1/4" cables

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johnnypraze

johnnypraze

Hip Hop Head
What is the difference between speaker cables, line level cables, guitar cables, and patch cables, considering theyre all the same gauge and male 1/4" to male 1/4"?

I need to run a set (L and R) of 1/4" cables from my soundcard to my headphone distrobution amp.

Are all 1/4" cables the same, and what cable and gauge would work best in this situation?
 
Cables differ based on the type and size of wire inside the cable.

Guitar, line level, and patch cables are usually shielded inside to reduce any interferance that might result. The size of the wire involved is usually less inportant as very low level signals are involved.

Speaker cables are usually not shielded, and instead use heavy duty wire. This is needed to carry high output signals to the speakers to produce sound. Speaker cable usually comes with the wire gauge marked. Lower gauge wire is larger and heaver.

Ed
 
So should I use Line level or speaker cables in my situation...?
 
Use line level cables. Speaker cables should only go to speakers, not to amplifiers.
 
if connect to an active monitor from an amp. what kind of cable should be used? just a good mic cable?
 
Something fireproof because you're gonna blow something if you do that! Active Monitors have amplifiers in them, so you want to connect a line-level ouput from your mixer (or soundcard/whatever) to the active monitors. You can either use balanced XLR (if your monitors accept them) or TS/TRS cables depending on whether your chain is balanced/unbalanced.

If you don't understand what I wrote, let me repeat the most important part -
DO NOT CONNECT A POWER AMP OUTPUT TO INPUTS OF ACTIVE SPEAKERS

yipchunyu said:
if connect to an active monitor from an amp. what kind of cable should be used? just a good mic cable?
Click to expand...
 
gordone said:
Something fireproof because you're gonna blow something if you do that! Active Monitors have amplifiers in them, so you want to connect a line-level ouput from your mixer (or soundcard/whatever) to the active monitors. You can either use balanced XLR (if your monitors accept them) or TS/TRS cables depending on whether your chain is balanced/unbalanced.

If you don't understand what I wrote, let me repeat the most important part -
DO NOT CONNECT A POWER AMP OUTPUT TO INPUTS OF ACTIVE SPEAKERS
Click to expand...

i'm sorry that i wrote it unclear.
I want to say that if i connect the active monitors from the pre-out of an av amp. what kind of cable should i use?
 
A cable that has one end which fits into the output of your receiver, and the other end fits into the input of your monitors.
But seriously, it depends. Why don't you tell us exactly what brand/model of monitors you have, and what brand/model receiver you have, and tell us what kind of jacks it has.
Your question is like asking "What kind of spark plug do I need for my car?"


yipchunyu said:
i'm sorry that i wrote it unclear.
I want to say that if i connect the active monitors from the pre-out of an av amp. what kind of cable should i use?
Click to expand...
 
gordone said:
Your question is like asking "What kind of spark plug do I need for my car?"
Click to expand...
Speaking of which... my car's silver grey, now can you tell me spark plugs I need?

:p
 
You need the dark blue ones, duuhhhh!

Blue Bear Sound said:
Speaking of which... my car's silver grey, now can you tell me spark plugs I need?

:p
Click to expand...
 
gordone said:
A cable that has one end which fits into the output of your receiver, and the other end fits into the input of your monitors.
But seriously, it depends. Why don't you tell us exactly what brand/model of monitors you have, and what brand/model receiver you have, and tell us what kind of jacks it has.
Your question is like asking "What kind of spark plug do I need for my car?"
Click to expand...

sorry, english is not my native language and so if i make things unclear. pls accept my apology.
The av amp's preout output is just the normal RCA connectors. And the monitors can input both the XLR and 1/4" Jacks.
What kind cable should be used?
Any significant differences between XLR and 1/4" jacks?
thx for advice.
 
yipchunyu said:
sorry, english is not my native language and so if i make things unclear. pls accept my apology.
The av amp's preout output is just the normal RCA connectors. And the monitors can input both the XLR and 1/4" Jacks.
What kind cable should be used?
Any significant differences between XLR and 1/4" jacks?
thx for advice.
Click to expand...

This is what you want -
http://tinyurl.com/3bv6z

Do a search on the differences between XLR and 1/4" jacks, it has been discussed before. Good luck and have fun!
 
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