Hi,

I am looking at making some XLR cables from a cable reel and heads but I just had a look in the Lancelyn Theatre Supplies catalogue and it lists:

Mains Cable (3 core Flexible cable PVC/PVC sheathed)

6A 0.75mm 1500W max
10A 1.0mm 2000W max
15A 1.5mm 3500W max


Are these suitable?

Can someone suggest a UK supplier the above are £35-45 per 100m.

Thanks

What do you intend to do with these cables? XLR NORMALLY* refers to a microphone (or DMX) cable, those are mains type cables. Totally the wrong thing in whatever application except speaker cables for old kit that doesn't have proper connectors.




*It is actually a type of connector, but a bit like calling all vacuum cleaners "Hoovers" it is in quite common usage as a cable type. See the WIKI for more info.

Speakers, cans, mics etc.

Wrong then .

Yep, 'fraid so.
One example of cables for microphone and comms from our friends at CPC.

For speakers, you can use mains flex as you listed, but you will (again, in most cases) only need two core. Unless the speakers/amps are big I'd go for the 6A. Not intended to be denigrating, but I doubt you need the big stuff if you are asking this question.

CPC search

Too many choices and you lot are all clever.

All I know is Im looking for triple core cable ;p

Does it need to be a certain mm, Amps, wattage?

Stuart

Get back to real basics - tell us what two pieces of equipment you want to connect, then it will be easier to help you. I'm confused by your posts so far.

Tony

I just want to make standard XLR for general sounds use not two specific pieces of equipment.

Could be cans, could be mics, could be cue lights etc.

Is this okay - http://djsoundkit.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=E485.

No.
For most audio purposes, you need a two core flexible screened cable. Do a search for "microphone cable".

For speakers, you don'tn want screened, but want something with sensible-sized cores.

Thanks Bruce, can anybody suggest a UK supplier?

CPC, Studiospares, maplin, are a few that spring to mind

Alex

Thanks Ill have a look, any more suggestions great.

Stuart

The link you have posted is to d0mest1c flexible mains cable - great for appliances about the home and not much else.

What's commonly known as "XLR cables" are normally used as signal cables to connect microphones, desks, FX, amplifiers, etc and for this purpose you want to use microphone cable.
Have a look at www.vdctrading.com and select cables, this shoudl point you in the right direction.

Tony

Right, what terminology is used so I know that it is the proper mic cable for example?

Ill try that link

What you want is microphone cable. I would recommend this - http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchB...t&R=3657700


This cable is generally used for most things soundy - linking up cans, for mics or at a push running DMX down it.

I have some of this exact cable which I used for making XLR cables - never had any problems with buzzing or anything. Works a treat!


Tom

Ouch, more expensive than I thought - thanks for the link though, will have to try to convince the school for the money.

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Would this work:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchB...t&R=0368643

That is the expensive stuff, stuart. You don't NEED starquad, nor do you need Van Damme, but if you have the money then go for it - it's an improvement. If you want dirt cheap, get this: http://www.terralec.co.uk/audio_cable/micr...le/20111_p.html

Found this as well

lhttp://www.vdctrading.com/products.asp?SubSectionID=2

http://www.terralec.co.uk/audio_cable/micr...le/20111_p.html - thats more our price

No

Thanks Ben

Sorry, but that isn't really useful as a general purpose mic cable that's going to be handled a lot, since it is foil screened and has a small diameter with a "skinny" outer sheath. It is designed for installation work, where it won't get flexed or moved too much.

Use something like this , but buy good connectors (e.g. Neutrik).

That one would be fine but, unless your school has an account with RS, you won't be able to buy from them.

As Andrew C suggested, you would be much better going to CPC for this cable. It's available in several colours.

You should read the Soundcraft cables page carefully before you start. Remember that the cable screen is connected to pin 1 on the 3-pin XLR, which unfortunately isn't shown on that page.

Edit: Added link to Soundcraft page.

I posted a link in the 4th post in this thread to Van Damme that is cheaper than this stuff. Is no one reading this thread in their haste to post?

