A question for high end cable users.....

[Paul Ellsworth (elzie)]

In the other threads there are a few conversations about the virtues of Monster, Spectraflex, etc...
 
Well, this brought me to a few questions:
 
1. Do you use these cables for just your input   to the amp, or do you also use them to your speaker cabs, effects loop, etc..?
 
2. If you use these elsewhere on your rig, do they sell them in shorter lengths, are there special ones to buy?
 
3. If you don't use them elsewhere in your rig, why not?
 
I guess what I am trying to find out is, if these cables make such a difference on the input side, then wouldn't they make a difference everywhere else?
 
I am thinking of going the route of making my own cables, as I have a nuclear powered soldering station, and would really consider making all the cables if it makes a difference.
 
Paul (the second)

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Paul2
I'm right behind you man, I keep asking me this questions in the other thread.
Nice... I can read two times now!
Paul1(euh...or was it 3 ....6??? 876?)

[Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)]

Paul (the good one)....I too have been wondering the same thing.  Are these cats using a Merdcedes on the front end and a VW on the back end?  Even the simplest patch between pedals (if you use them) would seem to defeat the purpose if you use a cheap patch cord.

[Wayne McLemore (wayne)]

I use Mogami for all my connections with the single exception of the 5-pin cable from the bass to the DS-5R (and I'm trying to find a Mogami cable that will work for that application as well).
 
So, yes, I have 6-inch long Mogami instrument cables connecting the DS-5R to the F1-X(s), 3-foot long Mogami cables from the F1-X(s) to the QSC, and 5-foot long Mogami speaker cables to the Bag End and Bergantino cabs.
 
C-Ya..........wayne

[Adriaan Simons (adriaan)]

Bass amps and speakers can produce high-class sounds, but it's never high-end quality sound that an audiophile would tolerate.
 
If you know what a grand piano sounds like in real life, just play a CD with a classical solo piano through your rig and see if it's worth spending 1,000 USD on an instrument cable.
 
Then again you'll never sound better than what the weakest link in your signal chain will let you sound like.

[Bob Novy (bob)]

Yes, all the cables matter, but I agree with Adriaan and others that you shouldn't go nuts about it, at least for this application.  
 
In my stereo, I've listened to *lots* of different cables, including at least half a dozen power cords (that's right, the thing between the wall outlet and the unit), and they all make a difference. The rule of thumb is to spend your money first at the source end of the system, because (a) the signal levels are lower and (b) once you lose something in the path, you can't get it back later.  
 
I ordered a set of Mogami for my rig (haven't picked them up yet), including a custom ordered 12 inch patch (I think their shortest standard length is 3 ft, or maybe a meter...). Lots of people seem pleased with them, and my sense is they are right on the knee of the price/performance curve - beyond which you start spending lots more for rapidly diminishing improvements.  
 
I also feel that around $100, give or take, is about right for an instrument cable, and there are a number of good choices available, most of which will be a noticeable improvement over a garden-variety ProCo. If you care enough, try listening to a few, but as long as you get something reasonable then other considerations (plug style, strain relief, color, etc.) might be more important than relatively minor sound differences.
 
(Message edited by bob on April 04, 2003)

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Elzie:
 
1.Yes.
 
2.Yes, and Yes and No.
 
3. I do.
 
Yes they do help everywhere else.
 
If you can make your own, I would, following the lead of Wayne and Michael. Mogami or Canare are world-class.
 
I run a simple rig (bass-preamp-power amp-speaker) so I have few connections relative to other people.  And while discussions of balanced vs. unbalanced or speaker-cable guage vs. length and other arcane technical considerations would fill books, I just wanted to have the best connections I could.  I've played long enough to know that cheap cables will always let you down; I only recently HEARD the difference in better cables.
 
For instance, do I really need big copper for speaker cables that are only four feet long instead of 16-ga zip cord? Couldn't I just use a cheaper HOSA jumper from the F1X to the amp? Can I REALLY hear it?  Maybe just a little, maybe not.  But I've always looked to recording and sound contractors:  This type of quality is a given, not taken for granted.  So where I could reasonably improve my signal path I did.
 
It's the same mindset as ALEMBIC:  My bass would be just as good with wood screws.  But the threaded inserts prevent a long-term durability issue.  I had the same idea cable-wise, plus they sound better.
 
Joey