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Gear / Technical Help => Cables => Topic started by: JNT on September 11, 2006, 07:16:50 PM

Title: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: JNT on September 11, 2006, 07:16:50 PM
Looking for suggestions for low profile mic cables to use with 3 pin mini xlrs connectors.  What have people used besides the 1804a?

Joe
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 11, 2006, 11:49:23 PM
Van den Hul's Orchid mic cables have an OD of 2.9 mm.  They are extremely light weight.

PM me for details.

Chris
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Patrick on September 11, 2006, 11:50:58 PM
AT 853 cable.  You can get it for about $.50 a foot directly from AT.  I'm going to look into that Orchid stuff though, if it will work with switchcraft mini xlrs I might have to re-do my active setup  ;D
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 12, 2006, 12:16:04 AM
Yeah, that's it..now you're talkin'!   >:D

Chris
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: thegreatgumbino on September 12, 2006, 10:31:33 AM
I'd second the AT cable & the 1804a for tiny OD stuff.  The Van Den Hul's material looks pretty sweet as well.  Don't know what it runs $/ft though.
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: eric.B on September 12, 2006, 10:36:59 AM
belden 1503a
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: thegreatgumbino on September 12, 2006, 10:39:24 AM
belden 1503a

I think the down side there is that it has a foil shield.
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 12, 2006, 01:55:30 PM
The Orchid is $445 for a 1m set.  $1335 for a 3m set (msrp).  It's not available off the spool.  It uses a solid core wire as the main conductor and the inner screen as the return conductor.  The screens are saturated in their patented Linear Structured Carbon.  Those who have bought the Orchid rca's for their hi-fi system consider the cable to be a bargain.  We've seen it replace Audience Au 24, Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval as well as van den Hul's previous flagship rca, The Second (all-carbon conductors).  Someone on Audiogone also compared it to the Nordost Valhalla. 

Chris
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: thegreatgumbino on September 12, 2006, 02:09:07 PM
The Orchid is $445 for a 1m set.  $1335 for a 3m set (msrp).  It's not available off the spool.  It uses a solid core wire as the main conductor and the inner screen as the return conductor.  The screens are saturated in their patented Linear Structured Carbon.  Those who have bought the Orchid rca's for their hi-fi system consider the cable to be a bargain.  We've seen it replace Audience Au 24, Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval as well as van den Hul's previous flagship rca, The Second (all-carbon conductors).  Someone on Audiogone also compared it to the Nordost Valhalla. 

Chris

 :o  That's some f**ck'n pricey stuff!!  Is a "set" two cables?  Assuming that it is, a pair of 15 foot mic cables would run $2,225!!
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Ryan Sims on September 12, 2006, 02:37:09 PM
The Orchid is $445 for a 1m set.  $1335 for a 3m set (msrp).  It's not available off the spool.  It uses a solid core wire as the main conductor and the inner screen as the return conductor.  The screens are saturated in their patented Linear Structured Carbon.  Those who have bought the Orchid rca's for their hi-fi system consider the cable to be a bargain.  We've seen it replace Audience Au 24, Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval as well as van den Hul's previous flagship rca, The Second (all-carbon conductors).  Someone on Audiogone also compared it to the Nordost Valhalla. 

Chris

 :o  That's some f**ck'n pricey stuff!!  Is a "set" two cables?  Assuming that it is, a pair of 15 foot mic cables would run $2,225!!

Uh yeah.  About that. . .
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Chuck on September 12, 2006, 04:27:19 PM
Hey doOd, yer cables cost more than my whole rig...  :o
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Brian Skalinder on September 12, 2006, 04:43:13 PM
It's [the ORCHID] not available off the spool.

