2plankr
11 posts
Feb 19, 2012
9:06 PM
|
I've heard that a shorter cable should be used for a dynamic mic. Does anyone know what length is recommended from the mic to the delay pedal and then from the delay pedal to the amp?
|
MrVerylongusername
2232 posts
Feb 19, 2012
11:47 PM
|
It really depends on what is being connected to what. Dynamic mic can mean a lot of things.
If the mic is high impedance and you are connecting to an amp with a standard guitar cable then your signal is unbalanced. You should stick to short total cable runs 15-20 feet. This configuration can introduce noise into the system (including radio freq stuff like the local cab company by acting as an antenna) Capacitance within the cable will also have a detrimental effect on your tone, and this becomes more noticeable as the cable length increases.
If you use a low impedance mic with a balanced xlr-xlr cable, the cable length is no longer an issue. Balanced cables can be several hundreds of feet without signal loss and are designed to cancel out noise introduced within the cable. If you then use an impedance transformer to get the signal into a guitar amp (high impedance input) then everything after the transformer now becomes at risk of the noise and tone loss described above. Use the transformer at the amp end, and use short patch cables between any effects etc.
Buy cables that are well shielded against and have quality (eg neutrik or similar) connectors.
If you need a very long unbalanced cable run at high impedance (ie from a stage box, down a multicore cable) best to drop the impedance and balance the signal with a di box. You can always use an impedance transformer at the other end if you need a high impedance signal.
Last Edited by on Feb 19, 2012 11:49 PM
|
5F6H
1075 posts
Feb 20, 2012
1:02 AM
|
It depends on the cable stock (Planet Waves, Klotz, Sommer Session II - NOT Sommer Spirit - are all very good). The all have differing properties & construction methods. Idf you can't hear a diference between 2 cables, then you don't have a problem.
Cable from mic to delay is the critical one, typically 10-15ft are the shortest practical lengths...Klotz La Grange can be fine up to 20ft plus.
Signal from delay to amp is typically lower impedance and subject to much less degredation.
If your mic is Hi-z wired used "instrument/guitar cables" (single conductor, plus maybe a drain wire & shield) rather than rewired, multi conductor "microphone cables" (signal +, signal - and shield) as lo-z mic cables always have a higher capacitance than "instrument/guitar cables".
Type of microphone (if all are Hi-z) is less relevant than construction, so what woprks for a crystal or CM will also work for a hi-z dynamic.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
Last Edited by on Feb 20, 2012 10:49 AM
|
2plankr
13 posts
Feb 20, 2012
9:15 AM
|
The mic is a Shure PE585.
|
MrVerylongusername
2236 posts
Feb 20, 2012
9:27 AM
|
Then it's a high impedance mic.
|
hvyj
2186 posts
Feb 20, 2012
9:34 AM
|
If you've got decent cable, in my experience, you can get away with a run (total length of cable from mic to effects, from effect to effect and from last effect in chain to amp) of not more than 30 feet.
The recommended 16-20 feet is no doubt safer, but once upon a time, back when i used to use hi-z mics, I sometimes used up to 30 feet of cable with no signal degradation. But that's probably the absolute outer limit of how long you can go. Keeping it under 20 feet is probably a much better idea for a hi-z/unbalanced mic signal.
Last Edited by on Feb 20, 2012 9:35 AM
|
timeistight
358 posts
Feb 20, 2012
10:50 AM
|
The short cable-run recommendation applies to guitars too, of course, but Guitar Slim, Buddy Guy and Albert Collins all used to run 100 feet or more of guitar cord back in the pre-wireless days. I guess they just turned up their amps to compensate.
So, you aren't going to hurt anything if you run a thirty-foot mic cable. You'll just lose a bit of signal.
|
MP
2022 posts
Feb 20, 2012
12:58 PM
|
since i don't run around the audience in the club showing off-TACKY!- unless you are buddy guy or rod etc. i like 16 footers. these give me enough length to walk out and check the main speakers, band balance etc. also i don't have all this excess to trip over or curl up like a snake at my feet.
----------
MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
|
