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Re: Microphone cabling

Subject: Re: Microphone cabling
From: "Philip Tyler" macmang4125
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 7:39 am ((PDT))
The construction of starquad cable is such that any electrical interference=
 that it may pick up gets cancelled out in a balanced system. So although t=
here are four conductors, usually two blue and two white you actually use b=
oth of the blue together for say the live connection of the XLR and the two=
 white for the return with the shield going to earth. Then the particular '=
twist' that is employed in the starquad helps reduce or even cancel out the=
 effect of any interference.

OK for the majority of the time when recording outside you may not always r=
equire this particular attribute of starquad but it is very useful to have.=
 So if there was anything which might interfere with your recording you wil=
l be far less likely to be bothered by it. I think it is always better to b=
e prepared rather than to find you arrive somewhere and having set up to re=
cord find that something is inducing a buzz on your mic cables.

Phil


----- Original Message ----
From: Max Catterwell <>
To: 
Sent: Monday, 8 September, 2008 13:59:46
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Microphone cabling


Very many thanks for that Phil but I'm confused; why would I buy four
strand when only three are needed?
Max

Philip Tyler wrote:
> Depends what type of cables you are making, if you are making up 'unbalan=
ced' cables then the cable you linked to would be fine.
>
> If on the other hand you are making up XLR cables for use with microphone=
s with 'balanced' connections then I would recommend using star-quad cable.
>
> Have a look at the Canford Audio site for star-quad cable, they do some v=
ery nice cable that conforms to the BBC spec for star-quad and it is very s=
upple and comes in different colours. It's what I made my two longer XLR ca=
bles from and the cable is very nice.
>
> Look here:
>
> http://www.canford. co.uk/Products/ 30-436.aspx
>
> Phil
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Max Catterwell <maxcatterwell@ o2.co.uk>
> To: naturerecordists@ yahoogroups. com
> Sent: Monday, 8 September, 2008 8:55:39
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] Microphone cabling
>
>
> Hi all!
> I have decided to start making my own mic cables. I have no problems
> with the practical skills involved, but am having far more trouble with
> the actual cable. Is there a preferred type (not make) recommended for
> our interest? After much web fruitless web searching, I finally found a
> UK site that appears to sell decent cabling, and particularly this one:
> http://www.connectr onics.uk. com/Musiflex. htm
> Is this design OK?
> Any suggestions of sites to look at re making up cables, and other UK
> suppliers would be gratefully received.
> Max
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------ --------- --------- ------
>
> "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>









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