ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster  (Read 10990 times)

Kishore Kodolikar

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 57
Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« on: July 12, 2007, 07:18:44 AM »

Hi,

I am about to upgrade my PA and along with it also would like to change my interconnecting and mike cables too, i have 3 choices Zoalla, Mogami or Monster in order of preference.

Your advise is much appreciated

Regards,

Keyshore
Logged

Tom Young

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2620
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2007, 08:10:50 AM »

The claimed sonic benefits of "esoteric" cables are pretty much discounted (I'm being nice) by the majority of professsionals and even in the pristine acoustic environments of recording studios. Using such hardware in a live sound environment in an attempt to improve the sound is a complete waste of money.

Over the years I have seen some factory made esoteric mic cables that appear to be better constructed than off the shelf cheap mic cables and the shield construction plus gold-plated contacts that some of these feature are also something I might be interested in. But I would have to buy a handful of these and try them over 6 months or so to see what I think about how well they stand up OR I would have to read about someone here (who has some credibility) doing so befor I dropped the extra bucks to completely convert to these.

If you look at what any of the upper echelon sound providers here on LAB use I am quite sure you will not see these 'snake oil' cables in their inventories, other than a few (here and there) they have acquired/accumulated from errant musos. It is just as apparent that the other 'major league' sound companies who do not participate here do not go this route.

Save your money for more tangible improvements.
Logged
Tom Young
Electroacoustic Design Services
Oxford CT
Tel: 203.888.6217
Email: dbspl@earthlink.net
www.dbspl.com

Bob Leonard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4665
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2007, 08:48:42 AM »

Tom Young wrote on Thu, 12 July 2007 08:10

The claimed sonic benefits of "esoteric" cables are pretty much discounted (I'm being nice) by the majority of professsionals and even in the pristine acoustic environments of recording studios. Using such hardware in a live sound environment in an attempt to improve the sound is a complete waste of money.

Over the years I have seen some factory made esoteric mic cables that appear to be better constructed than off the shelf cheap mic cables and the shield construction plus gold-plated contacts that some of these feature are also something I might be interested in. But I would have to buy a handful of these and try them over 6 months or so to see what I think about how well they stand up OR I would have to read about someone here (who has some credibility) doing so befor I dropped the extra bucks to completely convert to these.

If you look at what any of the upper echelon sound providers here on LAB use I am quite sure you will not see these 'snake oil' cables in their inventories, other than a few (here and there) they have acquired/accumulated from errant musos. It is just as apparent that the other 'major league' sound companies who do not participate here do not go this route.

Save your money for more tangible improvements.


Tom,
Your reply is so well put there is nothing to add other than my own experience.

My experience with cables of this type has shown no benefit at all. To my ears there is no sonic differences and good quality cables, not boutique, have provided me with far better service in the end. In one case I purchased a very expensive cable for use with an $8000 Gibson Les Paul I own. Out of curiosity I put a scope on the signal just before the amplifier. There was no difference between the $100 dollar cable and the $18 Radio Shack cable I tested against. So there you go. Smile
Logged
The roar of the grease paint, the smell of the crowd.

Jim Ferrari

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 188
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2007, 08:57:49 AM »

Not to hijack the thread, but, since I'm sure Bob's not suggesting that everyone stock up on Radio Shack cables  Laughing what mic cable holds up best to constant spooling/despooling?
Logged
Keep in mind that we work in an industry where 8 + 8 = 4!

Dave Barker

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 243
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2007, 09:00:30 AM »

You will get the best customer service in the world and great cable for good price from these folks.

www.audiopile.net
Logged

Riley Casey

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1026
    • http://www.ESPsound.com
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2007, 09:06:10 AM »

Jim Ferrari wrote on Thu, 12 July 2007 08:57

 what mic cable holds up best to constant spooling/despooling?


For stage use you either choose Belden 8412 or Belden 8412, so you have plenty of options there. Laughing  For patch cables with colored jackets the Belden 1192 ( I think thats the number, it's AES digital cable ) is nice.
Logged

John Halliburton

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1785
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2007, 09:23:54 AM »

And since I've been performing the semi-annual cable inspection and retrofit on my system this week, let me add that Gepco cable is another sound(pun intended) manufacturer of quality cable.

www.gepco.com

There is a list of international distributers on the "Contact" page too:

http://www.gepco.com/contact/contact.htm

Best regards,

John
Logged

Brad Channing

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 242
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2007, 09:24:26 AM »

We used to make our own with Rapco ProMic cable bought in bulk (or was it super ProMic?) Now almost exclusively order our stuff pre-made from Whirlwind using their Accusonic2 cable, then we can get it custom engraved and with color coded connectors...nice touches.
Logged
BradC
Production Express Inc.

Dave Barto

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 285
    • http://www.upsideaudio.com
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2007, 12:30:24 PM »

I used to think that buying a Monster or other "high end" cable was a bunch of bull.  I still do for XLR cables but their is one situation that the Monster cable actually sounded better that a "standard" cable.  

One guitarist I work with often has a Heritage semi-hollow guitar with dual humbuckers for the electric sound and a bridge pickup for the acoustic sound.  It is terminated to a TRS panel connector on the guitar.  It them uses basically an insert cable to split the two different sounds.  We were using a standard pro audio brand insert cable and it sounded fine until he had a high profile studio session and he wanted a new cable.  So he went out and bought a monster cable studio grade insert cable.  And the differance in cables was amazing.  With the Monster cable the guitar came alive.  The acoustic has never sounded fuller and that beefy.  The electric side wasn't as noticable but it did sound better.  I haven't had the time to put a scope on the cable but I plan to do so in the next month.

Anyways, back to the topic at hand.  My two favorite cables are Belden 8412 as already mentioned and Wirelux MusiLUX Microphone cable.  

All of my cables that I have made in the last year are the Wirelux cable and it is the best stuff I have ever seen.  It has absolutely no memory.  You can tie it in a knot and when you untie it you would have never know there was a knot there.  But it still has enough stiffness to it that it is very easy to coil.  It is also relatively inexpensive ($199 for 500').

And as always Neutrik connectors.  
Logged
Dave Barto
Playing with cool knobs and buttons and colored lights all day long, and getting paid for it.
Mpls, Minn.

"God tells me how the music should sound, but you stand in the way." - Arturo Toscanini

Bob Lee (QSC)

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1788
Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2007, 01:03:53 PM »

What do you currently use for mic and interconnect cables? You might not actually need an "upgrade."

There's nothing magical about wire. Compared to the "better sound through marketing" brands like Monster, you can get equal performance (and from what I've heard about some of their failure rates, perhaps much better reliability) at a small fraction of the price by using cables made with suitable wire (such as Belden 8412) and good-quality connectors, such as Switchcraft.
Logged
Bob Lee
Applications Engineer, Tech Services Group QSC Audio
Secretary, Audio Engineering Society
www.linkedin.com/in/qscbob

"If it sounds good, it is good."
 -Duke Ellington

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Cables Zoalla, Mogami or Monster
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2007, 01:03:53 PM »


Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.045 seconds with 23 queries.