Repairing cables 101?

[Irish Pennant]

I have a handful of low budget cables that's been taken out of use for one reason or another, usually the cable is the source of buzzing. I'm thinking of using these to learn how to repair and or build my own cables.

Before I jump into learning what components to buy, where to buy them and how to solder them, I have a question that's bugging me. When a cable begins to be the cause of buzzing is it necessarily the jacks that's failed or is it somewhere along the length of the cable that's lost its integrity? if it is the cable, how do you test to know where the fault is located? how do you test to know if it's the cable and not the jacks?

[jonfields45]

I have a temperature controlled solder station and solder vacuum, a decent digital multimeter, and a graduate degree in electrical engineering. When a cable goes bad I discard it. It would be easy enough to fix, but they are cheap and once they've aged into the wrong side of the bathtub reliability curve they are not worth the risk at a gig, in my opinion.

[Mandobart]

I was an electronics technician in the USN. Part of my job included making up, testing and repairing nuclear instrument cables, which are similar to coax. The only way I know to find where a cable is bad is a time domain reflectometer (TDR), a pretty costly piece of gear to buy and overkill for musical gear. Most of the problems I've encountered are at the connector. You can buy replacement mono and stereo jacks and XLR jacks to make up or repair your own instrument, mic or speaker cables. I used to play in a duo with a ham-fisted, sometimes inebriated typically always broke musician who was very hard on his gear. I fixed a lot of cables, speakers and PA's for him.

[Big Band Guitar]

I have repaired many audio cables. Almost always cutting off 6 inches and re-soldering or replacing the connectors does the job.

Nuclear survey meters are another story with voltages above 900, repair rarely worked. With personal safety involved I would replace with manufactures cables.

[jonfields45]

I find the biggest hassle with live sound is intermittent problems. Cables are a good source but it could be anything. Clearly a $600 speaker is not a throw away item, but a cable is at least for me. I had an expensive pedal go bad and my first step was to toss the cables on either side of it. They were quite old and had done their duty. But in the end it was not the solution. Nonetheless given that cables can over time approach the low reliability of much more expensive and complex items, I don't think it makes sense to push them.

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

I have a temperature controlled solder station and solder vacuum, a decent digital multimeter, and a graduate degree in electrical engineering. When a cable goes bad I discard it. It would be easy enough to fix, but they are cheap and once they've aged into the wrong side of the bathtub reliability curve they are not worth the risk at a gig, in my opinion.

I would be interested in hearing your opinion of boutique cables (Monster, et al) that tout gold connectors etc. Also, what do you look for when making new cable purchases?

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

I would be interested in hearing your opinion of boutique cables (Monster, et al) that tout gold connectors etc. Also, what do you look for when making new cable purchases?

My cables are mostly Mogami Silver. Mogami's claim to fame is thin flexible quality cable (unlike my Canare mic cables where the claim to fame is not thin and flexible -- Canare and Mogami are the Mercedes and BMW of Japanese cable manufacturers). I also have an equal number of Hosa molded cables because they pack compactly and are truly disposable (though I've yet to have to discard one but the hard service falls on the Mogami's).

I think in-general it is hard to separate the marketing from the manufacturing and I would not spend too much on any cable.

[shufflebeat]

I buy a roll of Klotz cable every 100yrs and keep a stock of Neutrik 1/4" jacks in a project box. Neither I or any of my compadres ever run out of leads.

My experience:

When a cable goes dead (v rare) it's usually pretty obvious where the problem is. If a cable goes intermittent then a gentle physical stress test often shows up the locality of the weak point.

Otherwise the only way to avoid "try it/cut a bit off/try it/cut a bit off" is just to bite the bullet, cut the cable in half and see which half works.

[mandowilli]

I occasionally repair a speaker or instrument cable but as for mic cables I buy the ProCo cables from Sweetwater. They are guaranteed for life.

[ghostnote]

Cables are just weird. I have expensive, "high quality" cables that only lasted 2 years, and cheap, "crappy" cables that are 15 years old and still working flawlessly.
It's one of life's little mysteries.

[RogerPease]

+1 to Shufflebeat’s experience and to what others have said.

