# What brand cables do you use between audio interface and monitors?



## dman007 (Jul 13, 2020)

What brand of balanced cables do you use between your audio interface and monitors? 

Any Mogami users in the UK ? 

Interested in any recommendations


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## VladK (Jul 13, 2020)

I am not in the UK, but use Mogami Gold - XLR, TR and TRS (straight and right angle) - almost exclusively for all my audio connection needs (microphones, instruments, monitors) for years. No single issue yet. I now don't look for other brands if I can find Mogami with connectors I need.


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## chrisr (Jul 13, 2020)

Generally the engineers/studios I've worked at have generally picked up Van Damme reels for building their various studio cables. It's something that I've never really questioned - I mean - I've never heard a colleague express dissatisfaction with them. I expect Mogami are just as good though. I'm probably not the best person to make a recommendation as I've always assumed van damme to be 'good enough' and never really questioned it. Guess I'm just mentioning it on the off-chance that you don't know the brand.


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## Symfoniq (Jul 13, 2020)

Kopul.


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## Sunny Schramm (Jul 13, 2020)

Nothing special - just two standard 3 meter klotz-cables (6,3mm symmetrical/stereo jack to XLR) for about 15€ each.


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## wst3 (Jul 14, 2020)

My favorite is Gotham Audio cable with Neutrik connectors - the shield on the Gotham cable is so easy to work with. After that I usually select from Canare, Belden, and Mogami, and yes, the choice comes down to the cost per foot - call me shallow!

Where I do find differences (albeit very small differences) is cable geometry. I don't enjoy working with Star-Quad cable, but it does seem to help with noise immunity for microphone cables. I can't hear, or measure, a difference for line level signals.

For loudspeaker level signals (yes, I still have a couple pairs of passive monitors, oh the shame!) I use coat hangers! No, not really, I use a heavy gauge (certainly no smaller than AWG#14) twisted pair, it's been so long since I had to build loudspeaker cables that I don't even remember the brand. I've tried lots of different cables for loudspeakers and the two factors that seem to matter are gauge and twist. I do like the cables with the clear overall jackets, but that's just cause they look cool<G>!

If you are not interested in building your own cables then I think you'll be fine if you stick with known brands such as Mogami, Canare, Belden, Gotham, Neutrik, and Switchcraft.

There is one "budget" cable manufacturer that uses really high quality cables and connectors, and their build quality is outstanding and their prices make no sense - I can buy them for less than I can make them! And I have started to use their cables for everything except microphone cables, they don't have a star quad cable (yet?).

For the life of me I can not remember who it is right now. It will probably pop up shortly after I hit "send", I'll update the thread when I remember.

I'm happy to keep my cable construction chops from getting rusty, but I'm also happy to save the time (and money). Besides, I got a LOT of practice making up DMX cables earlier this year (BP - before the pandemic).


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## Rory (Jul 14, 2020)

One of the two major New York location sound houses makes all of my cables for recording, timecode and monitors. They use Neutrik connectors and the cables are well made, but I’ve never asked them whose cable they use. The cables are solid and the resulting sound is fine, which is all I care about.


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## wst3 (Jul 14, 2020)

BINGO!

My first priority is audio quality, the differences between cables in this category are small. Unless you buy really cheap, poorly made cables, but they show themselves quickly enough.

My second priority is reliability, nuff said. As above.

My third priority is ease of handling when I'm making or repairing them. Of course when I am making or repairing them I always mean to bump this back up to first. Never happens. And realistically I spend very little time making or repairing cables, so it's ok.


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## patrick76 (Jul 14, 2020)

Mogami. I haven't tried the more esoteric stuff, but I would be interested in hearing to see what differences I could hear.


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## chillbot (Jul 14, 2020)

AmazonBasics™


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## JPQ (Jul 14, 2020)

Cordial soon i think now some cheap? coloured cables. but beerweemn synths and audio interface mainly cordial now.


