Expensive Instrument Cable Snake Oil

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bxlxaxkxe
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Also aside from other PSU solutions using switching power like from Voodoo Labs, True Tone, Strymon or CIOKS and even Fender and others now check out the MyVolts Alchemist...... aside from filtering noise...... it's probably one of the most innovative and powerful PSUs out there and flexible for any rig......100 watts, can output up 45 watts an outlet, multiple outlets and can daisy chain too and provides different volt options as well......


And also does cool stuff like this ^_^








 
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NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
Yeah, you've said that thirty times in this thread. :ROFLMAO:
Wasn't even referring to amps or the same kind of power supplies, but highly precision equipment where I noticed a difference.
To say there would be no correlation is simply just arguing to argue.
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Right on apples and oranges then in a sense...... but yeah :LOL: :dunno:
 
BlackOut8910 said:
Speaker reponse graphs are data, and ONE tool, for evaluating SPEAKERS. There are other factors, such as harmonics, impedence changes, speaker coupling if in a mutiple speaker cabinet, back of cone wave reflection emphasising or cutting certain frequencies, etc. However, NONE of those other factors change what the curve on the graph is telling you. They just add another influence. So for SPEAKERS, the actual thing that generates the sound, intalling them in YOUR cab, hooked to YOUR amp, with the amp EQ optomized for THAT DRIVER, is the final and best test. However, time and money (but I repeat myself, because time *IS* money) being limited, speaker response curves and other user's anecdotes in similar applications can steer you in the right direction, rather than buying (at $150 - $200 a pop) ALL POSSIBLE SPEAKERS for trial. Not a real option for most of us in the real world.

Now when it comes to speaker and power CABLES? A much simpler problem for physics and material science. And also one where Occam's Razor correctly guides us to the appropriate answer - the simple one.

Don't believe me? Look inside a Marshal or Mesa Boogie cab - and see what kind of wiring connects the speakers.

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.co...960a-4x12-guitar-speaker-cabinet-1978-1705641

https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/mesa-b...-g12-vintage-30-speakers--144467100516280385/

Oh, and as to my "7th grade science" brain? I have a 4 year STEM degree with a minor in mathmatics. 1 year of vocational electronics. I have hand-built a tube amplifier, including forming the chassis. I am a former (and hopefull soon once again) gigging musician, and currently a data center analyst for a hospital. In the course of my daily job, one of the things I deal with is power and power cabling. Systems generating literally millions of dollars in revenue and upon which patient's lives depend are racked and connected to power with .... the factory supplied power cable, or it not, one different only in the color of the outer insulation such that we can keep track of which independent power source each power supply (most devices have redundant power supplies) any particular power supply is cabled to.

You having noise issues? Especially at a gig where the stage area electrical was installed by the bar owner's drunken brother in law in exchange for free beer? A noise filtering power condition, installing ferrite slugs on your power cables, and TURNING OFF THE NEON BEER LIGHTS near the stage will get you a lot further down the road than "high end power cables". And if my suggested steps don't completely solve the problem, a noise gate, specifically a linked two channel noise gate using the four cable method on your guitar amp, will do a lot more than a high dollar power cable.
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Do you actually play music? Got any clips of you playing?
 
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Dude, in a nutshell... local shop owner ask me if I want to check out something cool... talks about something fancy that makes me cringe.. we go into his amp room, its quiet and every thing in that room always sounds good. We hookup his friedman be100 with the standard plain ass power cable.. sounds good. He swaps and puts in the fancy pants cable, it sounded better.. hard to explain but a bit more open and crisp highs. I literally was surprised cause all we did was swap a fkn power cable.. it was subtle but it was audible. He laughs and says here, take these home and try it out for a week and tell me what you think. He gave me the power cable, speaker cable and guitar cable no questions, no money just try it. I came back a few days later and paid for them.

You mention whether such fidelity is audible, and i'm just sharing with the class that yes, I did hear a difference. This is my experience and yeah Im no fkn scientist and not sponsored or saying my shit is better than your sucky ass shit cables... Just a dude that loves amps, riffs, home recording and live in a high rise in Honolulu that picks up a shit ton of radio, and all kinds of other noises like a mfker. Thats it... I'm not preaching, you want graphs and proofs? Thats fine but I don't have that shit nor do I care. The only thing I did was try something new and shared that experience lol... and yes I am also saying for most people it won't matter or make a difference.
 
How's the noise reduction factor on these Mogami platinum vs the regular Mogami cables @Bxlxaxkxe? The only time I really struggle with noise is when I'm plugged in direct to my preamp's hi-z input for Neural plugins. Thinking about possibly jumping over to these if they help.
 
I make my own. I think I bought about 25 feet of Van-Damme speaker cable on Amazon for $15 a few years ago for making amp-to-cab cables and Gotham GAC-1 for instrument cable. Neutrik connectors. But you can get everything you need from Redco. BTPA looks good too.

As far as pre-made branded cables go, PRS actually has good stuff. They use Van-Damme cable and Neutrik connectors already. For instrument cables, that Amazon seller World's Best Cables looks really really good. Gotham GAC-1 + Neutrik plugs for great prices.
 
