Studio cables: advice needed.

[ArthurD]

Hello my friends, here I am asking for advice again.
Well, after some research on the internet (sneap search too), I didn't get a consensus (mostly got paradoxal thoughts) about studio cables.

As some of you guys know, I am currently building my studio "UniversoX Studio Build Thread (fenixdoido)". Thus, I will need new cables/snakes, etc.
Unfortunately, in my country (Brasil), there aren't affordable options due taxes and lack of premier manufactures.

That being said, I'll travel to US on agoust 19th and i am planning to get my studio cables there. What is your opinion on cables/connectors? (generaly speaking). I was planning to buy mogami bulk cables and neutrik connectors, but I don't know if there are cheaper (yet effective) options, since I am a total dumb about cables and I am afraid of falling on a seller's "speach". Also, I would like to know your experience with snakes/digital snakes/multicore cables

I would build my system this way:
Since I have 21 preamps now, I will wire them to a plate on the control room with 32 outputs (just in case I want to expand later). Then I'll build a 22 input on the live room with 4 phone outputs. For the vocal booth I am planning to have 4 inputs and 2 phone outputs. All live room inputs will be connected to an idependent panel on the control room and this one could be connected with XLR cables to the first plate I described, letting me route any preamp with any connector I want in any room.
Please, see this schematic:

As you can see all preamps inputs are fixed to the Panel "A". For exemple, Neve "1" is connected to panel's input 1.
Panel "B" is connected to Panel "C" and Panel "D". For exemple, Panel "C" "1"(Control Room) is connected to panel's B 1 and Panel "D" "1" is connected to panel's "B" 2.
I will normally set Panel's A 1 (neve A) to Panel's C 1 (control room), with a XLR cable connecting Panel's A 1 to Panel's B 1. If I want to use Neve on the Vocal Booth, I will disconnect the XLR from Panel's B 1 to Panel's B 2.
The reason I didn't think about using common patch bays is that they don't handle phantom power. (am I dumb? )
All outboard gear will be connected to a DBX patchbay routed to interface inputs/outputs.
A seller from Redco told me that the best cables and connectors to this would be:

NEUTRIK NC3MXX-B (XLR MALE for Cables that will connect Panel A to Panel B) - 74 units
MOGAMI W2549 BALANCED MIC CABLE (To build the cables necessary to connect the Panel A to Panel B and other mic cables) - 196 feet
NEUTRIK NC3FD-LX-B (XLR FEMALE) - 120 units
NEUTRIK NP3X-B (TRS) - 60 units
NEUTRIK NJ3FP6C-BAG (Female TRS Jack) - 30 units
MOGAMI W2932 8CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "D" to Panel "B") - 30 feet
MOGAMI W2938 32CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "A" to Panel "B") - 23 feet
MOGAMI W2939 48CH SNAKE CABLE (To connect Panel "C to Panel "B") - 18 feet
MOGAMI W3103 2COND. SPEAKER CABLE (To connect Amp Heads between Control Room and Live Room) - 79 feet
___________________________________________TOTAL PRICE: USD 2590



Finally the advice needed/questions I have are:

That being said and explained,
I would like to know your opinion on cable brands/connector brands that could reduce my costs without reducing quality of the audio. Am I going for just a brand name? (If I reduce costs a stereo pair of distressors will fit my budget)

What are you guys using for snakes (are you using digital snakes)?
Are you using patchbays that can handle phantom power?


Thank you for your help!!!!!

 

[ArthurD]

Bump

 

[aortizjr]

Can't really go wrong with Neutrik, they are pretty reasonably priced too if you buy in bulk. Redco has good price, I have also gotten really good prices from Full Compass. Cheaping out on connectors sound fine, but they often aren't machined to the same tolerances, so there are troubles with fit and durability.

Mogami is definitely good. But don't count out Canare and Belden. Most pro studios I have seen are wired with Belden. You typically have to buy it in spools, but you can get it from Full Compass, Markertek, and other places.

You can argue all day about cables. Guitar cables aside, I have A/B'd mic and line cables and assuming it is decent quality, I can't tell the difference. However, in construction, the nicer cables are a LOT nicer to work with.

I haven't done price comparison in a while. But if you are doing permanent install, I wouldn't bother with multi-channel snake cables. I would get thin jacket, foil shield, install cable.

Really quick at Redco:

20ft 12-channel Redco Snake: $49.80
240ft (12 channels x 20ft) Canare Install: $43.20

Redco's cables are definitely solid, but they are the cheapest snake being a house brand. Canare I consider top quality like Mogami and Belden. I don't have much experience with Gepco, but for Mic/Line cables at under 100ft, you can argue all day, but many can't hear a difference. And ones that do typically have included other upgrades as well. I would just look for low capacitance and resistance numbers, even then though, even high cap cables roll off at like 100khz at 100ft.

The foil shield typically won't hold up to being moved around a lot, but it provides better shielding compared to braided. Double shields and all that only matter when being moved around. I also wouldn't bother with Quad unless you are running them in parallel to power with like noisy lighting systems or something.

Anyway also at 240ft, you are getting into bulk territory which means huge discounts on install cable. So that will definitely save you some money there.

 

[ArthurD]

^ Thank you so much!!!
O contacted fullcompass too, lets see who offers the best price.
I'll stick with mogami for mic cables and that patch cables I said.
Just changing some cables/connector for some options you told me will let me get a pair os distressors.

Do you use patchbays and phantom power together?

 

[aortizjr]

Well check Mogami install vs the snakes. Still might be cheaper.

If they are TRS or TT then you can use phantom power. But TURN IT OFF when plugging/unplugging.

You can make XLR patchbays too.

I just make it a point to turn on phantom power as the last step setting up. Then first off when tearing down.