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PA cable question


T.Colwill

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Good morning.

 

I was just reading the post in the electrical section, B&Q pricing error on H05RR-F, about B&Q having a reduce cost cable that everyone seems to be snapping up. In the thread I came across this comment.

 

...snip… Could have done with some decent 2.5mm 2 core for speakers…

I'm looking into making some cables to reach the back of the drama room from the control box so that sound can be done from there rather than from behind and above the performance area (stupid place for a control booth I know.) There is already a DMX plug there for the lights but it seems they neglected to include the sound. My searching found this, which is possibly the right way to go, but the above quote got me thinking.

 

Is there an alternative (hopefully cheaper) cable that can be bought from places like B&Q? To clarify, I need cable to get from the desk to the power amp, not from amp to speakers, so the quote may be completely wrong for my case!

 

I've just checked what is currently used and have found it to be XLR cables (two core cable + shield) so the cable in my link might not be correct. Now please forgive my ignorance, but does this mean I could used a mic cable?

 

Any help would be great.

 

Tim

 

Edit: Would I be better of with somthing like this?

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For desk to amp connections, a balanced line level cable should be used. Yes, mic cable falls in to that category. The B&Q stuff is not suitable for line level signals.
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yes your right in saying you could use a mic cable, but would not the most ideal situation.

 

What I think you are looking for is something like this (you can get all sorts of lengths and sizes). you will have sends to your desk at front of house, you can use these for almost anything u'd normally put into your mic channels on your desk. You have 4 returns from front of house to the stage, allowing you to go into your amp and some monitors if you require.

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Is this likely to be a permanent installation or a pair of cables that will have to be installed for a show, then coiled up at the end until the next time.

 

If it's "install and leave it" then I'd second MarkPAman's recommendation. That's cheap as chips and will do the job fine.

 

However, if it's something to be coiled and uncoiled a lot, I'd probably spend a bit more for a mic cable, if only for the handling characteristics and the durability.

 

Bob

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I'm not in a position (or have the knowledge) to put in a perminant install, so it would be a pair of cables that would be coiled and put away in a draw untill needed.

 

As thats the case I'll probably look into getting some mic cables of the right length.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

Tim

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Maybe Im overlooking something but to move the sound desk will require more than two XLR cables to connect to amps.

Each Input that is used will have to be routed to the desk also, unless you're using something like an a&h I-live which does its signal processing at the head amps.

Im guessing that you will need a multicore cable to run from where the desk is now to where you'd like to put the desk

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Maybe Im overlooking something but to move the sound desk will require more than two XLR cables to connect to amps.

Each Input that is used will have to be routed to the desk also, unless you're using something like an a&h I-live which does its signal processing at the head amps.

Im guessing that you will need a multicore cable to run from where the desk is now to where you'd like to put the desk

 

Not necessarily. It may be that all the equipment run through the mixing desk can be moved to the back of the drama room along with the desk itself, if the set-up is playback only. Then you only need enough long cables to connect the desk to the amps (which could be as few as two). Some performances don't actually require microphones, although you wouldn't know that from reading many of the posts about school shows on the Blue Room. ;)

or possibly the only mics used are radio mics, in which case, the revievers would probably also be fine to be located beside the desk, in a drama "room" (as opposed to a 2000 seat theatre)

 

This is of course pure supposition, in the absence of more info from the OP.

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Andy isn't wrong.

 

The only real need for the desk is for music play back, and an I-pod or cd player with appropriate lead is all that's required. The drama room in question is probably about 10m squared, so no mic's needed. Its just a little silly that they stuck all the gear up in a control room (on what is the second floor) looking down onto the back of the performers (the drama room is double height.) There is a little boundary mic just below the booths window that can be used to monitor the play and take ques from, but can never be put through the speakers as the speakers all point into the middle of the room, and right at the mic! (which is actually behind the actors! <_<) So its not much use either way as you can hear sod all, and soon as you play music you hear even less of the acting!

 

Hence why I'm trying to move the sound down to in front of the actors (behind where any audience sit.) Like I said above, they already have a DMX socket there for the light desk, so it's beyond me why then didn't add some for the sound as well. (Sorry, I think the majority of this post should have gone into daily rants, under, who ever designed the drama room was a tit.)

 

Tim

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