Arggggggggggggggggggggggh

[SRR]

So I had a singer in today that was singing to backing tracks, some on CD and blah-some on cassette. So I patch my cassette deck in (yes I have one connected to one of my two patch bays), and I was only getting the right channel!!! Blast it, I thought it might be the connection to my patch bay from the player, nope. Ok so I tried different inputs on my 1010LT, nope. So I try everything else, and still just one channel, I thought Reaper was being mad at me!!! Turns out one of those "nice" 6 for $15-$20 patch cables was dead in the water, I switched to my even cheaper and slightly older patch cables and ta-da both channels work. The dead cable that I admit I probably never used before has a small puncture wound to one of the plastic ends. Very easy to miss, and no doubt was there when I bought it. Later after the session was done, I wiggled the cable every which way and nothing, wasn't passing anything. I am all for good cables, but stupid patch cables in my studio hardly get used so I never thought it would bite me in the butt, but it did......so Arggggggggggggggggh. Made me look silly, stupid, retarded, and dumb. I should have made my own, which I think I will do very shortly. And I will test out the cassette deck prior to people who I know might need it!!! Still have 100ft of Canare cable, just need some 1/4" Neutrik connectors.

[SonicAlbert]

I hate to say this, but six cables for $15-20 isn't anywhere near "nice". If it has plastic ends, it's junk. Period.

One thing I do though is check every cable on my cable tester before I use it. Since I mostly make my own, I've been able to catch a few mistakes that way. But I've also found a few bad cables amongst the store bought as well. A cable tester is always a good thing to have around.

[groovyisland]

i bought a 6 pack of proco 3 footers with stress reliever metal ends that i like a lot.

i dont think ive had a cable with quality ends go bad but ive had plenty with plastic ends go bad. you save a lot of money but youre buying dumpster meat.

years ago i used to buy a bag of cheap cables for my guitar pedals every year or so and toss em out when they died.

[SRR]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

I hate to say this, but six cables for $15-20 isn't anywhere near "nice". If it has plastic ends, it's junk. Period.

Uh I was using nice in quotes to denote that I know they aren't "good", oh there I go again .

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by SRR

Uh I was using nice in quotes to denote that I know they aren't "good", oh there I go again .

Gotcha, there *I* go again being totally literal!

The best way to get quality cables cheap is to learn to make them yourself. I taught myself, and am very glad I did. It doesn't pay off if you only need a few cables, because of the startup cost of the solder gun, solder, clamp and other supplies. But it doesn't take too many cables before homemade cables pay for themselves over and over.

[SRR]

Ya, I have all the stuff to solder (cable, iron, etc.), just need some 1/4" plugs, then I am going to do six-eight-maybe twelve of them or so, as I said I hardly use patch cables anyways. Just this one time that I really needed them to work bang got bit in the butt by my thriftyness.

[Freudian Slip]

Ya I've got a bunch of those. They are the first thing I check when I have an issue. I have slowly been making my own 6 footers ove time. Need to get me a box of plugs & some shrink sleave.

You reminded me I have a mic cable to repair..... Crap which one. I forgot to tie a knot in it That's my fail safe for seperating them from the pack.


F.S.