Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

[astrozombie]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I'm about to shell out some big bucks on instrument cables. I'll let you know afterwards if it made a difference.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

you can use a speaker cable for guitar
but not guitar cable for speaker cable

I wouldn't use a speaker cable for guitar, either. Most speaker cables aren't shielded. Also, nicer speaker cables are usually heavier gauge wire -- 16 AWG and up. Would you connect an unbalanced mic with lamp cord? The wire thickness is muy overkill, and the geometry and construction are all wrong. Plus, I'd be suspicious of microphonics.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

Passive guitars react to capacitance in the amount that guitar cables have. Guitar cables are low-capacitance cables, that's why you can't use microphone cable, it has too high capacitance. Low quality guitar cables or too long cables will add too much capacitance. Plus of course it might not be solid from a connectivity standpoint.

Having said that, a certain amount of capacitance is required since the pickups are designed with a typical high quality guitar cable in mind. If you were to use a too short cable you lack that extra capacitance and the pickup has a higher resonance frequency than intended.

Speaker cables are simpler. You need solid, strong connections. And if you have too thin wire you lose power in the cable. That should still sound the same but as we all know in the guitar world we also use the physical properties of the speakers being overloaded to improve sound. If you lose to much power that won't work.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

^ I didn't know that about the mic cables.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

Not in the least

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I cannot hear any difference in tone. Just a difference in buzz sometimes (which I guess you might call "tone") and a difference in how long they seem to last.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

^ I didn't know that about the mic cables.

Well some so-called micrphone cables have guitar cable material inside

But symmetric mic cable with two XLRs should be two leads + shield and that's very high capacitance.

 

[Revelation777]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I have been using $10 Walmart guitar and speaker cables for a long time and they finally crapped out. Is buying $40-$50 guitar / speaker cables worth it? Can you hear a true difference from buying a $10 vs $50 cable?

No, probably not. $20-$30 is a good amount to spend on a 15-20ft cable.
It all comes down to quality and length. The usual reason for a cable of the same length as another to sound different is construction quality. However, people have a "quality" preference that equates to tone. lol

I use Rapco cables and I love 'em. They are extremely durable from my experience of 3+ years with them.

Wal-Mart cables...probably suck. Most of their instrument stuff does. The durability on those is really bad I know for sure. Tone, just a hunch. xD

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

Ladies and gentlemen of the SDUG forum, permit me to point out the blindingly obvious. Once again, wyldeguy has started a thread on a semi-contraversial topic and not returned to contribute a second time.

You is feedin' da trollz.

 

[richard parker]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

According to you all guitar strings sound exactly the same so I doubt whether you'll be able to detect any difference between cables. As you have claimed to be a 'producer' with very discerning hearing I'm surprised you haven't addressed this issue before.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I can't imagine that this subject could be considered controversial.

To all of you who don't think quality cables make a difference.....YOU MUST BE WAY MORE DEAF THAN I AM. Or you have never heard a comparison of a cheap vs quality cable.

This subject has been brought up before with posters showing proof from oscilloscopes/frequency annalysis which is all well and good. But to me the proof is in the pudding...can you hear the difference?

So I compared about two dozen cables priced at $5 to $90 (for 20'+). I found that you don't always get what you pay for, but there was a very definite difference in the tone quality of different cables, mostly noticable in the higher frequencies. The difference increased with the length of the cable.

Generally, most of the cables above $35 (for 15-20') sounded noticably better than the lesser cost cables. But I found several cables in the $35-60 range that didn't sound any worse at all than the $60-90 cables.

Cables that I tested that sounded the best were:
Mogami Gold.....25' = $65,
Fender Premium Gold.....20' = $50,
Ernie Ball Ultraflex.....don't remember how much it cost, I would guess about $40 for 25'.

 

[Revelation777]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I can't imagine that this subject could be considered controversial.

To all of you who don't think quality cables make a difference.....YOU MUST BE WAY MORE DEAF THAN I AM. Or you have never heard a comparison of a cheap vs quality cable.

This subject has been brought up before with posters showing proof from oscilloscopes/frequency annalysis which is all well and good. But to me the proof is in the pudding...can you hear the difference?

So I compared about two dozen cables priced at $5 to $90 (for 20'+). I found that you don't always get what you pay for, but there was a very definite difference in the tone quality of different cables, mostly noticable in the higher frequencies. The difference increased with the length of the cable.

Generally, most of the cables above $35 (for 15-20') sounded noticably better than the lesser cost cables. But I found several cables in the $35-60 range that didn't sound any worse at all than the $60-90 cables.

Cables that I tested that sounded the best were:
Mogami Gold.....25' = $65,
Fender Premium Gold.....20' = $50,
Ernie Ball Ultraflex.....don't remember how much it cost, I would guess about $40 for 25'.

Like I said though, part of that comes down to preference. Some people might want the highs rolled off more so they use a cable to do that. Howver, a cable "brand line" or whatever isn't very good if there is not consistency from cable to cable within that brand line or if it has poor construction quality.

Just like with any other piece of gear, there's usually a point where the quality stops increasing almost at all but the price continues to skyrocket.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

So wyldeguy is formerly known as...?

Sorry I'm not up to date with forum personalities right now.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I have been using $10 Walmart guitar and speaker cables for a long time and they finally crapped out. Is buying $40-$50 guitar / speaker cables worth it? Can you hear a true difference from buying a $10 vs $50 cable?

Not familiar with who this guy is either. I haven't stopped in much.

I don't have golden ears, and might not be able to tell the difference in tone between a Rapco and an Evidence cable.
But a Walmart cable? Yeah. I bought a synth once and the previous owner threw in this cheap dept store cable he had. It actually lowered the signal level of any signal passing through it! Compared to my average quality guitar cables, when playing through this cheap cable, there was a drop in volume. Into the trash it went.

Between Planet Waves and Evidence, there might be room for controvery, but I think in this case there's little controversy.

 

[schecterplayer]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I use all CBI Cables... Cheap, made in the US, good construction. Pay enough to get quality construction, but there is no sense going above that. Cables get lost or stolen at gigs, loaned to people, etc. If you are spending thousands of dollars per guitar and amp, sure, it might be worth buying those fancy $100 cables, who knows if they are really much better, but in the scheme of things they won't add much to your already expensive rig and you will know you have the best. For those of us who have to rely on making more money playing music than we spend on it, buy what works. Don't be cheap, but don't waste your money either.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

Can have a MAJOR impact on tone and noise in the signal. With the high gain rigs I use for example I have found that most Monster cables are horribly micro-phonic!! Through both the Zinky or Prosonic at high gain you can actually hear a Monster cable sliding along the FLOOR!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

^ That's a good point. A decent quality cable will sound ok, not quite as good as a great quality cord. But the difference is subtle compared to othe components in your system (guitar, amp). You need to be practical...You may want to own a Corvette, but a Chevy will do just fine on the roads you actually drive.

 

[Buckman]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

Mogami here. I have the gold but can't really hear a difference between the silver and gold in a band setting. Also the silvers are thinner cable and since I'm getting old the less weight and volume to haul around the better.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

I like cool-looking, overbuilt cables. They’re fun. This is a hobby for me, and I’m not in it to save money.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Do guitar/speaker cables really make a difference?

New member...4 posts...thread necro back to 2011...seriously WTF??