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## gsilbers (Jul 14, 2020)

Cheapest cables.


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## JohnG (Jul 14, 2020)

gsilbers said:


> Cheapest cables.



I used to deride anyone who used anything except "cheapest cables." When I replaced my D/A converter and could finally hear what was going on, I practically fell out of my chair when I heard the difference with "nice" cables. I use Tara Labs but there are lots of good ones -- Mogami certainly excellent.


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## bill5 (Jul 14, 2020)

Interesting...I use the cheapest I can find and have heard setups with pricey cables and never heard a diff. As for reliability, I can only speak to having no issues there as well, though it's not like I'm running a pro studio.


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## JohnG (Jul 14, 2020)

I never heard any difference either, until I replaced all the other rubbish components I had -- speakers, amp, D/A converter.

Then it was like hearing for the first time. It was a big difference. Not only the cables, of course, but the whole thing. I feel I write more accurately now, especially if some (or all) of the material is not going to be replaced.


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## ryans (Jul 14, 2020)

JohnG said:


> I never heard any difference either, until I replaced all the other rubbish components I had -- speakers, amp, D/A converter.
> 
> Then it was like hearing for the first time. It was a big difference. Not only the cables, of course, but the whole thing. I feel I write more accurately now, especially if some (or all) of the material is not going to be replaced.



Nice.. the overall sound quality is only going to be as good as the weakest element in your chain.

My own experience a/b testing cables has not yielded much audible difference in terms of music quality.. but I have had interference/shielding and reliability issues with the cheaper ones..

It never made much sense to me to have expensive gear and then just totally cheap out on the cables... some of the cheap ones I've seen are just terribly made..

This is maybe not related but working in live sound nice cables are EVERYTHING. Nothing worse than crap cables that don't lie flat, wrap properly, or.. fail on you during a concert with 60,000 people and an angry band waiting.


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## Virtuoso (Jul 15, 2020)

I buy a ton of stuff from Blue Jeans Cable in Seattle. Their cables are excellent quality, delivery has always been very fast and they are very reasonably priced. They can make pretty much anything you need if you just ask - I've had loads of custom ones done.



Balanced Audio Cables at Blue Jeans Cable


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## dman007 (Jul 15, 2020)

Considering replacing mine with Mogami (from audio interface to monitors) - anyone in the UK using these?


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## wst3 (Jul 15, 2020)

TL;DR - different cables CAN sound different, if the rest of the system is up to the task of exposing the differences. The differences are subtle, and won't ruin your project!

a footnote of sorts...

there are differences between cables. Some of the differences are purely mechanical. How well manufactured is the cable itself, and how carefully are the connectors connected, both of which have more to do with reliability, but they can have an impact on perceived audio quality. So too will twist rate and geometry, both of which have a big affect on noise immunity, and maybe a lesser impact on perceived audio quality.

Total resistance is seldom an issue - within the confines of practical concerns. Capacitance can have an impact, depending on the source and input impedances of the devices on either end. And again these can affect both noise immunity and perceived audio quality.

Of lesser concern would be factors like the number and guage of strands, and the materials used for the jackets, both of which will be determining factors in the impedance of the cable, and specifically the capacitance.

Analog cables seldom care much about characteristic impedance, you need a really long cable for that to become a factor. It is, however, an important factor for digital audio signals.

Finally, signal levels matter! They will have a direct relationship to the S/N ratio, and a less obvious impact on perceived audio quality.

So what is it about perceived audio quality?????

Once upon a time I was very skeptical about all things audio. I mean why would someone spend more than $100 on a microphone? I later learned that the reason I could not answer that question was because all I knew was the Shure SM57/58. Once I had a chance to use a "high end" microphone (in my case a U-67) I understood. Different tools for different applications, and there are very real, very audible differences between microphones.

It took a little longer to find out that there are audible differences between cables. The differences are most obvious with microphone cables, and these differences become more difficult to spot as signal level increases in amplitude. I guess that makes sense.

