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Double Bass Best Cable for the Amplified Double Bass

P

PRUNEFACE

Nov 17, 2008
1,370
1
Northwest Florida
#1
I use a Gage Realist Soundclip on my bass and want to know what the best cable for amplifying my double bass is -I currently use a "Quantum" cable (I dont feel like going to look at it.) that I need to replace because it is simply too short (something ridiculous like 4 or 5 feet long :rollno:).

If money was not an option, what would YOU get?
 
#4
I build my own with parts from the local hobby store, though I will go and buy some proper instrument cable with flexible rubber insulation and mesh shielding.

That way I can make appropriate lengths and shapes for the jacks - straight, right angles, RCA to 6.5mm etc
 
#5
I've discovered D'addario Planet Waves Cable Station and never looked back. They're very reliable and you can custom made the cables with all the lengths you want or need very fast with just a screw driver. No more solder and hot irons on my desk except when I need another xlr...
Sound wise no one hears a difference although many think they can...
 
#6
I disagree
A few folks pooled our gear together and tested a bunch of cables
The clear winner was the Elixir (I use a 10'), it had a treble presence lacking from the others at a decent price
George Ls sounded very nearly as open but at a heavier price tag
The thing is, the rest of your gear has to be up to snuff for it to make a difference - its much more noticeable on higher end amps
 
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#8
I have used George L's for years. If you compare cables that are the same length you will find that the George L's has a punchier crisper sound. But you have to compare the same length cables as these are high impedance cables and 2-3 feet or difference will change the sound. I also try to use a cable no more than 10 feet if at all possible.
 
#9
I also believe George L's sound better but I can't deal with the tangles. My Quantum cable is the one I use because it is reliable and has a nice jacket that lays and doesn't fight me when coiling it up. The difference is subtle and when you introduce all the variables involved in the amplified sound, and then noisy gigs, weird rooms I surely can't tell the difference. Playing a gig ain't like fooling around in the practice room.
 
#10
They all sound pretty much the same but some are definitely crappier than others. Make sure it has nice thick insulation and quality jacks like Switchcraft.

The kind of jacks that unscrew are the best, then if the solder ever comes loose you can get inside and fix it....most of the time a cable issue will be at the jacks.

As long as its heavy duty and made for serious use, you're good. The name and whatnot is mostly irrelevant.
 
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#11
davidAaronCarte said:
I disagree
A few folks pooled our gear together and tested a bunch of cables
The clear winner was the Elixir (I use a 10'), it had a treble presence lacking from the others at a decent price
George Ls sounded very nearly as open but at a heavier price tag
The thing is, the rest of your gear has to be up to snuff for it to make a difference - its much more noticeable on higher end amps
Click to expand...

Yup, the more you spend, the better you think they sound. This has been going on for decades in the audiophile world. We're talking about audio frequencies here and all of the esoteric cable effects (Miller effect, etc.) that become issues in the MHz region simply don't apply. The only practical reason to buy expensive cables is to get good, solid reliable connectors and construction that will hold up well under heavy use. I'd bet a cookie you couldn't reliably discern among functioning cables of standard and proper impedance/capacitance if you had to do it in a blind test-- especially considering the limited bandwidth of the signals we amplify for bass. That's been shown to be true even for broadband signals. Now, you'll likely say that you know what you heard and I wouldn't doubt that you believe it. Auditory memory, however, is fleeting and small differences, including where you might have been standing in the room across trials can make a difference. Then there's bias. It's an old song but the science (both physics and psychophysics) just doesn't back the cable mythology. There are and have been "boutique" cable manufacturers that intentionally incorporated strange capacitances, etc. What they accomplished was filtering, i.e., a cable that intentionally would produce other than a flat response. Yup, they sounded different and people shelled out all kinds of $$$ for them. Cables aren't supposed to "sound." I call it electronic snake oil. Remember, folks swore up and down that CDs sounded better if you coated the edge with a green highlighter. There was no convincing them otherwise. Then Audio magazine examined the bitstream from coated and uncoated CDs. No difference, not even in error correction probability. Around and around we go. :)

WilliamJames said:
As long as its heavy duty and made for serious use, you're good. The name and whatnot is mostly irrelevant.
Click to expand...

