In The Lead

[jps]

In the mid '80s Stereophile magazine held it's first High End Hi Fi show in Santa Monica. I went with a friend of mine and we had a blast there. We got to meet and talk with folks like David Manley, John Curl, John Eargle and Saul Marantz. While at the Monster Cable room we heard a conversation with Noel Lee and a showgoer that went something like this, Noel was explaining their frequency balanced cable design wherein the cable had multiple sections with different gauge wire that acted like a crossover; the lows went through one set, the mids another and the highs through the smallest diameter set of wires. The showgoer, being very witty and astute asked Noel: So, let me get this straight, only the individual frequency bands go through specific gauge wires, right? Yes, replies Noel. So the showgoer asked Noel to do a demonstration for him: pull out two strands of the high frequency wires and hold on to them with each hand while the other ends are inserted into an AC outlet. Of course, we all know that AC is low frequency, at 60Hz, so it should not travel up the high frequency wires, right? Needless to say, Noel was not interested in performing such a demo for everyone in the room!

[BlueAngel]

In the mid '80s Stereophile magazine held it's first High End Hi Fi show in Santa Monica. I went with a friend of mine and we had a blast there. We got to meet and talk with folks like David Manley, John Curl, John Eargle and Saul Marantz. While at the Monster Cable room we heard a conversation with Noel Lee and a showgoer that went something like this, Noel was explaining their frequency balanced cable design wherein the cable had multiple sections with different gauge wire that acted like a crossover; the lows went through one set, the mids another and the highs through the smallest diameter set of wires. The showgoer, being very witty and astute asked Noel: So, let me get this straight, only the individual frequency bands go through specific gauge wires, right? Yes, replies Noel. So the showgoer asked Noel to do a demonstration for him: pull out two strands of the high frequency wires and hold on to them with each hand while the other ends are inserted into an AC outlet. Of course, we all know that AC is low frequency, at 60Hz, so it should not travel up the high frequency wires, right? Needless to say, Noel was not interested in performing such a demo for everyone in the room!

That's brilliant...!

(Now cleaning coffee off the screen .)

[longhouse]

For the last year I've been using Mogami cables for my live set-up (though they are interrupted by the Boss patch cords on my pedal board). Previously everything was George L's. Ultimately the Georgies sounded high def. clean, but they are still and unmanageable on stage; they also yelp like dogs when you step on them!

The Mogamis may not yield the high end detail of the Georgies, but they come close.

Oh, when I need a third cable, I reach for a Pro Co Excalibur.

[rickenbrother]

I bought a few D'Addario Planet Waves cables when they were introduced several years ago. I haven't had to buy cables again since then. The signal going through them sounds great and seem to be holding up very well. I think I'll only have to replace them if I lose them.

[cjj]

I have to say, I really like the Planet Waves cable with the little bayonet fingers on the ground ring. I've always thought the ground connection on 1/4 inch plugs was the weak point and this cable fixes that. Nice tight fit and no static when you move around.

[whojamfan]

I used the Spectraflex 25 footers for a number of years. This allowed me to move all over a big stage without going wireless. The cables never went out on me, but were a little stiff. I don't need cables that long anymore, so I mainly use those Vox cables with the blue plastic box ends(look really cool with a Rick) for dinkin' around the house, as well as some very soft Ernie Ball cables. When recording, I use a 6 foot Spectraflex cable I've had for years as well.

Anybody here who has used both the Spectraflex and Horizon cables, could you provide a comparison of their experiences?

[fireglo67]

I was using a couple of Vox cables.
But they got mashed at a recent gig so I just used a couple of 'cheapy' cables to get me through, and man was the sound different (inferior)!
So I went out and bought a couple of the Elixir cables. They are a bit stiff, but those jacks definitely aren't coming out during any amount of onstage over exhuberance, and the sound is wonderful.
I particularly notice a difference when using a fairly clean tone through the Janglebox. Marvellous!
I wouldn't use anything else now.

[eatswodo]

I've got a bunch of Planet Waves cables, which have lasted very well. They're nicely constructed, and reasonably priced - not the cheapest, not the most expensive - and have never given me a moment's trouble. The oldest one is one of the 'Circuit Breaker' models - at least 7 years old now, and still going strong.