Cable for home recording around $50-100

[Aloe]

I'm a big fan of MXR Pro instrument cables for recording my passive instruments. Let me shortly sum how cable can affect the sounding:

1. if you have an active bass, this doesn't matter
2. if you have a passive instrument, the more the cable capacitance, the more highs you'll lose. longer cable of same type is more capacitance, different cables from different manufacturers often have different capacitance as well.
3. not necessarily the brighter the better, it's a matter of preference. some guys prefer longer cables as they like the tone better that way, some guys prefer shorter.

I also used Planet Waves American Stage for several years, they're really built like a tank.
But rather high capacitance and they use a bigger jack than a common Switchcraft. This may lead to some problems, especially with balanced jacks. Re-plugging an other jack several times helped me when I faced problems with it.

I won't advice any Chinese Planet Waves though, had a lot of them and can say they're not reliable.

I've also heard good things about Rapco Horizon, I'm a fan of their mic cables, but didn't yet try an instrument one.

 

[DanAdams]

I have an AV business. expensive cables are horse$#!*
Just get something strong with strain relief on the ends. A right angle jack on one side tends be the biggest value in any cable.
If you are concerned about the integrity of your signal, don't hookup redundant (or any for that matter) stomp boxes.

If you are seriously concerned, use a 6 inch cable and attach a DI on your strap.
Shielding the cavity in the bass with copper tape (if it isn't already) would be more helpful than an expensive cable.

 

[Aloe]

a right angle jack on one side tends be the biggest value in any cable.

unless your bass is Ibanez SR or TMB (they have Strat-like out jacks), of course.

I however don't own such a bass and wish there was more right-to-right instrument cables, Planet Waves makes them in American Stage line, but many other manufacturers don't have this.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

You’re gonna get a lot of answers warning you about “snake oil” marketing cables. That being said, I own 2 Monster Bass cables from 2006 and 2 Mogami cables from 2018 and have never had an issue.

Yeah, I still use a 25" monster bass cable. Been going strong for 15 years.

 

[sharpiemarker]

Make sure you buy a pro quality USB cable from the interface to you computer. With out that you won’t be able to hear the difference between the pro cables and amateur Cables

 

[Wood and Wire]

What's wrong with 3ft cable when the inferface is 1 ft from my chair?

Your bass is going to end up facing your computer monitor, and at that short a distance, there will be audible interference - which completely renders your cable "quality" argument redundant.

Anything less than 8ft is bloody useless, unless it's used as an interconnect, or patch cable.

 

[BioWeapon]

I'm a big fan of MXR Pro instrument cables for recording my passive instruments. Let me shortly sum how cable can affect the sounding:

1. if you have an active bass, this doesn't matter
2. if you have a passive instrument, the more the cable capacitance, the more highs you'll lose. longer cable of same type is more capacitance, different cables from different manufacturers often have different capacitance as well.
3. not necessarily the brighter the better, it's a matter of preference. some guys prefer longer cables as they like the tone better that way, some guys prefer shorter.

I also used Planet Waves American Stage for several years, they're really built like a tank.
But rather high capacitance and they use a bigger jack than a common Switchcraft. This may lead to some problems, especially with balanced jacks. Re-plugging an other jack several times helped me when I faced problems with it.

I won't advice any Chinese Planet Waves though, had a lot of them and can say they're not reliable.

I've also heard good things about Rapco Horizon, I'm a fan of their mic cables, but didn't yet try an instrument one.

Hm. I've been using the same Planet Waves switch cable for the last 5 years...

 

[Aloe]

Hm. I've been using the same Planet Waves switch cable for the last 5 years...

I believe, they have the kill switch cables both in American Stage line and in Custom line (Chinese).
Didn't have experience with the first one, but I've seen second one die after very moderate usage. Just no signal.

I didn't own any Custom PW cables, but those black Classic series ones failed very often on me.

 

[RoadRanger]

I actually own two of these three foot cables - for practicing with my Tascam MP-BT1 :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068NX1

 

[Bart Funk Bass]

Make sure you buy a pro quality USB cable from the interface to you computer.

Yes!

 

[Bart Funk Bass]

Ok, this looks like something for me!

 

[And I]

I know that the shorter the better. I'm gonna buy 3ft.

That's likely to be prohibitively short. Shorter the better, sure. Like 10 ft instead of 100 ft. Less than 10 you're just giving yourself fewer options for where the thing you're plugging in will be. Won't affect the quality of the signal at all.

 

[And I]

I already have 10-20ft Proel Die Hard cables. I thought I should have also 1 short more hi-end cable.

It won't affect the sound quality of your recordings in any way.

 

[And I]

Ok, this looks like something for me!
View attachment 3920342

Edit: I'm dumb amd this part is all wrong
[That's what you'd call a snake-oil product. It's a cheap cable with a name on it. ]

You don't NEED an expensive cable, it's not going to help your recordings at all. [If you are going to buy one anyway, do yourself a favor and get a mogami, monster, or other good name cable.]

 

[Bart Funk Bass]

So Monster Cables are not snake-oil products?

 

[Aloe]

That's what you'd call a snake-oil product. It's a cheap cable with a name on it. ... If you are going to buy one anyway, do yourself a favor and get a mogami, monster, or other good name cable.

Klotz is a huge European brand in cables BTW.

I had one and it didn't live long though. I've cut it several times to get it working again, but got tired of it eventually.

 

[Bart Funk Bass]

I remember watching Rick Beato with his friend Dave Onorato saying that Monster Cables are one big scam.

 

[Bart Funk Bass]

Klotz is a huge European brand in cables BTW.

Oh, yeah. I forgot that the Americans don't know European products

 

[And I]

My bad! I did a little research, not enough.

 

[And I]

I remember watching Rick Beato with his friend Dave Onorato saying that Monster Cables are one big scam.

They last a long time (in my experience) and have a lifetime warranty just in case they don't.