Ultra Long Cable Runs...

Lardroom · 23rd March 2008

General question...say I get a hard-on to do something absolutely ridiculous, like, I dunno...mic up an amp in the sewer tunnels that are running beneath the studio, while having the artist in the control room wailing away with the monitors blaring. Aside from the multitude of life-threatening electrical issues that might crop up of the course of such an undertaking, what sort of noise problems am I going to be dealing with once cable runs (Guitar cables and Mic cables) start to go over 50 feet? What can be done to remedy said issues? On one last and possibly unrelated note, if anyone has a Groove Tubes Brick that they'd like to part ways with as an act of charity, I would be more than happy to take it off your hands. I was broke during Christmas last year and was forced to sell mine, and I haven't had a session since where I haven't kicked myself in the balls for it.

And believe you me, kicking yourself in the balls is no mean feat. Years of yoga. My clients are always amazed when I stop mid-session and deliver a few well-placed boots to my own unit.

I'm going to stop typing now, because this post is now running the risk of rotting into complete nonsense...

x's n' o's

-Red

Kyle S · 23rd March 2008

shielding for one

tINY · 23rd March 2008

You can run most mic cables up to 200 feet without issues. Guitar cables, you start loosing the high end after about 12 feet with passive pickups.

You can use the re-amp type boxes to convert the Guitar signal to balanced and it should run about like the mic signals. Really, running a pre-amp in the control room and sending a line level to a power amp where the cabinet is is the best way to go.

-tINY

Lardroom · 24th March 2008

Rockin'. Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks again.

-Red

Mike Brown · 24th March 2008

I believe for long guitar cables you can go:

GTR > Unballanced 1/4in > Passive DI > XLR > XLR F-F turn around > Passive DI > Unballanced 1/4in > Amp

Not something I would do unless I absolutely had to.

Lardroom · 24th March 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayor999

I believe for long guitar cables you can go:

GTR > Unballanced 1/4in > Passive DI > XLR > XLR F-F turn around > Passive DI > Unballanced 1/4in > Amp

Not something I would do unless I absolutely had to.

Just curious: why not?

Jayro_Rockola · 24th March 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Red Door

say I get a hard-on to do something absolutely ridiculous, like, I dunno...mic up an amp in the sewer tunnels that are running beneath the studio, while having the artist in the control room wailing away with the monitors blaring.

Please tell me you are actually planning on doing this.

And taking photos...

23rd March 2008	#1
Lardroom Gear nut Joined: Aug 2006 Location: The Land of Bluegrass n' Bourbon Posts: 138 Thread Starter	Ultra Long Cable Runs... General question...say I get a hard-on to do something absolutely ridiculous, like, I dunno...mic up an amp in the sewer tunnels that are running beneath the studio, while having the artist in the control room wailing away with the monitors blaring. Aside from the multitude of life-threatening electrical issues that might crop up of the course of such an undertaking, what sort of noise problems am I going to be dealing with once cable runs (Guitar cables and Mic cables) start to go over 50 feet? What can be done to remedy said issues? On one last and possibly unrelated note, if anyone has a Groove Tubes Brick that they'd like to part ways with as an act of charity, I would be more than happy to take it off your hands. I was broke during Christmas last year and was forced to sell mine, and I haven't had a session since where I haven't kicked myself in the balls for it. And believe you me, kicking yourself in the balls is no mean feat. Years of yoga. My clients are always amazed when I stop mid-session and deliver a few well-placed boots to my own unit. I'm going to stop typing now, because this post is now running the risk of rotting into complete nonsense... x's n' o's -Red

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23rd March 2008	#2
Kyle S Lives for gear Joined: May 2007 Location: Tusc/Bham AL Posts: 1,158	shielding for one

23rd March 2008	#3
tINY Gear Guru Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 10,234	You can run most mic cables up to 200 feet without issues. Guitar cables, you start loosing the high end after about 12 feet with passive pickups. You can use the re-amp type boxes to convert the Guitar signal to balanced and it should run about like the mic signals. Really, running a pre-amp in the control room and sending a line level to a power amp where the cabinet is is the best way to go. -tINY

24th March 2008	#4
Lardroom Gear nut Joined: Aug 2006 Location: The Land of Bluegrass n' Bourbon Posts: 138 Thread Starter	Rockin'. Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks again. -Red

24th March 2008	#5
Mike Brown Lives for gear Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 3,188	I believe for long guitar cables you can go: GTR > Unballanced 1/4in > Passive DI > XLR > XLR F-F turn around > Passive DI > Unballanced 1/4in > Amp Not something I would do unless I absolutely had to.