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[Vic Cowles]

I've been using Horizon cables, snakes, multi-pin, etc. from 1996. Now its called VTR.  Nothing but great service from Debbie Boyer all these years. I buy mic, speaker,DMX, and snake cable in bulk.  I'm close to getting the act I work for now switched over to Horizon braided shield mic cables. They have tended to buy whatever is cheapest.  However, had a new vocalist join.  He went to the local music store and bought a "50'monster cable" recently.  Was told by the kid selling it that it was the best cable money can buy.  We'll I'd say it's probably the best cable to throw alot of money at.  He took it back after we talked.

[Gabe Nahshon]

The company I work at exclusively uses Mogami cable for all mic cables, adapters and multipin looms for racks.  The sheild is very robust and not really prone to breakage.  They wrap very easily and have a very low failure rate, most likely because of the soldering skill of our cable crafstmen JT, a true master of interconnection.  

I get the sense it is very expensive, especially in the quantity that we use, but if the owner is into it who am I to argue?

I would not to begin to proport that I can hear the difference between this cable and any other properly built cable.  I'll leave that poppycock to the audiophools.

Gabe

[dave stojan]

While I agree with the rest of the posters that snakeoil cables are a waste of money, there are BIG differences between (microphone / signal) cables. Notably, capacitance, microphonic-ness (is that a word?), longevity, ease of use, kink resistance, cold weather performance, etc.

The one poster mentioned a HUGE difference when using different cables on a guitar. High impedance sources (pickups) are extremely susceptible to capacitive loading, and cables WILL make a difference.

So you are wise to ask if there are differences - because there are! Maybe folks will chime in with brand strengths & weaknesses fo all of us to refer to for various applications.

Myself, I have a boatload of old whirlwinds still going strong but prefer my EWI 'Blues' on the basis of cost, performance, reliability and unique color that keeps them from getting mixed up with someone else's cables  

Oh yeah, Mark & Liz are just great people to do business with too      

[Mike Caldwell]

As for cables...make your own with either Belden or Canare cable and Neutrik connectors and your set. Be aware that some cables labeled heavy duty, pro, ect. with big fat jackets may have 24 or small gauge inside!

Now for cable storage, do you plug the ends together or not when stored. The other day I was prepping for this weekend and for some reason (maybe it was the heat) I got to wondering about mic cable and for that matter AC cable storage. Mine have always been keep rolled with an end loosely wrapped around the cable and the connectors plugged into each other. This keeps the connectors from dangling around and connectors are protected.The other side for argument could be extra wear on the connectors and with the connectors always mated together there is always tension on the internal connections of the female connectors possibly loosing some of the grip or force when connected. For what it's worth my 125 or so mic cables range from about 17 years old to just a few months, have always been stored in dedicated cases and I can only think of a couple of mic cable probelms ever.

Mike Caldwell

[Adam Whetham]

Tim Padrick wrote on Thu, 12 July 2007 23:21

I've been 99% satisfied with Horizon. Their Low Z1 is easy to terminate, is flexible, and has withstood being smashed in a door multiple times with no permanent damage (the there were smushes in the jacket, but they eventually went away).   Same goes for their multipair CL2/CMG-VTG - with one exception - I had a 100' length in which one conductor developed at least four breaks.  Oh well - nothing is perfect (even Lexus has a service department).

Agree'd. We are very happy dealers of horizon also, and deffinitly get a much better price on it per 500ft than the Belden.

Neutrik is the only thing we use on XLR's. with a few Whirlwind's here and there.

If the boss man sees a switchcraft XLR Connector in the rental inventory you better duck, cause its going through the air in the direction of the closest person that could have put it away in the bins without cutting off the ends and throwing the cable by the work bench to put Neutrik ends on.

[Bob Leonard]

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

Not to hijack the thread, but, since I'm sure Bob's not suggesting that everyone stock up on Radio Shack cables   what mic cable holds up best to constant spooling/despooling?

Good one you Maine-iac.  


Actually in my rambling I was comparing the $20 Radio Shack to the $100 Monster 25' guitar cable. RS still sells the cable, but the price is about $29 now and I still have one I bought 6 years ago that just won't die.

[Tim Duffin]

According to these people-- cables are more important than the instruments... just for a laugh:


http://www.mitcables.com/


I actually used to work with one of their "engineers" in a previous life.

T

[Jim Ferrari]

Bob Leonard wrote on Fri, 13 July 2007 17:23

Good one you Maine-iac.

Born an' raised, ayuh!   I've been hand coiling for over 35 years and I'm getting ready to assemble a system that requires spooling of mic cables. These may be spooled/de-spooled by volunteer help so the cable needs to be rugged. The Belden 8412 is nice cable but the braid is a bit of a pain to deal with compared to a spiral wrapped shield. If that's what stands up the best to repeated spooling, I'll pick up 500' feet of 8412 and start soldering. Thanks for your help.

[Andy Peters]

Tim Duffin wrote on Fri, 13 July 2007 18:39

According to these people-- cables are more important than the instruments... just for a laugh: http://www.mitcables.com/ I actually used to work with one of their "engineers" in a previous life.

That cracks me up!  Especially the thousand-dollar-a-foot "digital articulation" gizmo:



-a

[Jason Tubbs]

I love the "explanatory" sidebar graphs, too.









The Y axis is "Articulation".  They could call it "More Better-ness" and it would be just as meaningful.

jt

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