GLS Audio bulk mic cable ... super cheap

[ricercar.record]

has anyone had any experience with GLS Audio's bulk microphone cable. 300 ft for $ 60....
seems like too crazy of a deal for it to be high quality but who knows? I need to buy some bulk cable to make some mic cables in the near future, also need to buy snake cable to build a 16 ch trs to xlr snake.

I have used Redco before, usually buy Canare or Mogami, and I know about Markertek, Audiopile, Monoprice, etc.
so really just researching around for the best bang for the buck. Thanks.

[Peterson Goodwyn]

If it's for installation sound, it's probably fine. If it's for the studio or the stage, I would recommend something quad-core with a woven shield. I just hate working with bulky cable that doesn't bend well. And Canare's quad core is what, $.50/foot?

[KoffeeKommando]

Anything good is a buck a foot pretty much.
I made up some Canare cables...didn't like them very much sound wise.
Especially the guitar cable, poor "clarity". Mogami always sounded better to me (but can seem "bassy" or "muddy" depending).
Mogami mic cable was always good.


Studio?

Gotham GAC-3 with dual Neutrik EMC XLR ends.
Cables built like that are pricey. I do them myself.
Lowest noise. A friend and I tested it.

I also like Gotham GAC-2111 (Reissue EMT-2111 cable):
http://www.studioelectronics.biz/sunsho ... ail&p=1453

It's super thin and has polyurethane jacket. Indestructible.
I made a large custom snake cable with it. Very nice stuff.
Almost impossible to strip unless you have the sharpest, newest strippers.
Flexible like spaghetti and "springy".

Both of those "sound" extremely neutral and are quiet.
For critical stuff they are my personal choice. But pricey.

Gotham's newer guitar cable is good...pretty neutral...but low output.
So, all cable brands can have hits and misses in the line.



On the cheaper end...but *very* interesting is Gepco X-Band:

XB401 (.56 a foot 24 ga.)
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/251389.html


XB201M (.92 a foot 22ga.)
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/251389.html
They discount greatly when you buy over 50 ft. Like .60 a foot for 100 feet. Might be a winner there.


There is also an XB201DBM (double braid):
http://www.gepco.com/products/proav_cab ... raid_F.htm

Gepco stuff might be good to check into. It has foamed dielectric and low capacitance. Double braid should be pretty tough.
I'm going to have to get some and try it out.
Full Compass says 30 feet in stock. Must be popular.

Redco carries it too. XB201M is .62 a foot there, XB201DBM is .88 a foot.

Some thoughts for you....

[Peterson Goodwyn]

I made up some Canare cables...didn't like them very much sound wise.
Especially the guitar cable, poor "clarity". Mogami always sounded better to me (but can seem "bassy" or "muddy" depending).

Interesting, did you do any double-blind testing? We are all susceptible to "hearing" that extra $.50 per foot.

[KoffeeKommando]

Notice the "quotes".
Not gonna go into all that stuff here on Tape Op. You know what the deal is.
Except for guitar cables. If you don't notice the difference between them (due to reacting with the pickups) you might be deaf from playing too loud.

Anyway, some cables also have better physical properties. Tougher, easier to cut/strip. Some reject noise better. Cheap stuff fails on many counts.

Good stuff is between .60 and .90 a foot. Everybody has to deal with that.
If it costs any more, it's a scam. Pretty simple

[kslight]

I've never sat and done head to head sound comparisons, but I have had good luck with EWI quad core for general mic cables, as well as Flexygy flat 8ch for snakes and their basic cable for mic cords... I also get Amphenol 1/4" connectors and Neutrik XLR when on sale at Haveinc.com. Save a bundle that way, and no issues. Buy a reel and get quantity discounts on connectors whenever possible.

[KoffeeKommando]

My friend and I did some "common sense scientific" tests using a piece of gear he had.

The Gotham GAC-3 mic cable had the lowest amount of "noise". It was "measurable" compared to the 4 other cables we had. All were self built with same connectors.

It does have an extra conductor inside. 3 wires plus double spiral shield. It's not expensive.

I have come across mic cables that actually "sounded" different. I'm sure most people would find the same thing if they tested a few different brands.
Normally the difference is pretty hard to hear. But some can grossly suck.
Give those away to your local live music venue.



If you start with guitar cables...the differences can be night and day.
Plug in a bass with a George L's...then try a Mogami.
There's your night and day.

The George L's cuts the bass quite a bit...the Mogami allows for full on deep bass.

Then try with a guitar...using high gain, talking rock/metal. The George L's is "mid boosted" with "grainy" highs. The Mogami sounds "clearer" than GL's but still slightly "muffled" like cotton in the ears.
Then use a Gotham GAC-1 "ultra pro" cable. The tone balance is correct...but the output of the guitar is diminished a bit. Kind of sucks because of that. Don't know if some magic expensive brand would be like the GAC-1, yet with full output? I'd like to find it.