I mean maybe there might be something to it......


With pedals and powering them with battery vs PSU and even different brands of PSU subtly affect a pedals tone. Now for me when it comes down to it while it is present its pretty marginal but noticeable if you AB and really pay attention to small details like delay repeats, pedals gain and attack and other things. Most of the time a lot of swithcing PSU Ive tried are just as quiet as one another but there are slight "tonal" differences IME. I dont know if this can be measureable or measured but its something I can perceive and others kind of do too who have different PSU.


Maybe with power cables or these Analysis Plus its the same deal. I honestly wouldnt know never trying one. If dudes try them, they like them, it does something for them maybe there is something to it :dunno:
 
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Soundstorm said:
How's the noise reduction factor on these Mogami platinum vs the regular Mogami cables @Bxlxaxkxe? The only time I really struggle with noise is when I'm plugged in direct to my preamp's hi-z input for Neural plugins. Thinking about possibly jumping over to these if they help.
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I haven’t had any noise problems with any cables so can’t speak to that. I did try a Mogami Overdrive cable and that is my favorite
FourT6and2 said:
I make my own. I think I bought about 25 feet of Van-Damme speaker cable on Amazon for $15 a few years ago for making amp-to-cab cables and Gotham GAC-1 for instrument cable. Neutrik connectors. But you can get everything you need from Redco. BTPA looks good too.

As far as pre-made branded cables go, PRS actually has good stuff. They use Van-Damme cable and Neutrik connectors already. For instrument cables, that Amazon seller World's Best Cables looks really really good. Gotham GAC-1 + Neutrik plugs for great prices.
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That Gotham GAC-1 is reallly nice cable. Especially for the price. I do prefer the Mogami overdrive for sure but the Gotham is a lot of bang for the buck and I’d happily use it
 
DanTravis62 said:
Do you actually play music? Got any clips of you playing?
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Used to have some on Youtube but the account appears to have gone away. Have a DVD of my band opening up for Luxx and Jason Bonham - I will see if I can get it uploaded later tonight.
 
BlackOut8910 said:
Used to have some on Youtube but the account appears to have gone away. Have a DVD of my band opening up for Luxx and Jason Bonham - I will see if I can get it uploaded later tonight.
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That'd be cool, i just wanted to make sure you actually play music

Generally when new people "come in hot" with their opinions on the forum, it helps the other members have a baseline of who they're talking to
 
Haven't read the whole thread, did anyone suggest soldering your own? You can get the exact same material, make your own lengths. and end up with five times as many as one for the cost. Those cable prices are a total ripoff.
 
DanTravis62 said:
That'd be cool, i just wanted to make sure you actually play music

Generally when new people "come in hot" with their opinions on the forum, it helps the other members have a baseline of who they're talking to
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I am the husky fellow playing the pink Fender HM Power Strat into a Fender M80 1X12. The late Frank Dunshee is playing lead guitar on a Les Paul into a JCM 900 half stack. My best friend Darren Delvecchio is playing an Aria Pro II Thor Sound bass into a Peavey Mark Vi ( think) 350 watt head into a 2XX12 cab. Mike Copeland on vocals and my late friend John Hurt is bashing a 1978 Ludwig mahogany kit built with no bottom heads. Venue is a now defunct club called "Diamondback" at Medicine Park, OK. I think there is some other footage o us on there as well. My guitar tone is way to shrill because the crew forgot to set my amp up so it got on stage at the last minute and I had to just turn on and go. (Ever happen like that to you guys?) This would have been around 1999.

Second performance is at a club in Lawton - starts at about 35:35 on the video.
 
BlackOut8910 said:


I am the husky fellow playing the pink Fender HM Power Strat into a Fender M80 1X12. The late Frank Dunshee is playing lead guitar on a Les Paul into a JCM 900 half stack. My best friend Darren Delvecchio is playing an Aria Pro II Thor Sound bass into a Peavey Mark Vi ( think) 350 watt head into a 2XX12 cab. Mike Copeland on vocals and my late friend John Hurt is bashing a 1978 Ludwig mahogany kit built with no bottom heads. Venue is a now defunct club called "Diamondback" at Medicine Park, OK. I think there is some other footage o us on there as well. My guitar tone is way to shrill because the crew forgot to set my amp up so it got on stage at the last minute and I had to just turn on and go. (Ever happen like that to you guys?) This would have been around 1999.

Second performance is at a club in Lawton - starts at about 35:35 on the video.
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I finally see why you're so gung ho about the issue. Expensive power cables = less money for food
 
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Bxlxaxkxe said:
I haven’t had any noise problems with any cables so can’t speak to that. I did try a Mogami Overdrive cable and that is my favorite


That Gotham GAC-1 is reallly nice cable. Especially for the price. I do prefer the Mogami overdrive for sure but the Gotham is a lot of bang for the buck and I’d happily use it
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In my experience, Gotham is better than Mogami, which tends to be microphonic due to build up of triboelectric charge. Basically... you move the cable or slap it, step on it, and it makes noise. Mogami claims they have special sauce inside the cable to prevent this, but the ones I've tried must be sauceless I guess.
 
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