should i replace my radioshack mic xlr cables?

[jugalo180]

i have radio shack xlr cable running into my mackie 1202 from an at4055. should i replace those cables? i'm a novice so if i'm getting cheated out of my sound from these cables i wouldn't really know, but i'm depending on the more experienced to help me out here.

 

[darnold]

personally i dont think cables make that big of a difference. At least when i switch to one cable to the next i dont notice any big difference. Maybe im missing out on something though. If the connectors are bad or the wires are shorted or something, then yah.

danny

 

[littledog]

the differences get increasingly apparent as the cables age.

 

[jugalo180]

thanks

they are under a year old i'll keep the aging thing in mind.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

personally i dont think cables make that big of a difference. At least when i switch to one cable to the next i dont notice any big difference. Maybe im missing out on something though.

They make a HUGE difference -- IF you have gear of sufficient calibre that will actually let you hear the difference!

 

[Recording Engineer]

They make a HUGE difference -- IF you have gear of sufficient calibre that will actually let you hear the difference!

Agreed. I notice a difference switching from ProCo to Canare L-4E6S or Mogami W2534.

It becomes a HUGE difference for me the more tracks you I down!

 

[Hi_D_Ho_Man]

are the monster cable 500 and 1000 pro series worth the dough? Pro is like $129 for a 20ft cable!!!

 

[jugalo180]

ok

i don't have any xtravagant gear. i'm using an at4055 condencer mic, into a mackie 1202 mixer(for it's pre's), into a lynx one soundcard. i do my tracking in vegas video, so i may not hear that difference. i ordered an rnc compressor which should be here today or tomorrow but, i think i made the wrong decision. i need color, not transparency.

 

[Badger]

Dont waste you money on moster, build your own out of canare or mogami.

 

[darnold]

well im glad i was corrected about this. Maybe its time for me to get some better cables then. Can anyone supply any info on making cables from canare and mogami? Where do i get the parts for making them and about how much money will i spend per cable.?

Thanks,

danny

 

[chessparov]

Your mic pre will make more of a difference than the cables,
relatively speaking, as long as the cables are not deteriorated.

The RNC is a fine compressor, excellent choice.
"Color" is optimized at the musical source, rather than through gear BTW.

Chris

 

[jugalo180]

"Color" is optimized at the musical source, rather than through gear BTW.

how does one obtain this with vocals chess? is this through proximity?

 

[ozraves]

there is a difference but you don't have to spend a fortune for cable.

i like the blue kiwi mic cable. you can pick those up as low as $32 online. i think they're $50 at guitar center. geez!!!

the george l. instrument cables are very nice.

i have mogami and monster cables as well.

if you're using an audio buddy as your mic pre, then a blue kiwi cable is not going to be the most noticeable improvement. but, if you have an rnp, then you'll notice the improvement when you switch out your old radio shack cable for the blue kiwi cable.

steve, mojo pie
www.piemusic.com

 

[jugalo180]

dually noted

thanks, i'll take a look a musicians friend.

 

[mgraffeo]

It's no different from speaker wire in a stereo setup. It's all about the law of diminishing returns. When you step up from a Radio Shack cable to a consumer Monster cable, you may notice a difference, depending on the quality of your mic, pre, etc. This is due to wire gauge, soldering quality, resistance of the connectors used, etc.

If you're running a Radio shack mic through a Radio Shack cable into a computer you bought at Radio Shack, you probably won't notice much of a difference. ;-)

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that the only function a cable does is carry current from one place to another. The only time a cable will make a significant impact on an audio signal is when the cable is too narrow (small wire gauge), and you are trying to shove more info down the pipe than it can handle.

For me, I'll spend an extra $10-20 for Monster or BLUE, but that's mostly for the guarantee that they offer. That way, if it craps out on you, just bring it back. I'll personally promise that any difference in the sound that anyone can hear in a $120 cable is solely based on the fact that they want to hear a difference, because they spent WAY too much money on it!

-mg

 

[Slackmaster2K]

You don't have to have expensive gear to hear the difference. I can hear the difference with just my cheap chinese microphones and my budget preamps into my Delta.

In fact, I posted a comparison of three different cables a long time ago and the difference was pretty amazing. Suprised myself. In fact a couple people didn't even believe it and got kind of ruffled up.

The winning cable in that case, BTW, was just Canare Star Quad (compared to, I believe, some belden and some off brand cheap cable) ...you can pick that stuff up for $0.39 a foot or less! Used switchcraft connectors which can be found anywhere.

It doesn't make the difference between a good recording and a bad recording, but every little bit helps ya know. You start adding up a bunch of minor improvements and pretty soon your sound improves noticably!

Slackmaster 2000

 

[Slackmaster2K]

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that the only function a cable does is carry current from one place to another.

Carrying current from one place to another is what recording is all about! I don't think it's wise to downplay the importance of this!

Slackmaster 2000

 

[Robert D]

Not to mention the quality of the shielding or the impurities in the copper. There's no real current involved in a mic cable, so guage isn't really a factor. Look at the size of the wire in Mogami 8 channel cable. You can practically floss with it, and it sounds great.
For pre-made cables, I third the Blue Kiwi cable as the quality/price winner. Oxygen free quad cable from a company who cares about sound like they do for about $30 is a great deal, and they do indeed sound great.
Cheers, RD

 

[jugalo180]

i love this place

i'll be checking out guitar center online to see if they carry this stuff. the name blue kiwi alone makes me want those cables. it's funny how names and appearance can sell an item.

 

[Giganova]

the differences get increasingly apparent as the cables age.

cable can age?? How is that possible? Is this also true for MIDI cables? I think the benefit of more expensive cables are the connectors.