The two most important things to remember are:
1) the weak link in any system is the limiting factor. If you have a noisy room or crappy loudspeakers you aren't going the hear the subtle differences between cables.
2) every component in a system matters, and yes, that includes the cables.

I guess that's really one rule?

Many (MANY) years ago I was invited to attend a cable shootout during an AES convention. The shootout was, out of necessity, held off site at a local studio. (This was the days of analog, which may or may not be a factor, I tend to think not.)

A piano, a guitar, a small collection of hand percussion toys, and a singer were set up in the studio. Each was provided a "typical" microphone or two. The microphones were patched into outboard microphone preamplifiers (odd for the time) as well as the console. The preamplifiers and console were covered with cloaks so we would not be influenced by preconceived notions. A variety of cables were run from the control room to the studio, each was the same length (give or take an inch), and they were separated as much as possible. The control room was well designed, and very quiet.

Each source was tested with each cable, and we listened to one source at a time. The time to swap cables was kept to a minimum, but it was not zero. This was a concern, but it turned out to be minor, the changes were sufficiently quick that memory was not a real problem - which is to say the differences, when they were audible, were pretty obvious to almost everyone in the room.

Where possible different cable constructions from the same manufacturer were compared first, and then different manufacturers of the same construction were compared. The total number of cables was kept small so that this did not become a lifetime project.

Also recall that there were not a lot of cable manufacturers in the early 1990s<G>.

The consensus was that there were differences, and the differences were more audible between different cable constructions than cable brands, but there were even differences between brands (most likely due to insulator materials, but who knows.)

Everyone agreed that the differences were not so great that we were going to run out and replace all our cables. We also pretty much agreed that the differences were application specific. For example, we might accept a slight roll-off in the upper most registers in trade for better noise immunity in a live sound setting, but in the controlled space of a studio the noise was not an issue. (again this was all analog, noise could be an issue today).

It was eye (ear?) opening that differences even existed. It was comforting that choosing the "wrong" cable wouldn't be a career ending mistake.

Just for grins, when we were finished the comparisons they threw in a cheaply made cable from a local music store. The differences were much more obvious, but even in the extreme case we didn't feel like sound quality would be the determining factor - reliability would be, and so we'd still avoid those cables.

This particular test was my introduction to Gotham Audio cables, which is my preference today, not for noise immunity or audio quality (they do just fine in both categories) but for ease of use, I find it so easy to work with their braid that the other factors are not important to me.

Last thing - that test was all about audible differences between microphone cables in a very controlled environment. I have since done experiments with cables in electrically noise environments. Cable construction is the key differentiator, and the differences are measurable, and audible. Twist rate of the conductors and the construction of the shield are the primary considerations. A braid or reussen wrap shield if superior to foil, and the differences between the braid and wrap have more to do with how the braid is constructed (ironically, the better the shielding the more difficult the braid is to work with!)

These differences are more audible with microphone level signals, but still clearly audible with line level signals. And entirely dependent on just how electrically noisy your environment is. The type of noise matters, shielding won't do anything for magnetic fields, and twisting won't help much (it at all) with RF.

Oh, and it goes without saying, none of this matters if the input stage is single-ended, or a poorly implemented balanced design.


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## Audio Birdi (Jul 15, 2020)

http://www.visiosound.co.uk/ Great prices and low-noise cables!


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## classified_the_x (Jul 15, 2020)

dman007 said:


> Considering replacing mine with Mogami (from audio interface to monitors) - anyone in the UK using these?



