Getting Plugged In
- by Albert Le, Open Labs Staff Writer
Whether you are setting up a home studio for your professional career or pushing your new twin-sized bed up against the wall to squeeze more room for your band’s new practice space, there's no getting around figuring out where cables go, what they do, and how long they should be, and finding the correct cable material to purchase. Get the lengths wrong on a couple of cables, a few second-grade connectors with nowhere to plug them in and you've got a cable salad. To tackle this situation here are a few basic facts to get you started.
Let's discuss different types of cables. First, there is the basic TRS (named for its tip, ring, and sleeve) and the TS (tip, sleeve) cable, commonly called the ¼ inch cable. The TRS and TS cables are used for studio equipment like guitars, amps, electronic keyboards, and headphones. Next is the XLR (X for the original series cable, L for the added latch, and R for the rubber) cable which is used for professional audio and video equipment, and is commonly used for microphones. The quality of the signals carried in both the TRS and XLR cables don't become compromised on reasonable lengths, so run these as far as the next room if you need the extra space to thrash.
Then there are MIDI cables, designed for electronic music instruments and computers to communicate and sync with each other. Any length under about 50 feet should not be a problem. Finally, there are your more common RCA (Radio Corporation of America; sorry, not all acronyms are particularly useful) cables, used for most electronic appliances and loudspeakers. Keep these cables as short as possible to prevent any interference.
The connectors on the cable ends are normally nickel-plated; however, there are now better quality gold-plated connectors to ensure longer protection against corrosion. The bling on your connector does come at a higher cost, however. The cables themselves are protected by a layer called a shield, which protects the cables from picking up any RFI (radio frequency interference) and EMI (electromagnetic interference), more commonly called "hum" or "buzz." Two of the most common types of shields are the serve shield and the braided shield. Essentially the serve shield is composed of thin copper wires wrapped around the inner part of the cable like a spiral. The braided shield uses the same copper wires braided around the cable instead. Although the serve shield is more susceptible to RFI/EMI than the braided, it is cheaper, more flexible, and thinner. Occasionally you will come across cables that have been braided on the outside with a type of resilient yarn, such as nylon, to increase abrasion resistance and helps prevent tangles, which ensures maximum rockability. The added vintage look and feel secures your spot in would-be rock star history.
This should give you at least a little know-how about purchasing cables. Knowing how to be a rock star is one thing, the next step is to be one.