rob.d Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Hi folks Just a quick question, mainly with specific reference to this monacor cable- http://www.monacor.de/en/produktseite_gesa...yp=u&spr=EN Is running a split signal/ mains cable wise? I can see the sense in the approach, but not if its going to fill my speakers with mains hum/ interference noise.. Cheers Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Personally Rob, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but I am a lampie, and will happily bow down to more experienced sound engineering type people! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUSTie Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I wouldn't, but if the sheelding is good on both of the cables then you should be OK. find out what type of cable the XLR is running it looks a bit thin for my liking. matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I'm sure there's already a thread on these particular cables, but can't find it. Some similar discussion HERE, although related to running power and DMX down the same cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyandi Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Don't most sound rigs run 16 or 32A mains taped to the main multi? So on that pretence I would not think it would make too much of a problem or though all depends on the screening of the audio part of the cable. Noticed these type in the CPC catalogue but thought them a bit ££. 2 separate cables & a bit of insulating tape a lot cheaper. Andi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london sound Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 HZ used to supply similar with no problems.I deal for self powered speakers. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I have no problems with these type of cables at all - a rather elegant solution to running active speakers. After all, what else are you going to do? - run an XLR, then run a power cable and for neatness tape them together. In virtually every audio book/manual/training document it clearly states NEVER run audio and mains parallel - and most promise dire levels of hum and noise. Once every newbie sound bod has this vital piece of knowledge under their belts they move into the real world where every multi has a mains cable taped to it, well, at least for most of it's length where the tape fragments still hold! The proof, of course, is that plugging into a power supply local to front of house produces much. much worse noises from most systems, so we live with the bodge. I'm always amazed nobody ever produced a custome cable with mains feed down the centre - could have had braid screening, and proper insulation - I suppose a proper connector would have to be designed - but so what? A mains cable moulded to an audio cable is fine, and solves one more stage tidy issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I can see it causing problems if you were using it for mic-level signals, or unbalanced. But for balanced,at line level, I'd guess it would be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Never ever had a problem - theory says I should have, but it hasn't happened. I have some camera cable, taped to it is an audio XLR for a mic line, and a mains feed for an autocue - it's 50m long and the mic gain is always ramped fairly high and it always works perfactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 As the consequences of internal insulation breaking down / becoming damaged are potentially a 240 volt microphone or mixing desk, I would PAT test this stuff often. But I would still use it. Edit: The test would have to include a test of insulation for all the audio conductors - live & neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hinds Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I'll add my voice to those that say just use it. It's a balanced line, as long as it stays balanced and is used with balanced gear any hum picked up will be negated. I've never had any trouble and have run up to 32A 3-Phase next to my 48ch Multi carrying mic level signals when two follow spots were needed. No problems there either. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappie Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 We have used a similar cable construction for years and have had zero problems with it. It works well and is very neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.d Posted October 30, 2006 Author Share Posted October 30, 2006 Thanks for the input, gents. A colleague suggested that perhaps it wasnt terribly sensible, because if youve got an active speaker system your better off sourcing your mains power near the box/ stack, rather than whizzing the cable from the mixer or effects rack. I'd certainly prefer to do things with these cables involved- and it would indeed be balanced all the way from mixing desk, and the input on the active boxes will be balanced. Cheers folks, food for thought :) Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastie Kid Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 im a newbie (working for big touring PA company based in essex currently out with zutons) so correct me if you think im wrong or need correcting in anyway, but running mains alongside signal has never proved a problem with any of my smaller more intimate gigs, or on tours/festivals/larger gigs with work. all the multicores we use for our main system have got 32A mains piggybacked directly to the multicore. obviously it being a major system its all balanced/screened. the mains is always a seperate cable just piggybacked with lex tape to 2 or 3x32 way multicores depending on the size of the gig and the multicore we take out, but the small gigs I often have unbalanced jack and XLR leads (cos im a poor loley bassist at heart) criss crossing mains simply cos it cant be avoided in certain venues, luckily I do have 3 balanced XLR's, which remain permanently labelled (hi-hat, OHL OHR and bass DI), and for some reason, these never get near a mains cable, but otherwise ive only ever had one problem with a ground loop, and that was my laptops fault. apart from that never a problem criss crossing or piggybacking mains and balanced/unbalanced signal. I cant foresee it being a problem for you.my other point was at my favorite event of the year being the music festival in my home town, the company I worked for actually provided the sound system, using hired-in powered boxes (Funktion One Res 5's and F218's naturally) and we ran 32A mains along the leemos to the ditro box for the powered boxes which were on powercon, and didnt have any sort of problem with that at all. just one box was slightly fautly and was annoyingly intermittent, and it was the infill!! damn that was irritating!!Laterz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Appleby Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 We use these kinds of cables at work (called combi cable) - never had any problems with them - you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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