This is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of a recording setup by a newbie. myself included.
Right now all my cables are either Livewire, Hosa, or generic no name cables that you see coiled around mic stands for $9 at GC.
Will improving my cables give me a noticeable difference in sound? It seems like an obvious yes, but I need to hear some opinions. What cables should I look into?
Maybe I should stop focusing on upgrading my pre's and outboard and start with my cables. IMO what good is an Avalon and U87 if your connections are made with radio shack cables?
Your thoughts?
Comments
I think the whole Moster Cable thing is more hype than anything
I think the whole Moster Cable thing is more hype than anything else ... as is most esoteric cables. Mogami, Canare and Belden all make "studio wire" that works very well.
IMO the cables from HOSA are real ok ... not the best but they work fine in most situations. When I need a special cable for a particular application, I have no qualms about going down to the local GC and getting a pre fab HOSA cable. For most applications, I have had custom cables fabricated out of Belden "studio wire" and Neutrik or Switchcraft connectors.
A great source for pre fabled cables is Markertek at http://www.markertek.com ... they have just about anything you can imagine there and the build quality is very good.
Real good cables make a difference. Your ability to hear and ma
Real good cables make a difference. Your ability to hear and make use of that difference is a separate issue. Like all things in a chain, it is the weakest link theory. One bad link spoils the whole chain. I would happily use radio shack cables with a u87 and an Avalon then use Monster, Mogami, Canare, Zaola cables with a cheap ass china mic and a half ass mic pre.