Members Jim77 Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I need some new cables to connect my mixer, crossover, eqs, and amps. I went to the local music shop that only offered Monster cable. I wasn't about to drop $60 on a pair of 3' cables. What's the deal with Monster? Are they worth it? Is the drunk guy at the back of the bar pumpin' his fist to the face melting solo going to know we have Monster cables in our rig? What cables do you recommend when hooking up devices like x-overs, effects, and eqs? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashivraj Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 This gets repeated time and again on this forum, do a search (if it works). Monster is usually too much hype. Mark (www.audiopile.net) makes great cables that last and are fairly cheap (the two are normally mutually exclusive). When it comes to cables, if they are properly assembled using decent ends, the change in sound quality is barely noticeable to a seasoned ear, much less the drunk at the back of the bar. Just my opinion/experience though. AS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobrainer440 Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I preach DIY when it comes to cables. The markup on even cheap crummy cables is ridiculous. Audiopile is an exception. Buy them there, or if you're handy with a soldering iron, get some bulk cable, some neutrik or switchcraft connectors and go to town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members milesdf Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I preach DIY when it comes to cables. The markup on even cheap crummy cables is ridiculous. Audiopile is an exception. Buy them there, or if you're handy with a soldering iron, get some bulk cable, some neutrik or switchcraft connectors and go to town. I would say that if want the learning expirience and your time isnt worth much and you aren't going to expect perfect results (in relabilty) for your first ten or so cables go this route. Otherwise you're not gonna save much over audiopile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gruvjack Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I would say that if want the learning expirience and your time isnt worth much and you aren't going to expect perfect results (in relabilty) for your first ten or so cables go this route. Otherwise you're not gonna save much over audiopile. I ordered a bunch of connectors from Mark last year. After going thru several afternoons of soldering, I am pretty convinced that a person with less than mediocre soldering skills should just buy assembled cables...save yourselves some finger burns, cussing and dubious workmanship. I had specific needs so I had to go the DIY route, so no regrets. Hi, Mark V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Regarding the soldering/DIY route....we all learned somewhere. If you've got zero soldering skills, Google the word and get some basic info. Learn/practice on some scrap wire like an old guitar cable. When you can unsolder and resolder a pair of plugs and the resulting cable works, you're ready to go. And don't sweat it when you've completed a really nice neat soldering job, and notice the connector shell sitting on the bench! It happens to everyone...more than once.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I ordered a bunch of connectors from Mark last year. After going thru several afternoons of soldering, I am pretty convinced that a person with less than mediocre soldering skills should just buy assembled cables...save yourselves some finger burns, cussing and dubious workmanship. I had specific needs so I had to go the DIY route, so no regrets. Hi, Mark V. This is good advice. Many of the churches I service had someone "handy" with a soldering iron create their service problems for them in an "exper" manner by doing a poor job. They saved $1.00 on the cable but spent $200 for a service call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 If you WANT to learn to solder well then, by all means do as Craigv suggests. If, on the other hand, you're only doing it to save a few bones and make a cable every now and again, just buy them - and NOT cheapie ones. I've made my own, I've bought PULSAR brand, with equally #@$% results. 99% of problems at a show are sourced from a bad cable. I was so po'd the other night I threw away all the Pulsars, whether they worked or not, and ordered everyone in the band 30 ft EWI quad cables to keep with them. I'll likely never have to worry about cables again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 With reasonable care, at least 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ATOMICDOG1 Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 Regarding the soldering/DIY route....we all learned somewhere. If you've got zero soldering skills, Google the word and get some basic info. Learn/practice on some scrap wire like an old guitar cable. When you can unsolder and resolder a pair of plugs and the resulting cable works, you're ready to go. And don't sweat it when you've completed a really nice neat soldering job, and notice the connector shell sitting on the bench! It happens to everyone...more than once.... At the sound company I worked at right after I got out of school, we had a guy get almost half way thru soldering connectors on a 40 channel xlr fanout (replacing the old switchcraft style connectors with neutriks), before realixing that he for got to put on the strain reliefs. Man was he pissed off, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 At the sound company I worked at right after I got out of school, we had a guy get almost half way thru soldering connectors on a 40 channel xlr fanout (replacing the old switchcraft style connectors with neutriks), before realixing that he for got to put on the strain reliefs. Man was he pissed off, lol. Oh MANNNNN......... I'd find a way to get the cable through the strain relief:D I bought some snake stuff from Mark a while ago...basically a clapped-out Whirlwind cable and all the goodies to rebuild it totally, right down to a new box. I put up notes, and tried very hard to stop at each step and be sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Of course around 5 connectors into the fanout I forgot a shrinkwrap marking/strain relief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobrainer440 Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 At the sound company I worked at right after I got out of school, we had a guy get almost half way thru soldering connectors on a 40 channel xlr fanout (replacing the old switchcraft style connectors with neutriks), before realixing that he for got to put on the strain reliefs. Man was he pissed off, lol. Hahaha! I get pissed enough when I just forget one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 I should add that a side benefit of learning to build cables is the almost Zen-like state one can achieve during a long session of building cables. You get into a rhythm, and can work through both cables and problems. Of course, being in a near-trance and holding a 700F soldering gun is not for everyone.