There are a lot of mic cords out there. Some are good. Some aren’t. Over the years it seems that I’ve owned at least one of everything. One thing is for sure, I’ve owned cheap mic cables and I’ve owned expensive mic cables. There is a difference, but maybe not what you’d think.
For mobile DJs and for everyone else who uses mic cords there are 3 areas of concern: quality of construction, quality of sound and price. In a recording studio, where you are trying to get every last drop of quality for a recording, it makes sense to get expensive mic cords whether you can hear the difference or not.
But out in the mobile world, you really can’t hear the difference between a cheap mic cable and an expensive mic cord when you are blasting loud music. In a recording studio setting you probably can hear the difference. But in a live, loud, DJ setting you would have to have super-human ears to hear the difference.
I also, haven’t noticed much difference in visible construction durability. Put it this way: some cords look better, but I rarely have a cable go bad; and that includes cheap mic cables and expensive mic cables. Although I don’t purposely abuse mic cords, they still manage to get stepped on, pulled on, and tossed around to be sorted out later. Cords just usually don’t go bad; at least in my world.
But there is one area that I have noticed a difference and it’s not based on price. …Although it is usually the cheaper mic cords that exhibit this one annoying phenomena: cords that curl up. I call it “memory curl.” You roll up your cords and neatly tie them up with velcro. The next time you unroll them, they have a tendancy to STAY rolled no matter how hard you try to straighten them. They curl like a telephone coil cord.
This is actually more than a minor convenience. You can easily waste a half hour or more of your time, simply straightening and taping down mic cords that refuse to cooperate. If you’ve been a mobile Dj for any length of time, you know that a half hour a night of extra time is huge.
Last week, I was setting up early for a wedding at a hotel. Because I was staying the night, I got there early to set-up with the plan to enjoy a little relaxtion in the room before show time. Instead, I spent the entire afternoon examining every mic cable I had. I wrote down the ones that gave me trouble and the ones that didn’t.
First of all, Mogami mic cords, don’t curl. They sound great, look great and I’m sure they will last for a long time. Mine have. They are also extremely expensive mic cables. They are great for a recording studio where you are overly concerned about sound quality. But in an environment where people just aren’t going to notice, spending $50 on a 15-foot cord doesn’t make any sense. Plus, why risk the expense in an environment that includes wet floors, foot stomping and tripping?
The causes of this problem is the type of material used for the outer insulation; the rubber. In my “research” I found that cheap house brands are usually the worst offenders. These are the Cheap mic cords that don’t usually have a brand name on the cable. They are usually sold by big box companies with names such as “Musicians Gear.”
But one brand stood out of the pile of cheap mic cables: Proco StageMaster multi-purpose cables. They feel and look like quality. And they are cheap. They have Neutrik XLR connections and a nice flexible rubber that resists coiling. Hard to believe, but they also come with a three year unconditional guarantee. If you wreck it due to your misuse, they will still replace it. Best of all, a combo pack of a 15 foot mic cable and a 25 foot cable are now available at American Musical Supply for $29.95. At this price you can pick up a bunch of them and if one goes bad on you, just toss it… or better yet return it for a new one.
These certainly aren’t the best cables you can get. They’re just great cheap ones.
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This was really helpful…. THANKS