**BE AWARE - VERY STRANGE PROBLEM USING MOGAMI 2524 CABLE **

[Bassamatic]

I built pedal boards for myself and the guitar players, and decided to make custom patch cords between the pedals.

I went to my local supply store and bought a length of high-quality Mogami 2524 low-noise cable and connectors. I have been an assembler, tech and engineer for a lotta years, and I am an excellent solderer, so no worries there.

I wired up my pedalboard and nothing worked right! The levels were off, there was some interference between pedals, it was all weird.

I started isolating the problem down to even one pedal and it was still strange. I finally isolated the problem to my patch cords. I had already checked them for opens and shorts with no problems. However, when I tested between tip and sleeve I found 4K-6K resistance! It should be infinite! This was VERY strange.

I inspected the soldering under a magnifier and eventually removed the connectors on one cable and STILL had 4K Ohms between center and shield! This was TOO weird. Bad cable from Mogami???

I took some pieces back to the store and the counter guy confirmed the problem and was also stumped. FINALLY one of the salesmen knew what was happening!!

OH - you have 2524?? You have to STRIP IT TWICE! When you strip it and pull back the shield, there is a black cover OVER the center insulation that is CONDUCTIVE RUBBER for a second shield!! When you carefully strip this back, you finally get to the clear center insulation. In my 40+ years in the biz I had never seen anything like this. I cut this back and all the problems went away.

SO - if you are using this or some other low-noise cable to make your own - please BE AWARE of the potential for this problem.

[walterw]

oh, yeah, that thin black layer is a second shield. i think george l cable is the same way (if you try to solder it).

[joeyl]

canare cables are the same way also.I buy mine from bayoucables.com and he gives a clear diagram of the shielding on his website, so I was aware of it from the get-go

[MikeBass]

You should change the title of your post/this thread. It's not a "Problem", just how they're (and others) design they're cables and you were not aware of it.
Not a "Problem" at all IMO.

[greenboy]

Seen it myself, with several cable specs from several companies.

[cablebuyer2005]

I have problem when use mogami 2524, I assembled cables with high end neutrik connectors, carefully soldered and tested is ok,when use AMP no note low noise,I heard this problem is well known one and mogami never fix this expensive cable problem any idea what to do please.?
thanks

[cablebuyer2005]

I have problem when use mogami 2524, I assembled cables with high end neutrik connectors, carefully soldered and tested is ok,when use AMP no note low noise,I heard this problem is well known one and mogami never fix this expensive cable problem any idea what to do please.?
thanks

[FunkMetalBass]

Probably a stupid question, but did you read the OP and follow his advice as to how to properly strip the Mogami instrument cable?



As you can see, there is a conductive black shield between the braided wire and the clear insulation. If this is touching the center wire, you could be grounding the signal.