why is it important?

[dideah]

is the wire that connnects your bass into the amp important? i forgot what its called.. a cord , wire , jack? wtv u know what im talking about is it important? and why and where can i get really nice ones?

[wcriley]

It's very important. Try playing through your amp without it.
You can buy one at any musical instrument retailer.

[dDaddybass]

Monster bass cables are nice. Available at a lot locations. Lifetime warranty. Some people will tell you that there is no difference between a cheap cable and an expensive cable. Let "your" ears be the judge.

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

Monster bass cables are nice. Available at a lot locations. Lifetime warranty. Some people will tell you that there is no difference between a cheap cable and an expensive cable. Let "your" ears be the judge.

Nice, but way overpriced, IMO. The only thing going for them is their lifetime warranty, if you think that's worth the extra cost (I don't), go for it. You can get instrument cables just as well made that last a long time for a hell of a lot cheaper.

[dDaddybass]

Originally Posted by C.Linton

Nice, but way overpriced, IMO. The only thing going for them is their lifetime warranty, if you think that's worth the extra cost (I don't), go for it. You can get instrument cables just as well made that last a long time for a hell of a lot cheaper.

The warranty and the fact that there are a lot of music stores that carry them, so, if you were on the road and had a problem it would be easier to get them replaced.

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

The warranty and the fact that there are a lot of music stores that carry them, so, if you were on the road and had a problem it would be easier to get them replaced.

True enough, but I would make sure when on the road to carry extra cables (always a good idea, no matter what brand of cable you buy) which I could afford as I haven't paid the exhorbitant cost of a Monster cable. I really see no advatnage to the warranty. You're paying extra money for a situation that may never happen, and, as I said, it could be mitigated by simply carrying a few extra cables. Anyway, if the warranty makes you feel more secure, and you think the extra cost is worth it, more power to you. I personally don't think it's worth it.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

Some people will tell you that there is no difference between a cheap cable and an expensive cable.

There isn't. There is a difference between a good quality cable and a low quality cable, but price is no indicator of quality. You might want to have a look here:
http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf
Do Coat Hangers Sound As Good Monster Cables? - The Consumerist
Speaker Wire

And if you think Monster sounds better you'll love this place:
Brilliant Pebbles crystals audio resonance room tuning vibration

As for the OPs question, read this:
http://www.procosound.com/download/w...r%20Cables.pdf

[iiipopes]

Something with good Switchcraft or Neutrik plugs and Belden cable about 10 to 12 feet long for general use are good and last a long time.

[Epidrake]

People who think their is no audible difference between cables have NEVER done a simple A-B comparison. Cables have different capacitance and different sound. I didn't used to think so, in fact I was completely convinced that cables couldn't make a difference. Then I tried a bunch of cables and was shocked at the differences especially on guitar.

Just Listen for yourself.

[playerunk]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

And if you think Monster sounds better you'll love this place:
Brilliant Pebbles crystals audio resonance room tuning vibration

does the person selling these belive himself ?.. i mean really

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Epidrake

People who think their is no audible difference between cables have NEVER done a simple A-B comparison. Cables have different capacitance and different sound. I didn't used to think so, in fact I was completely convinced that cables couldn't make a difference. Then I tried a bunch of cables and was shocked at the differences especially on guitar.

That is true with respect to instrument cables and high impedance pickups. Otherwise, no. Unless the cable is totally defective capacitance is a non-issue with speaker cables up to fifty feet long and with low impedance output devices driving high impedance input devices.

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by Epidrake

People who think their is no audible difference between cables have NEVER done a simple A-B comparison. Cables have different capacitance and different sound. I didn't used to think so, in fact I was completely convinced that cables couldn't make a difference. Then I tried a bunch of cables and was shocked at the differences especially on guitar.

Just Listen for yourself.

oh god. here we go again....

[Epidrake]

I bought a coreX cable recently and compared it to my pro-co Sir Tweed. The coreX sounded like I had a blanket over my amplifier. The differences are real, if you are a musician and still have working ears, you can tell the difference. It's not always about the price, it's the construction.

I am not going to continue with another "here we go again" thread. Just listen for yourselves.

[JTE]

Well of course there's a difference between low-end cheaply made cables built with crappy wire and connectors and decent stuff. But is there a REAL sonic and/or reliability difference between the $20 cables I made with Belden wire and Switchcraft ends and the expensive Monster stuff?

MY experience is that the Monster stuff is good cable, but over-hyped and over-priced. The reported failure rate is high enough that the "lifetime warranty" is meaningless. It doesn't matter that I can get it replaced for free on Saturday morning at just about any music store if it ain't working Friday night when the stores are closed. Besides, IF my Belden/Switchcraft cable goes bad, I can fix it myself in a couple of minutes.

So, to the OP. Yes, it does matter what you use to plug your bass into the amp. It's a guitar cord, so don't use speaker cables. Get a decent one but you don't have to have Unobtainium plugs made by hand in Outer Slobovia by eunuch dwarfs using mystical beads from the days before the Dread Pirate Roberts. Just any decent line like Whirlwind, Rapco, Planet Waves, etc.

John

[wcriley]

Warranties mean nothing...unless you can't use a soldering iron.

I have (and am still using) instrument cables that are 30 years old. I spend a lot more time fixing mic cables than I do instrument cables.

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by wcriley

It's very important. Try playing through your amp without it.

Awesome!

[Selta]

Originally Posted by Epidrake

I bought a coreX cable recently and compared it to my pro-co Sir Tweed. The coreX sounded like I had a blanket over my amplifier. The differences are real, if you are a musician and still have working ears, you can tell the difference. It's not always about the price, it's the construction.

I am not going to continue with another "here we go again" thread. Just listen for yourselves.

So put a mic in front of your cab and record it, so we can all hear it.

[JimmyM]

I buy whatever cables are on sale at the music store. Last time it was Samson cables. As long as they are built well enough to withstand gigging, they're fine. I hear a lot of anecdotal evidence of people saying one cable sounds better than another, but I have seen zero proof of it, so I buy what's on sale and save myself a lot of money.

[TheBass]

There's a difference whether you play an active bass (battery) or passive bass. The low output impedance of an active bass will eliminate even high cable capacities of crappy spiral cables. With a high impedance passive bass the high cable capacity might have the same effect to your sound as an additional tone pot/low pass filter.

[slaps76]

I've had multiple Monster cables crap the bed...last instrument cables I bought were made by Warwick, and were fairly inexpensive. Had them about a year now with no problems.