So Van den Hul manufactures its own cable?  Or has a private label arrangement with a manufacturer for this custom cable available only to VdH?  Curious...
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: JasonSobel on September 12, 2006, 08:02:03 PM
there's also Canare L-4E5C Miniature Star-Quad (0.189in O.D.).  you can get that at markertek.com for 40 cents / foot.
http://www.markertek.com/SearchProduct.asp?item=L%2D4E5C+BK&off=46&sort=prod (http://www.markertek.com/SearchProduct.asp?item=L%2D4E5C+BK&off=46&sort=prod)
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 12, 2006, 08:30:13 PM
My 184>Orchid>722 rig has a new sticker price of about $5400.  That's not a ridiculous figure.  It's not the most expensive rig in a tapers section.  I have a V2, but I'm certainly not scared to run without it if I need a small, lightweight rig for the night.  Most other cables on par (sonically) with The Orchid have an OD of at least 7 mm.  For me, it's worth a premium to have an audiophile cable the size of a spaghetti noodle.  YMMV.  There isn't much reason to invest into audiophile cables for your taping rig without having some sort of decent playback system.  Regardless, The Orchid is one of the few cables out there small enough to handle the mini-xlr connectors and still have proper shielding and durability. 

van den Hul manufactures all of its wire.  You can't buy it on the bulk market like Canare and Belden.  They have distribution in 68 countries around the world.  At CES, A.J van den Hul was bragging about their top end silver cable getting orders in China.  He said they tried to knock it off and couldn't.  Their 16 amp a/c power cord has been knocked off relentlessly (in looks, not performance).  He started telling us about all the vdH knockoffs that come out of China and mentioned a power cord.  He pulled one out and it was the very cord we bought on Audiogone.  Somebody was selling fake Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cords for $125...it's a $450 a/c cord, and we bought one.  They claimed you could buy a better cable at Home Depot.  It all made sense because the cord made amps sound bright and thin.  It didn't work on anything.  We ordered an authentic Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cord and there simply was no comparison.  We've sold seven of those cables to various folks who had originally bought the fake.  The fakes come up for sale on the Gone from time to time.  The authentic a/c cords don't.  They are that good.

Chris

http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/artpap.htm  - reviews and articles A.J. van den Hul has written regarding phono, cables, hi-fi and other relevant topics.

http://www.vandenhul.nl/artpap/pro-apps.htm
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Brian Skalinder on September 12, 2006, 09:06:34 PM
van den Hul manufactures all of its wire.

I thought I remembered so from an earlier post of yours.  Thanks for the confirmation.  :)
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: JNT on September 13, 2006, 02:34:26 PM
AT 853 cable.  You can get it for about $.50 a foot directly from AT.  I'm going to look into that Orchid stuff though, if it will work with switchcraft mini xlrs I might have to re-do my active setup  ;D
I'll check out that AT cable, thanks.

there's also Canare L-4E5C Miniature Star-Quad (0.189in O.D.).  you can get that at markertek.com for 40 cents / foot.
http://www.markertek.com/SearchProduct.asp?item=L%2D4E5C+BK&off=46&sort=prod (http://www.markertek.com/SearchProduct.asp?item=L%2D4E5C+BK&off=46&sort=prod)
I like the Canare mini star quad and thats what I use for my full size rig.  I need to go smaller for the mini xlr connectors.

Joe
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Shawn on September 13, 2006, 03:18:00 PM
My 184>Orchid>722 rig has a new sticker price of about $5400.  That's not a ridiculous figure.  It's not the most expensive rig in a tapers section.  I have a V2, but I'm certainly not scared to run without it if I need a small, lightweight rig for the night.  Most other cables on par (sonically) with The Orchid have an OD of at least 7 mm.  For me, it's worth a premium to have an audiophile cable the size of a spaghetti noodle.  YMMV.  There isn't much reason to invest into audiophile cables for your taping rig without having some sort of decent playback system.  Regardless, The Orchid is one of the few cables out there small enough to handle the mini-xlr connectors and still have proper shielding and durability. 

van den Hul manufactures all of its wire.  You can't buy it on the bulk market like Canare and Belden.  They have distribution in 68 countries around the world.  At CES, A.J van den Hul was bragging about their top end silver cable getting orders in China.  He said they tried to knock it off and couldn't.  Their 16 amp a/c power cord has been knocked off relentlessly (in looks, not performance).  He started telling us about all the vdH knockoffs that come out of China and mentioned a power cord.  He pulled one out and it was the very cord we bought on Audiogone.  Somebody was selling fake Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cords for $125...it's a $450 a/c cord, and we bought one.  They claimed you could buy a better cable at Home Depot.  It all made sense because the cord made amps sound bright and thin.  It didn't work on anything.  We ordered an authentic Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cord and there simply was no comparison.  We've sold seven of those cables to various folks who had originally bought the fake.  The fakes come up for sale on the Gone from time to time.  The authentic a/c cords don't.  They are that good.

