cross-Linked Polyethylene	Foam Polypropylene	Foam Polyethylene	Foam Polyethylene

Electrical Characteristics (RLC)  - The inherent electrical specifications of the cable itself have a profound impact on the sonic characteristics as well as the scope of its applications. Below is a brief rundown on the definition of relevant terms and their role in the construction of quality audio cables:

• DC Resistance (R)  - The measure of opposition to current flow in Direct Current (DC). Measured in Ohms per thousand feet (Ω/Mft). The resistance of a conductor is primarily determined by the diameter of the conductor�the larger the conductor, the less opposition to current flow. Though audio signals are transmitted via Alternating Current (AC), the DC resistance is important because is portrays the cable's ability to handle the currents traveling though the conductor. With Analog line level Audio Interconnects, where the current is relatively small, an audio signal can be transmitted through a relatively small gage cable without any adverse effect on frequency response. Ideally, a larger gage would be used, but as the wire's size increases, other issues with inductance and capacitance become prevalent�which certainly can effect frequency response. Thus the the goal is to make the conductor large enough to have low DC resistance but not too large to promote higher Inductance and Capacitance. Ultimately, lower resistance is better, but when shopping for interconnect cables, Resistance is less relevant than both Inductance and Capacitance.
• Inductance (L)  - Every current that travels through a conductive device of any kind creates an electromagnetic field. Inductance, measured in microhenries per foot (μH/ft), is the measure of the induced current created by these electromagnetic fields. The energy from this electromagnetic field inducts its own voltage back into the current flow and distorts the signal current. Inductance is largely an issue for speaker wires where the electromagnetic field created is much stronger than in interconnects. Nonetheless, inductance must be kept in check for interconnects as well. Cable Geometry, wire gage, and dielectrics all play a role in controlling inductance.
• Capacitance (C)  - The Measure of a how much charge an insulated conductor is capable of holding within itself. Measured in Picofarads per Foot or Meter (pF/ft, pF/m). This is perhaps the most important aspect of a quality interconnect cable. The charge absorbed by the dielectric is eventually emitted back into the conductor and is transmitted out of phase with the original signal. For this reason, using a quality Dielectric, such as Polyethylene, will greatly reduce capacitance. Most Milian Acoustics Cables use Polyethylene and Polypropylene Dielectrics�by far the most cost effective dielectric polymers available and second only to Teflon in overall performance.

Metallurgy  - Practically every wire in the world uses various metal conductors to transfer electric current. By a large margin, the most popular metal to use as a conductor is Copper. It has excellent conductivity and is a very cost effective metal. Copper is used in everything from high voltage power lines to broadband data transmission cables. Other highly conductive, precious metals such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum provide for wonderful signal transmission, though are not a viable option for most electrical applications.

One important aspect of metallurgy when it comes to quality audio cables, is the purity of the conductive metal used. Whether the conductor is made of Copper or Silver or any other metal, the world's best cable manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure that the conductor consists only of the purest metals. High Purity metals eliminate the presence of contaminants that do not have the highly conductive properties of the metals themselves. These contaminants, such as Oxides, can also disarrange the crystalline structure of the metal�creating smaller, less uniform crystals for the signal to pass through.

With these two aspects of cable metallurgy in mind�the metal chosen to conduct the signal and the purity of its extrusion, there is a variety of cable options available for use in interconnects.

• Oxygen Free Copper (OFC)  - The standard of excellence for Milian Acoustics Cables. Oxygen Free Copper, also known as Oxygen Free High Conductivity Copper (OFHC), is electrolytically refined to maximize the copper's conductivity and remove impurities. The reduction of Oxides to less than .0005% of the total content ensures that no distortion is introduced and the signal has the full bandwidth of sound. All standard twisted pair, starquad, and Coaxial Conductor Cables carried by Milian Acoustics utilize high purity OFC.
• Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper (SPOFC)  - Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper makes use of Silver's higher conductivity without the higher cost. A substantial layer of Silver is electroplated over the same high purity OFC as the cables above. The end result when used in interconnects is usually a clearer, more transparent, higher midrange and high range frequencies. Be aware though, that SPOFC does usually color the frequency response. While it can certainly be quite synergistic with some systems and some musical tastes, it is usually advisable to only use Silver Plated Copper when you are familiar with its sound and with your system.

