Cheap Multicores

[djtom29]

Just a quick one this time!

 

What are your views on "cheap" multicores?

 

From experience the ones I’ve used from studio spares are the best "cheap" ones I’ve seen. But I have seen this thomann multi and I want to know what people think?

 

It will only be used on "pub gigs" were I don’t want my expensive gear going in to gigs to get trashed by bands, about 4 or 5 gigs a month.

 

Any views? Other recommendations?

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[MarkPAman]

I've got the 24+6 version of that one.

 

Don't actually have it here, & don't use it for every gig, but from memory...........

 

The box itself seems pretty well made, with reasonable metal XLRs fitted. The design of the handle means it moves about which is a little strange.

 

The cable is better than many I've used, though it was delivered coiled very tightly in the box, and took an hour or so in the car park to sort out before I got it to behave. Now it coils OK & sits flat when I want it to.

 

What appears to be the weak point is the very thin cables in the tails. The XLRs used are OK & clearly labeled, though I suspect that the solder is doing as much for the mechanical strength as the cord grip.

 

So far I've not had anything go wrong in probably a couple of dozen outings, though I do look after it well.

[mervaka]

might just be a one off problem but..

 

I have a thomann sssnake 8 way. it failed on multiple channels one night, so I took a look, connectors were fine. stuck a TDM on it, and there were shorts halfway down the cable. turned out the cables had signs of manufacturing faults where the innermost insulations had split down the side. said core now looks very sorry for itself, wrapped in a mile of LX tape!

[tolley1466]

I had to use one in a venue once, I had a very bad experience with it but it was down to the maintenance that caused all of the issues. The only thing I could say is that, after a while the connectors on the stagebox don't realese the connector when you press down on the latch. This stagebox was well used though and had been abused quite a bit.

[mi-ul]

I've got a 16+4 drum rather than stage box and I'm generally very happy with it. The mutli is only about 1/2" thick but I haven't had any issues with that yet.

 

The only problem I have had, as with Tolley above, was a relatively new unit refusing to release the XLRs. I've now removed all of the release levers ( I tend to use it on it's back) and haven't had any problems since

 

Mi-ul

[Doug Siddons]

The only thing I could say is that, after a while the connectors on the stagebox don't realese the connector when you press down on the latch. This stagebox was well used though and had been abused quite a bit.

 

I have one from the loudest.com same problem but a good value multi and got a load of gender changers in the deal so would recommend it.

[Pete Alcock]

I've got a couple of Adam Hall Multicores (16+4 x 33m). I had the same experience as Mark in that it was impossibly tightly coiled as shipped, and took a while on a hot day in a field to sort it out. After that the connectors started to fail at the tails one by one. This was because the tails were so thin, there was no mechanical cable gripping from the horrid Chinese XLRs, and the joints were getting yanked. The soldering was also very poor, so I bit the bullet, bought a bag of Neutriks, and some braid and re-did the tails. Has been absolutely reliable since and used on gigs for over 5 years.

 

The trapezoidal stagebox is perfectly robust, and the 33m length (rather than the more usual 30m) has curiously been a godsend n many occasions - the difference between not quite reaching, and "just enough".

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/petealcock/Multicore002.jpg

 

Pete.

[TDS]

I have had a Thomann 16-4 for about 4 years and it is still good. I had a few failures at the fan-out end when I first had it, but I quickly realised that the retainers of the cheap plugs used, did not compress enough to prevent the thin cables slipping through and stressing the thin wires connected to the plug pins. I bit the bullet, cut all the cheap plugs off and replaced them with good quality Neutriks. The were able to restrain the cables effectively and I've never looked back since. The other parts of the cable such as the metal stage box, the gland, strain relief and the cable itself all seem reasonable quality.

The cost of 16 Neutrik plugs and 4 sockets was a significant addition to the original cost of the cable, but even so, I still feel I got a multicore for a reasonable price overall.

 

One thing I am meticulous about is to use a woven nylon bag to hold the coiled up fan-outs and plugs and secure it to the top end of the multicore with 2 medium sized velcro cable straps before coiling up the cable to avoid as much stress on the cable ends as possible.

[richard_cooper]

I'm not sure about the linked product from Thomann, but I've one of these which has been great. The fan put has really long tails (with colour coding in groups of 4), unlike some others I have. I've a 32/4 50m on a drum from Studiospares that required some rework to comfortably reach between ch1&32 of a A&HGL2800-32.

 

The fan-out connectors are not the Switchcraft like ones in the picture but the correctly describe "Rean" ones that I remember reading are basically Neutrik's Chinese made brand.The females on the stage box are not locking, but it's a good product otherwise. I've had this for a few years no so the picture on Thomann's site may be more up to date.

 

Richard

[Rob_Beech]

The solder joint takes the majority of the hammer with them the strain relief from experience isn't that great.

 

The only 2 ssssssssssnake products I owned were 6 way 10 (or 15) metre little boxes, they were a pain to be fair. Failing at the tails end, then failing at the box end, then possibly failing in the middle. Sadly I never got to find out if they had failed or not as (as I've mentioned on here before) they got stolen off the floor outside the old unit in Derby when I moved the van forward 20 feet.

 

I still hope that the person who stole them used them on a gig and they let him or her down.

[ojc123]

I have a couple of these. Bought as an experiment. I've re-soldered all the connectors and they've been fine since. Conclusion? Probably worth getting better quality if I factor in my time.

[tolley1466]

The solder joint takes the majority of the hammer with them the strain relief from experience isn't that great.

 

The only 2 ssssssssssnake products I owned were 6 way 10 (or 15) metre little boxes, they were a pain to be fair. Failing at the tails end, then failing at the box end, then possibly failing in the middle. Sadly I never got to find out if they had failed or not as (as I've mentioned on here before) they got stolen off the floor outside the old unit in Derby when I moved the van forward 20 feet.

 

I still hope that the person who stole them used them on a gig and they let him or her down.

 

I was thinking of getting a couple of those 6 way boxes off Thomann for sub-multis but now you've said that, I probably wont!

[Rob_Beech]

You can buy the cable by the metre from them, which I have for various looms, and it's fine. You can buy this (or similar cable from other suppliers) and buy empty boxes and populate them with whatever you want. Set of tails, some nice labelling and you've made your own. It might cost more but it will be better quality. Or get someone else to make you one.

[Biro]

Own one from The Loudest and a Thomann one. Loudest one on the reel packed up quicker than the Thomann non reel-ed one.

 

Have had no problems with the Thomann one, but was tightly packed at first like others have said.

[Alec]

Have generally been impressed with some of CPC's bargain offerings.

 

Have a need for a 30m 8+4 multicore myself, and see the following two:

DP3103106 Pulse £95.00

DP2934306 Pro Signal £62.50

 

From the piccies in the brochure, it looks like the Pulse one may have thicker flyleads, but hard to tell. Anyone with experience of either of these (or Chris) like to pass a view. These are for install, rather than touring, use BTW.

 

And, thinking about it. As what I really could do with is 12+8, wondering about these, as it would suit me to separate the sends from the returns (I'd just run the 8 way one in the opposite direction). Any experience of these, too.

 

Pulse 8 way 30m £100.88

Pulse 12 way 30m £72.80