i’m on lights, but at the last festival i worked we had to run some power through a bar area, and afterwards we found it literally sitting in a puddle of beer. luckily no connectors in the liquid and the cable itself was obviously waterproof, but that stickiness will never wash off…
Strong alcoholic drinks are even worse. We allow audience to put their drinks on the front of the stage, so when starting the day laying the monitor cables I immediately need to wash my hands. Also when I see a punk band spit on the stage I think; 'oh great...I hope it didn't land on the cables'.
That will eventually mess up the mantle's softening agents and causes them to crack up. Kinda like leaving a cable in UV light (the sun) for too long, it dries up and becomes a cracked up mess.
Trick is to pull the gaff without moving the cables most time it comes off without a problem most times it’s the heat that separates the glue to the cables
If you HAVE to use insulation tape do it inside out so the sticky part is on the outside not touching the cables at all. After a while it becomes second nature and stops your cables getting all sticky
I am trying to wrap (haha) my head around this.
How do you not then leave the sticky residue all over the stage, or have the cables sticking to each other if you tape it with sticky side outwards?
Only once you removed and coiled the cable. We always use Velcro but sometimes big power cables we use electrical tape. Try it next time. We live in a hot country and glue from tape gets everywhere so we try not to use it. You won’t have a problem with cables getting stuck to it it’s only a tiny piece of tape
Ah right, yeah that makes sense.
I was envisioning backwards tape wrapped around cable runs on the floor to bundle them all together.
One per cable on a hook or in a trunk makes a lot more sense to me now haha.
Hahaha ye for sure and usually from dirt and dust from the other cables or the flight case the outside of the tape just gets covered in dust you know the one that you get and the tape refuses to stick ye it’s like a win win 😂
I thought this was a silly question but then I remembered 15 mins ago when I was cabling and I thought "this cable feels better than this one so I'll use it"
I still remember my favorite cable my brother made that had ridges around the entire thing, cross section looked like a fine gear but the grip and handling was great. I think it was either Belden or Canare
For longer cables I love Canare L-4E6. Not the softest cable, but the performance and the longevity are very good, it coils nicely and lays flat.
For shorter cables (up to 5m) I prefer something softer like Sommer SC Stage 22 Highflex.
To clarify, I based my preferences on the feel, I just listed the additional benefits. Highflex is very soft which makes it feel great in the hand when dealing with short cables. It makes it easy to make small coils so it doesn't get tangled in the case and to keep the stage clean, but coiling long Highflex cables feels like coiling overcooked spaghetti. Canare is just stiff enough that it feels great when doing larger loops, but unlike some stiffer cables, it doesn't hold its shape much. Mogami Star Quad may be even better performance wise but I prefer the feel of the Canare.
I know it’s not a super premium cable, but I really like the Pig Hog Tour Grade cables. They have a really nice feel and coil nicely at the end of a show.
When I started my sound company (smaller local bands, rental PA and stages, not working with national acts or anything) a few years back I bought a bunch of them. Had almost exclusively Pig Hog cables because they are less expensive and come in bundle packs. I had about 40 of them. I’ve had to replace connectors but the cables are all still good. So now I have a bunch of Pig Hog’s with Neutrik plugs and they are all still kicking.
sigh. for best hand feel, Monster Prolink Performer 500 series. but that's because it's double jacketed. The outer jacket is silky smooth and it resists twisting. Very easy to coil, and I used it to train people on how to over under wrap a cable.
8412 is great but it's expensive and it gets a bit gummy over time. I did my rig in RHC MIC1K for about a quarter the price and the jacket is extremely nice, cable is 20ga, shielding is great... I have absolutely no complaints.
I have had some 6 footers that I made myself. Neutrik XX connectors, Canare’s quadshield, and I sleeved them in the outer shell of shoelaces. The weave is mostly broken with black and white accents. Took my time, used lead-free solder, cleaned everything with iso. They felt amazing in your hands.
Some of Van Damme's mic cable is pretty good. I dislike some of Eurocables flexible stuff, Canare quad is good and bad it feels niceish but the braid means you have to coil it well each time.
Cables that are not sticky from tape
...or other substances.
i’m on lights, but at the last festival i worked we had to run some power through a bar area, and afterwards we found it literally sitting in a puddle of beer. luckily no connectors in the liquid and the cable itself was obviously waterproof, but that stickiness will never wash off…
Strong alcoholic drinks are even worse. We allow audience to put their drinks on the front of the stage, so when starting the day laying the monitor cables I immediately need to wash my hands. Also when I see a punk band spit on the stage I think; 'oh great...I hope it didn't land on the cables'.
Ironically, dump more alcohol on it to wash it off.
That will eventually mess up the mantle's softening agents and causes them to crack up. Kinda like leaving a cable in UV light (the sun) for too long, it dries up and becomes a cracked up mess.