Geometry  - When connecting audio devices, there are a plethora of rogue elements both internal and external trying their hardest to seep into the signal path and contaminate the audio signal. A Cable's Geometry, the method in which a cable's conductors are arranged together, plays a key role in creating a clean pathway for the audio signal to pass through. As described above, there is a tendency for inductance and capacitance of the conductors themselves. Too much of either can cause signal distortion and roll-off on both ends of the audio spectrum�ruining the elusive natural flat response curve. The Geometry of a cable has a large role in minimizing this inductance and capacitance.

In addition to the inherent effect on the RLC on the interconnect, differing Cable Geometries also lend themselves to some uses better than others. This is where the various applications of twisted pair, star quad, and coaxial cable become pertinent:

For Balanced cables, twisted pair or star quad geometries are the ideal solution. The twisting of the conductors in an extremely uniform manner stabilizes the inductance as well as promoting the phenomenon known as Common Mode Noise Rejection. Twisted Pair and Star Quad geometries are also very effective with 2 channel Stereo Cable applications. Milian Acoustics utilizes a set of guidelines for the use of Twisted Pair and Star Quad cables. For more information about these guidelines, please refer to the Notes page.

For Unbalanced Analog Signals, like RCA connections, a well shielded Coaxial cable is typically the best sounding geometry because the capacitance from its conductor to the shield is very low. Coaxial cable also has very effective shielding from EMI and RFI and as such can be used . Nonetheless, Twisted Pair and Star Quad geometries do perform quite well in their own regard for unbalanced signals, and have the benefit of being more lightweight, flexible, and durable.

In the Single & Multi-Channel Cable Builder above, we give you the choice of OFC Solid Core Coaxial cable. The Solid Core Coaxial Cable is only available with RCA and TS terminations. In connections where RCA terminations are required, and long lengths are not, we typically suggest Solid Core Coax. For most other Interconnects, twisted pair is advised.

Shielding  - In this modern world we live in, there is an ever-present and ever-growing sea of electromagnetic radiation and high frequency radio signals. There are countless devices, often ones that are very near your audio devices, that give off both Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). Both of these can be absorbed by interconnect cables if not properly designed. To combat these signal distorting pollutants, there are 2 main types of Shielding that greatly reduce unwanted noise. The main methods are braided or spiraled copper wire or the layering of aluminum foil.

A nice quality copper braid shield goes a long way in fighting off EMI. The shield covers anywhere from 60% to 98% of the conductors. This shield is connected to one or both ends of the ground, and channels a large majority of the electromagnetic current away from the input load. Conversely, there is Foil Shielding. Utilized primarily with coaxial cables, foil shields cover 100% of the conductors, and are very good at blocking the remaining EMI not corralled from the copper braid. They are also effective defenses against high frequency radio waves that can sneak in through the holes in braided shields.

All Milian Acoustics cables contain at least 1 braided shield with no less than 95% coverage. The Solid Core Coaxial cable features a quad shield design with dual 95% coverage copper braids and 2 100% coverage foil layers. For many home audio systems, it is hard to avoid having power cords in the near vicinity of the line level interconnects. This can often be the culprit of distortion in your sound system. If you experience humming, buzzing, or fuzzy roar behind the sound of your system, utilizing well shielded interconnects such as a quality Coaxial cable can be a very effective and affordable way to drop the �noise floor� of your system and drastically improve the overall sound.

Dielectrics  - A Cable's dielectric material, or electrical insulation, plays a central role in transferring a clean, unaltered signal through a cable. The theoretical ideal material for a dielectric is the vacuum of space, or even plain air, though neither are very practical for use outside of a laboratory�with the exception of the very highest end of the cable spectrum. The primary role of Dielectrics is to insulate the conductors from neighboring conductors to prevent the their signal currents from interacting. This is relatively easy to do with the low voltages present in interconnects and can be done with a wide array of materials.

When used in a quality interconnect cable, however, the dielectric is also given the task of keeping the current traveling through the conductor from being absorbed and subsequently reflected back into the signal current out of phase with the original signal. This is how the dielectric is directly tied into the Capacitance of a Cable. The less charge the dielectric material holds within itself and the speed at which it can reflect any charge it does hold back into the signal current will have a great impact on the capacitance of the interconnect. With Capacitance being the single most significant electrical aspect when when it comes to the sonic purity of interconnect cables, this magnifies the importance of quality dielectrics.

