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50' XLR cable recommendation for listening room

ribonucleic

ribonucleic

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(I've read many of the XLR cable threads here, trying to answer this question for myself. Maybe too many. My head is spinning a little...)

The cable would run from a DAC/headphone amp to powered speakers. It has to run around the edges of the room, so flexibility is important. There are no meaningful threats of electrical interference other than maybe a desktop PC and LED monitor running in the room at the same time, so it can trade shielding for the lowest possible capacitance - even if a few picofarads difference is inaudible. Neutrik connectors, of course.

Choices I've considered: (mail order price/pair) (cable specs to the best of my knowledge)

Mogami Gold Stage Microphone Cable, $336. Mogami 24AWG W2791
Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cable, $300. Mogami 24AWG W2534
Blue Jeans Cable Balanced Audio Cable, $270. 24AWG Belden 1800F
World's Best Cable, $150. Mogami 22AWG W2549

I take it as a given that they will sound identical and probably not any better than, say, Amazon Basic cables at $65/pair. But at this price level, I would have no objection to paying a 2x premium for an assurance of quality materials and construction. (And, in BJC's case, what people say is good customer service as well.)

All feedback welcome and appreciated.
 
Mogami will be fine, I would go for 2534 because I use starquad.
For this kind of custom job, you should consider doing it yourself, it’s not as hard as it looks and you get the perfect length.
 
My default has become BJC if I want a custom cable. It's a little bit of a splurge, but the first round of making my own convinced me to just let someone else do it.

If you aren't sure what exactly what you want, they've always been very helpful when I called to sort out my choices, and I've been very happy with the results.
 
ribonucleic said:
(I've read many of the XLR cable threads here, trying to answer this question for myself. Maybe too many. My head is spinning a little...)

The cable would run from a DAC/headphone amp to powered speakers. It has to run around the edges of the room, so flexibility is important. There are no meaningful threats of electrical interference other than maybe a desktop PC and LED monitor running in the room at the same time, so it can trade shielding for the lowest possible capacitance - even if a few picofarads difference is inaudible. Neutrik connectors, of course.

Choices I've considered: (mail order price/pair) (cable specs to the best of my knowledge)

Mogami Gold Stage Microphone Cable, $336. Mogami 24AWG W2791
Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cable, $300. Mogami 24AWG W2534
Blue Jeans Cable Balanced Audio Cable, $270. 24AWG Belden 1800F
World's Best Cable, $150. Mogami 22AWG W2549

I take it as a given that they will sound identical and probably not any better than, say, Amazon Basic cables at $65/pair. But at this price level, I would have no objection to paying a 2x premium for an assurance of quality materials and construction. (And, in BJC's case, what people say is good customer service as well.)

All feedback welcome and appreciated.
Click to expand...
make your own mogami xlr cables - or other quality wire - much cheaper - 200+ bucks retail is nuts... make your own simply because they're so damn easy to make/repair, unlike rca, trrs, trs of any size, bnc, etc... buy quality bulk cable (mogami, belden canare), with neutrik or switchcraft xlrs only (avoid any no-name xlr connector always) - and make your own... I use mogami 2534 for line level and their star-quad for mic level signals - both will work for either application (mic/line) if you don't want to keep track of which is which...
 
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Canare is a little more supple than Mogami though neither is a stiff cable. World's best has both. Here is 50 ft at $56.45 each. Canare and Neutrik XLRs.

Canare is slightly higher capacitance, but not a big enough difference to matter more than likely.
 
Blumlein 88 said:
Canare is a little more supple than Mogami though neither is a stiff cable. World's best has both. Here is 50 ft at $56.45 each. Canare and Neutrik XLRs.

Canare is slightly higher capacitance, but not a big enough difference to matter more than likely.
Click to expand...
great recommend... at that price, it's almost hard to recommend soldering one yourself... and if you don't solder, have the time or can't be bothered it is a no brainer selection... quad as well... good good good...
 
I've done most of my XLR cables myself.

A good balanced microphone cable, Neutrik NC3 MXX-B connectors (black, gold plated contacts) with colored Neutrik BXX-Series bushing and/or XXR rings to taste (that allows easy identification of each cable : in your case, I'd use red bushing for one cable, to identify right channel).

Note that with Neutrik NC3 XX connectors, if you buy the cables finished, you may still change the ring without unsoldering the plugs later.
 
