Evidence Audio "Melody" Cable

[TwoGearGeeks]

Hello there party people,

I recently bought and reviewed the Evidence Audio "Melody" Instrument cable from BassNW in Seattle. I really think this cable adds clarity to bass, but I wanted to solicit your opinions.

Have you tried this cable?

What do you think of it?

Are there other cables you think I should test?

Thanks!

Bob
TwoGearGeeks.com

[svirfnebli]

I have about 10 different Evidence Audio Cables. They are Magic in my opinion. I think the owner sold part of his soul to get the secrets to make them.. I recently set up to record some sound samples of Various Guitar Pickups I made.. I used the Evidence Audio Lyric Cables exclusively.. From the mics to the pre, from the pre to the computer, from the computer to the monitors, and from the guitar to the amp.

They are good very low capacitance cables.

[Steveaux]

IBTL.

[newbold]

Try Elixir cables. For the money they're the best 'high end' cable on the market. Those Evidence cables are big buck$ and though the Elixirs aren't cheap they're less of a loss out of your home/studio/space.

The difference between the 2 may still get you to buy more Evidence cables but you'll be glad to have some less pricy options that still help you retain your sound.

of course a lot of people don't care 2 ways and think cable folklore is a load of hooey, as the Monster test always comes up with a huge fail, but there's a significant level of quality difference when you spend $200 on a couple of cables.

If you make your own pedal/connects try the Evidence Monorail. It's not much more than the George L cable and it's not too far off what you're talking about in this thread.

[Human Bass]

Why not a review with blind tests?

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by Human Bass

Why not a review with blind tests?

You mean... evidence?

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by Human Bass

Why not a review with blind tests?

+1
Need some measurements, and some blind testing to make a review credible. Other wise it's just as credible as anybody saying they like or dislike an expensive cable.

This guy is double posting trying to get hits on his site.
He couldn't put the same opinion in his posts here. Or review it here. He has to redirect hits to his site. Suspicious.

[newbold]

The guys at Lauzon Music in Ottawa spent hours testing cables. If you're lcal or in the area, stop by and ask them.

[Mark Reccord]

Originally Posted by newbold

The guys at Lauzon Music in Ottawa spent hours testing cables. If you're lcal or in the area, stop by and ask them.

What conclusions did they arrive at? I've been to the store a bunch of times as I spend quite a bit of time in Ottawa. I'll certainly ask them next time I'm up there.

[Mark Reccord]

Originally Posted by TwoGearGeeks

Hello there party people,

I recently bought and reviewed the Evidence Audio "Melody" Instrument cable from BassNW in Seattle. I really think this cable adds clarity to bass, but I wanted to solicit your opinions.

Have you tried this cable?

What do you think of it?

Are there other cables you think I should test?

Thanks!

Bob
TwoGearGeeks.com

The facts that you registered for TB on saturday and that you've posted this in two forums make me suspicious that you're either shilling or trolling. However, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and ask a few questions:

What basses and amplifiers/preamps did you use to test the cables?

Did you test the Evidence cable against anything other than the Monster cable?

[TwoGearGeeks]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

+1
Need some measurements, and some blind testing to make a review credible. Other wise it's just as credible as anybody saying they like or dislike an expensive cable.

This guy is double posting trying to get hits on his site.
He couldn't put the same opinion in his posts here. Or review it here. He has to redirect hits to his site. Suspicious.

As I explained in my other post, this review is simply my opinion and I was looking for other people's opinions here at TalkBass. Does it just boost your ego to shoot down people's opinions with claims of the necessity of empirical data or unsupported and uninformed claims of "suspicious"?

I posted here and in the recording forum because (after reviewing the forums) there are different people contributing to each. I was hoping for a cross section of reviews. Some people (hint -- not you) have provided their opinions and have offered other cables to try. You just call me names and accuse me of having some ulterior agenda. Quite mature and a great way to foster an online community of bass players.

And as I also explained to you in my other post, I am a hobbyist. My website has a total of two sponsors -- me and my best friend Josh. I pay for everything I test and I don't get a single cent for anything related to my website. In fact, it costs me money to run the website. I work in the legal field and Josh is a graphic designer so neither of us are financially related to the music industry in any way -- we just decided to start a website as a hobby. Hits or no hits, I don't make anything. Your knee jerk claims of "con" and "snake oil" (in the Zaolla thread and others) simply demonstrate your inability to acknowledge contrary opinions. You can't empirically prove an opinion about a cable, just like you can't empirically prove an opinion about a bass or a speaker cabinet. It's an opinion.