Inexpensive xlr cables usually fail at the female connector. The spring contacts give out.
I can’t bear to throw out even a $20 cable for a $4 part and a half hour’s work.

Maybe this is obvious but if you take care of your cables (and all equipment) then they will take care of you.
Don’t let anyone walk on them if at all possible. Bring a roll of gaffer’s tape.
Take time at the end of a gig to coil everything neatly. Get some Velcro ties to keep each one neat.
AND learn how to coil cables so that they don’t get twisted, never wrap around your elbow.

Soapbox OFF. Cheers, _Roger

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

Otherwise the only way to avoid "try it/cut a bit off/try it/cut a bit off" is just to bite the bullet, cut the cable in half and see which half works.

I use a cheap electronic meter that measures voltage or resistance. Rather than waste decent cable, I find out exactly which conductor is open. That inevitably leads to discovery of an open solder joint or broken wire.

[jseth]

I'd second the reply that said "Throw them out...", ESPECIALLY if they are cheap cables; with cheap ones, you don't know where the fault may lie - whether in the connector or the shielding in the wire itself. Attempting a repair would be a bit of fool's errand.

I do understand your wanting to know how to "fix" a cable. There is a company called George L that makes cables and connectors that do not require soldering; instead they are crimped to connect the end plug to the wire itself. Easy-peasy, especially if you're at a gig and a cable goes down that you NEED...

I use Mogami wire and some sort of good connectors; Switchcraft most times, but even others are nearly as good. For a few years, I used a Monster cable assortment that I bought when a friend had an endorsement deal with Monster and I got them at great prices... then I tried a cable with Mogami wire and I was ASTOUNDED at the difference. Shocked to hear how much high and low end response was being choked by the Monster cable! (I have the ultra high-grade studio Monster cables)

The best thing you can do to repair your cables is to NOT BREAK THEM! I'm careful with my gear, n general, and cables specifically. I don't walk on them, as a rule, nor do I stage them where they might be crimped or trod upon. I don't bend them in weird ways, and I don't "stress" the connectors.

I can't remember the last time I had a cable "go down" on me.

Get good cables, take care of them and they'll last you for decades...

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Irish Pennant

I have a handful of low budget cables that's been taken out of use for one reason or another, usually the cable is the source of buzzing. I'm thinking of using these to learn how to repair and or build my own cables.

Before I jump into learning what components to buy, where to buy them and how to solder them, I have a question that's bugging me. When a cable begins to be the cause of buzzing is it necessarily the jacks that's failed or is it somewhere along the length of the cable that's lost its integrity? if it is the cable, how do you test to know where the fault is located? how do you test to know if it's the cable and not the jacks?

Hi IP

Back in the day, we built cables from scratch - everything from ¼" guitar cables to XLR mic cables. Part of it was the lack of availability of properly sized cables of sufficient quality to endure the rigors of regular use.

The other thing was cost.

Certainly today you can buy great cables at decent prices, but knowing how to effect repairs can be satisfying if you like tedious endeavors (I do).

Essential gear for me:

• Adequately powered soldering gun
• Decent solder (either flux core or solder and flux)
• A positioning arm with a clip on it so you can work alone (the rig holds the cable still while you do the work).
• Wire stripper (a good one)
• Wire nippers (to shorten a thick cable cleanly)

YouTube is certainly your friend in regards to cable repair and maintenance. Watch enough and you begin to sort out the overly-anal from the totally-clueless posts, and find a middle ground which is economical, efficient, and doing work which lasts.

Hope this adds to the conversation…

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

I use a cheap electronic meter that measures voltage or resistance. Rather than waste decent cable, I find out exactly which conductor is open. That inevitably leads to discovery of an open solder joint or broken wire.

I find a quick visual examination picks up most "wear & tear" issues, which, as has been mentioned, usually happen in predictable sections of the cable. If there's nothing obvious then the meter comes out, then 9/10 it's a broken central core due to mishandling or age related decay.

The comment you quoted was for when there is no apparent damage and you are left with the choice as to which end do you start chopping bits off.

Decent cable is never wasted, just recycled into shorter and shorter patch leads.