How much difference does a cable make?

[lfmn16]

So while your point is still quite correct that usually the musician tweaking his rig is the only one who can hear any difference or care, some tweaks actually "do something" and are not just imaginary.

Not exactly true. For something really different I use one of Danelectros variable powersupplies for my OCD and Echo Baby pedals (guitar, haven't tried it with my basses). It makes a huge difference on some pedals. Here's a link with sound clips, the difference a minor voltage drop makes on some pedals is quite noticable...
Link Removed

Sorry, I'm not persuaded. After 40 years of playing, I've observed that the audience is not very discerning. I still don't think that the vast majority of people in the audience could tell the difference in either a live situation or with the bass buried in the mix. Not to say there isn't a difference, I'm just talking about who would notice. YMMV.

 

[bongomania]

I was agreeing with your point there.

 

[megafiddle]

I was the workshop manager for a hi-fi company "Audio Aids" for many years and tested many cables on out Feragraph test rig, it had an double channel Oscillator, with one line going to input of double beam Oscilloscope and the other through the cable to the other line of the scope and it compaired any signal loss. there was never any change in signal over the whole freq/speck.
that was in 3 meter to 20 meter cables

There is no comparison between the low output impedance of an audio generator
and the thousands of ohms or tens of thousand of ohms of output resistance in a
passive guitar or bass. Try the same thing with a typical volume pot of 250k, 500k,
or 1M, and turn the volume pot down to half (for a linear pot).
I think you'll find the results extremely surprising.

It's also a simple calculation at a basic electronics level:

cutoff frequency = 1/(2piXC)

where 2pi is 6.28
X is reactance (equal to series resistance, e.g. 125 kohm for a 500K pot)
C is capacitance of cable (pF per foot times length)

It describes the response of a simple RC filter.

Some guitar players seek out this point in the volume setting to get the frequency
rolloff without the resonant peak that you get with a tone pot and cap.

As I said elsewhere, with the volume at 10, very little difference, although it is still
quite measurable. With the volume turned down, the effect is large, not at all subtle
and some even exploit it.

 

[KJung]

Shocking.



Is this the part where I should say "told you so"?

No, per the post above, the 'test' you are referring to has nothing to do with the impact of cable capacitance on a passive pickup. His example is a more extreme case of what happens with an active on-board preamp, that also reduces (and pretty much eliminates, in most cases) the impact of the 'cable length x cable capacitance' impact.

Again, all of this stuff is pretty minor, and most cables are within a hair of each other regarding capacitance. However, you can find the extremes (my 'Monster Bass Cable vs. George L' example) that can illustrate the capacitance impact on a passive instrument.

Edit: The other thing that makes this somewhat trivial issue confusing is that there is virtually no correlation between the price of a cable and capacitance. So, there is no 'expensive cable versus cheap cable' tonal impact whatsoever.

 

[SurferJoe46]

I'd say that unless the cable is made outta recycled shopping bags, it's not an important difference in the flow/capacitance/harmonic astral convergence.

A caveat too: An active bass may clobber the sound so hard that any losses are minimal or non existing at best.

An example: one can shove more water (signal) through a smaller garden hose than a larger on if the pressure (voltage) is higher in the smaller hose - right?

But I think the real culprit here is that any testing may have been skewed by using a 90 degree end since the poor electrons are terribly confused at the abrupt change in motion.

I submit that any testing results be footnoted as to whether a 90 degree end verses a straight end was employed in the results as posted.

 

[lfmn16]

I was agreeing with your point there.

Not the first time I missed that.

 

[B String]

Sorry, I'm not persuaded. After 40 years of playing, I've observed that the audience is not very discerning. I still don't think that the vast majority of people in the audience could tell the difference in either a live situation or with the bass buried in the mix. Not to say there isn't a difference, I'm just talking about who would notice. YMMV.

Really?!?!? It's not about the audience, it's about you!
The more I like my tone, the more fun it is to play.
I can make anything work. God knows I've been in many situations with less than satisfying tone. Bad backline, bad rooms, bad gear, broken gear, etc. Its much more enjoyable (and easier)to play when you feel like you sound great.

 

[BawanaRik]

This is an ongoing discussion. Keep these things in mind. While some canine eared folks can tell what cable, what battery etc you might not have this ability. In this case spending big bucks for a cable is not a good idea.

Second, many of the higher end cable have mechanical issues such as material memory. What this means is that while you're playing your cable can tie itself into a knot and when you move you'll be making a mess.

I like the PlanetWaves. A local music store, now defunct used to make their own using Beldon cable and Switch Craft plugs. I still have a couple twenty years old and use them.

My suggestion for many reason is to go cableless when you can. It's safer when you're on a stage and the good ones sound great.

 

[T-MOST]

A cable is not a cable. Yes, if they both work thats great. However, I have A/B cables blind and heard a "clear as day tonal" difference. However, it's up to you to decide what you want to use.