Mic Cables Gone Bad

shadyru · 23rd January 2009

How can you tell usually if a mic cable has gone bad? It's mogami cable that might have had a heavy table leg squish a certain section. It seems every mic I plug this one cable into there is a harsh brittle tone to it. IS that usually the sympom of a bad cable??

mikeyr4444 · 23rd January 2009

I'd break out the wirecutters and iron, then your cable's not bad, just now a good bit shorter.

owel · 23rd January 2009

Maybe you're just imagining it? <crushed cable = brittle tone>

If one of the pair of wires broke, then you won't have a balanced connection anymore and CMRR of the preamp will suffer. Most likely, you'll notice hum or the cable's susceptibility to noise/hum.

Use a tester to check for continuity/resistance.

aussie_techie · 23rd January 2009

how do you tell? test and listen

get a cable tester or a multimeter and make sure all conductors test fine and none cross.
listen to cable without a mic and plenty of gain, can you hear anything as you move the cable?
next listen to the cable terminated with something that wont add any noise.

if the cable its self is adding noise then something is wrong, cut out the damaged section if you know where it is.

23rd January 2009	#1
shadyru Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 646 Thread Starter	Mic Cables Gone Bad How can you tell usually if a mic cable has gone bad? It's mogami cable that might have had a heavy table leg squish a certain section. It seems every mic I plug this one cable into there is a harsh brittle tone to it. IS that usually the sympom of a bad cable??

23rd January 2009	#3
owel Gear maniac Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 208	Maybe you're just imagining it? <crushed cable = brittle tone> If one of the pair of wires broke, then you won't have a balanced connection anymore and CMRR of the preamp will suffer. Most likely, you'll notice hum or the cable's susceptibility to noise/hum. Use a tester to check for continuity/resistance. __________________ Visit us on facebook.com/fivefishaudio

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23rd January 2009	#2
mikeyr4444 Gear maniac Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 230	I'd break out the wirecutters and iron, then your cable's not bad, just now a good bit shorter.

23rd January 2009	#4
aussie_techie Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 2,709	how do you tell? test and listen get a cable tester or a multimeter and make sure all conductors test fine and none cross. listen to cable without a mic and plenty of gain, can you hear anything as you move the cable? next listen to the cable terminated with something that wont add any noise. if the cable its self is adding noise then something is wrong, cut out the damaged section if you know where it is.