Cable trouble...?!!

[Stringmachine]

This might sound stupid, but here goes:
Any preferences when it comes to cables? Any differences in sound?
I'm a stereo fanatic, and have spendt a LOT of money on cables. Big differene in sound and clearity. Does this apply to gitar and speaker cables as well?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I'd say it makes a fairly good difference. I use planet waves exclusively.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

Does this apply to gitar and speaker cables as well?

Yes.


But it's subject to the law of diminishing returns.....that is;

1) There's a huge difference between sh*t cable, and ok cable.

2) There's a big difference between ok cable, and good cable.

3) There's a small difference between good cable, and premium cable.

4) There's a tiny difference between premium cable, and boutique cable.


Well, that's how I see it anyway. I just buy quality, premium stuff, and ignore all the "magic" and/or "Monster" stuff.

 

[Imp]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

i make my own - van damme cables and neutrik jacks.. the VD stuff is between 'good' and 'premium' on that wee scale i reckon, and its sold near me.. its quite cheap too.

and screamingdaisy, you really hit the nail on the head there- that's exactly how it is

 

[SingleCutDude]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

Cables make a big difference. Planet waves work, but I've seen tech analysis done in studios that shows that those cables cheat: They actually ADD bass. I'm not 100% sure how that works? I suppose I really mean that there is less line loss in bass than in other frequencies (more so than other cables) so bass comes through more.

I love George L's cables. The only cable I've ever tried that beats them cost about $110 for a 20ft cable! Yikes! George L's can be cut to custom lengths, has solderless ends, and a wicked tone. You can run 30 feet of this cable and you'll have the same signal drop as in a mere 5ft of the supposedly awesome monster cable. 6x better! Oh Mama!

 

[El Dorado]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I'd say it makes a fairly good difference. I use planet waves exclusively.

Same here. I notice a difference. I've had big problems with the reliability of cheap cables in the past. I have a box with about 5 dead cables in it in my garage.

 

[El Dorado]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

Cables make a big difference. Planet waves work, but I've seen tech analysis done in studios that shows that those cables cheat: They actually ADD bass. I'm not 100% sure how that works? I suppose I really mean that there is less line loss in bass than in other frequencies (more so than other cables) so bass comes through more.

I love George L's cables. The only cable I've ever tried that beats them cost about $110 for a 20ft cable! Yikes! George L's can be cut to custom lengths, has solderless ends, and a wicked tone. You can run 30 feet of this cable and you'll have the same signal drop as in a mere 5ft of the supposedly awesome monster cable. 6x better! Oh Mama!

Planet Waves cables cheat. :laugh2: I wasn't a believer with planet waves until I got one recently and a/b'd to an old peavey cable I had. It is a little clearer. I'd like to try some geaorge l's. They look pretty :cool3: .

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

Buy a few monster cables, never buy a cable again. Although I´m really starting to like the tone of wireless.....

 

[Stringmachine]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I've tried several wireless systems. Everyone I've tried alter the sound too much for my liking (systems up to $ 800-900 in Norway). I don't play venues that big either!

 

[casblah]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I've been using Zaolla cables. The conductor is solid silver, and the amount of shielding is ridiculous. They're the best sounding cables that I've come across in a long time. Pricey, though.

 

[Curly]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I'm using a Mogami Silver Series lately, and I like it.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I've tried several wireless systems. Everyone I've tried alter the sound too much for my liking (systems up to $ 800-900 in Norway). I don't play venues that big either!

Another consideration with wireless systems is safety. In places with dodgy electrical grounds or if something goes whacko in your amp, a wireless keeps you from getting a nasty shock ... or worse.

Back to the original topic...

IMO, the biggest tonal difference is found in between your guitar and the first buffer/gain stage. The high impedance signals there are very sensitive to the capacitance of the cables (connectors and jacks, too). I have some oxygen free, low capacitance, yadda yadda cables and they do sound different from my Live Wires: much more "present" sound. I'm not certain that I actually prefer the sound with those "high fidelity' cables but they're definitely different.

I'll use just about any reasonably reliable cable in the FX loop and will use any reliable cable for speakers. A lot of folks swear that zip wire (i.e., lamp cord) is as good as anything for cablling guitar speakers. Given the catastrophic damage that a tube amp can sustain in the event of an open circuit, I'm probably more interested in the connectors' reliability as any esoteric properties of speaker cable.

Speaking of connectors, they influence tone as well by adding capacitance to the circuit. As I mentioned earlier, this has the greatest effect in the high-impedance part of your signal chain.

Live Wires are my standard guitar cables. They're reasonably priced, have a lifetime guarantee and, unlike some other guaranteed cables, they actually are long-lived. I have a few cables that I've been using for well over 20 years. I bought 'em in high school, gigged 'em in college, dragged 'em around to a bunch of basement jams and they still sound and work great. They roll off some treble relative to my audiofool cable but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Remember, there are folks that believe that the cheapo curly cables were a significant component in the tone of SRV and Hendrix.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Cable trouble...?!!

I've used Live Wires and Monster Cable. I now just buy monster cable to run from guitar to effects and then to the amp. I've had a couple of them start to short....just take them in and get them replaced for free....don't even need the receipt.