Microphone Cable Advice?

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:25 pm

I'm needing to buy a Mic cable tomorrow yet I know jack about what I should look for in one; except that I need it to be the 3 pin/hole plug-in at one side for the mic, and a general, run of the mill guitar-like jack on the other.

Can I get some quickfire hints on what to get and/or what to avoid; brand experiences etc.

Danke Schoen folks

lank81 · Post by **lank81** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:32 pm

I've got all ProCo or LiveWire Wires. Just tell them you need an XLR to 1/4" and they should be able to hook you up. Don't let them talk you in to those over inflated monster cables. Not worth it.

Post by **dots** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:47 pm

monsters are great if you can afford them as i have some that are over 10 years old that function the same as they did the day i bought them. . . and if they ever fail, i get to replace them free, no questions asked.

that said, just get a decent brand, and you'll be fine with most applications.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:55 pm

Boab wrote:I need it to be the 3 pin/hole plug-in at one side for the mic, and a general, run of the mill guitar-like jack on the other.

what kind of mic are you using and what are you plugging it into? most things with 1/4" jacks aren't the correct impedance for a microphone.

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:56 pm

lank81 wrote:I've got all ProCo or LiveWire Wires. Just tell them you need an XLR to 1/4" and they should be able to hook you up. Don't let them talk you in to those over inflated monster cables. Not worth it.

Do you mean a Livewire like this? Livewire Cable. Procos look sort of expensive from websites I found.

mage wrote:what kind of mic are you using and what are you plugging it into? most things with 1/4" jacks aren't the correct impedance for a microphone.

I don't know anything about the mic really, my pal just told me he needed an XLR cable, and I believe he's just gonna be plugging it into a guitar amp. I know it'll sound crap, but it's just for practicing.

Do I need to know anything about the male/female differences in cables?

kim · Post by **kim** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:26 pm

xlr - 1/4jack, i just use random ones not too picky about cables for mics though i do like klotz cables for instruments, they seem to last a lifetime.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:29 pm

HoOOOoooOOOO HOSA!

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:51 pm

Boab wrote:Do I need to know anything about the male/female differences in cables?

yeah, you need to get the right one that fits into the mic. I think it's the "female" one that you want (the "male" one, with the pins, is on the mic). but I mix up male and female on XLRs all the time because they like both have parts that go into each other.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:56 pm

female xlr goes into mic.

so you need female xlr > 1/4"

one of these'uns

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:47 pm

Most mikes with an XLR connector in the base are "low-impedance balanced" types designed to run into 600 ohm balanced inputs. A cable that takes the balanced signal conductors, takes one to earth and one to the guitar input will generally result in a much lower output level. To work properly, you need a matching transformer, and you can get one built into an XLR-to-1/4" jack adaptor from >>Maplin<< for Â£7.99.

(Then you need a straight-through male-to-female XLR microphone cable)

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:10 am

get whatever, learn to solder the ends when they fuck up, and most of all learn to coil it right and you will have it for a very long time.

Microphone Cable Advice?

Microphone Cable Advice?

Re: Microphone Cable Advice?