cable kanoodling

aron · Post by **aron** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:23 am

 Likewise, using a $50. cable going into a $200. amp, makes no sense.. jmo

Read the article. Measure the cables. That tells you a lot. Price is the not the factor. You can make a coat hangar sound as good as speaker wire. It's been done time and time again as a test. That's the point. Test. We are talking about the sound, not the construction. Of course you want decent well made cables.

zengomi · Post by **zengomi** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:40 am

2.3 hours until my Kronos arrives!

Initially, common or garden unbalanced cables will do the honors. I'll record some audio with them to set up a comparison with the Monsters, which will arrive 12-15 hours later.

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:07 am

aron wrote:
Code: Select all
 Likewise, using a $50. cable going into a $200. amp, makes no sense.. jmo
Read the article. Measure the cables. That tells you a lot. Price is the not the factor. You can make a coat hangar sound as good as speaker wire. It's been done time and time again as a test. That's the point. Test. We are talking about the sound, not the construction. Of course you want decent well made cables.

Are there any good tests for different cables? Meaning audio examples?
Because mostly you pay a lot for the most expensive 20% of cables while the gain is not there or marginal. Same for the worst 20% ... you save only a bit and you might loose 80% of the sound quality.

zengomi · Post by **zengomi** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:13 am

The Monsters arrived while I was sorting out various types of cables to attach to the Kronos-73, which was still on my bed, yet-to-be-played and awaiting OS update and RAM installation. So I cut to the chase and connected the Monsters to the Mackie.

At some point, I'll connect unbalanced, inexpensive cables to outputs 1 & 2 and do the comparison.

Right now, I'm blissing out to what I'm hearing...Kronos! Korg folk, you have created the most amazing product in your history. It is a synergistic summation. Moreover, it is inspiring. I can't thank you enough.

Mutter · Post by **Mutter** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:57 pm

Hi I don't beleve in expensive or cheap cabling I do use some cables from rapco but for the most part i make all my cables and and the quality is great. i bought quality instrment cable for all non balanced and both quad core and standard mic cable in bulk it is also avaible by the fooot. for the ends and this is the good part I can use straight or 90 deg versions and can go from trs to xlr or what ever the setup requires. I use many diffrent keyboards and equipment so custom cables worked for me and our drum set looks and sounds great with audx mics and 90 deg cable ends. Jerry

franzlp · Post by **franzlp** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:51 pm

You do know that if you had an OASYS this would never be an issue as you can go out on ADAT light pipe. No signal deeneration when it comes to light. A fiber is a fiber for the most part. Believe me I work with this stuff everyday.

zengomi · Post by **zengomi** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:47 pm

franzlp wrote:You do know that if you had an OASYS this would never be an issue as you can go out on ADAT light pipe. No signal deeneration when it comes to light. A fiber is a fiber for the most part. Believe me I work with this stuff everyday.

The Kronos has an S/PDIF optical out. Isn't that fiber enough?

If I had an OASYS instead of a Kronos, I wouldn't have a Kronos

franzlp · Post by **franzlp** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:33 pm

SPDIF is nice, but I like the control you get with ADAT when comparing the two instruments.

zengomi · Post by **zengomi** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:55 pm

What sort of control?

For music listening, I use S/PDIF to connect a Yamaha DSPF card to an Edirol FA-101, which, as of today, is cabled to a Mackie LM-3204 with TSR. Simply switching to balanced cables boosted the signal significantly. I'm guessing that the same benefit applies to the Kronos, which is TSR cabled to the Mackie.

For my purposes and sensibility, I only need robustness, not audio perfection.

JPWC · Post by **JPWC** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:23 pm

Cabling guideline:

1. Use balanced interconnection when ever possible.
2. Use Star-Quad type cable for balanced systems
3. Use high quality connectors
4. Use 90 degree right-angle connectors when need, helps with cable strain relief.
5. Use as short of a cable as possible.
6. Use as much copper as practical. (000 is not practical)

Cables can never improve the sound quality beyond the source.

I've used a lot of Hosa over the years with no problem (even in some high end applications).

These are simple statements that will ensure good performance.

I make my own cables using Canare Cabling and connectors (1/8",1/4", RCA, TRS or TS), (I commonly use Switchcraft for XLR). Mostly because I prefer the look and cool colors of custom cables.

I never had any issues with Canare products (or even Belden). I only hear about issues with overly expensive cables (tone sucking) and I've only experienced issues with cheap guitar & microphone cables, namely microphonics.

Markertek will make good quality cables for you.

Oxygen free copper - the only time I've seen issues with oxygen in my copper is when there is enough to turn the copper green.

Signals are generally pretty well protected from interference with a shielded, twisted-pair. The shield should generally be 100%. Star Quad, dual twisted pairs in one shield are a little less sensitive to popping noises and static caused by lighting circuits.

Cabling for digital signals is a little different, because they operate at high frequencies than audio.