What cable from pedalboard to amp?

[momo]

Hey guys, I have recently overhauled alot of my setup, including george l cables for the pedalboard. Now I would want to keep this new hot/clean signal up to the amp. What do you guys think about using a shielded mic cable to the amp.Would that be good to control interference? I have this good quality 50 foot guitar cable, but im concerened about loosing the high end.
Thanks

[sumgai]

momo,

One question: Would George L. use microphone cable?


sumgai

[momo]

Ha! but of course not.... Im trying to limit the cashflow, and sinse I have a good collection of mic cables, I thought that it could work.Are there bad reasons to not use a mic cable to the amp? , I thought that technically speaking the mic cable would be better for longer runs to the amp.

[ccso8462]

momo,
if you don't really need to have over 20 to 25 feet of cable you shouldn't get that much loss. Of couse, that all depends on the quality of the cable and connectors. The hotter output from the pedalboard should keep your signal strong enough for that distance. The only problem with using mic cable is going to be making the connections (1/4 inch to XLR). Every extra connection creates an possibility of signal degradation.
If you come up with an idea for making those connections cheaply and easily I'd like to hear it, because mic cable is definitely going to give you less chance of interference. In some venues it might be really advantageous to have the extra shielding to cut noise.

Carl

[sumgai]

ccso8462 said:

momo,
if you don't really need to have over 20 to 25 feet of cable you shouldn't get that much loss. Of couse, that all depends on the quality of the cable and connectors. The hotter output from the pedalboard should keep your signal strong enough for that distance. The only problem with using mic cable is going to be making the connections (1/4 inch to XLR). Every extra connection creates an possibility of signal degradation.
If you come up with an idea for making those connections cheaply and easily I'd like to hear it, because mic cable is definitely going to give you less chance of interference. In some venues it might be really advantageous to have the extra shielding to cut noise.

Carl

If you examine a George L. cable closely, and test it out in a store with fluorescent lights, you'll note that it's very quiet, noise-wise. Size is not a determinent when looking at this particular property of a cable. Cost of materials, and therefore of the cable itself, is a much better qualifying factor, but don''t go overboard the other way - Monster cables are founded on the FUD factor, and nothing else.

But the point of my question lies in the capacitance value per foot. Most low-to-medium quality mic cables have an atrocious amount of signal-degrading capacitance. For a vocal, you may not notice it, you're busy playing with the mixer's tone controls anyway. Taming that capacitance requires higher-cost materials.

Guitars and vocals have different needs. In an emergency, use what you have to hand, and be done with it. But for standard usage, don't mix-and-match, it'll only end in tears.


sumgai

[momo]

Ccso8462, when I mentioned the mic cable, I meant using it with 1/4 inch Neutrik plugs on both ends, I would put one wire for positive and other for ground, Im not shure if I should connect the shield to the ground on both ends, only one end or finally just as a guit cable have the shield passive without connecting it on either ground ends. I will try all these examples and report back, but for now I got to work on my V847 mod, I changed the switch to DPDT and also changed some resistances as mentioned in the DIY(castledine).But now its not working when passing thru the circuit,bypass works fine.
Sorry I dont want to highjack my owm post!
Later

[UnklMickey]

sumgai said:

...One question: Would George L. use microphone cable?...

with all our talk about low capacitance, wherever Jimi is, Jimi is laughing.

need i say more:

[momo]

Ya but he had the hands to push the signal thru a garden hose if he wanted... ;D

[JohnH]

unklmickey said:

with all our talk about low capacitance, wherever Jimi is, Jimi is laughing.

I have a curly-cable like that which I still use, the first one I ever bought in 1978. Its rather tarnished, and way mellow with a normal guitar. My buffer circuits push past it though, hence spoiling its Jimi-ness.

John

[momo]

I was very fond in getting one of those...got scammed real bad on ebay, supposed to be very good quality with gold plated tips, paid 37 dollars for a very cheap made in Taiwan cable that became intermitent 5 seconds after plugging it I was very exited to have the cable as I love those visually and they don't tangle.They also don't stretch out as I thought.I feel like a tug boat pulling a heavy ship(amp)!!!

[UnklMickey]

johnh said:

...My buffer circuits push past it though, hence spoiling its Jimi-ness...

ah, this is the beauty (and bane) of buffers. they laugh in the face of capacitance.

but, if you want to "Jimi" your sound, you must do it before the buffer.

momo said:

...They also don't stretch out as I thought.I feel like a tug boat pulling a heavy ship(amp)!!!

the really cheap ones we used to get in the '60s were very easy to stretch. they also tangled at the drop of a hat.

and yes, they also went intermittent about 5 second after plugging in. all of mine were a little shorter, from numerous repairs.

[ccso8462]

On the right song a little "Jimi-ness" can be a great thing, but I only want it when I want it, you know? If you can get a good one, a coiled cord is really nice due to the no-tangle. I only have 1 around that I inherited, and it's not one of the good ones, so it sits in an old guitar case.
So, momo, how far do you want to go with your cable? I don't have that much room to run around when I play. However, I remember being at a Deep Purple concert at Boston Gardens in '74 and the opening act was Wishbone Ash (if I remember correctly). The guitarist for Ash jumped off the stage and walked down the center aisle with a roadie paying out cable behind him. I was in the balcony, but it looked like he went about 25 feet or so into the audience. I don't remember if his solo was any good, but I'll never forget the showmanship!

[UnklMickey]

ccso8462 said:

On the right song a little "Jimi-ness" can be a great thing, but I only want it when I want it, you know?...

quote of the week?

[sumgai]

Chris and I use RF cables! ;D


sumgai

[UnklMickey]

sumgai said:

Chris and I use RF cables! ;D...

?

[sumgai]

unk,

Rat Fink indeed! That one's a classic, to be sure.

No, I'm talkin' 'bout Radio Frequency, man. ;D



sumgai

[mikesr1963]

Fender California cables.