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Author Topic: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter  (Read 3207 times)

frank kayser

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2018, 07:50:13 PM »

Not to be a wise@ass. But why not buy a decent stringer and assemble a few quad boxes ?  I have up to 7 K12’s and 10’ deployed as monitors doing small stuff with a self powered rig.

A stringer makes it easy... particularly when combined with a sub snake that has some returns on it.
I find siamezed cables to be very fast to set up and strike - one end two connections to the powered speaker, and the other end to the aux and to a power drop.  Especially useful the more mixes one runs.
I've got stringers for the back line and one across the front for pedals and such.
I find the siamezed cables neat and tidy.  I made mine with some xlr cables and 16ga IEC cables, and covered the whole thing in Techflex.  ProCo for the mains.  Big and heavy.


I'd be tempted to rebuild a set using that thin Euro cable.


Some like the all-in-one type cable, and others like separates. No right answer. YMMV.



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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2018, 08:37:23 PM »

I make up my own using braided sheathing.  SJ power cable, which is what is in the commercial Siamese cables.  It ends up being somewhat smaller coiled up from the smaller bundle diameter.  But it also doesn't lay quite as nicely.
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Geert Friedhof

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #12 on: August 07, 2018, 03:49:09 AM »

Most of the smaller diametre combi cable doesn't have a insulation for the power lines. Be aware.

Furthermore i dont like combi cable for several reasons.

First: As mentioned they are bulky.
Second: you always need power and signal to be close to eachother.
Third: expensive
Fourth: the signal lines are flimsy, and prone to failure.
Fifth: the leads are always to long or to short.

I use powercons to daisychain power from monitor to monitor,, certainly on the front., and  a decent signal cable per monitor to the snake or stagebox.
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Dave Bednarski

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #13 on: August 07, 2018, 06:22:09 AM »

IMO, ProCo Siamese Twins have the smallest diameter and have held up best.  Some of the budget options I initially purchased had thick diameters, cheap connectors, shrink, and fell apart.  If you’re going the combo route find a dealer in the lounge here.  Buy & cry once.

I prefer the combos with powered stage wedges because…

1) Faster setup & strike

2) Performers like to drag your monitors around or stage setups change upon arrival or between acts (so leave the excess length coiled at/near the wedge),

3) It help divorces your wedges from stage power and you have more control ‘side stage’ on how your monitors are being powered.  I *try* to keep my equipment separately powered from whatever they drag on stage.  If you’re using a stage stringer there is a good chance that is going to be comprised.  More than once I’ve been able to say “hey guys, my PA, racks and wedges are still working, must be something you plugged in on stage.”

If using a powered PA at a job I care more about, I will run separate power and audio lines to each stack vs a combo.
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Rob Spence

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2018, 05:43:44 PM »

I have a few combo cables. They tend to get used with a SOS setup where subs are not used. Simple single run to each speaker. I have 25’ IEC and 50’ Powercon
If Subs are used, then power to behind sub and most often a pair of XLRs. Repeat for other side.



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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2018, 01:35:26 AM »

On the ones I make up, I put Edison outlets on the end.  Then I have a bunch of short Edison to IEC jumpers for the speaker end.  This lets me daisy chain the siamese cables for length.  I also make the signal cable at the speaker end longer since most SOS situations have the input connector up high and the power connector lower.  This allows some strain relief for the XLR.  The other end has a similar offset with a longer power tail.  This way they match up daisy chaining, and the longer power tail makes getting to the power easier.  Actually, I leave both power and signal a bit long from the sleeving at that end to make hookups easier.
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Mal Brown

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2018, 01:54:27 AM »

I must be in the minority that still uses power amps and passive wedges. At least most of the time.  I do run K12’s as monitors once in a while but I really prefer my old Renkus wedges.  Talk about fast deploy and strike.  2 6 space racks, 8 speakon cables, 2 short 4 channel snakes, 8 monitors...
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Helge A Bentsen

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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2018, 03:23:52 AM »

I must be in the minority that still uses power amps and passive wedges. At least most of the time.  I do run K12’s as monitors once in a while but I really prefer my old Renkus wedges.  Talk about fast deploy and strike.  2 6 space racks, 8 speakon cables, 2 short 4 channel snakes, 8 monitors...

I think you're on to one of the big issues here.

For one or two mixes, active is ok.
Running a festival stage with 8+ mixes and 12+ wedges is a PITA with active ones, much easier with passive wedges and amp racks.
Throw in a couple of speakon drops up/downstage and you can run the whole thing using short cables for fast changeovers.
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Re: Siamese Cables - XLR, IEC - Small Diameter
« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2018, 03:23:52 AM »


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