Milian Acoustics Cables offer mostly Polyethylene and Polypropylene Dielectric Insulation, with the rest using Teflon polymers. Polyethylene is a flexible plastic polymer able to sustain insulation up to very high voltages. It also has the highly reflexive property that minimizes the tendency of the insulator to absorb and release the signal again out of phase. Some cables, like our Solid Core Coaxial cable and Twisted pair cable, have nitrogen gas bubbles injected into the dielectric insulation to further increase its insulation properties and to reduce absorption. And some other cables like, the OFC Star Quad, utilize a form of Polyethylene which is �Cross-linked�--giving it greater tolerance to heat.

Sleeving  - Milian Acoustics offers a wide variety of sleeving options for your custom made cable. Sleeving provides a fashionable way of protecting your investment, as well as making channel identification a breeze. With the variety of sleeving options to choose from at Milian Acoustics, you can build the custom set of cables you've always wanted with the color coding of your choice. Choose from these popular Sleeving Options:

• TechFlex Flexo-PET  - A lightweight yet sturdy weave of Polyethylene Terepthalate. This popular sleeving material comes in 8 different colors to match your style and color coding needs. It is semi-transparent and will allow you to combine cable jacket colors to give highly unique color combinations. Also highly resistant to cutting, abrasion, heat, and solvents. TechFlex Flexo-PET will protect your cables and give them the elegance you can show off to friends!
• Nylon Multi-Filament  - Only the full, soft, and supple coverage of Nylon Multi-filament sleeving can provide the rich and robust feel used by only the highest quality cabling. Designed to provide the durability you need and the alluring look and feel you desire. Extremely soft, quiet, and non-microphonic, this material is also also ideal for Headphone cable sleeving and other cables that may be frequently handled.
• K-Flex Kevlar  - Kevlar is one of the worlds most imperishable substances, yet when its fiber is woven into a fabric, it becomes a wonderfully graceful, pliable material with a tactility much like Nylon Multi-filament. Kevlar is the choice of professionals all over the world to protect their valuable cabling - Ideal for any application that is frequently handled or subject to harsh environments like live venues. Kevlar does not melt, cannot support combustion, and and is very highly resistive to shearing, tearing, or cutting. It won't make your cable indestructible, but it will make your cables one of the strongest parts of your entire rig.

Length  - One good general guideline when connecting your system is to use the shortest lengths possible, but not so short that you put strain on the chassis of the audio components. Unbalanced analog audio signals suffer from attenuation as the length of the cable increases. The impact of attenuation is different along the range of audio frequencies, but tends to worsen as the frequency increases. This can result in a sound that has high end frequencies rolled off with a loss of detail in the signal.

Balanced Signals, however, do not have the same attenuation issues. This is why there are 100 and 150 ft length options available to fully balanced cable assemblies in the cable builders above.

Burn-in  - The term �Burn-in� is used to describe the period of time taken to acclimate a cable to its electrical current. There are several theories on why cables tend to sound better after extended hours of use. There is some evidence suggesting that, going down to the molecular level of the both the dielectric and the actual conductor, that their behavior in the presence of electrical currents improves as the molecules align themselves with the current flow.

Whether this can be proven or not is not something the audiophile should not be greatly concerned about. The reasons why burning in cables improve the sound may be largely mechanical, but there almost certainly are biological and psychological elements involved as well. The human ear is a very fickle instrument and its comprehension of the data it receives can vary on a daily basis. Additionally, how your brain interprets the sound can be influenced by any number of factors.

A large majority of audio cable designers agree that many cables tend to sound slightly restricted at first, and then open up after about 30-40 hours of continuous play. There there is no doubt that, at the very least, quality cables deserve a good audition of its sound before placing judgment on its sonic qualities. First impressions are rarely as satisfactory as extended listening sessions after a sufficient burn-in. Any audio signal will suffice for burning in your cables or headphones. Although, the best audio signal to burn-in a cable is either Pink or White Noise, as they provide a linear distribution of audio frequencies across the entire audible spectrum.

With these important factors taken into account, Milian Acoustics provides you with millions of different options with which to build your ideal cable. There is no limit to what you can create! Simply follow the directions for each builder, and create exactly what you have always wanted!

If you have any questions, or would like assistance in building your cable, we will be glad to help! Please send us an email at help@milianacoustics.com. Include what your needs are and any specific criteria you would like and we'll be happy to assist you in building your cable solutions!

Thank you for choosing Milian Acoustics!

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