Members popgadget Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 Raw cable, not assembled.I have had good luck with Neutrik connectors but I haven't found the right balance between flexible and durable for cable. I like the EWI 2560, and have used the EWI assembled cables but have had some problems with the connectors. So the question is what is your favorite 1 conductor shielded cable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 and have used the EWI assembled cables but have had some problems with the connectors. I'm here, and I'm all ears... willing to get the bottom of the problem and fix it (or give it a damn good try) if the cause is within the realm of what should be reasonably expected for the application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeeTL Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I'm here, and I'm all ears... willing to get the bottom of the problem and fix it (or give it a damn good try) if the cause is within the realm of what should be reasonably expected for the application. Nice to "meet" you...I ordered some of your products last week, completely unaware of your presence here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members popgadget Posted June 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I'm here, and I'm all ears... willing to get the bottom of the problem and fix it (or give it a damn good try) if the cause is within the realm of what should be reasonably expected for the application. I have had several of the right angle 1/4 plugs short internally with no signs of physical damage. I think that there is still one on my bench I could send you if you want to do an autopsy. I am very pleased overall with the EWI cables and snakes in general, my problems have only been with the right angle connector on the instrument cables. Its an easy fix to replace it with a Neutrik. I should point out that I have no complaint at all with EWI products and would like to make my overall satisfaction with your company and EWI products clear.Your interest only solidifies that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I've never liked those kind of 1/4" right angle plugs - I've had great luck with the "flat" kind . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members popgadget Posted June 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I've never liked those kind of 1/4" right angle plugs - I've had great luck with the "flat" kind . The Neutriks are good. The have the same collet type strain relief as their straight plugs. I have never had a problem with one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 The only kind I have had problems with are the flat kind with 2 screws. Way too many loose rivets. Cheesy beyond belief. I have had excellent luck with Switchcraft, Neutrik and EWI cast right angle connectors and have used probably 400-500 over the last few years without any field failures that I am aware of. All 3 brands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 The only kind I have had problems with are the flat kind with 2 screws. Way too many loose rivets. Cheesy beyond belief.Yah, some are. I get the good ones with fiberglass insulation and a ground lug from here:http://www.speakerrepair.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=genem&Product_Code=32-232x20&Category_Code=Obviously the two screws need blue loctite if you don't want them coming loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 ^^^^^^ AAACK! GLS! YUCK!! WARNING KIDS - DONT BUY THESE!!! i bought 50 of them and they are CRAP beyond belief. even switchcraft are night and day better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 i bought 50 of them and they are CRAP beyond belief. even switchcraft are night and day better.Really? I have some switchcraft from around 1980 (when they were top dog) still in use and these seem as good. What problems have you had with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 well, the TRS part isnt uniform (causing some jamming in certain holes), the bands between the T, R, and the S is smaller than the switchcraft causing the GLS jacks to be a little shorter overall, the tangs on the inside are at the wrong angle relative to tidy soldering/wire routing, the tangs are thin, bend easily, and the main (pin 1) tang is way too thin and has no feed hole. the crimp is pathetic as the tang is too weak and thin. the tangs have some type of plating that solder doesnt flow well on. other than that they are fine. i replaced mine with switchcraft 5 years ago. i'm not sure how much cheaper they sell the GLS for but it is not worth it. i am referring to the regular TRS jacks, not the 90's. i dont see how they would make the 90's any better. i just did a 90 for a buddy and used a switchcraft, dont know the number but its not the flat kind. it went very well and was very easy to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I've only used the TS version and had no problems with them. I like that they have a ground lug - you have to solder to the shell on the switchcraft which takes a lot of heat and is a bit tricky. Mine were bought last year so maybe they've improved them? They solder well but you really can't feed the wire through the lugs. The military did some studies of soldered connections back in the early 60's comparing a joint that was mechanically connected first by putting the wire through the hole and bending it around, just putting it through the hole without bending it over, and just laying the wire against the lug and soldering it and found no difference in strength if proper technique was used. They did discover that the first method tended to hide bad solder joints that would be more obvious with the latter two techniques . