Canford Vs Van Damme

[paulears]

I note someone told Rich to take care with his new iron and the fumes. He's never been back since, so perhaps didn't read that!

 

For the record, I note I suggested HST too, and I've still not changed my mind - and the violet colour is rather nice, and unusual enough that spotting my cables amongst others is easy.

[Rob_Beech]

Aaaaaaah it takes me back. We miss Rich really. Honest.

[Simon Lewis]

They must want rid of that brown HST though....it is STILL on offer

 

Apparently, the BBC use quite a lot of brown coloured mic cable. Canford had a major supply contract with them, so perhaps they stocked up well!

[fogg]

Another vote for musiflex mic cable. Have a search on ebay for it, last time I bought some I got 100m of brown pretty cheap.

[paulears]

That's interesting Simon, the places I used to buy it from stopped doing it, I'll have a look. It's the quickest to put on I've ever used, and if you use the neutric IDC XLRs it's a perfect match!

 

EDIT

It seems the ebay supplier is the firm who own connectronics, and the ebay price is cheaper at £69+9.50 postage inc VAT than Canford's price of £71 +VAT, free postage on their HST. Oddly, buying direct from Connectronics is more expensive than either? Odd.

 

Some people used to say conductive plastic was a poor screen, compared to conventional materials, but I always found it fine around dimmers - certainly never causing any problems, and even when soldering, a drain is far easier to terminate than un-twisting and re-twisting normal screens.

[fogg]

Last time I bought from the ebay supplier they were offering a "best offer" on most of their cables and they knocked off £15 I think I paid around £45 for 100m of brown cable which looks fine on stage! And yes paul you are correct its definately the best cable to terminate, very easy! I also have had no problems with interferance and have used this cable around some very old buzzy dimmers!

[Simon Lewis]

Canford's HST is still my favourite cable, although I'll admit the last few drums have been VDC mic cable - mainly due to a better deal - but it's a good cable nevertheless. VDC is just a little stiffer and doesn't strip quite so nicely.

 

I have had mixed experiences with musiflex, and the various jacket formualtions they've used over the past 25 years (the early ones were horribly stiff, and the cores were like springs). The mic cable (for some reason) seems to be OK from an interference viewpoint but long lengths of the carbon impregnated plastic screened multiple pair stuff has given me problems in both live gigs and installed systems. Electromagnetic screening was reasonable ( but this comes mainly from twisted pairs anyway) but electrostatic screening was poor.

 

Consequently, I've avoided musiflex for anything more than standard mic leads. Some of my HST mic leads are now over 25 years old and work just fine!

 

Simon

[Chanter]

That's interesting Simon, the places I used to buy it from stopped doing it, I'll have a look. It's the quickest to put on I've ever used, and if you use the neutric IDC XLRs it's a perfect match!

 

EDIT

It seems the ebay supplier is the firm who own connectronics, and the ebay price is cheaper at £69+9.50 postage inc VAT than Canford's price of £71 +VAT, free postage on their HST. Oddly, buying direct from Connectronics is more expensive than either? Odd.

 

Some people used to say conductive plastic was a poor screen, compared to conventional materials, but I always found it fine around dimmers - certainly never causing any problems, and even when soldering, a drain is far easier to terminate than un-twisting and re-twisting normal screens.

 

 

I dunno how you can beat the 33p per metre on that brown HST since by my admittedly crude calc that's £33+ VAT for 100 metres...

[Bobbsy]

My collection of XLRs is pretty "mongrel" in nature, reflecting the fact that I've been making them for about 35 years on 3 continents--and even my very first efforts are still very much in service.

 

However, I have to agree that, of all the types I have, the ones made from HST are the easiest to handle in terms of coiling and have a very satisfying "feel".

 

I have to say I've never tried Musiflex so can't compare--but I've also never tried IDC XLRs so that may be the reason. I'm one of those strange bods who finds sitting down for a few hours of soldering to be therapeutic, a bit like knitting. This is especially true now that I do most of this on the patio!

 

Bob

[ChazHS]

Recently I've been using a lot of Neutrik Swissflex cable, got given a drum of it by one of the guys who used to work at Neutrik round here, said that it was in a bin for some reason or another. Seems fine to me though - allbeit a bit thin.

 

Other than that, can't go wrong with Piranha or VDC.

[Pete Alcock]

Slightly O/T, but related since this thread has evolved. I saw these mic leads in a CPC Flyer and decided to give some a try.

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/productimages/farnell/standard/AV18029-40.jpg

 

I have a hatred of Chinese "Neutrik Copy" XLRs and have just managed to banish the last of them from my rig, but these ReAn pre-made cables are excellent. The plugs are actally moulded on so there's no wirres to come adrift or cable grip to split. Not the thickest cable or the easiest to coil but for patching around amp racks and so-on I'd thoroughly recommend them. The 3m ones are anly about £3.40 each too!

 

Pete.

[ChazHS]

but these ReAn pre-made cables are excellent. The plugs are actally moulded on so there's no wirres to come adrift or cable grip to split.

 

Rean = Neutrik Chineese licenced moulded connectors. =) Hence they are pretty good! =D

[Chanter]

Yeah I can see why IF they are not going to take much punishment and just stay in situ that you would go for those Rean ones. There is a definite saving to be made at not too much of a dip in quality. BUT..in all other circumstances I would go with the pukka Neutrik version.

 

IMHO.... The extra quality gives considerable extra longevity and thus is actually a saving itself in the long run. I do accept though that they are not the usual pants copies...far from it :unsure:

[Chanter]

Further to my comment above...I was chatting with a pal about this topic (yes I know...I really do need a life )

 

And he told me that Neutrik had bought Rean and were about to (or just have) start manufacturing their budget range under the Rean brand name.

 

So it could very well be that the ones you have seen are of a higher quality than I remember for that reason.

 

Also...getting back on topic.. <_<

 

I just got the latest Canford email with their offers and I notice that in their Clearance List there are now several of the HST types on offer not just the Brown. There is also a couple of rather good Multi-core cable types going cheap too 24 way and 10 way as well as some Neutrik stage boxes...if anyone is setting up a touring or install rig...it might be worth a look.

 

Anyone used the FSJ and FSM types before? At less than half price I am pretty tempted even though I dont actually need any right this second.

[benhyman]

Direct Cable's Evolution cable - just as good as Van Damme, slightly cheaper.

 

http://www.directcablesystems.com/ - These guys are great if you haven't already stumbled across them!! Lots of alternative to Van Damme products.