Expensive Instrument Cable Snake Oil

[Bxlxaxkxe]

I think it’s really just a matter of high end content due to capacitance. It’s always been my preference to have more high end available and roll it off as needed VS having a darker sound where you can’t add the highs back. At home through my recording setup- having that available via the Mogami Platinum is proving to be really nice. I still like the sound of the lava cables I’ve been using, but it does feel like a step up.

The real question is whether it will be annoying in a band context when the volume is really pumping. I’ve never once felt like my high end has been lacking and if anything I tame what’s coming out of the PA with a HPF. Sooo…lol

Will test that out this week hopefully. This may just be a home/recording upgrade and I’ll leave my gig rig alone.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Yes worth it...in reverse!

I went from buying Monster Rock cables to Sommer Spirit XXL and Klotz LaGrange, and soldering them myself. 1/3rd of the price for a better cable with more highs (lower pF/ft or pF/m if you're on my side of the Atlantic).
Another nasty thing about the Monster cables are the thick plugs; they don't fit in tight, Japanese Ibanez S540's jack from '97. I mean, she's 24 and all, but still...

That spirit LXX is intriguing at 15.8. If I decide I want to stick in that ultra low cap range, I will be checking those out for sure

 

[GJgo]

Blake you mention Lava, do you have a Van Den Hul cable? I'm in the same mindset as you when it comes to that one vs others, however I've never tried a Platinum.

It's like I never knew rainbows had the color purple until I plugged in the VDH.

 

[ners]

All Mogami here ..... I've been making my own cables forever .... easy to do ..... priceless when putting together your pedalboard

I just wish the Squareplug plugs weren't so expensive ...... but I got to say ... they are worth it .. from the ease of soldering them up ... to how clean they look on a board .

Got any links to recommend for building my own cables?

I just picked up soldering recently so down to try making my own, but too lazy to research the top cables/connectors/tester/etc

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Blake you mention Lava, do you have a Van Den Hul cable? I'm in the same mindset as you when it comes to that one vs others, however I've never tried a Platinum.

It's like I never knew rainbows had the color purple until I plugged in the VDH.

Never tried that one. What’s the capacitance? It seems that all that really matters in terms of tone of a cable is capacitance but I will be putting that to the test very soon

 

[JackBootedThug]

Why is it better? Thicker gauge? More conductivity? Use cabinet cables? I know some cork sniffers like wiring cabs with old power cords from decades ago...same principle? Not being a smart ass here... cable experts chime in.... Are these things like jumper cables for your car? Thicker the better?

 

[GJgo]

Mine are 20', and I'm not sure offhand. That said if you want to do a comparo you can borrow it. IIRC for comparison the 20s retailed around $300, but that was pre-rona.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Why is it better? Thicker gauge? More conductivity? Use cabinet cables? I know some cork sniffers like wiring cabs with old power cords from decades ago...same principle? Not being a smart ass here... cable experts chime in.... Are these things like jumper cables for your car? Thicker the better?

Not about thickness but capacitance. Lower pF equals less high end roll off. So 40pF would roll off more high end compared to 20pF. Everything else about the construction is for noise, durability, reliability etc.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Not about thickness but capacitance. Lower pF equals less high end roll off. So 40pF would roll off more high end compared to 20pF. Everything else about the construction is for noise, durability, reliability etc.

thanks you amp ho!!!

 

[Smash]

Why is it better? Thicker gauge? More conductivity? Use cabinet cables? I know some cork sniffers like wiring cabs with old power cords from decades ago...same principle? Not being a smart ass here... cable experts chime in.... Are these things like jumper cables for your car? Thicker the better?

I am no expert. I have read the crystal lattice angle. I have read the fairy shit. I bought the mogami because of word of mouth about quality and reliability after having problems with the more common stuff. It didnt make my dick any bigger unfortunately

I rewire my cabs and guitars because i do it better than the manufactures that dont care as much as me. I started this with cabs when i had a shitty stereo jack have problems and when i took back off of cab, the wire just snapped.. i started with guitars when i had a pot go bad after 3 months on new guitar and decided to only put high quality parts in to replace the whole electrical system
I rewired my cab with 12 guage because people said it gave more bass or whatever, translated signal. However, at the end of the day, i know that when i do something, it is done right.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Mine are 20', and I'm not sure offhand. That said if you want to do a comparo you can borrow it. IIRC for comparison the 20s retailed around $300, but that was pre-rona.

