PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Mic Cord Question

Josie,
The short answer is 'No.' The more complicated answer is 'No, but...'

Let's see.
Monster has:
* Three Time Correct multiple gauge wire networks
* MicroFiber dielectric reduces high-frequency loss and increases transient response time
* MultiTwist construction with dense 97% copper braided shielding to reduce the effects of EMI and RFI
* Carbon-infused polymer
* Heavy-duty black Neutrik XLRs with 24k hard gold-plated contacts
* Heavy-duty black nylon mesh jacket

What is 'Time Correct?' Lessee, electrons move at the speed of light, or 186,000 MILES per second. Since mics have a signal and ground only, and then a phantom power if they're condensor, I don't really see what difference an inch or two of cabling is going to make in any type of 'time' equation.

A dielectric really has nothing to do with high frequency loss and since it is an insulator, how it increases transient response time is beyond me thinking. You can look at Dielectric here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric Most dielectrics that I am familiar with are PVC coatings applied over the conductor wire, and you strip them with a pair of strippers, and then toss them in the trash can. They keep the conductors from shorting to each other, and since voltages found in a microphone are VERY low, think millivolts, I doubt that you'll have to worry about shorts from the dielectric breaking down.

Most three conductor cable, from ANYBODY, has a braided shield made of copper, and is twisted internally. So what.

Carbon infused polymer. Yeah, so what? Which polymer, the cable coating? What does it do?

Neutrik XLR connectors. Yay! Something I can talk about. If you can get a cable with Neutriks, do. That's what I use. They are great, and they're made in Liechtenstein! LOL

Mogami says:
* Most accurate cable available
* Widest frequency response
* Highest cancellation of hum and noise
* Increases dynamic range
* Lifetime guarantee

I don't see how they determine how one cable is more 'accurate' than another. I work in the industry, and I make my own cables from the above mentioned Neutriks, and a cable called "Gotham." Cut the cable, solder it onto the connector, and go. We send digital balanced signals through them, analog balanced and unbalanced through them, and mic signals through them, with and without phantom power, and the accuracy of them seems to be the same across the board. In fact, using these cables versus Digital Coax or Fiber Optic in a digital to digital format, I see NO LOSS of accuracy coming out either end. So, I don't know how Mogami says they are the most accurate cable you can buy. I suspect they are as accurate as the Monster.

As to the widest frequency response, remember you're not dealing with anything over 20kHz or so, and copper wire will go into the Megahertz, or well beyond with no problem. It's a moot point.

Highest cancellation of hum and noise is not a matter of the cable, but of the equipment that removes that hum and noise at either end of the cable. If an electrical signal is impressed on the cable, from an outside source...say a power cable laying next to it, the cable itself has very little to do with removing the hum and noise, since the electric field from the source is going to be impressed on everything. If you are using a balanced system, then the gear will remove the noise and hum. If it's a mic, you move the cord.

The dynamic range is the range measured from the lowest signal to the highest peak before the sound starts distorting. In today's age, that is usually the Analog to Digital converter. The cable would somehow have to put additional signal to reduce the available Dynamic Range of the cable, or would somehow have to remove some of the signal to increase it. I'm not sure I want a cable REMOVING signal from my mic to increase dynamic range, it might take out what I was trying to record.

Here is what Shure...remember Shure, the guys who make the famous SM57 and SM58 microphones....have to say about *their* cable.

The C25J is a 25', high-quality Shure cable designed for low-impedance operation.

Ya wanna know something? I'll buy the Shure cable. No pretentious stuff, it'll work just fine, and it won't break my wallet doing it.

Gary