Different Brands of Guitar Cable Actually Sound Different

[overdrive]

I never really paid that much attention to guitar cable figuring that as long as one stayed away from the really cheap stuff you were probably doing OK (providing the leads remained soldered-on). Plus the higher-end $100.00+ per 12-15 foot sections always seemed somewhat exhorbitant. As a result I tended to run with the usual $40.00-$50.00 offerings from mainstream companies like Monster, Mogami et al.

Recently an acquaintance turned me on to some Canare GS-6. It's reasonably priced & probably in the same ballpark price range (maybe a tad less) than something like the Monster Rock. While the M/R is rich in the mid-range, the Canare has more presence (e.g. the treble is more clearly defined). Just for the sake of comparison, I compared the GS-6 with some lower-end Horizon cable. The Horizon while a bit brighter than the M/R was noticeably harsher than the Canare. Its trebles for lack of a better description sounded somewhat smeared resulting in less overall definition.

I compared these cables using them as the primary cord from the guitar itself. The only variables were that the Monster was 12 feet long, the Canare 6 feet long & the Horizon 6 feet long. While capacitance certainly enters the picture in regards to length, the two 6 foot lengths definitely sounded different.

The comparison was almost like getting acquainted (or reacquainted) with a new or different set of pickups. I'll now have to add the tonal variances of guitar cords right alongside with those of picks & strings. Amazing how one can discover something new every day even on the seemingly minute, taken-for-granted stuff.

[Enzo]

A longer piece of the same cable will have higher capacitance. Two cables of the same length but different branded wire will not necessarily have the same capacitance. Mopre to capacitance than length of cable. Got a cap function on your meter? Measure the capacitance of each cable. Ought to be enlightening.

Look at the shielding if you can. Just thinking in my head, but I might suspect that spiral shield would have a different inductance than braided shield. Spiral shields are potentially more flexible. Inductance differences might account for differences even with similar capacitances.

[teemuk]

Yes, yes they do. Why, is quite well explained in here:
http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lemme/

But I hope that because of noticing that different instrument cables can sound different people won't be jumping into erroneous conclusions like:

- Expensive cables sound better.
Since they merely just sound different. And you can expect all instrument cables to sound somewhat different regardless of price.

- Power and speaker cables must sound different too.
Because they don't. In between guitar and amp/effect, the resonant circuit that is combination of pickup, guitar's internal electronics, instrument cord, and the amp's input stage is sensitive enough to generate differences when electrical properties like impedance and capacitance vary. There are no similar processes taking place in speaker or power cables. I'm pretty sure that also in effect loop applications, and likewise in between reasonably well buffered effects, the different instrument cables won't be presenting any significant differences either as the high-impedance resonant circuit is not present and the tiny amounts of cord's capacitance don't really have any discernible effects.

[MWJB]

Good sounding cables sound good, expensive cables are expensive & cheap cables are cheap...any combination of these 3 perameters can be found. Capacitance isn't the whole story, 2 cables that measure up the same can still sound wildly different, some very low capacitance cables don't sound any better than other mid capacitance cables.

Klotz La Grange, Sommer Session II & Planet Waves are all reasonably priced and a good sonic yardstick.

As Enzo suggests, I have found in lots of cases that spiral shielding results in a more transparent sounding cable, but there are good sounding cables with a braided shield too, like Guyatone EDM1 speed.

Really, it is pointless to cling on to individual concepts like capacitance & shield type...just listen to a few different brands & go with your ears.

[jrfrond]

All guitar cables have series resistance and parallel capacitance, making the single-pole lowpass filters. The cable is in series with the resistance and capacitance of the guitar electronics, and that affects response as well. All cables sport parasitic inductance as well. All of this combines to "voicing" the cable.

No one was REALLY serious about guitar cables until Alembic started making high-quality cables back in 1970, using Belden 9271 TwinAx, foil-shielded cable and Switchcraft PJ055B brass phone plugs. Prior to that, Hendrix was playing Woodstock with coiled cables! I was 11 at the time and just getting into electronics, so my Dad and I went down to the local Belden/Switchcraft dealer, bought the same cable and plugs, and I was making them on the kitchen table, then selling them to some local music stores for a fraction of the originals.

What does the cable mystique mean to the average Joe? To tell you the truth, not much. Back in the early-90's, prior to my current job, I worked for an MI distributor, and we brought out a line of cables. I was appointed the product manager due to my prior experiences, and even went to Italy where the cable we were using was produced. I had to do a lot of practical research, and I must tell you that there is DEFINITELY a lot of hocus-pocus and Placebo Effect in the cable industry. Monster Cable, the industry leader, capitalized on this and made a fortune!!!

The best bet is to bypass the audio hyperbole and just buy (or better yet, build) the best cable you can afford (e.g. Canare, Mogami or Belden). Good cable and good connectors make the best, most reliable cables. Believe it or not, the best 1/4" plugs are G & H. The cables we distributed were made in Middlebury, IN, and while I was there overseeing the beginnings of the operation, Bob Ganger and Paul Haas of G & H drove down from MI to visit us and gave us a good education on why their USA-made connector is best for guitar. Mainly because they were specifically engineered for the application. You can tell their connectors by the copper tip. That is a solid 100% copper shank that is staked to the internal solder lug, not steel or pot metal. Not only is it the best conductor, but if the plug is banged and bent (as often happens), the copper will stretch, not break, enhancing reliability manifold.

THAT is the key to a good cable..... reliability. I'm not discounting anyone's audio evaluations, because cables DO vary slightly depending on their electrical characteristics. Given the choice, I'll take reliability over sound any day of the week.

[WholeToneMusic]

The Canare GS6 also has a flat frequency response. This is the house cable we sell, Simply because it's good quality and moderately priced. Like Enzo was saying that the longer the cable the more capacitance your cable will have. SRV couldn't stand low capacitance guitar cables because they were too hot according to him. Maybe he was on to something because you want your preamp to boost the signal. I think the Van Den Hul cables are great sounding and sell quite a few of them however for my personal taste the cables a bit too hot on the clean channel of the amp I use. The cable pushes it a little too hard.

[MWJB]

"The cable pushes it a little too hard." Sorry you have lost me there, cables don't have gain & don't "push" anything, some do promote different harmonics...ideally I like a cable to deliver the fullest, most accurate sound, then work from there. Not commenting on the Canare, but if you have a dull, lifeless cable, then you can't make that up anywhere else.

[WholeToneMusic]

I just mean't by pushing it harder that having a cable with less capacitance you get a hotter signal to the preamp. I just like the fact that the Canare cable does not color the tone. The tube amplifier is for tone coloration.