Studio cables: advice needed.
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 3:52 pm
Hello my friends, here I am asking for advice again.
Well, after some research on the internet (gearslutz, john sayers...), I didn't get a consensus (mostly got paradoxal thoughts) about studio cables.
As some of you guys know, I am currently building my studio http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... =2&t=17604. Thus, I will need new cables/snakes, etc.
Unfortunately, in my country (Brasil), there aren't affordable options due taxes and lack of premier manufactures.
That being said, I'll travel to US on agoust 19th and i am planning to get my studio cables there. What is your opinion on cables/connectors? (generaly speaking). I was planning to buy mogami bulk cables and neutrik connectors, but I don't know if there are cheaper (yet effective) options, since I am a total dumb about cables and I am afraid of falling on a seller's "speach". Also, I would like to know your experience with snakes/digital snakes/multicore cables
I would build my system this way:
Since I have 21 preamps now, I will wire them to a plate on the control room with 32 outputs (just in case I want to expand later). Then I'll build a 22 input on the live room with 4 phone outputs. For the vocal booth I am planning to have 4 inputs and 2 phone outputs. All live room inputs will be connected to an idependent panel on the control room and this one could be connected with XLR cables to the first plate I described, letting me route any preamp with any connector I want in any room.
Please, see this schematic:
As you can see all preamps inputs are fixed to the Panel "A". For exemple, Neve "1" is connected to panel's input 1.
Panel "B" is connected to Panel "C" and Panel "D". For exemple, Panel "C" "1"(Control Room) is connected to panel's B 1 and Panel "D" "1" is connected to panel's "B" 2.
I will normally set Panel's A 1 (neve A) to Panel's C 1 (control room), with a XLR cable connecting Panel's A 1 to Panel's B 1. If I want to use Neve on the Vocal Booth, I will disconnect the XLR from Panel's B 1 to Panel's B 2.
The reason I didn't think about using common patch bays is that they don't handle phantom power. (am I dumb? :goggly:)
All outboard gear will be connected to a DBX patchbay routed to interface inputs/outputs.
A seller from Redco told me that the best cables and connectors to this would be:
NEUTRIK NC3MXX-B (XLR MALE for Cables that will connect Panel A to Panel B) - 74 units
MOGAMI W2549 BALANCED MIC CABLE (To build the cables necessary to connect the Panel A to Panel B and other mic cables) - 196 feet
NEUTRIK NC3FD-LX-B (XLR FEMALE) - 120 units
NEUTRIK NP3X-B (TRS) - 60 units
NEUTRIK NJ3FP6C-BAG (Female TRS Jack) - 30 units
MOGAMI W2932 8CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "D" to Panel "B") - 30 feet
MOGAMI W2938 32CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "A" to Panel "B") - 23 feet
MOGAMI W2939 48CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "C to Panel "B") - 18 feet
MOGAMI W3103 2COND. SPEAKER CABLE (To connect Amp Heads between Control Room and Live Room) - 79 feet
___________________________________________TOTAL PRICE: USD 2590
Finally the advice needed/questions I have are:
That being said and explained,
I would like to know your opinion on cable brands/connector brands that could reduce my costs without reducing quality of the audio. Am I going for just a brand name? (If I reduce costs a stereo pair of distressors will fit my budget)
What are you guys using for snakes (are you using digital snakes)?
Are you using patchbays that can handle phantom power?
Thank you for your help!!!!!
Well, after some research on the internet (gearslutz, john sayers...), I didn't get a consensus (mostly got paradoxal thoughts) about studio cables.
As some of you guys know, I am currently building my studio http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... =2&t=17604. Thus, I will need new cables/snakes, etc.
Unfortunately, in my country (Brasil), there aren't affordable options due taxes and lack of premier manufactures.
That being said, I'll travel to US on agoust 19th and i am planning to get my studio cables there. What is your opinion on cables/connectors? (generaly speaking). I was planning to buy mogami bulk cables and neutrik connectors, but I don't know if there are cheaper (yet effective) options, since I am a total dumb about cables and I am afraid of falling on a seller's "speach". Also, I would like to know your experience with snakes/digital snakes/multicore cables
I would build my system this way:
Since I have 21 preamps now, I will wire them to a plate on the control room with 32 outputs (just in case I want to expand later). Then I'll build a 22 input on the live room with 4 phone outputs. For the vocal booth I am planning to have 4 inputs and 2 phone outputs. All live room inputs will be connected to an idependent panel on the control room and this one could be connected with XLR cables to the first plate I described, letting me route any preamp with any connector I want in any room.
Please, see this schematic:
As you can see all preamps inputs are fixed to the Panel "A". For exemple, Neve "1" is connected to panel's input 1.
Panel "B" is connected to Panel "C" and Panel "D". For exemple, Panel "C" "1"(Control Room) is connected to panel's B 1 and Panel "D" "1" is connected to panel's "B" 2.
I will normally set Panel's A 1 (neve A) to Panel's C 1 (control room), with a XLR cable connecting Panel's A 1 to Panel's B 1. If I want to use Neve on the Vocal Booth, I will disconnect the XLR from Panel's B 1 to Panel's B 2.
The reason I didn't think about using common patch bays is that they don't handle phantom power. (am I dumb? :goggly:)
All outboard gear will be connected to a DBX patchbay routed to interface inputs/outputs.A seller from Redco told me that the best cables and connectors to this would be:
NEUTRIK NC3MXX-B (XLR MALE for Cables that will connect Panel A to Panel B) - 74 units
MOGAMI W2549 BALANCED MIC CABLE (To build the cables necessary to connect the Panel A to Panel B and other mic cables) - 196 feet
NEUTRIK NC3FD-LX-B (XLR FEMALE) - 120 units
NEUTRIK NP3X-B (TRS) - 60 units
NEUTRIK NJ3FP6C-BAG (Female TRS Jack) - 30 units
MOGAMI W2932 8CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "D" to Panel "B") - 30 feet
MOGAMI W2938 32CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "A" to Panel "B") - 23 feet
MOGAMI W2939 48CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "C to Panel "B") - 18 feet
MOGAMI W3103 2COND. SPEAKER CABLE (To connect Amp Heads between Control Room and Live Room) - 79 feet
___________________________________________TOTAL PRICE: USD 2590
Finally the advice needed/questions I have are:
That being said and explained,
I would like to know your opinion on cable brands/connector brands that could reduce my costs without reducing quality of the audio. Am I going for just a brand name? (If I reduce costs a stereo pair of distressors will fit my budget)
What are you guys using for snakes (are you using digital snakes)?
Are you using patchbays that can handle phantom power?
Thank you for your help!!!!!