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Gear / Technical Help => Cables => Topic started by: OmahaAudio on January 16, 2012, 09:18:07 PM

Title: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: OmahaAudio on January 16, 2012, 09:18:07 PM
New to the board with a cabling question. Having seen some great pictures of various set-ups here I'd like to know the point to the "stubbies" XLR connections that folks make? It is a matter of looks? Is it done because they're shorter and don't stick out as much? Is there some performance gain?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: darktrain on January 16, 2012, 10:09:07 PM
New to the board with a cabling question. Having seen some great pictures of various set-ups here I'd like to know the point to the "stubbies" XLR connections that folks make? It is a matter of looks? Is it done because they're shorter and don't stick out as much? Is there some performance gain?

Thanks.

As one who has done 100's of them, most of the time the ra stubbies are done for space and they help alleviate strain where the regular xlr's come straight out and into the sides of most bags. where as straight stubbies IMO only really help "lighten" the load but at times like with V3's where the cables come off the back offer a lower profile as well and reduce the height needed to not put unnessary strain on the cables. Bottom line if your bag has the room, no need to modify, if its snug and say the in/outs are on the side of the recorder/pre and space is tight....stubbie up ;D
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: F.O.Bean on January 17, 2012, 01:31:44 AM
Well said!
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: acidjack on January 17, 2012, 06:47:21 AM
New to the board with a cabling question. Having seen some great pictures of various set-ups here I'd like to know the point to the "stubbies" XLR connections that folks make? It is a matter of looks? Is it done because they're shorter and don't stick out as much? Is there some performance gain?

Thanks.

I would add only that, depending what mic pattern you're running, not having them stick out of the back of your mics can allow you to spread the mics wider without spacing the mics further apart on the horizontal plane.

In my bag, at least, having shorter connections makes a big difference.  Up top, on the mics themselves, less so... but like many people, most of the time I run a smaller, low-profile mic.  When I run my Schoeps bodies, I like having the right angle connections.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B) on January 17, 2012, 08:31:29 AM
I have straight stubbies on my recorder side because that is the direction of the hole out of my bag (Portabrace for DR-680)

I would run right angles at the recorder if I had it in a top loader bag though.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Gutbucket on January 17, 2012, 12:45:05 PM
I generally prefer right angle connectors at both ends (either standard RA plugs or custom stubbies).  As others mentioned, they make for fitting things into a smaller bag with less cable stress but also makes the cable run much cleaner and lower profile at the mic side- a plus for both lower visual impact and freedom from cable snags if you are moving the rig around or bringing it in fully or partially setup.  You can do that with standard right angle connectors instead of cut down 'stubbies' without much additional space, but stubbie is the most compact way to go.  Be aware that not all stubbies lock in, some only interference fit.  Also right angle stubbies are built with the cable exiting at a set and unchangable orientation.  Some (not all) standard right angle plugs allow you to change the orientation to fit your equipment, without re-soldering the connection.  That usually doesn't matter at the mic end, but can be important at the equipment input side to get things to fit right, especially if you are using the cables with several pieces of gear which require different cable entry/exit orientations.

stubbie up ;D
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: darktrain on January 17, 2012, 01:31:03 PM
I never saw or read about Stubbies not locking in, specific brand or mod?
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: hi and lo on January 17, 2012, 01:44:52 PM
Just another consideration I haven't seen mentioned but would throw out there... With stubbies, you are giving us some EMI/RFI shielding because there is not complete coverage by the metal xlr housing. A minor consideration, for sure, but certainly worthy of note if you are running cables in interference prone environments.

edit: only applicable to true stubbies w/ hot melt glue. The legitimate RA XLR cables by Neutrik won't suffer from this problem as they have complete shielding.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Gutbucket on January 17, 2012, 01:48:26 PM
The ones I have lock (Ted's), and I assume yours do, but I've read here on the board and seen photos of some that just push in without a locking tab.  It could be those were all homebrewed DIY stubbies, but I can't remember.   You're a cable expert though, maybe I'm crazy.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: darktrain on January 17, 2012, 03:13:27 PM
The ones I have lock (Ted's), and I assume yours do, but I've read here on the board and seen photos of some that just push in without a locking tab.  It could be those were all homebrewed DIY stubbies, but I can't remember.   You're a cable expert though, maybe I'm crazy.