It's like changing the tone knob on the guitar radically with some brands. Each one is changing the "EQ" so to speak. This can be expected with guitar loads. Sometimes it works out and is the "effect" you are looking for with your particular rig.


What really flips me out is the audiophile stereo guys. They use cables *as* EQ (especially speaker cable)on an everyday basis. Because they are afraid of tone knobs or graphic EQ's in the signal path. Now that's where I draw the line


Now here is an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJogAziM ... re=related

These are the type of sound differences you can hear (with guitar).
Try it yourself sometime. Especially with high gain.
The bad? All in the video are the same brand of cable. So basically the company is showing you how some of their cable "sucks". At least that's what I get out of it. So, take their "best sounding" one...then find a cheap brand that "sounds" the same *to you*. You just saved a lot of cash.

With mic cable...all bets are somewhat off unless you find a very obviously "bad" sounding brand. Or a brand that can't reject outside interference well.

[McPorkChoppy]

I bought that 300ft GLS and so far no complaints. It's a little rubbery to the touch, and stretches. Using it for mic cables at a venue and no complaints, actually wraps up better than I thought it would.
I'd say it's mid grade. Theres definitely worse cable out there, and also much better.

My advice would be to buy solid Neutrik xlr ends .(nc3mxx / nc3fxx). Rather than cheap crap.. 90% of the time the connectors are what breaks, not the cable.

For what it's worth heres a photo of it spliced open.

[KoffeeKommando]

Ughh....def. cheap cable. The cottony stuff inside gives it away.
And the skimpy copper shield. Looks like not much real copper inside.

I guess it would be fine for cables you *know* are going to get destroyed.

Look at that Gepco X-Band....and the Gotham/Mogami stuff. Lotsa copper inside. That's what you pay for.

Gepco has foamed PE liner. That's about the best you can get. All the Canare heavy duty broadcast video cable has it too. So does a lot of Belden I believe.

[McPorkChoppy]

Yeah, you get what you pay for..

Kommando that youtube clip you posted is nuts. Have you come across similar videos involving microphones into preamps?

[KoffeeKommando]

Nope. I found that clip this morning while typing in this thread.

It was the only one that showed what I've "heard" when doing cable shootouts. Like I said, you notice cables way more with guitar.
Also, my main guitar is active EMG's with dual batteries (18v).
Very different than most guitars. It shows some stuff glaringly.
But, I've tested different cables with many different guitarists and their amps. Always get the same rough results.

Now mic cables? That would be a tough one.
We just did some rough testing and found one that seemed to measure out "quietest" in a place that is notorious for radio interference.
Gotham GAC-3. It's a double spiral shield, lots of copper. Mogami are spiral shield too, but single layer. They might get damaged in stage use though. Spiral shields can untwist if you abuse them.

Braided shields are made to keep working no matter what. But they have "holes". That Gepco double braid shield cable looked interesting to me. Might be a good compromise in a cable. Foamed PE and double braid shield. Looks interesting. Would have to see if it "sounds" radically different when used with mics or whatnot.

Line level tests would be cool. Like with a keyboard and some measuring gear. That way the source is consistent. I still think it will be tough to hear a difference. So, mainly, I choose mic cable based on physical properties.
Lots of copper for blocking out any outside interference.
Have not done a really big "listening" test with mic cables besides the Gotham and a few others that time.

[Peterson Goodwyn]

KoffeeKommando, not to be dismissive of your experience in any way, but to my mind "rough testing" in audio is not testing. As you know, hearing follows belief, and I feel compelled to take your sonic evaluations of cable with a huge grain of salt given that they were made in a context where your beliefs could affect your perceptions.

[KoffeeKommando]

Right on!

"I reject your reality and substitute it with my own!"

[Jim Williams]

I pick wire very carefully here. Most is silver or silver plated copper. Yes, it sounds better. Where it matters the best is used. Where it doesn't matter, I use generic stuff.

All of my instruments are active. All have 200 k hz bandwidths and 200v/us slew rates. All are very low impedance outputs. In this case, generic wire like Canare G6 thin guitar cable works great, losses are avoided that occur with passive high impedance guitars and basses.

The amps are wired with silver/teflon wire insides. Yes, it also made a large difference in clarity. The mic preamp cables are pure silver Kimber AGSS as are the cables from the analog console to the ADC's. The AES and spdif cables are also pure silver Kimber AGSS. The fader wire inside the console is 26 awg solid core pure silver/teflon, yes that also made a large difference.

I don't wear jewelry, I listen through it.

[ghaines]

If you're on the west coast and shipping isn't too much this cable is fine. We use it for loaner instrument cables. Bands always "forget" and pack your instrument cables after sessions "by mistake." So, we use this cable and put out new ones when the others walk away. We put pre-printed shrink wrap at the ends so it becomes free advertising.

All of our mic and patch bay cable is Canare or Mogami. Buy it in bulk (which is still a chunk of change) but it makes it more affordable. Redco can be good to. We tried Belden, found the copper to be fine but the jacket always was the deal breaker: over shrinks under heat, hard to work with, etc...

Best,
GH