Edit:- Apart from Boatman!

I'm reading, just learning at the same time.

I dont think we need an account with RS as they are going to reimburse us when we buy it.

If you don't have an RS account, they won't sell to you. They are a trade supplier.

The CPC stuff boatman suggests isn't the best quality cable in the world, but is perfectly adequate for most purposes. I've got a couple of drums of it in the garage, and use it for most general purpose interconnects. For heavily-used mics, you may want to go to a better grade of cable, simply because it is thicker and handles better, but for most amateur and semi-pro purposes, that may be overkill.

RS only sell to account holders, as do CPC. Your school will have an account with one of them. Talk to a science or CDT technician. It is easy to set up an account with CPC, but you'd need credit or debit card or access to a parent / teacher with one.

Thanks Bruce and Andrew.

Will look into setting up an account, if not trust debit card to order some stuff.

Just to check I only basically have to solder the three cores to the three pins

I found a guide somewhere I think.

Yup, that's all the soldering there is to it - but make sure they're good solder joints, otherwise they may be prone to coming unstuck...

That Terralec stuff is more bedget end, but would work ok. If you have a bit more money to spend, Van Damme cable is very highly regarded by most people as fairly indestructable and noise free.
For budget cable I use: http://www.rapidonline.com/productinfo.asp...;moduleno=62366 - 45pish/m on 100m reel.
I've never had a problem with this stuff as far as cheap cable goes.

HTH
Chris

There's little point setting up an account with RS for just the odd purchase - RS are also known for wide range, good tech spec availability and not cheapness. The school you are ding this for will also be able to claim the VAT back, which you won't - making buying via you 17.5% more expensive than buying it direct. Virtually every school has an RS account - if you're doing computer science at uni, then your own place could maybe get it for you?


Please for give me for saying this - but you don't seem to have much of a clue about what you're doing - so I'm sure many of us are wondering how you got involved with making up cables when you're not sure what they're for.

Nowadays, XLRs are rarely found on loudspeakers - which you've mentioned.

Soldering XLRs is quite easy with practice - BUT the techniques you will have to use do depend on the exact type of cable and the brand of plug.

Cheap XLRs have nasty contacts you have to solder to, too little heat and you get a dry joint, too much and the entire insert melts out! Some cables have screens that need a bit of care to tease into something you can solder, while others are much easier and have a drain wire and conductive plastic screen. This isn't common - but can fox you. Speakers usually need 2 or 4 core cable - not 3, so it's different. The usual connector now is a speakon - so you need more than one type. The comms cables are usually standard mic types, so 3 pin XLR is the name of the game.

Plenty of people have tried to guide you here, but to be honest, a bit of Googling would have provided quite a lot of the answers. You may well be a bit out of your depth - so if we can help we will, but try to really think and give us the full facts, or we have to guess what you're up to.

Thanks Paul, I think all our speakers run off speakon (I'm not being very clear) but we have some portable things which run of XLR.

Its mainly just for general sound bits and cans, we need to run the cans around the pros arch from SR to SL so we need quite a length.

Bearing in mind that you can get budget XLR cables from the likes of CPC very cheaply - about 5 pounds for a 20m length of their cheapest, and £8 for a slightly better quality one - you need to ask yourself whether the DIY route is best. Yes, these aren't the highest quality cables (although I was pleasantly surprised with the last batch of "slightly better" ones I got) - but if you've never soldered before, I'd be prepared to bet that they'll be more robust than your first home-made efforts.

They also do 50m cables for £16. I doubt that you could buy the loose cable for that price!

It's making more sense now. If you need cheap speaker cable, then all the nice rubbery, soft, really forgiving stuff is maybe priced away from where you're looking - but you can get perfectly servicable alternatives from people like our friends at CPC (who will, if necessarily, take plastic money on the internet site). 3 or 4 core mains in either 1.5mm or 2.5mm size depending on the lengths of your runs works fine. If you only have conventional speakers, you don't need the four core - so use the 3 and chop off the yellow/green one at each end. Standard PVC style mains is electrically quite up to the job. The downside is the cable is a bit stiff, so has a habit of nt staying flat. If you can live with this - it's by far the cheapest way of getting cables for occasional, or non-heavy duty use. A few back to back couplers to cope with when you need longer ones, and you are there!

