Live Sound & Production

[ChiroVette]

Hey everyone, since you guys are so good at correcting erroneous misconceptions, I have to ask questions regarding budget cables. My gut instincts tell me not to skimp on XLR cables, but my gut instincts regarding gear are dubious at best.

Now I know that Whilrwind is a great cable company, but they have some very cheap XLR cables up on Amazon sold by a company called 8th Street at www.8thstreet.com.

They offer this, for instance:

http://www.8thstreet.com/Whirlwind-E...s-pcB27808.8th

Which is a 4-pack of this cable for $34.95, which is only about $9.00 per cable. Basically my "too good to be true" bells are ringing:



I assume this is crap? Your thoughts?

[jeff grocki]

Dont waste your time the best cost ratio cable out there comes from Audiopile.net. Mark & Liz's service is 2nd to none.

[djiceman1575]

I second Audiopile. I went from those generic Musician's Gear XLR's to the Audiopile's, and I can tell quality is 100000x better. 25ft cables are $13 apiece, and I have a feeling they will last forever

[Tomm Williams]

The cost difference between a crap cable and those from EWI or Audiopile is pretty minimal. The potential damage to your reputation by using crap cables can be much greater.

[ChiroVette]

Just looking at their site now. And best of all I need a ton of wiring, too. I have to get some balanced cables to go from the Aux sends of my board to my new, home-fashioned wired IEM's I am creating. I also need some 14 gauge speaker wire, one long and one short until I get my new PA, because (ignoramus that I am, I have been using guitar cables to go from wedge to wedge and main to main lol feel free to ridicule). I have to get some other cables too, including varying length XLR cables. I may just end up ordering everything from them and be done with it since you guys recommend so highly.

Would you guys recommend me going for the Neutrik connections? I think they are supposed to be the awesome standard in XLR, right?

[djiceman1575]

Originally Posted by ChiroVette

Just looking at their site now. And best of all I need a ton of wiring, too. I have to get some balanced cables to go from the Aux sends of my board to my new, home-fashioned wired IEM's I am creating. I also need some 14 gauge speaker wire, one long and one short until I get my new PA, because (ignoramus that I am, I have been using guitar cables to go from wedge to wedge and main to main lol feel free to ridicule). I have to get some other cables too, including varying length XLR cables. I may just end up ordering everything from them and be done with it since you guys recommend so highly.

Would you guys recommend me going for the Neutrik connections? I think they are supposed to be the awesome standard in XLR, right?

If you have the money you can. The standard EWI cables look and feel just like Neutrik connectors, and are just as good, but cheaper.

[ChiroVette]

Originally Posted by djiceman1575

If you have the money you can. The standard EWI cables look and feel just like Neutrik connectors, and are just as good, but cheaper.

That's very good to know. Can I get some other opinions on this as well?

I would also love to hear from Agedhorse and Axisplayer on this one to seal the proverbial deal.

[agedhorse]

The promotional ultra-budget cables by any of the mass market or off shore manufacturers are IMO a waste of money. Why buy junk when for a few dollars more you can buy a much better quality product by Whirlwind or by Audiopile?

IME, the standard EWI connectors are plenty good for all but the most heavy duty uses. I do not think your needs fall into this.

[ChiroVette]

Originally Posted by agedhorse

The promotional ultra-budget cables by any of the mass market or off shore manufacturers are IMO a waste of money. Why buy junk when for a few dollars more you can buy a much better quality product by Whirlwind or by Audiopile?

IME, the standard EWI connectors are plenty good for all but the most heavy duty uses. I do not think your needs fall into this.

Just so ya know, this is PRECISELY why I asked this here!

As I said in my microphone thread a few minutes ago, I was in Guitar Center early this afternoon trying out vocal mics and I started talking to the sales rep about a shitload of new cables I need (Balanced 1/4, 1/4 to 1/4 speaker cables, patch cables, XLR's of various lengths, etc.) and he said the same thing about the budget cables. However, what sent my warning lights going was that he was heavily pushing the LiveWire cables (of course!) and saying the only better cables than that were the Mogami. I politely listened to everything he said, but remembered very clearly from this forum (a while back) that you guys were not big fans of the LiveWire stuff. I also noticed that the LiveWire AND the Mogami cables were all priced VERY high, much more so than the budget cables that you "get for free" in packages, or the four pack Whirlwind I linked to above.