My guess is they were the females and they didnt "shield" the tab thats allows the release button to operate from the epoxy/glue.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Gutbucket on January 17, 2012, 03:53:02 PM
Could be, and makes sense.  As I recall they were all females.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: willndmb on January 17, 2012, 10:18:27 PM
It could be those were all homebrewed DIY stubbies
all stubbies are home brew
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Gutbucket on January 17, 2012, 10:29:00 PM
I consider DT more of a craft-brewer.  ;)
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: willndmb on January 17, 2012, 10:39:35 PM
I consider DT more of a craft-brewer.  ;)
lol agreed after i posted i noticed it was in response to him
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: OmahaAudio on January 19, 2012, 12:47:06 PM
"I have straight stubbies on my recorder side because that is the direction of the hole out of my bag (Portabrace for DR-680)"

I have the Tascan bag for the DR-680. How do you like the PortaBrace bag?
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: stevetoney on February 07, 2012, 10:59:52 AM
The ones I have lock (Ted's), and I assume yours do, but I've read here on the board and seen photos of some that just push in without a locking tab.  It could be those were all homebrewed DIY stubbies, but I can't remember.   You're a cable expert though, maybe I'm crazy.

Gutbucket, it was kinda dark in The Green Room, but in my strictly ameteur opinion, you didn't look crazy that day...I can't speak about other days though.   ;)
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Gutbucket on February 07, 2012, 02:24:29 PM
The ones I have lock (Ted's), and I assume yours do, but I've read here on the board and seen photos of some that just push in without a locking tab.  It could be those were all homebrewed DIY stubbies, but I can't remember.   You're a cable expert though, maybe I'm crazy.

Gutbucket, it was kinda dark in The Green Room, but in my strictly ameteur opinion, you didn't look crazy that day...I can't speak about other days though.   ;)

Years of Pavlovian self-conditioning have honed to perfection my impersonation of brief moments of what normal people consider sanity, which I've found socially useful in snowing-over lay psychologists of both sexes whenever it suits my agenda.  :-*
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: F.O.Bean on February 07, 2012, 03:57:00 PM
Darktrain does ALL of my cables including stubbies, and they will last a lifetime when he does them, they are that HQ :)
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Duconlajoie on April 06, 2012, 09:14:10 PM
What is stubbies? Thanks
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: flipp on April 06, 2012, 09:24:25 PM
What is stubbies? Thanks

Shortened XLR connectors. Some straight, some right angled; pictures are worth more than my verbal skills so http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=133186.0
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: ScoobieKW on April 06, 2012, 09:29:12 PM
What is stubbies? Thanks

XLR Connectors that have been modified to remove the rubber boot and often notched for side entry of the cable.  They fit better in bags and tight spaces. They also are smaller on the mic end.
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: darktrain on April 06, 2012, 10:20:48 PM
What is stubbies? Thanks

Shortened XLR connectors. Some straight, some right angled; pictures are worth more than my verbal skills so http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=133186.0

or http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=110932.0   ;D
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: Duconlajoie on April 07, 2012, 09:15:10 AM
Thanks. Translations provided by the dictionary may not be explicit sometimes because of technical context.
I have seen those connectors but didn't realize that metal xlr connectors have been cut, just saw an example with a plastic connector of that kind of work.
It should not be easy to cut those metal connectors, what tool do you use, if it's not a secret?
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: darktrain on April 07, 2012, 10:22:06 AM
Thanks. Translations provided by the dictionary may not be explicit sometimes because of technical context.
I have seen those connectors but didn't realize that metal xlr connectors have been cut, just saw an example with a plastic connector of that kind of work.
It should not be easy to cut those metal connectors, what tool do you use, if it's not a secret?

No secret, i use a bench grinder
Title: Re: Question About "Stubbies"
Post by: ScoobieKW on April 07, 2012, 02:01:27 PM
I used a Dremel rotary tool with cutting disc. Went through a few discs, but doable.