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bass cables!!!

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#101
cnltb said:
I do hear distinct differences. I suppose it has something to do not only with the cables but with the amp(s ) as well, as to how much of a difference you percieve.
I guess that the more "sensitive" or "open" sounding, your equipment is, the more you'll hear.:)
Click to expand...

Um...there's lots of info in my profile that says what kind of gear I use and in what kinds of situations. All your profile says is you're a dude.

By the way, if you check out the tracks on my myspace page, there are some where I used that $150 TaraLabs cable and some where I used an $80 Klotz and some I used a $30 Planet Waves. Which are recorded with which do you think? Or at least tell me which tracks sound distinctly different. Oh, and all the tracking was direct to ProTools via a $500 Aguilar DB900 tube DI, which is a kinda nice piece of gear. Pretty "sensitive" and "open", I'm sure most would agree.

I don't mean to sound like a smartass (it's just turning out that way)...and my ego's not as bruised as it may seem from my response. But I did just realize that listening and comparing those tracks should be a pretty good illustration of what I'm saying. I can't tell which cable is which, or even if different cables were used (they were). And I'll bet nobody else can either.
 
#102
ehque said:
Funny how this extremely complex passive signal filter doesn't screw up the intarweb.
Click to expand...

Bass guitar line-level signal = ANALOG

Digital, packet switched distributed network ("Intarweb") = NOT Analog.

You fail. Apples != Meatloaf.

Bonus question: What is the theoretical frequency response of your average vinyl turntable vs. a 44.1kHz, 16-bit CD?
 
#103
Use any rugged guitar-type cable.
If you want a warrantee, get one with that.
You're not going to hear a difference between any of them.
You're not going to get high frequency attenuation - it's not like your cable TV or computer network. Your bass is audio frequency (well below 20kHz).
Your cable TV and computer network are much higher frequency (many MHz) - apples and oranges.
If you don't believe me, try several and see if you hear a difference.
 
#104
Jonyak said:
I should bring my cables all into work and sweep them with the 200,000$ VNA we have in the lab. that will clear it all up.
Click to expand...

Cool. And then after you plot your frequency responses of your 20Hz-3gHz sine wave sweeps (because that's how Commscope tests their cable) you can post some recordings of your bass reproducing the same signal because they are so similar.

Why don't people just listen to different cables to determine what has the best sound for their particular system? Not all electronics are created equal and in one system where a particular cable sounds great that same cable can sound horrible when you switch out the bass and amplifier. Is it that people don't know what to listen for? Do they expect the same kind of effect as twisting the bass and treble knobs on their preamp? Do they think it will make the bass louder? It's much more subtle than that and the fact that you play in bars or at basketball games or in a studio doesn't make a difference.

I use Planet Waves cables. I like their sound better than Monster (which used to have crappy phone plugs on them. I always cut them off an soldered on some Canare ends anyway) and I thought Mogami was just "audio jewelry".
 
#105
onlyclave said:
Bass guitar line-level signal = ANALOG

Digital, packet switched distributed network ("Intarweb") = NOT Analog.

You fail. Apples != Meatloaf.

Bonus question: What is the theoretical frequency response of your average vinyl turntable vs. a 44.1kHz, 16-bit CD?
Click to expand...

This is off topic, but for anyone reading that would like to learn something you are wrong.

DSL, Cable modem, satellite, fiber are all analog. Look up the modulation formats for these technologies sometime.
 
#107
Craig Garfinkel said:
Um...there's lots of info in my profile that says what kind of gear I use and in what kinds of situations. All your profile says is you're a dude.

By the way, if you check out the tracks on my myspace page, there are some where I used that $150 TaraLabs cable and some where I used an $80 Klotz and some I used a $30 Planet Waves. Which are recorded with which do you think? Or at least tell me which tracks sound distinctly different. Oh, and all the tracking was direct to ProTools via a $500 Aguilar DB900 tube DI, which is a kinda nice piece of gear. Pretty "sensitive" and "open", I'm sure most would agree.

I don't mean to sound like a smartass (it's just turning out that way)...and my ego's not as bruised as it may seem from my response. But I did just realize that listening and comparing those tracks should be a pretty good illustration of what I'm saying. I can't tell which cable is which, or even if different cables were used (they were). And I'll bet nobody else can either.
Click to expand...

I was not in the slightest intent on insulting you.
Please excuse if it came across that way!!
I also did not read your profile up until now.
My post was meant as a general statement and had not
anything to do with your equipment.

I heard a distinct improvement when I exchanged my Mbox2 ( the one that comes with protools LE and which I used with logic pro for a while) for an apogee interface , I seem to get more detail which got lost in the Mbox.
My current pre amp too gives me more detail than the glockenklang I use on occasion and which I like a lot ( it just has a lot of features that I don't tend to use and for that matter is not used all that often). Further to this, the pickup on my bass is wired directly to the jack and for that matter the cable I use to connect the instrument to the amp , or other outboard gear has an audible effect.
My longest cable is a Vovox and is 3.5m in length. All the other cables are 3m in length.

