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[Kelly Mcguire]

The couple I’ve tried, that were on a cable reel won’t lay flat. In the summer here I’m sure that’s not an issue but when it’s cold …

Where should I look?

[Brian Jojade]

I use the Elite Core PROCAT5E Ultra Flexible Shielded Tactical CAT5E Cable.  Very flexible and durable.

[Russell Ault]

The couple I’ve tried, that were on a cable reel won’t lay flat. In the summer here I’m sure that’s not an issue but when it’s cold …

Where should I look?

I've started looming a power cable (SJOOW in my case—because Canada—but I suppose SOOW would work even better) in with any Cat-cable runs. Keeps everything lying nicely (even if the Cat-cable doesn't want to on its own), adds a modicum of physical protection for the Cat-cable (since the power cable is invariably thicker and should take most of the weight of a footstep or caster), and I'm basically always going to need power on both ends of the run anyway.

-Russ

[Frank Koenig]

I've started looming a power cable (SJOOW in my case—because Canada—but I suppose SOOW would work even better) in with any Cat-cable runs.

Russell, I’m curious what material and method you’re using to loom the cables. I’ve thought about doing this too, and MAYBE putting the loomed assembly on a reel. Thanks.

--Frank

[Helge A Bentsen]

Looms are a good solution.
I make mine with short pieces of heat shrink that’s not skrinked.
It’s a bit of an effort to put it on to the cables, but as a loom they stay flexible and are easy to coil into a figure of eight in a road case.

[Kelly Mcguire]

Looms are a good solution.
I make mine with short pieces of heat shrink that’s not skrinked.
It’s a bit of an effort to put it on to the cables, but as a loom they stay flexible and are easy to coil into a figure of eight in a road case.

So, you’re building the cable ends after adding heat shrink but not shrinking it? And these pieces don’t slide around or start to shrink when laid on hot asphalt or concrete? Interesting. Not sure I wanted to build mine but that does give me an idea for Siamese XLR and IEC for powered speakers

[Helge A Bentsen]

So, you’re building the cable ends after adding heat shrink but not shrinking it? And these pieces don’t slide around or start to shrink when laid on hot asphalt or concrete? Interesting. Not sure I wanted to build mine but that does give me an idea for Siamese XLR and IEC for powered speakers

Mhm, I put on connectors after the cable is assembled.
If you don't shrink the pieces they can slide over time, but the cable assembly stays more flexible. I have shrinked one loom lightly because I couldn't find tubing that was a good fit, seems to work well.
Using regular PVC tape is also an option, but it's a bit of a PITA to rig the cables in such a way that they stay straight when applying PVC. That's why I use tubing.
One other option is to use short pieces of bike tyre tubes. That's a very flexible solution, but can be a hassle to assembly.

Another tech I know made a 3D printed cable frame so he can pull the cables through it when making looms so they stay straight when applying PVC.
Neat solution.

I have one loom that's 3x Cat5e+power loomed with PVC, one 2x90m Cat5e+power, one 4x90m Cat5e+power and one 4x45m Cat5e+2xAES/EBU+power loomed with tubing.

[Bob Stone]

I just grabbed a LyxPro ethercon cable with a couple of their xlr fan outs not too long ago off amazon, for the price, I'm actually surprised how good of quality the cable was. I pulled it out straight when I got it, did an over/under coil, and it has laid perfectly flat at the couple gigs I've done with it since.

[John Schalk]

I just grabbed a LyxPro ethercon cable with a couple of their xlr fan outs not too long ago off amazon, for the price, I'm actually surprised how good of quality the cable was. I pulled it out straight when I got it, did an over/under coil, and it has laid perfectly flat at the couple gigs I've done with it since.

I have two 100' LyxPro Cat6 cables and can confirm that the cable is sturdy, easy to coil, and lays flat.  I just disassembled the end of one cable to check to see if the cable shield drain wire was bonded (soldered) to the metal case of the RJ45; it was.  If you can live with the blue color, then I think these cables are a good value.  Note that my cousin has a 250' length of the same cable and we have experienced a few of the cracks and booms in his M32/DL16 system that are usually caused by not using shielded cable.  I am still digging into the cause and waiting for a time to take his cable apart to check it's bonding and shield continuity.

[Bob Faulkner]

The couple I’ve tried, that were on a cable reel won’t lay flat. In the summer here I’m sure that’s not an issue but when it’s cold …

Where should I look?

We use Whirlwind: (150') Cat6a
Model # info: ENC6ASE Shielded Cat6a cable with Cat6a Ethercon® Connectors

...also Elite Core: (150') Cat6a
Model # info: Elite Core PROCAT6A-S Ultra-Flexible Shielded Tactical CAT6A

Both cables are the tactical type (about 3 x the size of an XLR), includes the tactical jacketing; not as flexible as a mic cable or the Elite Core PROCAT5e, but they do lay relatively flat when un-coiled.  They are a little rigid, but this has not been an issue.  This is all for a Presonus setup (live sound, no studio).

[ProSoundWeb Community]