CABLES

[omnipotent]

OK, people,
I'm planning to get all new cables for my studio, but when i was going through my list i relised that i would be spending well over AUS$1000. This info didn't turn me off getting new cables, but it did make me think about making my own (I will probobly still purchase all my jack cables.) I have a few questions for everyone to help me answer.

1)Are home made cables the same quality as purchased ones?

2)I've never done this before so what would i need to start?

3)Is the saving really worth it?

4)which materials/brands are best for making cables with (cables, XLR connections)?

5)Where can i purchase the cable/XLR connections in AUS?

6)Is it dificult to make them well?

Also i would like any other info on making cables as well, if possible.

Thanx,
omnipotent

 

[Gearless42]

Imagin you own the most bad-ass studio in the world! Lots of big gear racks! (yah wouldn't that be nice)**sigh** Well, you would end up with about 1,000,000,000,000,000 cables and every one of them a different size! AAHHAHHHHHGGGG! Where do you Buy a 17" cable or a 3 1/2" cable? You can't! So, find a cable brand that works well for you (not Joe Cheep brand)but don't bother spending US$50 on a 20 foot monster cable or you will have to sell your first born child to hook up your gear. I have tried a lot of cable (expencive oxygen free cable all the way down to cheep POS Peavey cable) What I settled on is Horizon! It is nice and clean sounding good quality cable, but not too expencive!!!! When I need a cable, I go to the store and buy a 30 foot cable then mesure out a length that fits (NOT TO BIG) and build you own. for my longer runs (6 feet and over) I put gold plated ends on it to cut down on posible noize. On my shorter runs, I just use normal jacks. You can't buy gold plated XLR's for a good price so don't worry about them (XLR isn't as prone to noize as insterment cable). I don't know where to get the cable/XLR connections in AUS. I would say that home made cables are better that ones that you buy (look at the solder jobs next time you buy a new cable).

Just get good at soldering, get a 25 watt soldering iron and get some GOOD elecrical solder. If you don't know how to solder, find some smelly old guy with thick glasses to show you.
good luck
Gearless42

 

[Recording Engineer]

omnipotent:

Do a search under "Cables" and you'll find all you need to know.

 

[Steve Tittle]

A good place to look for bulk cable, 100' spools, is www.partsexpress.com.

They carry neutrik connector bodies for cable building as well as everything else. I try to buid as many cables as I can, anyone ever need a 4' cable when all you have is 3' and 6'?

Make sure to have your iron hot and stick to thin solder (electronic type can't remember core type} to keep from getting cold
solder joints.