Since you insist on raising the topic of the validity of reviews, I have looked through your substantial body of posts and did not seem to notice you providing anything beyond your opinions. This is all that I have provided, so why are you so vitriolic when someone has a contrary opinion? In my opinion, I was able to discern an audible difference between three cables. Why do you feel the need to flame my opinion? I invite you to conduct some kind, any kind, of empirical study to prove that my opinion is invalid. In fact, I don't even see that you've taken the time to try out different cables yourself. Until then, you're just flaming.

A cable is just like any kind of musical gear. Your requirement for empirical data (which I don't find in your opinions, for example your post on 9-27-07 -- "Modeling is amazing." Where is your empirical data for this claim?) is a straw man. Did you conduct some double blind abx testing when you bought your favorite bass? What about your bow? How about your pickup? Your amp? Did you run a sine wave through your pickup and do some spectrum analysis to ensure that it most accurately and evenly transmitted sound through the audible range or did it just sound good to your ear?

Every single thing in your signal chain between your fingers and your ears has the potential to make subtle differences. Some people care, some don't. Some people can discern subtle differences, some can't. If not, all electric players would be playing a basic bass with one pickup and a volume knob into a solid state amp with a single 15" speaker and all double bass players would be playing a cheap Chinese plywood bass with a $100 Fishman pickup into a Peavey Minx combo amp.

Let people express their opinions and keep the flame to a minimum.

[TwoGearGeeks]

Originally Posted by Mark Reccord

The facts that you registered for TB on saturday and that you've posted this in two forums make me suspicious that you're either shilling or trolling. However, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and ask a few questions:

What basses and amplifiers/preamps did you use to test the cables?

Did you test the Evidence cable against anything other than the Monster cable?

Thanks for actually asking, rather than flaming.

I tested the cables with the following instruments:

-1966 Fender P-Bass -- stock electronics with La Bella flats
-2006 Fender Closet Classic Jazz Bass -- with D'Addario rounds
-a mongrel bass - Pre-1973 Fender P-bass body, Moses Graphite Jazz neck, Lindy Fralin pickup and DR black beauty strings
-2008 RS Guitars (Kentucky) Telecaster

I tested the cables on the following amplifiers:

-1998 Eden Metro combo (live and in my house)
-2007 Eden WTX-260 head through Epifani UL-112 cab (home)
-Eden WT 400 head through Eden D210XLT (live)
-1971 Ampeg B-15N (live and in my house)
-1970 Fender Deluxe Reverb (home)

I tested the following cables:

-Evidence Audio 20' (for guitar and bass)
-Monster Bass 20' (for bass)
-Monster performer 500 - 10' (for the guitar)
-no-name cable (which appears to have word "Roc" on the plastic) (for guitar and bass)

I have been looking through TalkBass for quite a while, but you're right that I just started this account. The answer is simple -- I just started this new website this month. As I have said in another reply, I don't get paid for anything involving my website.

[PSPookie]

Originally Posted by TwoGearGeeks

Let people express their opinions and keep the flame to a minimum.

SHILL

but that's just my opinion

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by TwoGearGeeks

Your knee jerk claims of "con" and "snake oil" (in the Zaolla thread and others) simply demonstrate your inability to acknowledge contrary opinions.

You don't actually see it as you can't handle contrary opinions? Did you think everyone is just going to accept your opinion as gospel? I don't. My opinion on your review is it's worthless. Anybody could do just as good of job as simply saying "I bought a cable and I like it"

I don't believe your intentions are pure.

Many people here post better reviews and don't start new sites.

Couldn't you just paste the text of your review in your original message? Why are you redirecting people to your site?

If you feel you need to toss insults as you have in other thread when things don't go your way - toss ahead. It says something about your intentions.
Maybe it's upsetting your business plans?
As often happens, someone creates a site, starts corralling hits, then sells advertisement based on hits.

[TwoGearGeeks]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

You don't actually see it as you can't handle contrary opinions? Did you think everyone is just going to accept your opinion as gospel? I don't. My opinion on your review is it's worthless. Anybody could do just as good of job as simply saying "I bought a cable and I like it"

I don't believe your intentions are pure.

Many people here post better reviews and don't start new sites.

Couldn't you just paste the text of your review in your original message? Why are you redirecting people to your site?

If you feel you need to toss insults as you have in other thread when things don't go your way - toss ahead. It says something about your intentions.
Maybe it's upsetting your business plans?
As often happens, someone creates a site, starts corralling hits, then sells advertisement based on hits.

seamonkey, let's both just tone down the vitriol. I agree with most of what you're saying, but you really do have my intentions wrong and I apologize if I've upped the emotion. Please read what I wrote in response to the Zaolla thread to you:

Tried out a Zaolla instrument cable today!

