how can I build a stereo mic cable ?

[willi1203]

Hello
All in the title.
I'd like to build stereo mic cable to use with stereo pairs. It would be cool not to have plenty of cables on the stage (I record classical concerts).

Should I use quad mic cable ?? Do 2 ways snakes exist ?

I own mogami 2549 standard mic cables.
Thanks

william

[XLR]

Yes, there are snakes for two lines.

You could have a look at Gotham Audio (gotham.ch)
http://http://www.gotham.ch/products...h/gacprice.htm

They also have sophisticated qualities like their "Quad" model (2x2 per line).
May be worth to call Hr. Ammann, he knows what's best from his offers.

[liuto]

I use Sommercable Quantum Highflex 2pair multicore as a stereocable. It is quite flexible at a diameter of 8,5mm and cheap here:

SOMMER CABLE QUANTUM HIGHFLEX MULTIPAIR 2

the downside is that the jacket of the single pairs is rather thin and I am not sure if they might break after heavy use. Schoeps uses Quad cable for their stereocables. They use them with 5pin XLR that need an adapter to 5 to 3 pin on every side which gives you a lot of unnecessary contact surfaces and cables to carry around. I thought about quad cable too, but you need to solve the problem with mounting the connectors somehow. Using the naked pairs is impossible. As they are too delicate you have to cover them with heat shrinking material (stiff).
As you are in Switzerland you might try the Gotham GAC-2pair round which seems to be a very nice cable at 8,2mm diameter.

Gotham Homepage

regards
Hermann

[thenewyear]

I have two hand built stereo cable drums with Mogami 3106 which is brilliant. These drums look brilliant and are handy while rigging and an absolute godsend when de-rigging.

I am quite proud of them so if anyone wants to see some pictures I'll post them up.

[liuto]

Originally Posted by thenewyear

I am quite proud of them so if anyone wants to see some pictures I'll post them up.

Yes, pleaaase

[chadly]

Quad works really well. I use 5pin xlr on the ends, then have breakouts. Super easy!

Originally Posted by willi1203

Hello
All in the title.
I'd like to build stereo mic cable to use with stereo pairs. It would be cool not to have plenty of cables on the stage (I record classical concerts).

Should I use quad mic cable ?? Do 2 ways snakes exist ?

I own mogami 2549 standard mic cables.
Thanks

william

[XLR]

Hermann,

do You think this is also too flimsy for 3-pin XLR
or a little more 'rugged' than the one that Schoeps use?
But anyway I think they don't have it as 2 lines, only one or 4 and more lines

Gotham Audio Cables

[XLR]

Sorry,

that link to the page doesn't work.
I refered to this cable:

11001 GAC-4/1

[ghellquist]

The Gotham GAC 4/1 works beautifully. I have several, length from 10 to 30 meters, that I use with stereo mics. 5 pole Neutriks at the ends and breakouts. Never a problem with the cables, very good quality.

The longer they are though, the more prone they are to end up in tangles. I have adopted the "over/under" technique and generally have no trouble, but sometimes people "help" in coiling them up and the result is often spagetti.

Gunnar

[Remoteness]

Mogami makes a W2930 which is a 2 channel snake cable.
Each pair is individually sheilded with numbered jackets.
25 gauge conductors with a drain wire.

[poncival]

Gepco makes some 2 channel snakes that have sturdy inside insulation

[liuto]

Originally Posted by XLR

Hermann,

do You think this is also too flimsy for 3-pin XLR
or a little more 'rugged' than the one that Schoeps use?
But anyway I think they don't have it as 2 lines, only one or 4 and more lines

Gotham Audio Cables

Hi Mailin,
I think it is as useable for a stereocable as the Schoeps (don't know it's diameter). The problem is only with mounting the XLR 3pin as the pairs don't have a dedicated jacket. With Quad cables you always have to make a pair jacket out of heat shrink tubes and you have to deal somehow with the shield which must be divided for two pairs which is rather unpractical. The best solution would be mounting one XLR 5pin at each end and use adapters.

Quad cable: positively thin, light and flexible, working nicely only with 5pin XLR and 2 adapters 5 to 3 pin.
2pair snake: thicker, heavier and less flexible, easier (though not perfect due to small pairs) to terminate with XLR 3pin, no adapters needed.

Regards Hermann

[phil.]

Originally Posted by thenewyear

I am quite proud of them so if anyone wants to see some pictures I'll post them up.

Yes, please!!


Also look here. Canare multichannel star quad microphone cable:

http://www.canare.com/index.cfm?obje...117A19C7041546

Best,

Phil.

[liuto]

Originally Posted by ghellquist

I have adopted the "over/under" technique and generally have no trouble, but sometimes people "help" in coiling them up and the result is often spagetti.

Gunnar

That's the reason why nobody is allowed to help me after a gig except for one friend who has passed my demanding acceptance criteria for coiling my cables up. He happens to be my favorite Viola da gamba player also With most other friendly helpers I had to uncoil the cables again and repeat the job.

Regards
Hermann

[thenewyear]

These are my stereo cable drums. Made with Mogami 3106 (the stereo version of 2549), Neutrik XLRs and a few wee rubber grommets.

The longer one is about 80 metres long which is usually enough for me to get a pair from all but the largest of the venues I regularly work in, into an adjacent control room.

They stack securely which is really handy for neatness on location.

The de-rigging is the very best bit though. So long as I run the cable through one hand to keep it flat as I am reeling it in I can easily coil 80metres of cable in well under a minute and even my assistant struggles to make a mess of it!

Even if I am not running two pairs I regularly use the other one for talkback and cue light because it is just so much more convenient than running individual cables.

[Remoteness]

Sweet, those reels look awesome.

We used a variety of reels (In all sizes) in the past for sub snakes, XLRs and such.
The crew didn't like dealing with them so they we left behind.
I sold most of them to a local SR company.

I believe they did not like the weight and handling issues.
Sometimes we could not roll the cable up where the reel ended up and visa versa.
I liked the concept, but they didn't -- They won the battle.

Damn, look at that old Revox 2 track....

When was that last time you fired that puppy up?