Active cable

[growlypants]

I'll  post this question here, as it's as good a place as any:  I noticed on another section of the forum, that someone has an Alembic cord for sale, with original packaging.  Would someone please enlighten me as to how a simple cable can be worth so much more? I honestly don't know.  Thanks in advance... (We're talking several hundred dollars!!)

[jwright9]

I'll  post this question here, as it's as good a place as any:  I noticed on another section of the forum, that someone has an Alembic cord for sale, with original packaging.  Would someone please enlighten me as to how a simple cable can be worth so much more? I honestly don't know.  Thanks in advance... (We're talking several hundred dollars!!)

I will chime in because I am the one selling the cable.
I personally do not understand why they cost so much either. $400 new from Alembic.
I bought this active cable because I was very curious and wanted to check it out. I thought it would be handy to have and easy to use.
However, I honestly can not hear any significant difference when I use this cable vs. when I don't.
I bought it to use for my Carl Thompson fretless 4 string and Fender Precision bass which are both passive.
I have used it in line en route to my amps, en route into my mixer and also en route into Pro Tools to record.
Like I said above, I can't hear any significant or discernible difference with or without the active cable.

My only guess as to the high price is because the circuit is very small and possibly difficult to make?

I really don't know.

[growlypants]

Thank you for responding.  Cables are relatively simple devices, some good, some not so good.  And evidently, some outrageously excellent!

[mario_farufyno]

As far as I remember, those cables have a built in circuit to lower impedance of a guitar/bass output. This shouldn't improve your tone but simply avoid high end loss at greater distances from amp or when passing through too crowded pedalboard. Maybe a buffer suits this too whithout killing your budget, although I don't know exactly what the cable really does.

[jwright9]

As far as I remember, those cables have a built in circuit to lower impedance of a guitar/bass output.

I don't think that is correct. One would not need to lower the output of a passive bass or guitar as it is already low output.
This cable has a little box with a preamp in it meant to BOOST the signal. Thus, the "cable" is actually a tiny preamp.


"Alembic Active Cables™ are unlike any cables you’ve ever heard. Built into the wooden box is an active preamp. This preamp allows you to enjoy the benefits of active electronics without modifying your instrument. Listen to the difference yourself.

The Active Cable™ is designed for use with passive instruments: bass, guitar and even acoustics. There is no advantage when used with an active instrument."

Quote taken from here:
http://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/activecable.html

[mica]

The cable/wire isn't the expensive part - it's hundred buck for the preamp and the pretty wooden battery and component box that costs the money. This is basically a Blaster preamp in a cable, so if you have lots of Stratocaster guitars, you can use one Active Cable for all of them, instead of $109 per Blaster. It's also good for vintage instruments that you would not want to modify.

Because the preamp is built into the cable, it works almost exactly like a Blaster. You can get Blaster-clones in pedals, but they don't work like a Blaster because they are so far away from the guitar, though they will provide boost.

[mica]

Also, if your instrument doesn't produce much in the high frequencies without amplification, the loss of highs the capacitance of the cable length add won't have anything to work with.  But it you plug a Tele or a Maple passive bass in with it, you will be amazed. I don't think that an Alder bass or most fretless basses would benefit from this cable much.

[hieronymous]

I've considered getting one of these for my passive Rickenbackers (4 string & 8 string) - they are the only passive basses I have where I want the high frequencies preserved - but it's low on my list of priorities.

[growlypants]

IN MY OWN DEFENSE... I must admit that I didn't realize that the wooden box had a pre-amp in it.  (I never heard of such brilliance...) so please disregard my original question as to why a simple cable could be worth that kind of money.  Simple answer - it's not just a simple cable!

[jwright9]

Also, if your instrument doesn't produce much in the high frequencies without amplification, the loss of highs the capacitance of the cable length add won't have anything to work with.  But it you plug a Tele or a Maple passive bass in with it, you will be amazed. I don't think that an Alder bass or most fretless basses would benefit from this cable much.

Good to know. I'll try it out on a passive electric guitar.

[mario_farufyno]

As far as I remember, those cables have a built in circuit to lower impedance of a guitar/bass output.

I don't think that is correct. One would not need to lower the output of a passive bass or guitar as it is already low output.
This cable has a little box with a preamp in it meant to BOOST the signal. Thus, the "cable" is actually a tiny preamp.


"Alembic Active Cables™ are unlike any cables you’ve ever heard. Built into the wooden box is an active preamp. This preamp allows you to enjoy the benefits of active electronics without modifying your instrument. Listen to the difference yourself.

The Active Cable™ is designed for use with passive instruments: bass, guitar and even acoustics. There is no advantage when used with an active instrument."

Quote taken from here:
http://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/activecable.html

You're totally right

[gearhed289]

As far as I remember, those cables have a built in circuit to lower impedance of a guitar/bass output.

I don't think that is correct. One would not need to lower the output of a passive bass or guitar as it is already low output.
This cable has a little box with a preamp in it meant to BOOST the signal. Thus, the "cable" is actually a tiny preamp.

Lower impedance, not output level. Passive instruments are high impedance and susceptible to signal degradation over long cable runs. Active ones are low impedance and can maintain clarity over long runs.