[Steveaux]

Ok, I read your "review". It isn't. It's a loose comparison based on ... well ... nothing. You have done nothing to establish any bona fides, yet you expect others to accept your opinions as valid.

Ain't happenin'.

Show me solid data or go away.

[Mark Reccord]

Originally Posted by TwoGearGeeks

Thanks for actually asking, rather than flaming.

I tested the cables with the following instruments:

-1966 Fender P-Bass -- stock electronics with La Bella flats
-2006 Fender Closet Classic Jazz Bass -- with D'Addario rounds
-a mongrel bass - Pre-1973 Fender P-bass body, Moses Graphite Jazz neck, Lindy Fralin pickup and DR black beauty strings
-2008 RS Guitars (Kentucky) Telecaster

I tested the cables on the following amplifiers:

-1998 Eden Metro combo (live and in my house)
-2007 Eden WTX-260 head through Epifani UL-112 cab (home)
-Eden WT 400 head through Eden D210XLT (live)
-1971 Ampeg B-15N (live and in my house)
-1970 Fender Deluxe Reverb (home)

I tested the following cables:

-Evidence Audio 20' (for guitar and bass)
-Monster Bass 20' (for bass)
-Monster performer 500 - 10' (for the guitar)
-no-name cable (which appears to have word "Roc" on the plastic) (for guitar and bass)

I have been looking through TalkBass for quite a while, but you're right that I just started this account. The answer is simple -- I just started this new website this month. As I have said in another reply, I don't get paid for anything involving my website.

That's good enough for me, but I hope you can understand why TB regulars might be a little mistrustful.

I think I may be able to shed some light on this without any mumbo-jumbo or esoteric cable voodoo. Given that you used all passive instruments, the resistance, inductance and capacitance (RLC) parameters of the cables can indeed make audible differences in some cases. The primary parameter is capacitance. The Monster Bass cables are known for being a little 'dark' sounding and with good reason: They have abnormally high cable capacitance which definitely acts to roll top end off when driven by a high impedance source like a passive bass. I don't remember the actual number but it's quite high compared to most other cables. Evidence (nor Monster) specify capacitance but Evidence does say that their cables are low capacitance. Comparing that to the high capacitance Monster would indeed yield measurable and audible differences with a passive instrument. It might be worth your while to retest with an active instrument to see if the differences you're hearing are diminished or not.

[TwoGearGeeks]

Originally Posted by Mark Reccord

That's good enough for me, but I hope you can understand why TB regulars might be a little mistrustful.

I think I may be able to shed some light on this without any mumbo-jumbo or esoteric cable voodoo. Given that you used all passive instruments, the resistance, inductance and capacitance (RLC) parameters of the cables can indeed make audible differences in some cases. The primary parameter is capacitance. The Monster Bass cables are known for being a little 'dark' sounding and with good reason: They have abnormally high cable capacitance which definitely acts to roll top end off when driven by a high impedance source like a passive bass. I don't remember the actual number but it's quite high compared to most other cables. Evidence (nor Monster) specify capacitance but Evidence does say that their cables are low capacitance. Comparing that to the high capacitance Monster would indeed yield measurable and audible differences with a passive instrument. It might be worth your while to retest with an active instrument to see if the differences you're hearing are diminished or not.

Thanks for the insight! I will re-test with an active bass and update my review.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Mark Reccord

The Monster Bass cables are known for being a little 'dark' sounding and with good reason: They have abnormally high cable capacitance which definitely acts to roll top end off when driven by a high impedance source like a passive bass. I don't remember the actual number but it's quite high compared to most other cables. Evidence (nor Monster) specify capacitance but Evidence does say that their cables are low capacitance. Comparing that to the high capacitance Monster would indeed yield measurable and audible differences with a passive instrument. It might be worth your while to retest with an active instrument to see if the differences you're hearing are diminished or not.

That's been my experience as well. In fact, just last week I was at a rehearsal studio in NYC, and the rig in the room had a Monster bass cable. I also had a Spectraflex with me. I didn't like the tone of the Monster, so I used the Spectraflex, and it was much brighter.

It's my understanding that Monster made the cable that way intentionally. It does have a nice fat low end, but it's too dark sounding for me.

This was with a passive bass of course.

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

It's my understanding that Monster made the cable that way intentionally. It does have a nice fat low end, but it's too dark sounding for me.

Specifically, it's made with raw cable that's very high capacitance. Which could be done for dimes on the dollar since a lot of crappy cheap cable is higher in capacitance ; }

Of course this is mainly of importance when using passive pickups with no preamp or buffer (you knew that, but maybe some still don't get all this).