I’d be curious to know but I can’t seem to find it anywhere after a quick google search. Even ChatGPT can’t find it lol

 

[griff10672]

Got any links to recommend for building my own cables?

I just picked up soldering recently so down to try making my own, but too lazy to research the top cables/connectors/tester/etc

I get everything I need from https://www.redco.com/ ..... I use Mogami 2524 for instrument cable .... 2314 for pedalboard .... 3082 for Speaker cables

they also have just about any plugs you could think of .... I usually use Rean or Neutrik plugs for instrument / Speaker and Squareplug for the pedalboard ( straights and squares )

 

[rsm]

confirmation bias.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I have done so many cable shootouts it is unreal. The cables DO make a difference. Funnily enough, I prefer the EB braided cables over the Mogami Gold setup. I dislike Gold connections in the signal path on any cable. I did like the Mogami better with silver connections but still prefer other cables over it. Too flat sounding for me.

That being said, after all of my research, I am going with solid core cables from Best-Tronics when I get a bit of cash. I am going to make them myself so it shouldn't hit the wallet too hard.

Every little thing in your setup affects your sound. Glad you found a cable that moves you closer to that perfect 'Tone Nirvana'.


If you do want some of the Mogami 2524 cable and connections though, PM me and I'll let go of what I have for very cheap better to be used than to sit here!

 

[Smash]

confirmation bias.

This is 100% possible when talking tone, however let me paint you a picture.

Turn your guitar volume all the way down and crank your high gain amp. Now roll the preamp gain all the way down. Then roll it all the way up. The difference you hear is magnified microphonics. This is similar to the difference in your base sound of a mogami vs planet waves.

The more gain/pedals in your rig, the more this gets magnified.

If that sound doesnt bother you, good on you. But if you are searching for clarity, this is where it lives

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

I’d be hard pressed to believe that anyone on this board who cares about tone would not be able to hear the difference, especially when you’re the one playing. And this is only a difference of less than 8pF…kinda nuts.

 

[motorboy1]

Cables are not snake oil. Different capacitance will affect high end. Pete Thorn did a comparison and you definitely can hear a difference.

 

[The~Kid]

A while ago, I bought a really nice used VooDoo 'Large' pedalboard with the 8-Loop Switcher from GC. It came with an assortment of Lava Patch Cables that were short lengths to run from the loop switcher to various spots on the board. I set everything up and it worked. (Great board / Great Loop Switcher.) Some time ago, I was playing through the rig and my amp seemed oddly 'quiet.' I kept cranking the master higher than it had ever been and it had no Punch and no Balls. I was convinced it was the amp - until I bypassed the board / loop and plugged straight into the amp. BAM! God's Tone. After trouble-shooting ALL of those Lava cables, I found that one of them was near total failure and most of them were sketchy at best.

So - I ordered Mogami Patch Cables custom made for all the specific lengths I needed to run clean and tight under this board. It cost a bundle. And the amp sounds a big and loud and clean through the board as when I plug straight in the front end, bypassing board entirely.

Moral of the story - cables matter.

Addendum - these were the 'you assemble it' Push-Fit Lava cables. Pure Trash. Maybe budget wire with Budget Connectors soldered professionally would have yielded the exact same result as the top-shelf Mogami cables and connectors. But at this point, the difference between custom cables built with budget wire and connectors vs. custom length cables built with Mogami cable and connectors was really just a fraction of the cost of the custom cables in the first place. In for a penny, in for a pound. If you are ordering the Filet Mignon, you may as well have the Wagyu.

Pretty much, cables matter.....

 

[journeyman73]

So, is this the same premise and reality that causes hi-fi audiophiles to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars on speaker cables??

I always figured it was Bs

 

[marvcus]

May have to revisit this. Back in the day, I bought a bunch of bulk Canare GS6 cable with the big Neutrik connectors.

Got them all soldered up and found that, while they were very quiet and clean, they perceptibly attenuated the EQ vs a “regular” cable, especially under high gain, causing a noticeable difference in the BMT frequencies.

I went back to the cheap ($20) cables and never looked back.