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do cables make a difference in sound?

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#21
So long it's decent wire (Van Damme, Klotz, Belden.. Etc.) and decent connectors (Switchcraft/Neutrik would be my choice, simply because most sockets are of them brands, Can't get a better fit than same manufacturer really can you?) and decent construction (Silver Solder) the sound will be as good as your ear will ever hear cable wise.

Build is a better reason to favour a cable than sound.

Also, Learn to loop your cables correctly, I personally never use anything but the over-under technique.
 
#25
do cables make a difference in sound?

yes they do ... only use cables that work ... cables that don't work don't transmit the sound ...

bad cable = no sound ... bummer!

Other than that I don't notice a difference in suond from cables.
 
#26
ggunn said:
If you gave me a Monster Cable, I'd take it out into the yard and run over it with my lawnmower. Would they honor the lifetime warranty in that case, do you think? :D
Click to expand...

They used too. They had an unconditional lifetime warrenty. their motto was "Any Excusse, Even Abusse". That WAS the nice thing about Monster was that it didn't matter where you purchased it, what you did to it, or if you had a recipt or not. You could swap it on the spot. They have since changed their policy to say "manufactuers defects only"

Kinda a bummer since that was their strong selling point. :rollno:
 
#27
ggunn said:
If you gave me a Monster Cable, I'd take it out into the yard and run over it with my lawnmower. Would they honor the lifetime warranty in that case, do you think? :D
Click to expand...

They did for me when I left part of the cable hanging out of the back of the van, and when I got home from the gig, I had ground the end off of the cable. Of course, that was 2001. Who knows if they still would. EDIT: sounds like they won't. Bummer.

Here is what I know about cables - if you have a BAD one, they sound like crap. I have had a few bad ones (just found a 1.5' patch that just sounds like tinny, weak crap, and threw it out). Bad connection, cold solder, broken wires, who knows, but bad ones sound bad.

Amongst known good cables (fully functional)... I can sometimes hear a tonal difference (the monster cable that replaced the one in the story above has significantly less pronounced highs than your typical cable) but by and large, none are BETTER and none make any difference at all once you start playing with other instruments.

I buy cables that seem likely to withstand the abuse I know I put on cables. I get rid of 'em when they break. That's all.

YMMV.
 
#28
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

And the commentary from the author of the comic:

As media enthusiasts on the fringe of the sensible, we're all no doubt familiar with Monster Cable. They have crafted a niche for themselves as a producer of luxury wire, spooking consumers with grave proclamations regarding "attenuation" and "dirty power." The copy on the back always tends to lay it on a bit thick, conferring an almost totemic quality to these strands which are, it would appear, humanity's last bulwark versus nebulous evil. He was just starting to get into home theater when we lived together, and he'd assure me that he was sensitive to the minute fibrillations of audio purity provided by substandard cabling. When he picked up the Monster Cable surge protector yesterday, I had to act.
Click to expand...

Couldn't resist. :D
 
#29
The only reason to buy a Monster cable is the life time warranty. I like how heavy they are and they tend not to curl and knot up like other brands. Other than that a cable is a cable.

EDIT: Just this year, my nephew came flying through my room like a demon straight out of hell and tripped over my Monster cable so hard he basically shattered my input and bent the Monster cable until it was unusable. Even knowing how it happened Monster offered to replace it. So yes, if you ran it over with a lawn mower, they will replace it.
 
#30
You simply cannot hear the difference between a high-end cable like Monster or Mogami and a run-of-the-mill decent cable. A "defective" cable "may" sound bad - that is for sure. But you can almost not even measure differences on very expensive equipment that is exponentially more sensitive to your ears, or to the speakers.
As others have said, start with good-quality wire, do a good job soldering on good connectors, tidy them up with some good strain relief, and you'll have cables that'll save you a lot of money and sound every bit as good as the premium guys'.
Now, the companies like Monster and Mogami use good components and do a great job of assembly, and give out great warranties. That is fine. But a lifetime warranty does no good at all if the cable dies at a gig.
So, if you want really pretty cables, and you know that they are made well, and you want to dump cash, and not effort, go for it. They are very good products.
If you want cables that'll do as good a job, save a lot of money, and let you get your elbows a bit dirty putting them together, follow the advice that many have given you.
Roll your own.
There is no way on the world that you can possibly hear the difference in tone between one cable ad the next (as long as one is not defective)(and they are both instrument cables).
 
