Users of high-end patch cables

#42
Jefus said:
On a separate note: why are we still using 1/4" plugs designed for ancient telecom systems? If we could move to something else, not only would the cables be less bulky, but the pedals themselves could be much smaller without that much plug penetrating them? Maybe use strat-style jacks on pedals to make the pedals smaller? Sorry, planning a pedalboard and questioning the current state of things.

Enjoy the journey!
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1/4" plugs have been around since for over 100 years. It's pretty ingrained into the fabric of musical gear and audio.

And believe me, some folks (including me) have been asking for something better for about that long as well....:banghead: :D
 
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#43
Geri O said:
1/4" plugs have been around since for over 100 years. It's pretty ingrained into the fabric of musical gear and audio.

And believe me, some folks (including me) have been asking for something better for about that long as well....:banghead: :D
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Here's where they started;

1950s-smiling-woman-office-telephone-switchboard-operator-CMT45C.jpg
 
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#45
I switched from Ernie Ball to Rock Stock cables recently. Was looking at EBS to get a slightly thinner profile head, but they don’t offer S shaped cables. Supposedly Rock Stock is made in the same factory as EBS. I haven’t noticed a difference in noise level or tone from the Ernie Balls.
 
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#46
HelpImaRock said:
I started using Ernie Ball flat cables this year and haven't looked back.
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As someone who graduated from cheap stuff (Planet Waves and RadioShack), then on to Mogami with both Switchcraft and G&H plugs (Stompin Ground is great for custom lengths!), I've recently been using the Ernie Ball flat patch and they are a great deal. They also easily bend into S shape connections.

If you do go the Mogami route, get the 2319 cable and G&H VLP plugs. Way more forgiving on spacing and bending.

I've yet to have anything with Switchcraft/G&H plugs and Canare/Mogami cable fail.
 
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#47
Peter - Oregon said:
Regarding power supply, I have read a number of people say get a Cioks and be done with it. Would folks on here agree with that (not to change the subject)?
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Yep. Way more impressed with my Cioks units than the Ernie Ball Volt I have on my small guitar board. If you have noise though (EMI, gain, compression, hiss, etc.), you'll need a noise gate (that's a whole other discussion).
 
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#48
eeyorebass said:
I see a lot of cable makers, like Divine Noise mentioned above, using G&H connectors. Are those on par with Switchcraft and Neutrik, in your opinion/experience?
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I haven’t used G&H connectors so I don’t know the reliability metrics.
 
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#49
Ask your local pedalboard/rig builder to make you some cables with switchcraft connectors, these will last !! The problem with cheap cables is either the sound, which often lacks definition (Compare Mogami with low-end digiflex, the red packaging for example.... The tour (green series) is decent ! ) or the quality of the plugs. Any off the shelf « low profile » wrapped in plastic will eventually fail, guaranteed ! Stay away from Hosa, EBS or d'addario. They will fail for sure ! ;)
 
#52
Any quality cable and Switchcraft or Neutrik connectors and there will be no issues. I'm not familiar with G&H, but it would take allot to get me to switch to them when they other two have a pretty much flawless track record, and are used by nearly every manufacturer of quality gear.
 
#55
mouthmw said:
I replaced all my patch cables (mix of Hosa and self made) with EBS High Performance cables. I’m very happy with the change.
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I use a mixture of Hosa flat heads and EBS low profile head patch cables. I have actually had more of the EBS ones fail on me, but overall both brands are holding up well and my board is quiet and has no loss, when all pedals are bypassed, as compared to when there is no board.

The first pedal in my chain is an Iron Ether pedal with relay bypass, so it is providing a high quality buffer at the beginning of my chain. The use of a high quality buffered bypass pedal at the start of you pedal board will do more to make it silent and lossless than the quality of the patch cables will.
 
#56
Mike Caldwell said:
I've seen noise introduced into instrument cables from power supply modules with cables laying on them.

As for pedal to pedal interconnection maybe a pedal company or multiple companies could work up a standard connector built into the pedals where they would snap together like Lego blocks! Or maybe it was already tried and failed!
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The general issue w/ rigid inter-pedal connections is that when mounted with velcro the pedals still have some play/movement when stomped upon. This puts strong shear/lateral stress on the rigid connectors and the jacks on the pedals.
 
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#57
HolmeBass said:
I use a mixture of Hosa flat heads and EBS low profile head patch cables. I have actually had more of the EBS ones fail on me, but overall both brands are holding up well and my board is quiet and has no loss, when all pedals are bypassed, as compared to when there is no board.
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I never had a patch cable fail (knock on wood). I also have a qulity buffer at the start (Octabvre mkiii) and at the end (El Capistan v2).
 
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#58
I use solderless Evidence Audio SIS. I find this system easy to make and remake, and had only one patch fail in a way that I thought I'd have to trash one plug (a piece of copper was stuck inside, managed to get it out in the end).

If I was to go soldered, then SquarePlug makes probably the smallest connectors out there, and just choose any cable that fits those.
 
#60
cnltb said:
If I could afford to, I‘d use nothing other than Vovox Sonorus.
As is, I only use them as instrument cables.
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These take up too much real estate and are to unwieldy if you ask me.

There is no audible difference between a halfway decent cable and the finest one ever made as soon as you reach the first buffer, so it's mostly about size and durability.
 
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