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Post by johneppstein on Mar 4, 2020 20:52:30 GMT -6
Well, you're entitled to your view. I've NEVER had problems with Switchcraft's TS and TRS connectors, and never broken a strain relief clamp on them. The brass MIL spec connectors are a bit of a PITA, but I get around that by soldering directly to the connectore and throwing away the little eyelet clips and screws.
I would NEVER use a Neutrik TS on a guitar cable - I've seen the strain relief let go too many times.
That has as much to do with the choice of cable as the Neutrik connectors! Not really. I've had the same problem with Neutriks on every brand of cable I've tried. Belden (my choice for durability), Canare, Mogami, whatever. The problem is with the poorly designed strain relief, not the cable.
EDIT: If a strain relief is designed for ease of assembly it is NOT designed for durability in the field. The two are mutually exclusive.
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Post by tourtelot on Jul 6, 2020 9:56:31 GMT -6
No question for me. Neutrik connectors for XLR (and Dante) and Switchcraft for 1/4 TRS (and RCA).
Funny that we love what we use, of course. But I must say that the current series of Neutrik XLR are pretty darned good. The first and second series certainly had issues, the second series especially with the cable clutch but the new ones are really good.
D.
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Jul 10, 2020 11:04:11 GMT -6
OK a lot of this comes down to what works, a friend just asked me if I could take a look at a couple of mics that were not working for him, one an old EV 635a and a Chinese LDC that I had never heard of. I told him I really wasn’t a mic tech, but I would take a look.
Neither worked with my standard Neutrik cable, but I tried both with a Switchcraft cable and the 635a was perfect, the LDC was intermittent if you wiggled the connector. Because it was sitting at the top of my cable go box I tried a cheap POS cable with no name connectors I had picked up some where, damn if that thing didn’t solve the problem!
I looked at the mic’s connector and it looked like the crappy gold plating had worn very unevenly so I took the female off the crappy cable wired it to Some bulk Canare with a Neutrik put on a heat shrink label with The LDC’s model on it.
Clayton said a tech charged him $50 to tell him both mics were DOA!
So as much as I’m pro Neutrik, I’m really what ever F$@#ing works, even if it’s the crappiest connector you can find.
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Post by EmRR on Jul 10, 2020 11:15:14 GMT -6
So as much as I’m pro Neutrik, I’m really what ever F$@#ing works, even if it’s the crappiest connector you can find. I’ve seen a reliably consistent stream of US instruments that don’t play well with Neutrik 1/4” plugs. Enough that changing cables is the first troubleshooting move. Same deal, poor contact for some reason. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Jul 10, 2020 11:30:31 GMT -6
So as much as I’m pro Neutrik, I’m really what ever F$@#ing works, even if it’s the crappiest connector you can find. I’ve seen a reliably consistent stream of US instruments that don’t play well with Neutrik 1/4” plugs. Enough that changing cables is the first troubleshooting move. Same deal, poor contact for some reason. Yeah, this is where we really need standards as well as we really need to split the conversation on connectors into “plug it and leave it “ and consistent “ make and break”. The worst thing that ever happened in the live world is this whole “ gold plate is best” myth. I don’t know how many times I have had to explain that gold is soft and wears away quickly and that if your plugging and unplugging just go nickel! Only to hear “ but, but but gold is a better conductor “ Sure is but a poorer conductor that makes contact beats a superior conductor every time! The guys who have it the worst are live guys who have standardized their rigs who have to deal with acts who bring some of their own gear. Nothing like waisting time because of connectors that don’t mate! Funny enough as much as we all admit Dsubs are crap, they are pretty damn consistent! |
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Post by calaverasgrande on Oct 26, 2020 22:12:30 GMT -6
The new Switchcraft are pretty good. Only just soldered them up a few weeks ago but very confidence inspiring. Though I have to say having soldered a few things less than half an hour before a show, I prefer Neutrik for simplicity and ease of assembly.
A while back I tried to save some money on a little break out panel and used some cheap knock XLR panel mounts. Can't recall if it was Ebay or Amazon, but never again. The female jacks would get stuck. The tabs would bend insteadnof releasing the shell?!
Lesson learned; don't use cheap parts where you are going to make repeated connects and disconnects. Cheap out on lunch instead.
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Post by johneppstein on Oct 27, 2020 13:09:11 GMT -6
I have found many brands of XLR connectors for making my own XLR’s on Amazon. Are any of these brands good? Or should I just stick to Neutrik with gold pins? I’m looking for decent connectors to go with my Mogami and Canare cable. Neewer brand MFL brand EBXYA brand/I like having the different ring colors for color coded cables. Do you think it would hurt the sound quality of the cable if I went with one of these brands? I can’t do links from my Amazon App, annoying. Switchcraft.
And gold pins are not always a good idea. Dissimilar metals can set up an electric current (essentially a very small battery) that accellerates corrosion, so unless ALL your connectors are gold plated it could be self-defeating in the long run.
Beware of cheap Chinese connectors - many are made with substandard materials. I've had some with plastics that melt with the heat of soldering.
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Post by johneppstein on Oct 27, 2020 13:13:11 GMT -6
OK a lot of this comes down to what works, a friend just asked me if I could take a look at a couple of mics that were not working for him, one an old EV 635a and a Chinese LDC that I had never heard of. I told him I really wasn’t a mic tech, but I would take a look. Neither worked with my standard Neutrik cable, but I tried both with a Switchcraft cable and the 635a was perfect, the LDC was intermittent if you wiggled the connector. Because it was sitting at the top of my cable go box I tried a cheap POS cable with no name connectors I had picked up some where, damn if that thing didn’t solve the problem! I looked at the mic’s connector and it looked like the crappy gold plating had worn very unevenly so I took the female off the crappy cable wired it to Some bulk Canare with a Neutrik put on a heat shrink label with The LDC’s model on it. Clayton said a tech charged him $50 to tell him both mics were DOA! So as much as I’m pro Neutrik, I’m really what ever F$@#ing works, even if it’s the crappiest connector you can find. Chinese (and some Euro) components are metric, US components are not. This can (but not always) cause problems. |
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