Cable Care
Cable Care
Aiight, I have bought a cuppla old mic's (MD421n and a EV634) what have ye olde Amphenol connectors and cables.
My cables are good and flexible, but 40 or 50 years old.
Is there anything I should be doing to preserve the cables themselves? For example, anything to clean and preserve them with?
Also, with new mic cables I use a cable-wrap holder-thing, like a big plastic "H" where the middle bar is thick and the legs short, to wrap the cables. Izzat a good or bad idear with old rubber?
My cables are good and flexible, but 40 or 50 years old.
Is there anything I should be doing to preserve the cables themselves? For example, anything to clean and preserve them with?
Also, with new mic cables I use a cable-wrap holder-thing, like a big plastic "H" where the middle bar is thick and the legs short, to wrap the cables. Izzat a good or bad idear with old rubber?
- Nick Sevilla
- on a wing and a prayer
- Posts: 5555
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
- Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
- Contact:
Hi vvv,
I usually recommend wrapping cables loosely, and allowing the cable to coil itself as you make a 1ft. loop. This keeps them from getting tangled and allows them to recover from "cable memory".
As to cleaning, I sometimes use Formula 409 with a damp rag.
Cheers
I usually recommend wrapping cables loosely, and allowing the cable to coil itself as you make a 1ft. loop. This keeps them from getting tangled and allows them to recover from "cable memory".
As to cleaning, I sometimes use Formula 409 with a damp rag.
Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.
- Nick Sevilla
- on a wing and a prayer
- Posts: 5555
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
- Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
- Contact:
Well, you want to wipe all the 409 off, as it is not a rubber preservative.vvv wrote:Yeah, I'm thinkin' the cable caddy things might not be good for the cords as the could get kinks at the contact points.
Will 409 preserve the rubber? I mean, i know there's crap you can by for pinch rollers, and we use to use tranny fluid on car hoses and lines ...
And as tot eh other stuff, I would also not use it. Unless you want that all over your hands and floor each time you use the cables.
And, once the cables do die, just keep the connectors from the old cables, and use new Mogami or similar. If you do not have the pinouts, just cut a few inches of the old cable before rewiring, open it up and write down how it was connected.
Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.
-
- re-cappin' neve
- Posts: 602
- Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:45 pm
- Location: Sunny Tucson
Re: Cable Care
Always hand-wrap cables.vvv wrote:Also, with new mic cables I use a cable-wrap holder-thing, like a big plastic "H" where the middle bar is thick and the legs short, to wrap the cables. Izzat a good or bad idear with old rubber?
Always.
If you're so concerned, why not just replace the wire? solder the connectors to a new cable.
-a
"On the internet, nobody can hear you mix a band."
- Snarl 12/8
- cryogenically thawing
- Posts: 3510
- Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 5:01 pm
- Location: Right Cheer
- Contact:
I've always sworn by my cable coiling technique and I have the 30 year old working cables to prove it. But I kinda think the most important aspect of my technique is that I always wrap them the same way. If I was twisting them one way and then the other every time I wrapped them, I'm guessing they probably wouldn't have made it to 30.
It's funny on how internet posts can seem confrontational or condescending without intent, eh?
And by the nature of the thing, the responder makes assumptions ...
I got a minnit, so I'll explain the un-necessary.
First, I know how to coil cables - I worked in the construction industry for some years (carpenters, etc., use long extension cords), been a do-it-yerselfer (ask my ex, who knows in so many ways ) for years, played in bands for years. Even now, every jam session I break down eight 25' mic cords (I like the caddy for that - mostly because it's easier on the drummer, when he helps.)
What I have is two old mic's with Ampherol cables, what are a pain in the arse to connect/unconnect.
My thought, then, was to leave 'em on the cables (at least the MD421n - what I love!) and so I needed a way to keep the cable connected to the snake on one end, the mic on the other, and with the cable organized outta the way. I was gonna use the above-pictured thing, hung onna hook ...
And yes, I could replace the cable - surprise, I can solder, also! - but these work just fine, and they are the originals, and so I think they're, eh, sexy in place.
Paz, amor y los drogas!
And by the nature of the thing, the responder makes assumptions ...
I got a minnit, so I'll explain the un-necessary.
First, I know how to coil cables - I worked in the construction industry for some years (carpenters, etc., use long extension cords), been a do-it-yerselfer (ask my ex, who knows in so many ways ) for years, played in bands for years. Even now, every jam session I break down eight 25' mic cords (I like the caddy for that - mostly because it's easier on the drummer, when he helps.)
What I have is two old mic's with Ampherol cables, what are a pain in the arse to connect/unconnect.
My thought, then, was to leave 'em on the cables (at least the MD421n - what I love!) and so I needed a way to keep the cable connected to the snake on one end, the mic on the other, and with the cable organized outta the way. I was gonna use the above-pictured thing, hung onna hook ...
And yes, I could replace the cable - surprise, I can solder, also! - but these work just fine, and they are the originals, and so I think they're, eh, sexy in place.
Paz, amor y los drogas!
- Snarl 12/8
- cryogenically thawing
- Posts: 3510
- Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 5:01 pm
- Location: Right Cheer
- Contact:
- Scodiddly
- genitals didn't survive the freeze
- Posts: 3957
- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 6:38 am
- Location: Mundelein, IL, USA
- Contact:
If you want to keep a long old cable attached to the microphone, maybe just dedicate a drawer or a flat box to it. Put a little padding in the corner for the mic, then coil (over-under) the rest in with it.
Nice sales tool for tweaky customers, too. I'm going to use my *special* microphone and cable...
Nice sales tool for tweaky customers, too. I'm going to use my *special* microphone and cable...
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 80 guests