From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Sat Aug 14 10:34:35 2010
Subject:Re: Cables (OT-sort of)

{Sound of a big can opening ...]

Here's my $0.02. Sorry for the long post.

For what it's worth, I use Hosa cables with metal ends for just about
every place in my rig and PA. I use them a) because they are good
enough for the job; and b) because they are reasonably priced. (I'm
also a Hosa dealer, but we *sell* them for the same reasons that I *use*
them.) I don't recommend using extremely low-end cables, but I think
mid-grade cables are fine for most needs.

Like most things, cable cost vs. performance follows the 'Law of
Diminishing Returns' -- i.e., paying twice as much for a cable will not
result in twice the performance. Add that to the fact that our ears
hear logarithmically -- it takes 10x as much sound to appear 'twice as
loud' -- and one has to wonder how some of the really high-end audio
cable manufacturers justify their wares.

There are three *documentable* factors involved in cable quality:

- high-frequency roll-off
- noise pickup
- breakage

----------
ROLL-OFF

Higher quality cables generally have less capacitance to ground, and
often less series inductance, too. This can make a difference at very
high frequencies. However, the values that we're talking about are
tiny, and the manufacturing quality of audio cables has increased
markedly in the past 20 years. The capacitance is measured in
picofarads *per foot*, so to notice a difference one must be using
comparatively long cables: > 20-ft., maybe even > 30-ft.

Also, cable capacitance has a greater effect on passive, high-impedance
circuits. None of the clones out there today falls into that category:
they can all drive a wide range of impedances well. And low impedance
mixer outputs would need to see 100x or 1000x the capacitance to be
affected. So, unless you are still using a Stage 73 Rhodes into a
Fender Twin, chances are that you will not see enough capacitance to worry.

----------
NOISE PICKUP

Cables have a property called 'triboelectic effect' where the wiggling
of the metal wires inside their plastic sheaths generates static
electricity. The end result is that there may be noise added to the
signal when the cable is stepped on or moved. Again, the amount of
signal we're talking about here is small: it might be enough to drive a
high-Z line, but isn't likely to drive a low-Z one. If your rig has
balanced outputs and you're using TRS cables, the noise is likely
coupling to both lines, and will be canceled out at the amp/mixer input.

Again, this effect is worse on longer cables. The level of noise we're
talking about here is pretty small, small enough that stage volume and
the normal hum of the amps should be at *least* as loud. If you're
hearing significant noise, and your cables aren't 50-footers, I would
suspect that the wires in the cable are disconnecting, or the
plugs/jacks are deteriorating.

----------
BREAKAGE

Here is an area where expensive cables do have an edge, because they
probably use thicker, more flexible conductors along with a better outer
wrap. Low-cost cables use thinner wires (and less strands) and stiffer
outer jackets to cut cost. Also, manufacturers cut corners by using
low-cost plugs that look like pro parts, but use thinner metal parts.
Added to the fact that the majority of musicians don't know how to wrap
up a cable, this leads to early breakage.

When buying a cable, look for Switchcraft or Neutrik jacks, with heat
shrink tubing around the soldered ends (or the entire plug body) to
improve reliability. If you use mid-quality cables (Hosa, Horizon, etc.
with quality metal ends), expect a cable to last 4-5 years if wrapped
properly; half that time if wrapped like a length of rope at 2AM. Since
I can buy 3-4 mid-range cables for the price of one Monster cable, I
think it's a fair trade-off, but I treat all cables as consumables.

Regards,

-BW

Bruce Wahler
Ashby Solutions.com^(TM)
bruce@ashbysolutions.com
http://music.ashbysolutions.com
877.55.ASHBY (877.552.7429)

On 8/14/2010 10:03 AM, tfosselm wrote:
> What kind of cables are you guys using with your rigs? I've got two complete rigs (one for gigging, one at church) each with multiple keyboards, mixers, etc. and I don't know if it would be worthwhile to "upgrade" all of my cables or not.