Studiospares vs theloudest.com multicore drums?

[grantr22]

Hi all

 

Has anyone got / seen/ used one of these? http://www.studiospares.com/cable-drums/cable-drum-snake-244-50m/invt/588180/?htxt=CqRsbJu%2FutV8PO2VUe7M5tbw0eF0%2BgiZGsyhRiL%2FA7J%2FD5ckTwx4gGk9NGxRQ2HoBcTxJmxJa8Ar%0AIS49VztZhg%3D%3D

 

If so I'd be grateful for your opinions on overall build quality, flexibility of the cable and noise/mains interference rejection i.e. how good is the screen.

 

The alternative in the price range is this: http://www.theloudest.co.uk/?sectionid=1&page=view_product&product_id=55 . I have used one of these before and performance was good, and they seem to have attracted very positive customer testimonials whereas no-one has reviewed a Studiospares one.

 

Cheers

[whisky-zulu]

Hi Grant,

 

I have used the Studiospares version of the drum, aswell as others in their multicore range and haven't had any huge issues with them; I've found that they can take a beating quite well, and the connectors, although not Neutrik, are good enough. I have no complaints with it.

[S&L]

never used a stuiospares multicore. I use a loudest.com small multicore week in week out and never have a hint of noise or other problems.

[Tregilibob]

I've got a studiospares drum, and a snake as well, both are brilliant, survive what you throw at them, and where we had two broken XLR plates on the snake, were easy to replace (broken due to something other than normal circumstances!!)

[Mr Steve]

I've got a theloudest stagebox multi and found that after light use some of the XLR connectors needed re-soldering due to none of them having much solder on to start with. Apart from that it's behaved for the last few years.

[Cupboard]

We had one of the Studiospares 30m 16/4 multicores at university, and I wasn't a great fan to put it mildly.

 

The sockets on the drum kept breaking - the catch wouldn't let cables out so you had to dismantle the whole thing and break the catch off.

The plugs and sockets on the tail end were cheap and nasty and the strain relief didn't.

The cable at the tail end has pretty comprehensively died, I managed to keep it going for 2.5 years of the 3 years I was looking after it but once it got to the stage that I was leaving and a third of the channels didn't work I gave up. It would probably be fixable if someone chopped the last metre off and spent a weekend with a soldering iron and box full of XLRs, but I never found the time with all the other things that I was doing despite my degree.

Two of the wheels on the drum also died.

 

It did get a lot of use and I guess some abuse but we had a much older one that was visually in much worse condition and didn't have a nice drum, but that seemed to refuse to go wrong! I *think* that might have been an img Stageline one but as it didn't break much I never really noticed.

[grantr22]

Thanks all, seems almost 50/50 at present!

 

What about the cable itself, are either of these types prone to permanent kinking if not wound up very carefully? From experience some types of multi cable are more prone to this than others, those without "chalk dust" between the cores seem worst for it.

[S&L]

my loudest.com multicore doesn't seem to kink - I keep it in a toolbox on wheels but it does take ages to coil back in after a show.

[Pete Alcock]

Grant,

 

Depends what you want to use it for, and how careful you (or your crew) are prepared to be with it. Both look like they're of far-eastern manufacture which in itself isn't a bad thing, apart from the quality of the connectors. Chinese copies of Neutrik XLRs may be described as "high quality" but they not. They're rubbish. I've had a few multicores of this type, and after losing odd channels, replaced all the free plugs with Neutriks and added sleeves to the tails. My 16+4 (actually an Adam Hall one, but of the same ilk as those you mention), has been OK since.

 

For my last multicore I went to Thomann and got a "Pro-Snake". These are not much dearer yet are in a different class. On my 28+8 45m snake, the drum is light enough to lift with one hand, and the whole thing is German made (including the cable, which is hard wearing yet doesn't kink-up). All Amphenol or Neutrik connectors. Have a look at these: Thoman Snakes.. If you have more dosh, they do them with detachable tails on a multiway connector that you can keep in the case with the desk.

 

With things like multicores, you buy them infrequently, so one might as well spend a bit more to get above the quality of mass-market offerings.

 

Good luck,

 

PA

[TonyMitchell]

 

For my last multicore I went to Thomann and got a "Pro-Snake". These are not much dearer yet are in a different class. On my 28+8 45m snake, the drum is light enough to lift with one hand, and the whole thing is German made (including the cable, which is hard wearing yet doesn't kink-up). All Amphenol or Neutrik connectors. Have a look at these: Thoman Snakes.. If you have more dosh, they do them with detachable tails on a multiway connector that you can keep in the case with the desk.

 

 

We bought a 32+8 40m Thomann Prosnake last year, with detachable Harting tail and Amphenol connectors. Only one criticism - unless you meticulously wind the snake back onto the drum with percision, the drum is not large enough for full 40m of that thickness of snake. The last 5m or so is a real PITA to get onto the drum. Shame, because apart from that it's a decent piece of kit and good value.