I think, the only important thing about all this is however , not how much one spends on gear or what names are printed on it, but that this euipment gets one at least close to the tone/sound one desires from it.


Should you like to know any other details that one might find in someones profile, do let me know.( whatever that may have to do with anything)

Three operative words in the post you replied to were "...you perceive" and "...guess". All three indicate a certain subjective element to my statement but no claim to truth.
 
#108
slyjoe said:
This is off topic, but for anyone reading that would like to learn something you are wrong.

DSL, Cable modem, satellite, fiber are all analog. Look up the modulation formats for these technologies sometime.
Click to expand...

Check again. Analog carrier is modulated by a digital signal. That does not make that an analog signal any more than my mailman is my copy of Sports Illustrated.
 
#111
Some amazing stuff here. The bottom line is

1) that the cables CAN influence the sound, not just frequency response, but group delays that cause the harmonics to be shifted.
2) Cost is not a determining factor in cable and sound quality.
3) Guitar cables are not the same thing as hi-fi interconnects or speaker cables - they are more like test instrument cables.
4) They will sound different with different instruments and different amps as the source and load impedances vary.
5) Ultimately - the lowest capacitance per foot is desirable. The best I've seen are the Elixirs - they are 10 pF per foot - and will cause the least sound degradation. Lesser quality cables are 30-70 pF per foot.

This is not the speaker cable hoo-ha that Monster and the rest have been spouting for years - this is a fact.

ALSO - a better cable from your DSL box to your DSL modem WILL increase your data rate. There are articles about how to use RJ-45 cable as a super phone cord with multiple twisted pairs direct from the telco drop to get a better quality signal to your modem = less error correction.
 
#112
slyjoe said:
This is off topic, but for anyone reading that would like to learn something you are wrong.

DSL, Cable modem, satellite, fiber are all analog. Look up the modulation formats for these technologies sometime.
Click to expand...

It's analog but carrying digital signals...

DSL = Digital Subscriber Line


Wikipedia:

DSL or xDSL, is a family of technologies that provide digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop, although in recent years, the term digital subscriber line has been widely adopted as a more marketing-friendly term for ADSL, which is the most popular version of consumer-ready DSL. DSL uses high frequency, while regular telephone uses low frequency on the same telephone line.
Click to expand...
 
#115
There are a lot of posts here and I didn't read them all but I came across few brands that I used. Monster and Planet.
Both were unreliable for me so is Evidence. I"m getting that cable replace from them.

I don't know if Zaolla was mentionned here but they are the best cables for bass I have. Very high-end, precise, full. These are the only ones I use on my sessions work.

Sylvain
 
#116
derrenleepoole said:
How did this thread which started with a question about 'bass cables' turn into a thread about ADSL cables and modem lines?
Click to expand...

Because as soon as someone asked about fender bass platinum cables, people started disparaging the notion about bass specific cables.

It didn't help the thread, and then it was a free for all! ;)

Bass player seemed to like the platinum better than the gold by the way.
 
#117
My prescription for GREAT BASS CABLES:
!) Learn to solder (not REAL fun)
2) make your own (fun and instructional..listen to good 'bass-centric' itunes selections while assembling)
3) Use good components (Canare / Mogami (cables) - Neutrik (connectors) - WBT (silver solder) are MY choices)
4) Be careful (don't solder while impaired)
5) Enjoy for a LONG TIME (still using 20+ yr old cables)
 
#118
This month's BP has an ad for (expensive) bass-specific cables.

It says "If you can't hear the difference, then you don't need them".

Which is true, precisely. But put in the terms of a marketing campaign it reminds me all too much of the Emperor's New Clothes.
Or the story of the woman who was going through the motions of weaving (with nothing in her hands) and when her husband asked what she was doing, she said;
"I'm weaving the finest cloth in the world. It's so fine, anybody who's cheated on his wife can't even see it!"
The husband, of course, told her how beautiful and fine the cloth was...
:D
 
#119
Go here, Link Removed
enter the type of cable you want, the ends you want, the length you want the cable to be, pay for it, and you will be very satisfied with the product. Butch has alot of info on his site to inform you about the stuff he sells, and I can say first hand that his workmanship is top of the line.
Rufus
 
#120
kesslari said:
This month's BP has an ad for (expensive) bass-specific cables.

It says "If you can't hear the difference, then you don't need them".
Click to expand...

And the next line should be "but if you can hear the difference (or at least think you can), then even though you still don't need them (because no one else can hear the difference) you should definitely buy them anyway."

:hiding:
 
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