I use Mogami and can recommend. In the UK futureshop.co.uk for high/end USB cables and regarding OP, ProAudioLa owner recommended me these as a good cables from DAC/Interface to speakers:









Straight XLR-Female to Straight XLR-Male Cable | Made from Grimm TPR & Neutrik Gold Connectors | Pro Audio LA


Save money on custom cables at Pro Audio LA : Lifetime warranty included : Any length, configuration, or color. Get what you need : 323.319.5936



www.proaudiola.com


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## MPortmann (Jul 15, 2020)

Cardas


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## jcrosby (Jul 15, 2020)

For shits and giggles only:








Audiophiles can't tell the difference between Monster Cable and coat hangers | Engadget


We've always believed that the perceived quality boost that comes from using high-end cables is really just a trick of the mind (read: justifying the ridiculous cost of premium cables to yourself) -- if you've dropped enough cash, you can probably hear anything you want.




www.engadget.com


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## JohnG (Jul 15, 2020)

I used to think that too. 

Anybody can hear the difference but not until you upgrade everything else. Then it's clear as day.


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## NoOneKnowsAnything (Jul 15, 2020)

jcrosby said:


> For shits and giggles only:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My window unit a/c is so loud anyway I just don’t think it matters in my attic studio. I use Monoprice Premier series Gold connectors 16AWG balanced cables, which you can get direct from Monoprice cheaper than any other competitor and these are very good cables. Does Mogami make better cables, yes if you buy the even more expensive 4 conductor shielded ones, which other companies make too not just Mogami. Too many years playing drums, listening to loud headphones and playing music too loud has made me not the person to ask about this question since if I did a coke Pepsi comparison I may not notice the difference sadly.


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## classified_the_x (Jul 15, 2020)

NoOneKnowsAnything said:


> My window unit a/c is so loud anyway I just don’t think it matters in my attic studio. I use Monoprice Premier series Gold connectors 16AWG balanced cables, which you can get direct from Monoprice cheaper than any other competitor and these are very good cables. Does Mogami make better cables, yes if you buy the even more expensive 4 conductor shielded ones, which other companies make too not just Mogami. Too many years playing drums, listening to loud headphones and playing music too loud has made me not the person to ask about this question since if I did a coke Pepsi comparison I may not notice the difference sadly.



well, if you use for instance hardware synthesizers and you don't have a top end interface like Lynx or Apogee, better cables such as Mogami will simply deliver a much louder and clearer signal out of the box for you.

doesnt't have to be a connoisseur or audiophile to hear that. makes less difference when you have a Lynx or Apollo but still signal is louder and clearer. when connecting to speakers, less noise and better shield, so even if you don't hear a difference, less headaches

it's a silly discussion to be honest, just outright cheap getting bad cables


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## NoOneKnowsAnything (Jul 15, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> well, if you use for instance hardware synthesizers and you don't have a top end interface like Lynx or Apogee, better cables such as Mogami will simply deliver a much louder and clearer signal out of the box for you.
> 
> doesnt't have to be a connoisseur or audiophile to hear that. makes less difference when you have a Lynx or Apollo but still signal is louder and clearer. when connecting to speakers, less noise and better shield, so even if you don't hear a difference, less headaches
> 
> it's a silly discussion to be honest, just outright cheap getting bad cables


I don’t disagree with you but I’d rather not spend $850 on cables and that would bear minimum because it’s not like I only need two cables.


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## classified_the_x (Jul 15, 2020)

NoOneKnowsAnything said:


> I don’t disagree with you but I’d rather not spend $850 on cables and that would bear minimum because it’s not like I only need two cables.



I don't have it all on Mogami, I found a local brand here where I live that makes decent cables on the cheap. Thing is, you can't settle at the first cable you encounter.

Many ppl spend thousands on synths, WS and never listen them to full potential due to bad interfaces or bad cabling, or both. doesn't make sense... preamps and converters are really hard to find well implemented


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## NoOneKnowsAnything (Jul 15, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> I don't have it all on Mogami, I found a local brand here where I live that makes decent cables on the cheap. Thing is, you can't settle at the first cable you encounter.
> 
> Many ppl spend thousands on synths, WS and never listen them to full potential due to bad interfaces or bad cabling, or both. doesn't make sense... preamps and converters are really hard to find well implemented


If I ever get the cash I will definitely buy better cables. The ones I have are decent but I know there’s better out there.


