Just got a Lava van Den Hul cable. Holy shit, impressed.

[LP Freak]

I'm still trying to figure out how different translates to better? I agree with better shielding equals less noise but still can't justify $150 for a cable.

It doesn't. Different does not need to be better. Ones coily cheap cable might tame an overly bright amp, while another's transparent expensive cable adds transparency to a middy amp. There is no better or worse. Just better for ones demands or worse fitting. Price is in no correlation to any aspect in my experience.

That said I prefer Colossal cables to anything I've tried yet. But again, your taste decides...

I've made all my own Mogami cables using 2524 cable and Neutrik ends. I use the 4CM and run 25' from my amp to my FX8 and another 25' back to my amp. Then 25' from the FX8 to my guitar and experience no tone loss. So for the quality of tone I'm getting and the over all cost it's a winner in my book.

 

[hatrick00]

this thread went deep.....i mean deeeeeep. hope you guys aren't using pedal boards... prob like $2,000 of cables... lmao i kid i kid, use whatever sounds good to your ears!! and please have fun doing it.

 

[Anonymous]

Cables matter. Anything else said is BS. Science trumps all opinion and subjectivity.

What is the science besides capacitance and the length of the cable?

Steve

 

[ewill52]

I still make my own cables using quality components. I notice a difference in tone over the cheap cables from stores, and I notice a difference in my wallet over name brand "good" cables.

this +10000000.

Just priced Mogami and neutrik components to make a couple of 20' instrument cables. About 1\2 - 1\3 of the price to buy name-brand premium cables. Easy to build.

 

[lll]

It's all subjective.

For some people (myself included), they don't want all their high end coming through.

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

I still make my own cables using quality components. I notice a difference in tone over the cheap cables from stores, and I notice a difference in my wallet over name brand "good" cables.

this +10000000.

Just priced Mogami and neutrik components to make a couple of 20' instrument cables. About 1\2 - 1\3 of the price to buy name-brand premium cables. Easy to build.

I agree with that for sure! I do the mogami buffered route myself for live. Sounds good and you won't cry if it gets ran over night after night. I'm wireless to the front of the amp usually however.

 

[nevusofota]

I still make my own cables using quality components. I notice a difference in tone over the cheap cables from stores, and I notice a difference in my wallet over name brand "good" cables.

this +10000000.

Just priced Mogami and neutrik components to make a couple of 20' instrument cables. About 1\2 - 1\3 of the price to buy name-brand premium cables. Easy to build.

I agree with that for sure! I do the mogami buffered route myself for live. Sounds good and you won't cry if it gets ran over night after night. I'm wireless to the front of the amp usually however.

Without a doubt. Making high end quality cables is cheap and easy with the right tools. I actually kind of enjoy making them now. I've made 3-4 fairly in-depth pedal boards over the years including a rack unit with a GCX and pedals. All you need is a good soldering iron and a cable analyzer unit (Behringer makes a superb one).

 

[Orionsbelt456]

How good are these cables for rack gear? Better than say monster or the same?

 

[Deleted member 17525]

Took the leap years ago with Vovox cables. Was really apprehensive until I compared them to a bunch of other cables....I could hear and feel a difference. Had others try them (who didn't believe any of this BS either) but they had the same experience.

I tried Lava ELC's in front of a dirty amp and didn't like them, super low capacitance and they just didn't do anything for me there. Sound great in front of a clean amp or in an FX Loop.

I personally believe that the CONNECTOR makes a huge difference. I'm completely sold on G&H connectors. I've heard them take a mediocre cable unbelievably close to my Vovox stuff, not quite as good but for a few bucks they sure are a big improvement in my experience.

 

[Rick Lee]

I still make my own cables using quality components. I notice a difference in tone over the cheap cables from stores, and I notice a difference in my wallet over name brand "good" cables.