The mic style cable with XLRs will do everything else you have described - job done!

I agree with bruce that the best way is to buy the next-to-cheapest ready-made mic leads that cpc do: it'll be cheaper in the long run, and possibly in the short run too!

But please make sure you're not using the same cable for speakers as you use for mics. If you're doing that now and your speakers don't sound as good as they should, then that may be why! We still have some old speakers on XLR too and we mark all our speaker leads with an extra band of lx tape so we know the difference. I can advise doing the same.

Sorry, I know this is a bit off topic but you don't need an account withh CPC or RS to buy from them. CPC will accept cash orders and anyone can order online from RS as long as you have a credit card.

Yes - I've been doing it for years. Just register online an off you go.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/

But doesn't registering on-line give you an online account...?

I think we are getting our terms a little confused here, what you say is absolutely true, but I inferred from Andrews original comment that he was under the impression that you needed the old 'Trade' type account (complete with a line of credit) to buy from the two companies mentioned which is not the case.

Why is there so much choice!!?!?

Why can't somebody just make one cable and one link to the cable to buy

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Hee hee I can solder but you maybe right

Because they need to do different things?

Because it's better to not be able to plug 240V into a desk or speaker? Or the output of an amp into a mixing desk?

Because some things need thick cable & some thin?

Because some things need twisted pairs & other don't?

Because some things need two cores, some need three, some need four, five, six......................?

Because some things work better with a screen & some things don't?

Because some things are tiny & have room for only a small connector & others are large & you want something much stronger?

Because you may need a higher IP rating?

stuart - that is such a stupid question!

Why do pot noodles come in more than one flavour?
Why is there not just a single car to buy?
Why not just a single holiday destination?

You can buy cheap cable, as I said - it isn't very flexible. Some people want to use it on types of loudspeakers that have two separate circuits squeezed down a single cable - they need extra conductors.

You can spend a fortune on cables or a modest amount. The choice is necessary to give everyone the chance to get what they need.

Your problem is that you don't know what you need - hence why we question what you're actually doing.


On this forum, we have a quality control. Next Generation is for newcomers - but it still has limits. Please try to think a bit before posting - a umber of our members who 'live' in this section of the forum don't have bags of patience - and I suspect before long you could find the heat rising a bit.

Stuart

It seems apparent that, because you don't really know what type of cable you should be using, you also don't really inderstand the differences between them.

Can I suggest you do a bit of light reading and research? Have a look into balanced signals, line and mic level signals and perhaps screening?

It's far better to learn these things at an early stage in the game.

Back to your own problem, as it's for a comms system, things ae slightly complicated in that the audio and call light signals don't quite work in the same way as a standard mic cable. That said, they are designed to use a standard mic cable, it's just not all the theories you read up on in my above sentence fully apply to comms systems - they're a bit of an odity.

My 2p worth, buy cheap ones from cpc, half of my setup is on them and whilst I do have a box of "quality" cables, the cheap ones have been used a fair bit too.

My personal take on it is if you only need a couple of cables and you're really that unsure, just buy the things ready made. I like making the things up, I usually buy a 100m drum of cable, a load of connectors and then just make some up every so often. I'm better at it now through practice but my first few cables weren't up to much! It's probably only a tad cheaper that way (I use neutrik connectors) but it keeps me up to scratch with soldering and I can easily label the cables while I'm making them up - they get colour coded with a bit of coloured paper at either end depending on length which is heat shrunk on.

So if you're planning to learn how to solder or you're going to be making lots of cables up and it's worth the practice then go for it - but if you're not sure about what cable to go for, not too keen on soldering and just need something that works, I'd honestly go for the pre-made route.


Unless the speakers are powered of course! As well as your speakers not sounding as good as they should, there's also a very good chance you'll wreck (or just melt!) the mic cable.