Good brands of high-end cables?

I like the Monster cables a lot. I've got the 400mkII interconnect cable to connect my turntable to my amplifier. But now I'm looking for 2 specific kind of cables (which Monster doesn't seem to have):

- double RCA to double 1/4" mono jacks
- double RCA to one 1/4" stereo jack

Can someone recommend me some high-end brands (so no HOSA or similar brands) ...

Monster are the high end

you should invest in a Soldering Iron and some solder

making your own cables is simple and saves a lot of money.

i've got all IXOS 104 cables..

they cost 50 dollars a piece..but it's worth it!

(got them for manufactures price tho, 15 dollars baby!!)

Kaymir, which cables do you use to connect your MPC with your amplifier for example (so RCA to Jack)?

I also use the IXOS 104, and the tech dep in amsterdam from my work solderd it to a jack plug! top notch qualiy! If I was you I would step to a technnical dep (or other good hi-fi/cable store) and ask them to custom it for you! dont go on the cheap ones!

mines almost looks like waterhozes haha

Thanks for the info. I saw Neutrik has some fine 1/4 inch mono plugs, so I guess I can do the job of customizing an high-end RCA-to-RCA cable (Monster, IXOS, or Van Den Hul) to an RCA-to-Jack cable myself.

In regards to soldering your own cables, what are the best brands of connectors and cables? Which ones would rival the quality of Monster cables.

I only found male 1/4 inch jack plugs from Neutrik (denoted as being "pro").

There have been lots of posts and articles about this. I've read some great responses to this one by knowledgeable people at www.google.com's rec.audio.pro forum and at gearslut and tapeop.com. Basically folks say that there is a difference, but on the most part, the difference isn't what everybody thinks. And they stress that Monster cables don't always test the best and almost everyone says they are overpriced.

The best, "reasonable high end" cables end up being those made with Mogami or Belden or Canare wire. If you are in the USA, the great place to get good cables for a decent price is www.Markertek.com. They have a 800 number too. I just don't know it.

Monster cables are big...in size. That was their selling point for consumer wire and has been for their pro cables: packging. I won't say they ain't good. I'll say, an artist or producer who doesn't solder their own, can save important dollars, by bypassing them and getting something else.

Either way, good luck.

homershines

for phat drum sounds & samples
contact me at [email protected]

im one of the rec.audio.pro forum geeks you quote.


all my cables are self soldered Belden, balanced two core (balanced where applicable), double shield. plus the Belden cable has a nice string inlay to add strength and flex.

im very happy with the results. sonically, you CAN hear the difference between cheap and decent cable, but its not always reflected in price.

YOU need to take the time to test a HIGH END cable with a LOW END and be SURE you can hear the difference. its easy to quote people but until YOU fully understand youre wasting your time.

and for the record soldering is not a hard art to learn. start with some cheap cable and some cheap 1/4" mono connectors and then learn to solder stereo 1/4", rca, XLR and so on.

and as for "pro" connectors let me just say i use Nuetrik, which isnt always the cheapest option, but have no problem with "generic" connectors. GOLD PLATING isnt much of a selling point, youde be better off buying a full metal jacketed connector then a silly gold plated one.

oh and dont shop at "supermarket" style tech stores. find the nerd places and pro audio stores, and know your shit. ALL salesmen are only too happy to ramble on cliched bullshit to get you buying whatever they want.

There not expensive, but I use them for my snakes. I also have monster cables (I use mainly for recording) and I've compared the two.. I don't notice a bit of difference in sound. I used to have Hosa snakes untill I gave em away.. the worst thing I ever heard.. sounds come out 100% phatter now. The price difference is amazing tho.. Hosa snakes $45 (I think), monster cables $19 a piece.. I need at least 6, so grand total of $114.. livewires.. $10 a piece (comes as a stereo cable, so 1 cable can cover 2 outputs.. I need 3, so the total is $30. You also get the same lifetime warrenty with the livewires, just like monster cables.

. ..dyrtrax. ..

roxstar wrote:There not expensive, but I use them for my snakes. I also have monster cables (I use mainly for recording) and I've compared the two.. I don't notice a bit of difference in sound. I used to have Hosa snakes untill I gave em away.. the worst thing I ever heard.. sounds come out 100% phatter now. The price difference is amazing tho.. Hosa snakes $45 (I think), monster cables $19 a piece.. I need at least 6, so grand total of $114.. livewires.. $10 a piece (comes as a stereo cable, so 1 cable can cover 2 outputs.. I need 3, so the total is $30. You also get the same lifetime warrenty with the livewires, just like monster cables.

. ..dyrtrax. ..

the "stereo" cables... well personally id use a 2-Core cable (what you call "stereo" cable) in Balanced mode, even if the outputs on the MPC2000XL arent Balanced, you have the use of those cables in the future and still enjoy the noise interferance protection inherent in balanced cables.

i know you are down with this but just for those who arent well versed in balanced/unbalanced.

ps, Hosa do the job. they wont **** your sound or anything, its just that those of us with a more pro rig and an income/output quality demand are happy to pay the extra for better quality. so yeah, dont be bugged out when we say "hosa are shit". given the nature of hiphop you probably wouldnt even notice, especially you bedroom bangers who dont have reference monitors.

Anyone has any recommondations how to create an high-end Y cable (two RCA males to one 1/4 inch male mono (i.e. straight jack plug)) ?

It does seem to be a little more complicated than just removing an RCA connector of a Monster Interlink (male rca to male rca) cable and replacing it with a Neutrik NP-2C connector like I did for connecting my amplifier with my MPC.

get one at radio shack. ;)