Chris

http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/artpap.htm  - reviews and articles A.J. van den Hul has written regarding phono, cables, hi-fi and other relevant topics.

http://www.vandenhul.nl/artpap/pro-apps.htm

how are they measuring the performance of their cables against the chinese made cables?
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 13, 2006, 04:53:05 PM
My 184>Orchid>722 rig has a new sticker price of about $5400.  That's not a ridiculous figure.  It's not the most expensive rig in a tapers section.  I have a V2, but I'm certainly not scared to run without it if I need a small, lightweight rig for the night.  Most other cables on par (sonically) with The Orchid have an OD of at least 7 mm.  For me, it's worth a premium to have an audiophile cable the size of a spaghetti noodle.  YMMV.  There isn't much reason to invest into audiophile cables for your taping rig without having some sort of decent playback system.  Regardless, The Orchid is one of the few cables out there small enough to handle the mini-xlr connectors and still have proper shielding and durability. 

van den Hul manufactures all of its wire.  You can't buy it on the bulk market like Canare and Belden.  They have distribution in 68 countries around the world.  At CES, A.J van den Hul was bragging about their top end silver cable getting orders in China.  He said they tried to knock it off and couldn't.  Their 16 amp a/c power cord has been knocked off relentlessly (in looks, not performance).  He started telling us about all the vdH knockoffs that come out of China and mentioned a power cord.  He pulled one out and it was the very cord we bought on Audiogone.  Somebody was selling fake Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cords for $125...it's a $450 a/c cord, and we bought one.  They claimed you could buy a better cable at Home Depot.  It all made sense because the cord made amps sound bright and thin.  It didn't work on anything.  We ordered an authentic Mainsstream Hybrid a/c cord and there simply was no comparison.  We've sold seven of those cables to various folks who had originally bought the fake.  The fakes come up for sale on the Gone from time to time.  The authentic a/c cords don't.  They are that good.

Chris

http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/artpap.htm  - reviews and articles A.J. van den Hul has written regarding phono, cables, hi-fi and other relevant topics.

http://www.vandenhul.nl/artpap/pro-apps.htm

how are they measuring the performance of their cables against the chinese made cables?

I can't speak for van den Hul, but we judged the fake Mainsstream Hybrid a/c power cord's performance with our ears.

Chris
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: poorlyconditioned on September 13, 2006, 08:23:05 PM
The Orchid is $445 for a 1m set.  $1335 for a 3m set (msrp).  It's not available off the spool.  It uses a solid core wire as the main conductor and the inner screen as the return conductor.  The screens are saturated in their patented Linear Structured Carbon.  Those who have bought the Orchid rca's for their hi-fi system consider the cable to be a bargain.  We've seen it replace Audience Au 24, Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval as well as van den Hul's previous flagship rca, The Second (all-carbon conductors).  Someone on Audiogone also compared it to the Nordost Valhalla. 

Chris

Spend that money on mics instead !!!

  Richard
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: Lil Kim Jong-Il on September 13, 2006, 11:03:12 PM
There isn't much reason to invest into audiophile cables for your taping rig without having some sort of decent playback system.

Except that you can always upgrade your playback system.  Whatever you put to tape stays that way.
Title: Re: Low profile mic cable. Looking for alternatives to Belden 1804a
Post by: cshepherd on September 13, 2006, 11:38:02 PM
^^
I hear what you are saying there.  I think it takes a decent playback system to prove the worth of quality cabling.  That was my point.

Chris