Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[brian maddox]

I have used the resistor color code for cable lengths-but in a different way.

Red would be 20'   Red/green would be 25',


Yellow would be 40',  yellow green would be 45'.


That way you don't have to remember which order or where you started with the first color.

This.

I've seen dozens of color codes.  The only one that makes universal sense and can be used with any size system is resistor code.  It's an already existing standard and can adapt itself to almost any situation.  Yes, that 125' multicore will get 3 color stripes, which is a bit tedious.  But once you've explained the color code to someone, you never have to explain it again.

Only caveat is i like trading white for brown for 1 for visibility reasons.  You're likely to never need a 9 so it makes sense.  And you never need black for 0 either as the difference between a 5' and a 50' cable is pretty obvious.

[Ray Aberle]

This.

I've seen dozens of color codes.  The only one that makes universal sense and can be used with any size system is resistor code.  It's an already existing standard and can adapt itself to almost any situation.  Yes, that 125' multicore will get 3 color stripes, which is a bit tedious.  But once you've explained the color code to someone, you never have to explain it again.

Only caveat is i like trading white for brown for 1 for visibility reasons.  You're likely to never need a 9 so it makes sense.  And you never need black for 0 either as the difference between a 5' and a 50' cable is pretty obvious.

Yes, 'cept a) you have to think about something more then a second to figure out what length is which, and b) you can get it backwards based on which order you look at the colors. So, you have to spend more time figuring it out.

And not everyone knows resistor coding--

-Ray

[Alec Spence]

Black = 5 or 10 foot shorty
Black = 25 foot stage cable
Black = 50 foot for cross stage or powered speakers.

Yup, that general approach works well for me too.

3m, 6m, 10m - all black.  A quick explanation to any visiting engineer that this is what the cable trunk contains, and they're happy.  Never had any problem with this approach, plus it's all just stock cabling.

[Riley Casey]

Nope, more information is better, less information is useless.  Can't remember any major players (other then perhaps video trucks ) who don't color code their cables.

Yup, that general approach works well for me too.

3m, 6m, 10m - all black.  A quick explanation to any visiting engineer that this is what the cable trunk contains, and they're happy.  Never had any problem with this approach, plus it's all just stock cabling.

[William Schnake]

Hello all, new to this form. The topic seemed dead on the few forum post that addresses this, so I'd thought I'd throw out a fresh topic. What are any common cable length color patterns for marking audio cables or even lx cable lengths. Currently I've found the most common system is the altered ROYGBIV/ resister system of:

5 - Red
10 - Orange
15 - Yellow
25 - Green
25 - Blue
50 - Purple
75 - Grey
100 - White
100+ = White + Additional length color.

Are there any other common one's out there? I know a lot of production companies seem to have their own color pattern, but I can't seem to find anything consistent between companies (either audio or lx) and even seen some companies have multiple "official" patterns within the same company. Also normally see production companies with 3-4 lengths of cables. 10', 25', 50', and 100'.

Hi Rob, we have just implemented the following:

Green    5' and under
Yellow  15'
Red     25'
White   50'
Blue     75'

dbx cable is all orange with length marked on male end of cable.

All of our cables have Neutrik ends with color coded caps.

It works for us.

Bill

[Rob Spence]

I use only a few lengths these days. Crew were taking too much time deciding on the ideal length. Bunch of 10' (some with right angle xlrs) for the drum kit. Pretty much everything else is a nominal 25' cable on the deck. Don't need a color to tell them apart. 50' have orange Velcro and 100' have grey Velcro but the longer lengths are rarely used on the stage.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Matt Bauer]

I use the following:

10' White
15/20' Green
25' Red
50' Blue
100/150' Yellow

The color code makes no sense, doesn't follow the resistor code, or anything else that would make sense. But it works great. Male ends have colored shrink as well as a label under clear shrink with the length and company logo.

[Joseph D. Macry]

Whatever you use for your color codes, print a legend on laminated paper and mount it inside your cable trunks.

[Franklin Benjamin]

Hello all, new to this form. The topic seemed dead on the few forum post that addresses this, so I'd thought I'd throw out a fresh topic. What are any common cable length color patterns for marking audio cables or even lx cable lengths. Currently I've found the most common system is the altered ROYGBIV/ resister system of:

5 - Red
10 - Orange
15 - Yellow
25 - Green
25 - Blue
50 - Purple
75 - Grey
100 - White
100+ = White + Additional length color.

Are there any other common one's out there? I know a lot of production companies seem to have their own color pattern, but I can't seem to find anything consistent between companies (either audio or lx) and even seen some companies have multiple "official" patterns within the same company. Also normally see production companies with 3-4 lengths of cables. 10', 25', 50', and 100'.

I use
10' - Green
25' Purple
50' Orange
100' Yellow.

I copied the colors from the company we used to sub from as it was easier to adapt an already existing standard than build my own.

I have no need for any in between lengths.  If I need 40', they get a 50'.    I do have some 15' cables that I don't quite remember how they came to be but they have no label and I can hold it coiled in my hand or look it at coiled on the floor and tell the difference.   

Either way the coding is more for labor that can't discern cable lengths by look or feel.  It also becomes a lot easier once everyone understands that there are only 4 coded  lengths.

[Helge A Bentsen]

I'm in the process of redoing all my cables:

3m Orange
6m Blue
9m White.

I just finished with my LK37 subsnakes, they are all now 7.5m.
I figured I needed a bit more than 5m and a bit less than 10m or a lot more than 10m for most stages I do, so I made them all 7.5m and use 2 if needed.

[ProSoundWeb Community]