DISK wrote: ok, so it seems that from what I have been reading that Monster Cables are not really worth the extra cost. Can you guys give me some advice on good quality cables that won't break the bank? Thanks!!

I'm not really a cable connoiseur, I see no reason to go with obscure botique brand wires, I say that ProCo makes perfectly good cables in my opinion. Whether they will break your bank is a matter of your pocketbook.... I think all high quality cable is pretty much expensive in my book.

The ProCo's come in three basic grades. The Excellines (16-14ga wire), the Lifelines (12 ga.), and the Guardians (8 ga.).

The Excellines work just fine for me in the studio and can be gotten readily at the music store, albeit their 2-3 times the price of crappy HOSA cables.

The Lifelines and Guardians are more specialty cables though that you'll probablyhave to order.... the latter two are more for heavier duty stage/show use and should hold up. These will run you some serious money.... but no more than other "botique" fancy-smancy high end cable brands.

any other suggestions??

[="http://www.redco.com"]Redco[/]="http://www.redco.com"]Redco[/] makes some pretty good cables that are hi quality without being too expensive.

Steve

Mogami and Canare are both highly regarded in the industry and are reasonably priced.

Monster Cable is OK too but is scorned for it's high price

on ebay you can find people selling ready made mogami cables wiht neutrik contectors best thing to do is make your own and before kurt gives it to you i will go to

http://www.markertek.com

if your not handy with a sodering iron then just do a google search and you will find plenty of info on it. but if you dont have good quality mics and pres then the mic cables will be the least of your worries.

mic cables

forgett about brand stuff which is fancy for hifi like monster with monster prices! , klotz cables are the dogs bollocks

a german company, not overpriced just plain quality, cables are extremely important they can make up to about 30% of the sound quality / noise etc.

check klotz should fing them via google us distributor too!

many pro wirings are done via klotz live pa's / studios / etc.

Surprisingly, no one's mentioned connectors. They are perhaps the most critical part.

Regardless of your choice of wire, (homemade or off the shelf), insist on Neutrik or Switchcraft, PERIOD. They each have their own uniqure cable-gripping system that works, and doesn't let your cables rip out when tugged or moved around.

Switchcraft uses two small set-screws that grip the cable tightly on each side, and when used properly, you'll NEVER have broken leads inside the connection, at the 3 pins. Neutrik has a plastic internal grip that literally grabs the cable firmly as you tighten the back of the connector during assembly. Both make sure the cable doesn't slowly pull out (and rip the connections) over time - esp when you need it most.

I'm old enough to remember (and prefer) Switchcraft when they were the only game in town (after Cannon went out of the biz), but I have no beef with Neutrik either. Both do exactly what I need 'em to do. I always keep several of each type of cable/connector on hand; some mics' connectors don't fit well with Neutrik anyway. (My vintage KM-84's have a rubber shock absorber up inside the male xlr, and they are a pain to use with Neutrik; while they click-on perfectly with Switchcraft.)

If you're "rolling your own", it's not a bad idea to push-up a little bit of 'extra" slack in the cable, inside of the connector. This way, even with good connectors, you'll still have a jump on the inevitable pull/tugging on the wires over time. That extra 1/8" of cable inside the connector may add years to its lifespan.

Using any kind of cheap subsitution will only cause you pain and suffering, down-time and embarassment in the long run. You don't need that. Whether it's a studio or remote rig, you have to do cable maintenance from time to time anyway, so save yourself the hassle and eliminate all that you can from the inevitable: "Murphy's Law". (Anything that can go wrong, WILL go wrong, usually at the worst possible time.)

Plan for the worst, hope for the best. 8-)

I bought a 300 foot roll of Canaire Le46s which is a quad mic cable with a very tite braid. My cables are now 15 years old and not one has failed or given me any problems. Teach yourself to solder and save a boatload of money. I like neutrik ends but they are a bit pricey.Make sure whatever mic cable you buy has a braided shield. "Wrapped or spiral" shielded cables are sold on the basis that you will come back in three years and buy another one.

This thread is a bit old, but I'll throw my hat in anyway.
I second buying from ebay if you aren't into making your own cables. There is a company on there under the ID proaudiocables that I bought several 25' Mogami Neglex/Neutrik cables from. Very nice and almost half the price of getting them from one of the catalog companies. They can make custom lengths if you need, I believe.

But Monster can be nice if you are interested in having their warranty.

of the mogami cables, what guage and model are you guys using. i went to look them up and buy some, but so many models, i don't even know what the benefit of "quad" cable is.

Anyone care to break this down for me?

Thanks.

steve

This page has a good FAQ:
http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=proaudiocables

It looks like I work for them, but I just think they have a good thing going. :D