Patch cables - what's a good balance of quality/affordability?

[UstadKhanAli]

I'm looking for 1.5' or 2' TS cables for my unbalanced patchbay. What's a good brand or place to get these that offer good solid audio and affordability?

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1/4in1.5/

[the stranger]

Cheapest and best quality would be to make them yourself. I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but it actually wouldn't take that long to whip some up. And plenty of solder free options exist.

Quick and easy, I'd say what you have at that link would be fine.

Do make note that I'm not a Monster™®©℗ representative, so I could be in error.

[MikeRivers]

Originally Posted by UstadKhanAli

I'm looking for 1.5' or 2' TS cables for my unbalanced patchbay. What's a good brand or place to get these that offer good solid audio and affordability?
[sweetwater.com]

Great googly moogly! $9 for a foot and a half cable? I guess that's OK if you plan to step on them a lot and yank on the wire (so you'll need to repair them - that's when the screw-cap connectors come in handy). If you're looking for something for your home studio, go with Hosa. I've never had any trouble with electrons getting from one end to the other of any of the Hosa cables I've used, and they don't break because I take care of them.

How about $15 for a pack of eight, assorted colors?

[the stranger]

Thanks Mike for making me feel a bit better. Because I'm cheap and a big pack of Hosa's is what I grabbed for my patchbays. I will say that two were defective out of the package, but otherwise I've had no troubles.

This is just the type of thing you don't admit in the SSS, unless Mike is gonna back you up.

[MikeRivers]

Originally Posted by the stranger

a big pack of Hosa's is what I grabbed for my patchbays. I will say that two were defective out of the package, but otherwise I've had no troubles.

This is just the type of thing you don't admit in the SSS, unless Mike is gonna back you up.

Although I don't see anything about it on the Hosa web site, they used to offer a 100% lifetime guarantee on their cables. A local PA company had one line in a 4-channel 1/4" snake fail after having been used nearly every night for 10 years, coiled up and tossed back in the cable box after the show. So they bought another. I reminded them of the warranty, they sent it back, and sure enough, Hosa sent them a replacement.

I'm sure they would replace the DOA cables. There's no excuse for that. But at the price, if you have to mail them back, it's probably hardly worth the postage.

[the stranger]

Yes, they are covered by replacement if defective...but, I bought like a pack of twenty-five and it just wasn't worth fretting over.

[tremolounge]

I've had good luck with Hosa over the years, too. I also like these AP Audio cables -- they're thicker (same as a typical mic cable) and a bit more flexible than the skinny Hosas. Probably no difference in quality, audio-wise.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navig...=100001+201204

[Richard King]

I ALWAYS look at Monoprice.com when looking for any cables. http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...02&cp_id=10244

[UstadKhanAli]

Originally Posted by Richard King

I ALWAYS look at Monoprice.com when looking for any cables. http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...02&cp_id=10244

These look purty good. The ones I want are out of stock until 11/23, though.

[cooterbrown]

Hosa - the adaptor gods.
I've never had any problems, with them, with the exception of a poorly-built channel switcher for guitar amps (the plastic one with the green and red buttons - not the nice metal one).

[scud133]

www.guitar-cable.com

used by Brad Paisley and the Nuge (among others). they make all types of audio cables, made right here in the land of the free!

you can also order bulk cable from them to make your own

[tremolounge]

Originally Posted by cooterbrown

Hosa - the adaptor gods.

Yeah -- they're also one of the few companies that makes an XLR patchbay, a godsend if you've got a bunch of racked preamps. We've had a couple in constant use for several years now, with no issues at all.

[Rudolf von Hagenwil]

bulk cables symmetric:

http://www.neutrik.com/ch/en/audio/s...oductlist.aspx


D-Serie connectors, Bantam and 1/4" for patch panel:

http://www.neutrik.com/ch/en/audio/2...ugs_group.aspx


Patch Panels:

http://www.neutrik.com/ch/en/audio/2...els_group.aspx

[bp]

I've used the George L stuff for long time. Easy to cut, no solder design, low profile ends, simple and incredibly quick to repair. All you need are a sharp pair of sissors and a greenie. Not the best sounding guitar cables, but for line level, they're fine.

[amplayer]

I'm sure the Hosa unbalanced cables are fine, but I once made the dumb mistake of buying a Hosa ADAT cable and it was a piece of junk.

Anyway, I'm a little surprised at the need for an unbalanced patch bay. Other than guitar amps, I don't have anything anymore that requires unbalanced I/O.

[UstadKhanAli]

I have an Akai MG1214 12-track analog machine, some odd assorted decks, the usual compressors and reverbs, mic preamps, etc. and also like to use odd pedals to bring in to Pro Tools, so I've tied 'em all together through patchbays. It's fantastic for experimentation and quick patching and doing tape transfers from the 12-track.

[Phil O'Keefe]

The Hosa patch cables work fine IMO - I've got a bunch of them, and have not had any significant issues with them.

Belden, Mogami and Canare cable, in bulk, with Switchcraft or Neutrik ends, is a viable option for the DIY folks. I have a bunch of self-made cables utilizing all of the above. I also use the Planet Waves solderless pedalboard kits (probably five or six of them due to having three rather heavily populated pedalboards) and they work fine and sound great too... but I'm not so sure I'd want to go with any of the solderless cable designs for patchbay cables since they get "stressed" a lot with constant patching, unpatching and repatching. They might be fine for that, but I'd be wary until I tried it for a while first. Maybe I'll make one and give it a go for a while and see how it does...

Cheap, cheerful and easy? Just get a pack of the Hosas. They're available darned near everywhere, and they will probably be just fine for you Ken.

[Beck]

I still make most of my own cables... since I was a teen with Belden and later Canare cable. But I felt lazy one day and bought two Hosa 8-channel RCA snakes. They are well made and have held up well over the years.

I still like rolling my own, but I can highly recommend Hosa for professional use if you're not addicted to smoking solder flux like I am.

[jnepo1]

For $36 (w/ shipping) I purchased 14 Straight switchcraft jacks and 30 feet of Mogami 2319 cable ( the small size cable, great for pedalboards) and 2 feet of white and red heatshrink tubing. Oh, and I received my order in 2 business days. All through www.redco.com

[Dudddits]

Two places that sell a variety of cables, custom cables, etc.:

http://www.markertek.com/

http://store.haveinc.com/default.aspx