I would also make my own with quality cable like the Mogami, Canare;, Belden or Blue Jeans (whatever is the cheapest) and Neutrik or Switchcraft connectors. Premade are seriously overpriced for what is a 10min job and max 75€ in components.
 
ribonucleic said:
(I've read many of the XLR cable threads here, trying to answer this question for myself. Maybe too many. My head is spinning a little...)

The cable would run from a DAC/headphone amp to powered speakers. It has to run around the edges of the room, so flexibility is important. There are no meaningful threats of electrical interference other than maybe a desktop PC and LED monitor running in the room at the same time, so it can trade shielding for the lowest possible capacitance - even if a few picofarads difference is inaudible. Neutrik connectors, of course.

Choices I've considered: (mail order price/pair) (cable specs to the best of my knowledge)

Mogami Gold Stage Microphone Cable, $336. Mogami 24AWG W2791
Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cable, $300. Mogami 24AWG W2534
Blue Jeans Cable Balanced Audio Cable, $270. 24AWG Belden 1800F
World's Best Cable, $150. Mogami 22AWG W2549

I take it as a given that they will sound identical and probably not any better than, say, Amazon Basic cables at $65/pair. But at this price level, I would have no objection to paying a 2x premium for an assurance of quality materials and construction. (And, in BJC's case, what people say is good customer service as well.)

All feedback welcome and appreciated.
Click to expand...
I see an Amazon Basics 50' star quad for $27.03, but I like Blumlein 88's Canare suggestion at $56.45 because it's worth knowing the components are among the best available.

At ~$300, it's not worth it—unless that's your available options, you need it right now, and plan on not being in that situation often.

If you're going to need cables over the coming years, you buy a spool of Mogami or Canare, and pick up the various Neutrik connectors when you see a good price on Amazon, Sweetwater, B&H (do not assume Amazon is the lowest price, some vendors are looking for suckers on there items that have few vendors—I see a 164' roll of Mogami at nearly double the going rate, and I've seen Neutrik at absurd prices). Sometimes they are stupid cheap. XLR m/f, 1/4" phono TS, TRS. Even, sadly, RCA if you need them. Assuming you already have a soldering iron, and maybe a little component vice, a nice stripper ($$$, but a $6 Harbor Freight one will do if you don't need it often and aren't a klutz). Then you just whip up new cables as needed.

But realistically, as much as people say "make your own", it only makes sense if you are that kind of person, and have the basic equipment and are happy to stock the components. If you have a small personal music studio, it pays off over and over. I bought a spool (half a spool? Runs in my mind 350'?) of Mogami W2534 star quad decades ago, I can't believe it's still going after all the cables I've made off it. And I can make exactly what I need—2' patch cables, etc.—and not have a big mess.

But, if you just need the standard size cables once in a while, and you can get Canare+Neutrik for $56.45 at 50', even a hardcore do-it-yourselfer like me says, buy it, plug it in when it shows up. What's to think about. :p
 
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earlevel said:
...But, if you just need the standard size cables once in a while, and you can get Canare+Neutrik for $56.45 at 50', even a hardcore do-it-yourselfer like me says, buy it, plug it in when it shows up. What's to think about...
Click to expand...
yep - to your conclusion... @Blumlein 88 nailed the link to that pre-made supplier for materials and cost to a buyer... heck - being a long time make-my-own xlr cables person - it was news to me there's a supplier that does what they do at that price point for a pre-made - buy 'em... (unless you can't wait for them to ship - then make 'em)...
 
In my ~30 years of work in audio, i have never bought pre-made cables, except hdmi and usb.

If ribonucleic the OP was willing to pay me for it (more for cost of materials and shipping really - soldering in 2 x XLR connectors is now what i would call "LABOUR"), i would make these 50' cables and send them to him, from Bombay, India. With the most decent cable and connectors (Canare and Neutrik) available, without any bull....

Just saying... (or just get bulk cable and make your own bro)...
 
Redco will make you custom cables for reasonable prices, if you don’t want to make your own. Pro tip: their house brand cable is very very similar, if not identical, to Mogami…
 
subframe said:
Redco will make you custom cables for reasonable prices, if you don’t want to make your own. Pro tip: their house brand cable is very very similar, if not identical, to Mogami…
Click to expand...

Yes, Redco can do it out there for you.
 
subframe said:
Redco will make you custom cables for reasonable prices, if you don’t want to make your own. Pro tip: their house brand cable is very very similar, if not identical, to Mogami…
Click to expand...
been buying from Redco since they started in business... highly recommended for bulk cable (mogami), connectors (xlr, elco. edac, tuchels) - or any proaudio connecting supplies...
 
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