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boomerweps Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 Lots of good advice about cable making. On the original subject:Monster Cable made an initial reputation when selling 12ga zipcord for speaker wire while everyone else was using 18 & audiophiles used 16ga. It was priced accordingly with a little more for advertising. NOW all there cables are priced to pay for MASSIVE adevertising and to cover it's lifetime warranty. Great, you can take a bad cable in and get a new one. But failures normally occur at the gig when "the stores are all closed" (Hey, just like in "Stairway to Heaven" ;>). Me, I'd rather buy 4 or more decent cables and have them as spares for the same cost. Another cable maker joining the Monster advertising bandwagon is LiveWire. Came out of nowhere and people talk them up like really something. It's all in the advertising, a story Mackie learned a long time ago. I cannot think of effective market advertising without Mackie popping into mind, seconded only by MONSTER Cable. Boomerweps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ATOMICDOG1 Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hahaha! I get pissed enough when I just forget one! Yeah, back then the Neutriks were pretty new and he wasn't used to using them yet. Thats one way to learn in a hurry, lol. Of course, being in a near-trance and holding a 700F soldering gun is not for everyone.... I have a nice reminder of that on my upper inner thigh, lol. I wasn't paying very close attention and was wearing shorts. I was tinning some ends and got a little too big glob of solder flip off of the end of the wire and up my shorts leg. It burned right into my skin. OUCH! I'm glad no one else was in the shop, cuz I must have looked pretty strange standing there with my shorts around my ankles and swearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 NOW all there cables are priced to pay for MASSIVE adevertising and to cover it's lifetime warranty. Great, you can take a bad cable in and get a new one. But failures normally occur at the gig when "the stores are all closed" (Hey, just like in "Stairway to Heaven" ;>). But unlike in STH, with a word you can't get what you came for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 6, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 I have a nice reminder of that on my upper inner thigh, lol. I wasn't paying very close attention and was wearing shorts. I was tinning some ends and got a little too big glob of solder flip off of the end of the wire and up my shorts leg. It burned right into my skin. OUCH! I'm glad no one else was in the shop, cuz I must have looked pretty strange standing there with my shorts around my ankles and swearing. Well I was dumb enough to both be wearing shorts while soldering, and to actually rest my hand with the iron down on my leg when I stopped to look at something away from the bench. The tip didn't get it, "only" the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alan Roberts Posted March 6, 2007 Members Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've tried a bunch of different cables over the years, but the Monsters seem to have had the biggest hype and some of the worst performance. I've had good luck with using Whirlwind cables for years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashivraj Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 Count me in as a member of the burnt inner-thigh club... soldering in your boxers at early o'clock is not necessarily the best idea. I had a FAT blob of solder fall and spread itself out nice and thin (which, to be honest, looks all nice and pretty on a table... NOT on my leg). Had to pull it out along with skin, hair, need I go on?AS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigmike216 Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 Well I was dumb enough to both be wearing shorts while soldering, and to actually rest my hand with the iron down on my leg when I stopped to look at something away from the bench. The tip didn't get it, "only" the barrel. Ouch! I've done stuff like that alot.. I used to solder in my underwear late at night... Until I dropped a small blob of molten solder on my leg! I never used to be able to solder without burning myself atleast once.. But it's not a problem anymore. hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 I've don't believe I've ever burned any part of my body (that I remember) soldering... other than fingers... cause I always wear Levis 501's and leather shoes... but my problem now is that my fingers are callused to the point where I don't feel burns until they're deep. It never much actually feels like a burn, but the burnt skin's a continuous annoyance till it finishes flaking off... which never much happens (fully healed up finger burns) cause it's burns on burns. Liz has pretty much given up on nylons... 'cause I snag them all the time... and a nylon snagged up high runs clear to the toe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobrainer440 Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 I burned a nice little hole in my ring finger once. I was soldering something behind something else and couldn't see where the tip of the iron was. It was actually kind of cool. It went "ssss!" and I went "****!!!," then I was fine. It must have killed all the nerves. It also cauterized the blood vessels, so I just had a little hole for a couple weeks. Neato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 When the phone rings... don't answer the soldering iron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pdiddy Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 Lots of good advice about cable making.On the original subject:Monster Cable made an initial reputation when selling 12ga zipcord for speaker wire while everyone else was using 18 & audiophiles used 16ga. It was priced accordingly with a little more for advertising. NOW all there cables are priced to pay for MASSIVE adevertising and to cover it's lifetime warranty. Great, you can take a bad cable in and get a new one. But failures normally occur at the gig when "the stores are all closed" (Hey, just like in "Stairway to Heaven" ;>). Me, I'd rather buy 4 or more decent cables and have them as spares for the same cost.Another cable maker joining the Monster advertising bandwagon is LiveWire. Came out of nowhere and people talk them up like really something. It's all in the advertising, a story Mackie learned a long time ago. I cannot think of effective market advertising without Mackie popping into mind, seconded only by MONSTER Cable.Boomerweps You forgot Bose. Don't get me going... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted March 7, 2007 Members Share Posted March 7, 2007 At the sound company I worked at right after I got out of school, we had a guy get almost half way thru soldering connectors on a 40 channel xlr fanout (replacing the old switchcraft style connectors with neutriks), before realixing that he for got to put on the strain reliefs. Man was he pissed off, lol. I quit counting long ago the number of times I've soldered up a 1/4" plug and then rwealized that I hadn't slid the cover onto the cable first. Always on the second plug on the cable, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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