AUDIO
A QUICK GUIDE TO CABLES FOR AUDIO AND CONTROL | Jeff Hawley
It is likely that everyone reading this article can recall a time when something as simple as a bad cable put a damper on a live event they were attending or producing . YouTube is filled with videos of a heroic guitar tech switching out guitar cables or performing on-the-fly pedalboard repairs while the band tries to carry on sans guitarist . I know that my blood pressure still rises to this day when I think back to the days of large ‘ homemade ’ analog snakes and patch bays that seemed to have more channels taped over and marked ‘ BAD !’ than channels that ( hopefully ?) were in working order . This quick guide borrows liberally from a reference document on the Allen & Heath website , feel free to check out the full version here .
Different protocols , different bandwidth Allen & Heath ’ s protocols — and many popular digital mixer protocols today — rely on standard Layer 2 Ethernet to transport audio between nodes . dSnake , ME , ACE , and DX links use 100BaseT Fast Ethernet , with 99.7 % of bandwidth use . gigaACE uses 1000BaseT Gigabit Ethernet , with 93 % bandwidth use .
SLink ports auto-negotiate protocol and link speed , switching to dSnake , ME , DX , or gigACE mode depending on the connected device . With bandwidth use numbers well above the 90 % range for most digital mixer audio transport protocols , it should be obvious that the quality and construction of the cables are of vital importance .
CAT cables and connectors Use STP ( shielded twisted pair ) CAT5e or higher cables . Those with both foil and braided screens provide shielding from interference and are generally more rugged . Although solid core types can perform better at longer distances , stranded core cables are less prone to damage when kinked or repeatedly coiled . If you use a solid core type for touring , check with the manufacturer that it is rated for the touring application . Solid core is preferable for permanent installation , whenever possible .
CCA vs Pure Copper Copper Clad Aluminum ( or ‘ aluminium ’ as the Brits would say ) cables use an aluminum
conductor that is coated with copper . The resistance of aluminum is much higher than copper , resulting in greater attenuation of the signal . This might result in packet losses , which often manifest as ‘ clicks ’ in the audio signal . The mechanical strain of aluminum against copper is much lower , resulting in a shorter lifespan of cables under stress .
Straight vs crossed ? In Allen & Heath land , all Network , ACE , gigaACE , DX , dSnake , and SLink ports are ‘ auto-switching ’ so both straight and cross-over CAT cables can be used for these connections . Check the specs and requirements for your audio gear as there may be instances where the odd device requires a specific cable configuration .
Connectors For long-distance cables and those that are repeatedly plugged / unplugged , Neutrik EtherCon connectors are highly recommended . These have a shell that protects the connection and locks it in place when plugged into the
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