Instrument Cables

[Geoffrey Taylor (gmt65)]

I am looking for opinions from people who have used some of the better know cables (or lesser known for that matter).  What really works best?  What is worth the money?  Monster Cable make some reasonably priced cable...are they any good?  Has anyone tried Belden 1/4, Alessandro or Audience.  What would you rec ?
 
Thanks

[Brian Ceasar (bbe1020)]

Hey thanks again Geoff for making the purchase of  
0112520 USA painless. The bass will be taken very good care of. I use a ZAOLLA cable, which has a silver core. It really makes a difference in terms of output, and clarity. It will definitely clean up your sound too. The manufacturers suggested retail price is $149.00, but I purchased mine at Chuck Levins Washington Music Center in Wheaton, MD for $57.00.  The ZAOLLA cable is guarunteed for as long as YOU live, so, check it out. You won't be disappointed. Their located 11151 Veirs Mill Road Wheaton, MD (301)946-8808/2300  www.chucklevins.com

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Geoffrey:
I transitioned to the Monster Cable BASS cable several years ago,and I've never looked back.  This was the first cable where I could hear the difference.  I'd like to try on of their Studio cables ($150) soon.  FYI, in high-end home audio, cables (Kimber, etc.) are a VERY big deal, both in signal cable, speaker cable,as well as AC cables and power conditioning.  As I think back  over the years I've spent gigging in various roadhouses, I can remember my rigs gasping for breath due to starving for current and Ernie Ball cables.  Besides, why play a $5000 bass thru a $10 cable?

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

I discovered Monster Cable BASS when one of my basses (NOT AN ALEMBIC) was picking up radio interference.  The great shielding of the Monster Cable got rid of it immediately (the noise that is - I still have the bass).  I think a good measure of a cable is how quiet it is.  If you wiggle your cable and get static, it's time to step up to something better.  I don't plug my Alembics into anything less than a Monster Cable.  Maybe not the ultmate cable, but for the hundred bucks, not bad either.

[Duncan Muller (muller1007)]

I see you guys are prepared to pay top dollar for a good instrument cable. Makes perfect sense to me. The Alembics are worth it!
 
But why not get a lot cheaper cable, without making consessions to quality. On my MK Dlx and my other instruments I exclusively use Piranha Professional instrument cable, standard fitted with the fantastic Neutrik connectors. I mainly use the 1/4 mono right angle jack by Neutrik. The very best of right angle connectors.
 
I've never had any problems with these great cables; highest quality Polymide sheathed cable with multi-strand oxygen free copper cores. No interference, maximum flexibility, super stable. And lifetime guarantee.
The price is incredible: $20 - $25 for 5 metres. Don't know about availability in the US, though.
Try one if you get the chance.
 
www.piranhacables.co.uk
 
Duncan

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Thanks for the tip Duncan.  I know that even the best cables in the world have a ridiculously high markup in price (I noticed the huge grin on the face of the salesman when I bought them).  I'll check them out.

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Hey Folks,
 
Tara Labs makes instrument, speaker and power cables.  Tara Labs is a company that makes all these high end home theater and audio video cables.  Yes! You can spend $8000.00 on a pair of speaker cables.  I've seen it done.  Their instrument cables are geared more towards the musicians budget although the top of the line cable runs about $300.  They do make a great 20' cable that is considerably less (about $150).  I was very sceptical about any cable that was more than $25-$30.  Here's what happened.  Long Ly at the LA Bass Exchange turned me on to them.  He had me play through a Tara Lab cable at his store.  At first instance I heard absolutley nothing.  Then after about a half hour of playing only the Tara cable, he gave me back my ol' $20 cable.  That's when I heard the difference!!  The lows and the low mids were now all squished and compressed, not big and blossomy like they were with the better cable.  The highs also were not as prevelant either.  I swore I would never use a low quality cable again!!!  I do prefer the Tara Cables and use them exclusivley in my system.  Regardless of what cable you use be it a Monster or a Tara or a Mogami, use a good, high quality cable.  We spend all this time on choosing basses, amps, even strings and we forget about the cable.  THink of it like this, would you put a cheap pair of whitewalls on your Porsche?!?!

[Geoffrey Taylor (gmt65)]

Thanks guys! I decided to go with Alessandro  
(Instrument 2) cables.  They sound great.  They use AudioQuest cable which is high end cable...similar to Tara Labs.  Very costly but I can hear the difference.  I have been able to use more clean volume with my amp.  On my Amp, the light that lets me know that I am overdriving the amp come on at a much higher point than before. The signal is cleaner going in and coming out.

[Chris G. (76ac070)]

Does anyone use any 5-pin cable for their Series instrument other than the one provided by Alembic?  If not, then are you all recommending better cables only in the output chain AFTER the signal arrives in the DS-5?
 
Chris

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Whoa right there Chris...  Let's get something straight here; the Series II is the PERFECT bass. Everything that it comes with it is PERFECT and we mere mortals DO NOT substitute anything that comes with it.
 
Any cable would come AFTER anything Alembic to the amp.

[Chris G. (76ac070)]

Thanks, Rami!  You verified what I believed to be true anyhow.  I'll post some pics of my Series I (#76AC070) next week when she arrives here in New York.  Turns out my brass humx trim ring was the time-consuming noise culprit in the electronics upgrade process.  Can't wait to have her back!
 
Chris

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Rami & Chris,
 
I tried plugging a 5 pin connector into my Elan, couldn't get into that little hole on the front!! LOL!!  I hope to have some pictures of my basses up real soon.  Chris, good luck with the new bass, I've been following the progress on it and I'm sure it'll sound as great as it looks.
 
Dino

[David Wyatt (smokin_dave)]

I got tired of cable's breaking and sounding bad so I went out and bought a Monster bass cable and liked it so much that I switched all of my patch cables in the back of my rack over to Monster as well.Then.a couple of years later,I bought a studio pro 1000 12' Monster cable and I really enjoy that.It's pricey,$125.,but to me,well worth the money.Besides,its a nice little tax break also,for me anyway.