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Does Cables Matter for a Bass
- Thread starter penguineman
- Start date
My entire point in this thread is simply that I heard a difference - a very clear difference - between a solid core vs. stranded.
No matter what any of you say, you will never change my mind. I heard it loud and clear. The differences were ovbious. And the differences were repeted multiple times.
Don't believe me? I could give a rats behind!
Coming straight from the University of Cable Design!
No matter what any of you say, you will never change my mind. I heard it loud and clear. The differences were ovbious. And the differences were repeted multiple times.
Don't believe me? I could give a rats behind!
Coming straight from the University of Cable Design!
Worst Buy is still up to the same lousy tactics and deception that forced me to black ball them in 1995.My experience was in purchasing a fridge,but I guess company policy dictates across all products.Monster has never impressed me enough to buy,now I know to completely ignore.Thanks for the info,fellas.
To "Tony" @ "Evidence" - You don't have evidence. Please don't tell your gullible customers that you do. 
Stranded cable doesn't have a skin effect issue at audio frequencies, or well above audio.
Here's a nice calculator to play with
Skin Effect Calculator
Solid core conductors are not used for waveguides because they have a skin effect at high frequencies. Money is saved by using hollow conductors at high frequencies.
Stranded cable doesn't have a skin effect issue at audio frequencies, or well above audio.
Here's a nice calculator to play with
Skin Effect Calculator
Solid core conductors are not used for waveguides because they have a skin effect at high frequencies. Money is saved by using hollow conductors at high frequencies.
To "Tony" @ "Evidence" - You don't have evidence. Please don't tell your gullible customers that you do.
Stranded cable doesn't have a skin effect issue at audio frequencies, or well above audio.
Here's a nice calculator to play with
Skin Effect Calculator
Solid core conductors are not used for waveguides because they have a skin effect at high frequencies. Money is saved by using hollow conductors at high frequencies.
I couldn't give a turd for anything you posted above.
I just know I heard a pretty big difference between his solid core vs. coated multi-stranded core.
And the tone differences were much more complex and significant then simple capacitance treble rolloff.
Don't believe me? Oh well.
Over and out
I think this video should be posted in every cable and power cord thread. WATCH IT ALL AND UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HEAR THINGS THAT ARE NOT THERE!
Audio Myths Workshop - YouTube
Audio Myths Workshop - YouTube
Didn't you read my posts? A few back I said I believe that people do hear a difference in cables.
Heck - Pepsi clear didn't sell.
It's not just capacitance, it's also inductance. A scope can measure all this. You don't have to, but the guy claiming to have "Evidence" should take some measurements and prove it. Otherwise it's another snake oil claim.
Good cables have strain relief and coil nicely. You want them not to break. The most significant tone effect from cables is when they short out and the crackling and popping harms your speakers.
It's my belief (now I'm bulletproof because I stated it as a belief, right?) that there are many factors that affect tone, and generally the negative ones far outweigh the positive ones. Want a great tone? First fix your shielding so that fluorescent light doesn't cause hum. Set your EQ so the guitars aren't battling you for high mids. Raise your action a little so fret buzz doesn't kill your tone. Improve your technique and get a compressor to eliminate wolf tones and level imbalances.
And, at the end of the day, remember the drunk at the end of the bar is more intent on staring at the bartender's boobs and not so much critiquing nuances of the bass guitar's tone.
IMHO, YMMV, Lou Dobbs Away!
It's my belief (now I'm bulletproof because I stated it as a belief, right?) that there are many factors that affect tone, and generally the negative ones far outweigh the positive ones. Want a great tone? First fix your shielding so that fluorescent light doesn't cause hum. Set your EQ so the guitars aren't battling you for high mids. Raise your action a little so fret buzz doesn't kill your tone. Improve your technique and get a compressor to eliminate wolf tones and level imbalances.
And, at the end of the day, remember the drunk at the end of the bar is more intent on staring at the bartender's boobs and not so much critiquing nuances of the bass guitar's tone.
IMHO, YMMV, Lou Dobbs Away!
I'm so ashamed
And when did I say I had "university and professional training" ?
Go back and re-read his post more carefully. :scowl:
There is only one big significant difference between instrument cables and it is FLEXIBILITY. How a cable behaves on stage is a big issue for me.
The other possible but much less significant difference between cables that I can hear is NOISE and MICROPHONICS, but a decent cable won't have much of them anyway.
I consider myself as having a very skilled ear, but 99 times out of 100 I just couldn't tell if there is a sonic difference between the cables.
When a salesman in a music store tried to sell me a cable, saying it sounds amazing - I tried it and gave him that "I know you're bullshitting me" smile and he smiled back at me...
I have admit, when I work in a high end studio, the bulky, tough and thick high end cables DO make me feel respected. As for the sound - my opinion is that if you move a mic 1 inch in a certain direction, it's effect on the sound will be much more dramatic than the difference that a different cable will ever make. Assuming you use a decent cable.
So good cables make me feel good, and they behave well on stage. Sound difference? mmm.. no.. don't hear it.
The other possible but much less significant difference between cables that I can hear is NOISE and MICROPHONICS, but a decent cable won't have much of them anyway.
I consider myself as having a very skilled ear, but 99 times out of 100 I just couldn't tell if there is a sonic difference between the cables.
When a salesman in a music store tried to sell me a cable, saying it sounds amazing - I tried it and gave him that "I know you're bullshitting me" smile and he smiled back at me...
I have admit, when I work in a high end studio, the bulky, tough and thick high end cables DO make me feel respected. As for the sound - my opinion is that if you move a mic 1 inch in a certain direction, it's effect on the sound will be much more dramatic than the difference that a different cable will ever make. Assuming you use a decent cable.
So good cables make me feel good, and they behave well on stage. Sound difference? mmm.. no.. don't hear it.
I spent 30 years working in recording studios and listening to the results a million times soloed with headphones, and my conclusions are the same as they were 25 years ago: there is a perceivable difference in cables, but the best cable is a 3 foot nicely made and shielded one, and it might get slightly worse from there but it doesn't get better. Hence, my belief that the differences people feel they are hearing are how far the other cables are from being normal, well made short cables.
IOW, it might get worse from that yardstick but it doesn't get better.
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: Changing from a standard fender cable to a dimarzio cable radically widened the freqcuency response I get out of particularly my fretless bass, more lows, more high, more transparency, so everything really well... Sounded better. the bonus is a bit less remarkable on my custom fretted 5 string, but that's probably due to it just having so good electronics that cables don't matter too much.
I'm guessing it probly won't matter very much with active electronics, but with passives I really notice a difference, even though I wasn't expecting one when I bought my new cable.
Long answer: Changing from a standard fender cable to a dimarzio cable radically widened the freqcuency response I get out of particularly my fretless bass, more lows, more high, more transparency, so everything really well... Sounded better. the bonus is a bit less remarkable on my custom fretted 5 string, but that's probably due to it just having so good electronics that cables don't matter too much.
I'm guessing it probly won't matter very much with active electronics, but with passives I really notice a difference, even though I wasn't expecting one when I bought my new cable.