Precisely. That's the beginning, the middle, and the end.
 
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#12
Ironically, the factor that affects the tone of passive electric basses -- capacitance -- has little or no effect on a piezo pickup, because pickups have so much capacitance of their own.

As for cables with gizmo's, I'd be concerned that they are designed for the typical impedances seen by an electric bass, and not for the high impedance that is preferred for DB piezo's.

Ruggedness, cost, flexibility, are all important factors. The worst thing that happens to my cables is that they get lost or forgotten.
 
#13
Any cord with metal plugs and a rubber sheath should be fine. Live Wires, Horizon, Whirlwind are all good products at moderate prices. If you insist on putting in more effort than that, get some Switchcraft or Neutrik 1/4" phone plugs, a spool of Belden cable, and a soldering iron, and learn to make your own.

And for Pete's sake, never buy a Monster cable.
 
#14
fdeck said:
Ironically, the factor that affects the tone of passive electric basses -- capacitance -- has little or no effect on a piezo pickup, because pickups have so much capacitance of their own.

As for cables with gizmo's, I'd be concerned that they are designed for the typical impedances seen by an electric bass, and not for the high impedance that is preferred for DB piezo's.

Ruggedness, cost, flexibility, are all important factors. The worst thing that happens to my cables is that they get lost or forgotten.
Click to expand...

Chris and Francis
Hadn't thought about that possibility, but some one found out that David Gage has a cable to match the impedance of an older Realist thus supposedly improving the sound quality,
magic ju ju of some kind.

Ric
 
#16
Why would you spend the extra money on a Monster
Cable when a Quantum, Live Wire or whatever?

$10: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
$25+:Shop Monster Cable | Under $25 | Musician's Friend

If what matters is a quality, reliable cable that can be repaired if needed, don't cheaper cables meet that criteria?

Maybe you bought the $12 one with molded plugs. :rolleyes:
 
#17
Arrgg...I've found those Monsters have slightly oversized plugs that occasionally get stuck in a pedal...I had to tear one out of my A/B box, hoping it wouldn't get destroyed.

I've also heard that Monster stuff has some of the highest markup around.

Lots of equally good or better cables for less money.
 
#18
clink said:
I also believe George L's sound better but I can't deal with the tangles. ....
Click to expand...

Whenever I make a new George L's, i spend a little time training my cable, and i never have problems with tangles.

I make sure a wind them up the same way every time, starting with the same end every time. I use the fireman over/under wind-up technique.

I can hold one end of the cable and toss the wound up cable and the cable will uncoil straight as a string .
 
#19
The Quantum is a great bargain, I bought some those. very well made and reliable, just a bit stiff, I don't like wresting with a cable just to make a lay well or put it away. I liked them so much I bought six, now I keep one in my bag to gift another player whenever their cable fails on a gig.

George L is great, lightweight, flexible, compact/low profile, I just don't like to use solderless connecters. they fail often. always. I tried the Lava soldeless cables too, same story. George L cable with soldered switchcraft connectors: I use those for my pedal board.

I've seen a lot of low end monster cables with busted jacks...but there are many versions of monster cables, so I don't know. I've got some of the original ones with the clear jacket, very well made, but boy do they get tangled in themselves.

i've been using Lava cables, a little pricey, $50 for 10 ft., but they are well made, reliable, and lay well, very flexible. I can just set and forget with those.

There was an tube amp builder (Two Rock) selling $200 10 ft cables. I tried it, yup it sounded noticeably different when compared to my Lava, I think just louder, but you could fold it up like a piece of cardboard. :D
 

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