#32
TerenceSharp said:
Learn to loop your cables correctly, I personally never use anything but the over-under technique.
Click to expand...

I don't like that roadie-wrap for loose cables because if the end I hold onto when I unwrap it has fallen through the loop to the other side (as it is wont to do in my gig bag), then the cable has got a bunch of overhand knots in it that all have to be untied. I use the twist per loop (also called the over-over) method and untwist it as I unwrap it. I keep all my cables that way, and I have cables that are 25+ years old that still work just fine.

I use the over-under method when I am neatening up cables on stage that are connected at both ends; it works great for that. It's also great for rolling up a snake.

For extension cords I just do the elbow wrap.

YMMV.
 
#34
i don't mean to jack the thread....

BUT...
I need to clear up a couple of things.

I have the Monster Bass cable that I purchase a couple of years ago. yes I fell for their AMAZING advertising strategy.

From what I've read (in other posts as well), this cable has a higher capacitance which equals attenuation of high frequencies. What exactly determines capacitance?

I've also read that this does not happen with active basses because of the lower impedance they put out. So, all this high frequency loss that I read about isn't really affecting me and my active basses?
 
#36
ExaltBass said:
I generally have tried to stay out of the 'bash Monster' threads - but this hasn't started out this way so...

I started making my own premium cables due to incredible EMI/RFI interference at my former church. I found that well shielded - good quality cable (Canare/Mogami for me), quality plugs (Neutrik is my prefered), and carefully constructed (WBT Silver solder is my preference) has yielded:
(1) Quieter cabling
(2) less EMI/RFI problems
(3) more 'solid' tone... (hard to hear the difference on a gig, I'll grant you) whether from better conductivity, capacitance or whatever...
(4) more reliablilty AND...
(5) all at a reasonable cost (much less that pre-mades)

So, I'm a 'roll your own' proponent ;) I've made a few custom cables for other TB'ers and most have come back for more... it's my therapy (I'm an bassiac insomniac)
Click to expand...

Now, in all honesty...this makes sense! And one need not be a rocket scientist to make their own cables.
 
#38
ggunn said:
Which is your opinion; if you hear a difference then it's real to you, and that's totally cool. When you add "period" to the end of your statement, however, that implies that it is somehow not just your opinion but a fact. It is not a fact unless you have empirical, objective evidence to back it up. Simply saying that you hear the difference is not proof of anything; show me the results of an impartially administered and witnessed double blind study with a statistically large sample size to back up your "period", and I'll listen.

And there's the Monster Cable business model of filing harassing lawsuits against anyone who uses the word "monster" commercially in any context whatsoever. Jerks.

If you gave me a Monster Cable, I'd take it out into the yard and run over it with my lawnmower. Would they honor the lifetime warranty in that case, do you think? :D
Click to expand...

Ok, so I used the word period, don't take it so seriously. It's like I said, I hear the difference, I don't have to prove it to anybody, anyone, somebody or anybody else. I A/B'd the Monster against a jo shmowe cable and it sounded better, period. You don't have to take my word for it, I could care less, but I know that when I play I like to get the best possible sound that I'm capable of and the Monster's work for me.
 
#39
vinxbass said:
Ok, so I used the word period, don't take it so seriously. It's like I said, I hear the difference, I don't have to prove it to anybody, anyone, somebody or anybody else. I A/B'd the Monster against a jo shmowe cable and it sounded better, period. You don't have to take my word for it, I could care less, but I know that when I play I like to get the best possible sound that I'm capable of and the Monster's work for me.
Click to expand...

If you heard any difference at all, then the other cable was defective. Period. ;)
 
#40
EricF said:
Many people believe that Fodera makes amazing basses. This is largley due to the fact that Fodera tells everyone that their basses are amazing, and people are suckers. Fodera doesn't have some magic that no one else has. Use quality instruments and quality amplifiers and you'll have every bit as good bass as the one from Fodera. You can make them yourself, or support a small guy like www.sadowski.com, or buy any decent bass at your local music store (many come with a lifetime warranty)
Click to expand...

If a cable is a cable then wood is wood. I don't care if Jesus himself rolled it on the thighs of Havana virgins.
 
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