I told him I would have to think about it and I immediately called a buddy of mine who I have spoken about in this forum and resolved NOT to make any move until I talked to you guys about it, particularly you, Agedhorse.

In truth, you guys have MADE MY FREAKING DAY!

Because honestly, given what this guy was ready to ring me up for with the Mogami cables and the LiveWire stuff he had on display, the prices of the EWI cables at Audiopile are SO AMAZING that they too seem too good to be true! I would have completely blown them off if I came across them randomly (for the same reason you guys are telling me to blow off the Whilrwind cables, because looking at the low price, I would have just assumed they, too, were crap.

But now that you guys are giving your stamp of approval, I will order a bunch of cables from them first thing tomorrow morning.

I assume even the lower priced cables on this page are all right? Here:

http://audiopile.net/products/Mic_In...Cables_2.shtml

Also, can I apply the same trust to balanced cables, guitar cables, 1/4 to 1/4 speaker cables of varying length, etc?

Again, THANK YOU GUYS so fucking much!!!

[djiceman1575]

I use the SLMA, they are excellent for the price.

[Consume]

I bought cables from Audiopile a few years ago, and I promise you - you are not making a mistake. Best bang for the buck around when it comes to cables.
I will never buy another brand.

[stangconv]

Any comments on Monoprice.coms cables? I've ordered iec's, iPad cables, and a bunch of other stuff through them and it was all very good

[MarkGifford-1]

Originally Posted by stangconv

Any comments on Monoprice.coms cables? I've ordered iec's, iPad cables, and a bunch of other stuff through them and it was all very good

I can't vouch for their XLR cables, but I tried a 1/4" guitar cable and it was absolutely unusable. Microphonic as hell, and too fat. I know it was $5, or something, but I just threw it out.

Their computer cables rock, tho.

MG

[Rbts]

I will just add - that I too buy ALL my cables from www.audiopile.net but I prefer the "Blue Quad" cable. Costs a "little more" - but I think it is worth it.

[Telecruiser]

This is what I buy.

http://audiopile.net/products/Mic_In...cutsheet.shtml

[ChiroVette]

Those are nice cables, Telecrusier and rbts! But are they a little overkill for my needs? They do look sweet, I will tell you that!

Originally Posted by agedhorse

IME, the standard EWI connectors are plenty good for all but the most heavy duty uses. I do not think your needs fall into this.

So are you saying that these cables are really good?

http://www.audiopile.net/products/Mi...cutsheet.shtml

I get the feeling that those "budget" cables (They call them MP-101) are equivalent to the crappy Whirlwind ones I linked to in my OP. The 20' cable here is a mere $9.35.

I have the feeling this is more what you are recommending?

http://www.audiopile.net/products/Mi...cutsheet.shtml

The 20' Mic cable in this line is still quite reasonable at $12.10!

Finally, would it be dumb and a waste of money (for my needs) if I bite the bullet and jumped up, say to the EWI Premium Twisted Pair cables with Neutrik XX ends for $18.75 a piece for the 20'?

http://www.audiopile.net/products/Mi...cutsheet.shtml

[Rbts]

Originally Posted by Telecruiser

This is what I buy.

http://audiopile.net/products/Mic_In...cutsheet.shtml

I'm sure those are great! Really - GREAT!

[ChiroVette]

Originally Posted by Rbts

I'm sure those are great! Really - GREAT!

They sure look awesome. I am looking to snag 6 cables (2 at 20', 2 at 10' and 2 at 5'). So it would cost me $98.50 for those cables. On the other hand, if I went with the same lengths of 6 of the Blue Quad cables with the Neutrik XX ends, it would cost me $125.40. Honestly, even that is still a reasonable price for 6 high quality XLR cables.

[Vinny D]

I have around 50 of these: http://www.audiopile.net/products/Mi...cutsheet.shtml
Never any issues.

[ChiroVette]

Originally Posted by Vinny D

I have around 50 of these: http://www.audiopile.net/products/Mi...cutsheet.shtml
Never any issues.

Jeeze, I can get the six cables I need in that model for like $60.00.

Hmmm...