XLR cable recommendations needed

Q

QuartZ

Member
Ok, so I got my Oktava MK012 and picked up a 15' Live Wire brand Mic cable at Guitar Center just to test it out. The XLR cable costs $29.99 and the sound quality seems to be fine. However, I'm fairly new to this and want to know if there's a better cable I can get for less money (longer is fine too).

I've read threads where people have said not to pay a lot for cable since the higher priced ones aren't always that much better. I know this can be very true as I've saved tons of money redoing my home theater's speaker wire with cheaper but equally performing wire.

Did I pay too much for mine and is it worth keeping?
Also, I would need some in the 25' length. Looking for suggestions and places to buy them from.

-Dana
 
Blech! Hosa! ;-)

Well, look. There's a lot of mythology about cables, and some reality. DVX audio is very good for a camera... but whether it's good enough for cables to make a big difference is questionable. However, I can also argue the other side by saying that MC012s are a little more sensitive to the cable than some other mics, because of their "pseudo balancing" circuit. But, for 15 or 25', on the DVX, I really wouldn't worry much about sound quality due to the cable.

However, there are other factors - mainly shielding, reliability, and protecting your DVX. This is where you'll see the most difference. Look for connectors by Neutrik or Switchcraft, 'cause they're about the only ones made to true specifications. For cable material, towards the low end, ProCo is pretty good on the low end; better yet, Mogami. Even if you buy pre-assembled cables, you should be able to find out the manufacturer of the connectors and cable... every cable will fail given enough use and abuse, but how long this takes is where cable quality comes in.

I never bought LiveWire cable, but once, trying to test a mic at GC, I had to go through three of them to find a single one that worked... I don't know how much of a fluke that was, but didn't inspire me.
 
You paid too much for that cable. I deal with only high end cables at my work, and our 15 foot cables aren't that much. There is a difference in cable. The best cables that I have dealt with are Planet Waves and PSC. The nice thing about Planet Waves stuff is it's garunteed for life. It's all about the connectors, and supple-ness (is that a word?) of the cable. You don't want a cable with memory. The softer the cable, the better off you'll be, and the longer it will last. I personally think Canare cable is the best. When I actually have the time to make my own cables, I use Canare 4 conductor wire cable with Neutrik connectors. The cable is about a buck a foot, and the connectors are about $4 each.

-Dave
 
My vote is for the canare's with the neutrik connectors. I bought some recently, and can now run my cables directly over any type of power line/stinger and not have a problem. (I used to use cheaper cables and always had problems if my cables ran anywhere near stingers.)
 
Depending on the situation, HOW your cable crosses a power line can be much more important than the type of cable. Make sure to cross cables perpendicular-ly whenever possible!
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. Here's what I've found:

The LiveWire cable I got from GC was overpriced. It did have Neutrik connectors, and it sounded fine, but at 15' for $29.99 it was too much.

I got a better cable from Rush at EVS. It's the Audio Technica Premium stuff. It has Neutrik connectors, and the cable is much more supple. I got a 25' cable for $19.99 (DVXuser discounted).

I'm very happy now. In the future I may go to the trouble of making my own, but for now I just don't have the time.

Thanks!
-Dana
 
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