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 soldering to the ground lug is easy if you tin it and the wire first. i just use a 25 watt (or maybe its 40 watt) pencil iron. works exceptionally well for 12 gauge on speakon PM too, way better than my old crappy million watt red hot pistol (that doesnt seem to transfer any heat to the work but does melt all the plastic around it). i dont use the pistol for anything. its worthless. i tin all the lugs and wires first and slip the tinned wire through the tinned tang hole (how often do you get to say tang hole?) and flow a little more solder onto them after bending the wire around the lug. may the gls are better now, mine sucked balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 Lap joint done properly is plenty strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members popgadget Posted June 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 Somehow this migrated to connectors, my real question was about cable, I am quite happy with the Neutrik plugs, what are your thoughts on instrument (single conductor with shield) cable. Likes? Dislikes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MarkGifford-1 Posted June 3, 2010 Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2010 Somehow this migrated to connectors, my real question was about cable, I am quite happy with the Neutrik plugs, what are your thoughts on instrument (single conductor with shield) cable. Likes? Dislikes? Canare GS-6 is great. I've got one I made about 10-12 years ago, and it's still working great after hundreds of gigs/rehearsals. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jasps Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 Somehow this migrated to connectors, my real question was about cable, I am quite happy with the Neutrik plugs, what are your thoughts on instrument (single conductor with shield) cable. Likes? Dislikes? In addition to the canare recommendation, look into the Gepco and Redco branded offerings. I've used all with success. The Redco coils very nicely, the gepco is more "heavy duty," but coils great too. I use them with the neutrik connectors...never had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gomer Pyle Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 For me it's Switchcraft and Beldon, I have some from the mid 70s I still use every week, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I am very pleased overall with the EWI cables and snakes in general, my problems have only been with the right angle connector on the instrument cables. Its an easy fix to replace it with a Neutrik. I should point out that I have no complaint at all with EWI products and would like to make my overall satisfaction with your company and EWI products clear. Your interest only solidifies that. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 soldering to the ground lug is easy if you tin it and the wire first.Are you saying that the switchcraft also has a ground lug? I looked up the 228 and couldn't see or find any reference to such? I used to scratch up a spot on the front shell and used a soldering gun to get it hot enough to tin. It'd take about an hour to cool down or so it seemed . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 no need to scrape, it has the same plating as the rest of it. just tin the back of the area where the wire crimps in, should take a few seconds to get it hot enough and if its too hot afterwards just grab it with a pliers for a few seconds and its back to room temp. a small pencil iron is plenty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Special J Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I just make my instrument cables out of the same cable as my mic cables, Canare StarQuad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Keyrick Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 I just make my instrument cables out of the same cable as my mic cables, Canare StarQuad. Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 Do not scrape off the plating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted June 3, 2010 Members Share Posted June 3, 2010 The switchcraft 280 & 290 are still my favorite 1/4 phone plugs. The strain relief isn't as good as the Neutrix compression type but a couple of layers of Shrink tube fixes that. They are quite rubust. Soldering the switchcraft connectors isn't difficult. I twist the shield into a strand and tin it. I tin the inside of the strain relief extension as well (it's already pre-tinned but juat a bit doesn't hurt. I then bend the shield into a short dog leg (about 1-2 mm offset) and trim it off so that it can't short to the other connections. The TRS, I make a wrap around the back of the strain relief connection then solder and trim (this keeps the leaf like insulator intact). I do this before making the tip and ring connections (so you don't cook some of the insulation off of the internal wires). It would be nice if SC made a solder tab for the shield but I still think they are the most bullet proof connectors made. 90 degree 1/4 phone plugs as a rule suck. Here the neutrix beats the SC hands down (same with the XLRs) the extra part screw cover/strain relief is like a design from the 50s (That's right IT IS). I try to avoid 90 degree connectors but sometimes they are a must. If I must, I'll use Neutrix. That's my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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