BLUE mic cables - Blueberry, Cranberry, Kiwi

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gururyan

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Besides the tiny bit of info on the Blue website, does anybody know of some comparisons between these mic cables? It seems that if the Kiwi is by far the best of the three, why would they even offer the inferior blueberry and cranberry? Since they only differ in price by a few dollars, it got me wondering just how big a difference each would be. I plan to pick up a kiwi cable, but if I need 3...it'd sure be handy to have one of each color. I just don't want to sacrifice sound quality for vanity.

Any ideas?
 
gururyan said:
It seems that if the Kiwi is by far the best of the three, why would they even offer the inferior blueberry and cranberry? ?

So they can sell to people who don't want to shell out for the Kiwi, but still want it to say AWESOME MIC CABLE BY AN AWESOME COMPANY IT LOOKS SO SEXY ON YOUR MIC CHICKS WILL LOVE YOU YOU WILL BE A STAR IF YOU BUY IT on the side.

gururyan said:
Since they only differ in price by a few dollars, it got me wondering just how big a difference each would be. I plan to pick up a kiwi cable, but if I need 3...it'd sure be handy to have one of each color. I just don't want to sacrifice sound quality for vanity.
Any ideas?

Don't shell out dollars for vanity either. If you want three colors, buy the different ones. I bet you won't be able to tell, except you will somehow think the most expensive one sounds best.

All funniness aside, they make good cables. Rather than the bottom ones being bad, it's more that the top of the line isn't going to blow your mind at how much better it is, if you can even tell a difference at all.
 
I use the Blueberry and the Kiwi cables (4 of each) and as of yet haven't heard a difference in sound quality between the two. I've been using them for the last 3 years or so with no problems and they still look and work the same as when I first got them. I'd recommend them for what that's worth.
 
use mogami and build your own for a bunch less bucks
 
i got 2 blueberry cables for $9 each a while back, and i find them to be exceptional cables. they always coil back into their original shape and they don't tangle at all.

i wish i'd bought more at that price.


cheers,
wade
 
it was Guitar Center around Labor Day last year. I also picked up a brand new Dragonfly for $400 that same day.


cheers,
wade
 
mrface2112 said:
i got 2 blueberry cables for $9 each a while back, and i find them to be exceptional cables. they always coil back into their original shape and they don't tangle at all.

i wish i'd bought more at that price.


cheers,
wade


I bought a cranberry one years back and will never do that again. The cable tangles easy (it is supple) and the jacket has a tendancy to be sticky and doesn't detangle well because of that.

That was the only time I ever bought a mic cable. I alway make em myself out of Mogami cable with Nuetrik ends.

The cranberry looks nice, sounds good, but is a bitch to use.

Kirk
 
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Humbuckermusic.com has the kiwi cables for 29.50, cheaper than the cranberries!

Jake over there told me they buy them by the boatload & get killer pricing.

I have a few of the kiwis.. One died on me, the rest are still kickin and sound good. Good luck.
 
Ditto Cusetown. Or just print off the webpage and sashay into GC and get them for $29 from them. I've got 4 Kiwi's and they're da bomb.
 
I like my Kiwi cable. The only problem with the BLUE cables is that they don't lay very well. They're not as pliable as normal cables...not a big deal for the studio, but if you're using them in live recording situations it could be an issue.
 
mrface2112 said:
it was Guitar Center around Labor Day last year. I also picked up a brand new Dragonfly for $400 that same day.

A new Dragonfly for less than half the typical sale price? How did you come across that?
 
am i the only one that thinks that mogami cables are easier to tangle than canare?
canare cables are smooth to the touch and easier to use as they don't make knots as fast as mogami cabling
and i've found a no name make that copies neutrik connectors, sure they may not be as good, but at 4$ a connector less and no sound difference that i can hear, it beats me.
anyway, just my 2¢
 
<< A new Dragonfly for less than half the typical sale price? How did you come across that? >>

according to my "man on the inside" :D, that particular GC was "cleaning house" of all their BLUE stuff at the time, since they hadn't sold a BLUE mic in almost a year.

he told me "$400 out the door takes it, but you gotta say yes now b/c i've got Carbon Leaf calling me back to let me know if they want it". we tried it out (always gotta check), I said "i dunno.....you sure you can't do $350?" (always gotta check) and i pulled out my credit card. even my wife thought it was a no brainer. in the midst of the transaction, Carbon Leaf called back and he told him "sorry, i'm ringing it up right now".

earlier in the day they also sold a Dragonfly Deluxe for $800, and a Cactus for right at $1000. The cranberry cables were $15 and the Kiwis were $20. I got the last two blueberries but passed on the kiwis--i should've grabbed a couple. There were bargains to be had that day.

The downside? Once you get a taste of a mic like the dragonfly, you start hearing all of those imperfections in the chinese mics that you've been using--imperfections that you didn't exactly hear before.....and that's when the GAS sets in.


cheers,
wade
 
<< The cable tangles easy (it is supple) and the jacket has a tendancy to be sticky and doesn't detangle well because of that. >>

you know, to be totally honest, i'm surprised that the blueberry hasn't done that. both of mine are still as slick and untangly as they were the day i got them. they haven't even collected dust. color me pleasantly surprised. of course, i don't take em out of the studio, either.

however, i had that exact problem with a Planet Waves guitar cable that was essentially identical in composition to the blueberry, and it was a tangled sticky MESS. i took that cable back and traded it in for a tweed covered one.......which is what i should've gotten in the first place.


on a side note, the rest of the cables i use are sold/marketed/rebadged by peavey. not sure what brand the cable is (but it's nice and thick) and they've got black neutrik connectors. never had one fray, fail or give me any fits, and they've been gigged with regularly. surprisingly solid cables.


cheers,
wade
 
Sticky idea

Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely use the printed Humbucker site if I buy from GC (but I'd get out of tax if I just go Humbucker), we'll see.

As far as the "sticky" issue, I totally hate that! What causes some plastics to do that!? I like flexible cable too, hmmm...I may start with one Kiwi and see how it goes before outfitting all the mics with them.

Thank you all, you should begin to see more of me around as I venture into the recording aspects of my hobby.
 
In my opinion quality cables really do make a difference, and if you're just going to be using the kiwis in the studio, you won't have any problems. The sonic benefits will outweigh the annoying stickiness of the cable.
 
I have a bunch of Kiwis, and they have never given me any trouble. I bought seven of them for $12 apiece, slightly used, at GC, and got the 8th one the hard way- for free, with my Kiwi.-Richie
 
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