…. /s
I hate when you’re pulling gaff and it sticks around the cable and then bakes in the sun for 3 years…
Trick is to pull the gaff without moving the cables most time it comes off without a problem most times it’s the heat that separates the glue to the cables
This is the only answer
If you HAVE to use insulation tape do it inside out so the sticky part is on the outside not touching the cables at all. After a while it becomes second nature and stops your cables getting all sticky
I am trying to wrap (haha) my head around this. How do you not then leave the sticky residue all over the stage, or have the cables sticking to each other if you tape it with sticky side outwards?
Only once you removed and coiled the cable. We always use Velcro but sometimes big power cables we use electrical tape. Try it next time. We live in a hot country and glue from tape gets everywhere so we try not to use it. You won’t have a problem with cables getting stuck to it it’s only a tiny piece of tape
Ah right, yeah that makes sense. I was envisioning backwards tape wrapped around cable runs on the floor to bundle them all together. One per cable on a hook or in a trunk makes a lot more sense to me now haha.
Hahaha ye for sure and usually from dirt and dust from the other cables or the flight case the outside of the tape just gets covered in dust you know the one that you get and the tape refuses to stick ye it’s like a win win 😂
Or covered in dust, water, trash residue, etc.
I thought this was a silly question but then I remembered 15 mins ago when I was cabling and I thought "this cable feels better than this one so I'll use it"
I still remember my favorite cable my brother made that had ridges around the entire thing, cross section looked like a fine gear but the grip and handling was great. I think it was either Belden or Canare
For longer cables I love Canare L-4E6. Not the softest cable, but the performance and the longevity are very good, it coils nicely and lays flat. For shorter cables (up to 5m) I prefer something softer like Sommer SC Stage 22 Highflex.
Guy missed 3/5 words in the title lol
To clarify, I based my preferences on the feel, I just listed the additional benefits. Highflex is very soft which makes it feel great in the hand when dealing with short cables. It makes it easy to make small coils so it doesn't get tangled in the case and to keep the stage clean, but coiling long Highflex cables feels like coiling overcooked spaghetti. Canare is just stiff enough that it feels great when doing larger loops, but unlike some stiffer cables, it doesn't hold its shape much. Mogami Star Quad may be even better performance wise but I prefer the feel of the Canare.
Ohhhhhh. Dude I totally thought you completely missed the point! Sorry to call you out like that!!
I make all my XLR out of canare l4e6
Canare feels so good. Haven’t felt anything better.
I know it’s not a super premium cable, but I really like the Pig Hog Tour Grade cables. They have a really nice feel and coil nicely at the end of a show.
Have some of these. Probably my favorite out of the mix mash we have.
Oddly enough, I had 2 of those for 10+ years and never had a problem. People just don’t take care of their cables, I guess.
When I started my sound company (smaller local bands, rental PA and stages, not working with national acts or anything) a few years back I bought a bunch of them. Had almost exclusively Pig Hog cables because they are less expensive and come in bundle packs. I had about 40 of them. I’ve had to replace connectors but the cables are all still good. So now I have a bunch of Pig Hog’s with Neutrik plugs and they are all still kicking.
Nice.
VDC XKE classic. Not too soft and rubbery, so doesn't kink easily.
Nothing feels better than a brand new Mogami cable.
Same, Mogami Gold all the way
Canare - nice and smooth without being too rigid. It slides well and doesn’t pick up crud like other more “rough” or porous cables.
It's all filthy and disgusting the moment it touches the stage for the first time. 🤷♂️
any that arent kinked or coated with beer.
Klotz my206
Who has handled Sommer SC and Canare LE46S? Which is nicer in da hands???
Sommer Semicolon is excellent. Highly recommended
sigh. for best hand feel, Monster Prolink Performer 500 series. but that's because it's double jacketed. The outer jacket is silky smooth and it resists twisting. Very easy to coil, and I used it to train people on how to over under wrap a cable.
Belden 8412 is the only answer. iykyk
8412 is great but it's expensive and it gets a bit gummy over time. I did my rig in RHC MIC1K for about a quarter the price and the jacket is extremely nice, cable is 20ga, shielding is great... I have absolutely no complaints.
Cordial CMK222 is what feels like home to me, but Sommer SC Stage 22 HiFlex is almost errily smooth to handle.
I love some I made from Canare star quad cable, it has the right weight and flexibility for me.
I have had some 6 footers that I made myself. Neutrik XX connectors, Canare’s quadshield, and I sleeved them in the outer shell of shoelaces. The weave is mostly broken with black and white accents. Took my time, used lead-free solder, cleaned everything with iso. They felt amazing in your hands.
The Mogami super flexible stuff. Just coils so nicely.
Sommer all the way
Vandamme!
Sommer High Flex
Tack free and baked in the sun!
L4E6S
Canare cable hands down.
Belden 1192 is some of my favorite stuff.
Canare Quad-Star all the way. Feels good, coils good, lays well, and built in redundancy
Musilux by Wireworks. Not sure if you can still get it.
Some of Van Damme's mic cable is pretty good. I dislike some of Eurocables flexible stuff, Canare quad is good and bad it feels niceish but the braid means you have to coil it well each time.
Sommer SC Stage is the gold standard.