cr_XD Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 hi, i was just looking to save some bugs doing my cables, but for the first time not just the crap i've been doing so far. My intention is to buy some neutrik conectors and solder cable in between, but then, as is surfed the thomann i realized i didn't know a thing about cables. here are the options: cables what does capacitance mean?,i mean in terms of efectiveness, not physics. What should i care about, is it the best just to buy the most expensive (i don't think so, i love behringer) or is there any way i could know what the best option is. What would you use, im more than willing in spending 40 euros in cables and conectors but not in two cables i ain't even gonna be able to solder afterwards. thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 You'll probably find that ready-made leads are cheaper & better made than ones that you'll make yourself. If you just want to save money then buy them ready made. I bought a Planet Waves lead a few years ago & it was the first lead where I actually noticed an improvement in my sound. It's hard to explain what difference it made but I could notice that things seemed a bit clearer. I switched all of my leads to Planet Waves & donated the rest to my friend including several custom ones with Neutrik connectors & "high quality" cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swirlslave Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 also bought a planet wave about 3 weeks ago and i must say it is the best cable i used in my life, lots of cool characteristic like : gold plated, sort of spring on the jack itself that makes the cable really snug in the jack hole, it dont move at all so no noise and one of the end is shieled, this side goes to the amp or effect etc. for reducing hum and ground loop. theres even a sort of tie-down that hold the cable round for transport or storage. same price as the standard dimarzio but much better. take a look at them, you wont be disapointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigG1986 Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 i definatly agree planet wave cable are the way to go i changed all mine to them about 10months ago what a differance i never normally bother about cable, cables are cables to me but there definetly if an improvment in planet waves, the best thing is when my bass player keeps trippin on them i doesnt make any noise like some of my old ones did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 BAH! I just converted most of my cables over to Monster (Not because of the apparent sound improvement, but because my cables have a tendency to die in freak accidents. The warranty is convenient), I can't have people going around saying that PlanetWaves are better! Gives me the urge to go out and spend money. But now you've gotten me curious. I've been using Monster's for a while, but honestly when I switch cables, I can't tell the difference in sound quality other than the obvious (popping, rattling, signal losses). Does that mean I have bad ears? Maybe I shouldn't be building myself a guitar, if I can't hear the difference in cables Now you've gone and made me self-conscious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 i don't use planet waves...i can't remember the name...but they are the best cables i have ever had...they are used extensively in recording situations because they are noise free... i noticed a difference as soon as i swapped over to them...but with my rack and my full stack,i use alot of cables...so a small bit of noise adds up quick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cr_XD Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 ok, but the only thing that i should not be able to do with a good plug a good cable and a solder is an air free cable, and that at least would have its consecuences in longevity, which anyway would be much longer than what it takes me to brake a cable XD. is there anything more i'm missing?? at 30 euroa planet waves cable, and i need 4 now, i could be buying myself an ebow and making my own. Imight buy a good one for recording, but, seriously, is it THAT big the difference. i've bought 15 euros cable which were worse than my own made. and i do not have the funds to be spending more on a cable if there really is a reasson i sould shut my mouth at. could anybody answer me about the best cable of the ones i stated anyway, please?? and i really apreciate your advice. maybe when i get a job i'll start buying cables thanx to everybody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigG1986 Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 i hope you find this usefull http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/cords/index.php granted u cant make air/oxygen free but this will explain it, abit better than i can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) Ah, cable voodoo. The difference between good cables and bad cables is almost always obvious in quality of construction, materials used, and overall performance. However, there's a lot of snake oil out there when it comes to cables, especially in the high end audio/home theater market, where guys will spend thousands on a 3meter interconnect. However, there was a double blind study done a while back in one of the hi-fi mags that tested expensive speaker interconnects against surplus extension cords. And no one could tell the difference in the double blind test! Monster is one of the worst companies when it comes to cable marketing voodoo for the mass market, but they are definitely not the most brazen. Buy a decent cable, and you'll be OK. You don't need oxygen free, big wires, or any of that crap. What is important is shielding and quality of construction, especially at the ends. And the little extra features like the securing spring in the planet waves cables are nice, but not necessary. Edited to add that the guitarnuts link from BigG1986 explains it perfectly. Edited January 22, 2007 by GodBlessTexas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 One thing that is true of all guitar cables is that the shorter they are, the better at preserving the high end of your sound. The cables have capacitance, which acts like a treble cut. Shorter cables have less of this. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 I understand the cable voodoo thing & hadn't noticed any difference between cables until I tried the planet waves ones. As JohnH has mentioned, longer cables increase the amount of lost treble. When I switched to the PW cables I had also switched back to stomp boxes from a 8u full rack & using about 30ft of combined cable...I noticed a much higher cut in treble through the pedals but the change in cables made a very audible difference. I'd never noticed it before & have felt quite embarrassed in the past mentioning it but I'm pleased that others agree. ...the springy jack lock & cable tie is a nice touch too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 I just like the 'breaker' switch, whatever it's called. I think they're on Planet Waves, too, no? Saves you from that hummy "plugging in your guitar" noise (and crackle, too)... unless of course, you're recording a song and you WANT that sound as a part of the overall vibe. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unklmickey Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Ah, cable voodoo. .... interesting choice of terms! Jimi used one of the absolute worst P.O.S. cords imaginable......one of those coily ones that looked like telephone handset cord. MASSIVE amounts of capacitance that decimated his treble. exactly the opposite of what we covet today. one of many secrets to Jimi's tone(s). cheers, unk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Cool! Awesome random trivia facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikhailgtrski Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 George L's are the best I've tried. I A/B'd several, including a Planet Waves and found that the G-L had better detail and a bit more high end clarity... a little more "air" to it. They're supposed to be low capacitance cables. Whether you hear the difference or not probably depends a lot on your amp. It's kind of a subtle thing. Of course, sometimes you might want a "bad" cable to attenuate some high end - like Hendrix' Strat plugged into a JTM45/100 with everything set on "10". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 out of curiosity, what about the cordless setups? if your noticing so much from a cable, how bad are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigG1986 Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 good subject i dont know coz ive never used wireless but id like to know too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I hear they add nothing but "air" to your signal. OK... I'll just get me coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoughtless 7 Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I hear they add nothing but "air" to your signal. OK... I'll just get me coat. And there's the door. ¬_¬ Apparently the newer wireless stuff is meant to be pretty stable, but then again i only heard of a FEW issues with the older wireless stuff. Word of mouth, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 I've wanted to get a wireless setup, but I thought about it for a bit and since I'm playing through a PodXT Live, I'd still have wires draped over the stage. Unless I get some sort of crazy rackmount-cum-Pod-case contraption. But man, wireless would be sweet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 mogami....that is the cablesi use...best cables EVER... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambo Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Thomann sell Sommer's 'The spirit XXL' cable which is my fav cable. They sell it in lengths, so just solder yer neutriks onto it, best cable ever .... Well not really. If you want the absolute best, and are willing to pay.... www.lavacable.com They have a decent range to choose from... But are a bit pricey for some of em. And Monster cables suck (only my opinion if anyone wants to buy some.... ) S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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