I did this, bought a bunch of Mogami cable from Orange Co. It definitely added some more high end and a little clarity. But I could never get the right connectors. The cable was just too thin to not have the solder joints yanked on because the connectors were made for much thicker cable and didn't clamp down on the thin Mogami cable. After a few failures, I gave up and went back to my trusty Monster cables.

 

[Pushead]

I've used the Canare GS-6 for years along with the Neutrik ends. At about $7-8 for connectors and $.90 per foot, the cost savings add up over some of the brand names. Plus, you can make them the exact length you need, and can mix, match and orient the type of connectors.

I've wired my entire rack setup and a separate pedal board along with all the leads to and from amps. I also use Canare stuff for mic, balanced and speaker cables. In my experience it's very reliable and gig worthy. I know people complain about the high capacitance, but I didn't notice much difference when compared to the Mogami.

 

[LP Freak]

I still make my own cables using quality components. I notice a difference in tone over the cheap cables from stores, and I notice a difference in my wallet over name brand "good" cables.

I did this, bought a bunch of Mogami cable from Orange Co. It definitely added some more high end and a little clarity. But I could never get the right connectors. The cable was just too thin to not have the solder joints yanked on because the connectors were made for much thicker cable and didn't clamp down on the thin Mogami cable. After a few failures, I gave up and went back to my trusty Monster cables.

That's odd, what cable did you use?

 

[RockyStar]

I found happiness with the highest end Monster speaker cables and the highest end Mogami guitar cables and patch cables. For me, it works great!

 

[Ventura]

A good quality cable can be, you know, like, "boom".

A different quality cable, can be, you know, like....

We should probably direct this thread to the topic of "dad cables"

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Male sure to match cabinet internals to external speaker wire!!!

 

[rottingcorpse]

I use bridge cable I cut from old suspension bridges. I then soak them in Tabasco sauce for 3 months to get them nice and tasty. I then send them to Goodyear to have radial ply rubber layered over them. The only really hard part is soldering them to the mil spec connectors I get from the black market weapons dealer I know on the corner of the ghetto portion of oak cliff in Dallas....no soldering iron will cut it,I have to use an acetylene torch and pure silver.

They are a bitch to haul around(they are over a foot in diameter),and they don't bend(I have to stand in one place)....but DAMN!! THE TOANZ MAN,ITS ALL ABOUT THE TOANZ!!

 

[Ventura]

Do cables really make that much difference?

I think once every 12 to 18 months this topic comes up, and it engages many, many a forum member.

Really comes down to length being used.
Capacitance.
Jedi mind tricks.

That said, I use Vovox as I got a bud in the biz and sure, I A/Bd them with some others and they actually did sound better; but more on the 25ft+ lengths than anything else. I am still behooved at how they're supposed to be "directional".

Anyway - here we go again...

 

[the4thlast1]

I did an instrument cable shootout a while back. A bunch of different high end cables along with a couple inexpensive ones. They all imparted differences in tone .. Differences in brightness , clarity, warmth , etc

I decided on Canare cable and buy it in bulk , solder my own ends on. Mogami came in a close second for me , I found Canare to have better clarity in the highs. Personally I would never buy a cable that cost $100 , for that much I could make several cables with a quality brand like mogami or canare and use neutrik jacks.

 

[FourT6and2]

I am still behooved at how they're supposed to be "directional".

Don't think you're using the right word. But I get the sentiment. "Directional" cables? lol I have a Vovox cable and the literature that came with it says it's directional. That is pure BS. But I do like the cable because it's reliable and blocks RF well. But man... any time I see "directional" listed as an attribute of a cable, I know instantly the company is 100% full of shit.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

Damn, you guys have some phenomenal ears...

I've had my entire rig connected with them and I heard absolutely zero difference from far cheaper cables, which made me feel REALLY silly for spending all that cash on them... They look super pretty though...

Steve

I used a hanger at one name show versus cables.....
The hanger won! Just saying there were some off the chart ears listening