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## chillbot (Jul 15, 2020)

Complaining about price of cables in this thread is going to make me go into "back in my day" mode so fast. Pre-digital, pre-Midi-over-LAN, multiple patchbays, etc. Some of you need like 6 or 8 cables to wire your whole studio. At one point I counted 900 cables to wire my home studio. Buy a good cable, it does matter. You don't necessarily need Mogami, the ProCo cables that sweetwater sells are a decent mid-range cable at a decent mid-range price.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 16, 2020)

JohnG said:


> I used to think that too.
> 
> Anybody can hear the difference but not until you upgrade everything else. Then it's clear as day.



Yeah, I sprung for Tara Labs cables between my interface and main speakers (Blue Sky System One). The one going to my sub is probably silly, but I bought them all at the same time.

You can definitely hear the difference. I was writing a lot of audio equipment reviews at that time, so it was important to take care of every detail.

And today I have an embarrassing spaghetti of cables that needs cleaning up...


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## GNP (Jul 16, 2020)

As long as they're not that noisy, I'm fine.

I definitely try to focus on the music I'm creating instead, but hey that's just me


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## gsilbers (Jul 16, 2020)

I think a lot of poeple here are still going by some old standards...










Debunking myths about audio cables


Don't get swindled at the checkout counter—buying cables that work for your home or personal audio doesn't mean spending a lot.



www.soundguys.com













Are Expensive Speaker Cables Actually Worth It? Here’s What You Need to Know


It is a question as old as stereos: how much do the cables in your system affect the sound?




www.gearpatrol.com






Cheap cables noawayds doesnt necesary mean bad any more. All these companies have been copying high end stuff for years and selling them at more than half the price. why do you think there is a new millionair in china every month? they just copy the hard work from monster etc and sell them.
there you have amazon basics, and lower price sweet water stuff... are those "bad" with so many good reviews? do those reviewer know anything?! fake news for sure right?

same deal with neuman mics vs warm audio/peluso/stam audio.
same deal with Behringer vs RME vs UAD vs audient..

All these companies know who is making good stuff.. they copy it and sell it for half the price. no marketing, no R&D.. no overheads and made in countries very low wages. like china who makes iphones.
but cant make good audio cables at half the price as monster cables?!

y'all better catch up ... (says the a hole in the group going against the grain)


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## BassClef (Jul 16, 2020)

Mogami, but not sure I could tell a difference if I used a cheaper pair.


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## rhizomusicosmos (Jul 16, 2020)

Generally I use Canare L-4E6S for balanced line and microphone level signals with Neutrik XX, Amphenol AX or Canare connectors (depending on type, price and availability at the time).

http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDisplay.aspx?productItemID=53http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDisplay.aspx?productItemID=3


https://www.neutrik.com/en/neutrik/products/xlr-connectors/xlr-cable-connectors/xx-series?c=audio








AX Series - [email protected]


The revolutionary AX series of XLR connectors introduce an exciting contemporary look and feel to the professional audio interconnect market. They are designed to complement modern audio architecture and truly “fit” within their environment. An impressive list of features guarantees pure sound...



www.amphenolaudio.com


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## dman007 (Jul 23, 2020)

Anyone using Vovox ?


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## macmac (Jul 23, 2020)

Custom made Mogami.


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## Marsen (Jul 23, 2020)

Cordial here


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## LinusW (Jul 23, 2020)

Balanced cable by Cordial and using Neutrik connectors, CFM MV





CFM MV







www.cordial-cables.com


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## zvenx (Jul 23, 2020)

I use to think cable schmables, until I did a test with Hosa, ProCo and Mogami cables a few years ago. I then slowly changed everything over to Mogami cables and use nothing else (for any important purpose anyway).
I suck at soldering so I usually get custom cables put together from redco.com but with mogami cables and neutrik connectors.
rsp


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