Studio Wiring

[cigam]

Hey,

I just bought an ADC TT patchbay with the breakout punchdown panel. I am looking for some good wire to make cables and wire up the patchbay. I've heard really good things about the MOGAMI cable.

Some people like the MOGAMI 2944 balanced console cable (26awg) and others like the MOGAMI 2534 balanced mic cable (22awg).

Suggestions anyone?

Any other brands that might be similar to MOGAMI?

I am interested in any ideas that you might have.

Thanks!
CIGAM

[where02190]

Go for the bigger (22)ga. wire.

[cigam]

Where,

That's funny that you just replied because I was just reading one of your posts and I was thinking of emailing you. I have your email from a while ago when you helped me with a firewire issue.

Hey, if you don't mind me asking, I want to balance all of my synth outputs-K2500s, JV1080 (Man, this thing is noisy), Proteus (Noisy too)-

What do you think is the best way to do this. I want to run a balanced studio all the way around if I can. What do you think is the best most cost effective way to balance my synth outputs. I want quiet, hot signals.

I know I got off my original post, but I figured I would ask anyway.

Thanks!
CIGAM

[where02190]

If the outs are unbalanced, run them through DI's. However, if you keep yoru calbe runs short (under 15') you should not have any appreciable noise issues unless you live near a transmitter tower or power lines.

[cigam]

What solutions have you found for synths like the JV1080 or the Proteus (original proteus)that are pretty "Hissy" units?

I'm trying to achieve a very quiet studio environment.

Thanks!
CIGAM

[mcconnellsteve]

Hey, if you don't mind me asking, I want to balance all of my synth outputs-K2500s, JV1080 (Man, this thing is noisy), Proteus (Noisy too)-

What do you think is the best way to do this. I want to run a balanced studio all the way around if I can. What do you think is the best most cost effective way to balance my synth outputs. I want quiet, hot signals.

cigam -- what do you mean by noisy? if you mean they're picking up ac hum, that's one thing and can be solved with shorter cables, direct boxes, electrical corrections in your studio, or all of the above. if by "noisy" you mean the s/n ratio is poor (which may be the case with a lot of our keyboards/signal generators -- you can get a lot of "hiss" before generating a really hot signal) then balancing the outputs won't get you much. you might try running your stuff through a mixer (say a mackie) and adjusting volume on both the mixer and keyboard until it sounds less "hissy" to you. i sometimes do this when i'm using my kurzweil micro piano which can be "noisy" in that way.

hope that's of some help..
steve

[cigam]

Steve,

Yeah, that does help. Thanks for your reply.

I have found that my JV1080 and Proteus are noisy just when they are on and idle. I have experimented with a direct box and it did help.

I am rewiring my studio with Gepco cable and installing an ADC TT bay so do you think that I could get away with the direct boxes. Could I make something instead?

Balanced power module to plug my Furmans into?

Any ideas are appreciated,
CIGAM

[mcconnellsteve]

so i'm still not sure what kind of noise you're talking about, though it sounds to me from your last post that you're not talking about electronic/ac "buzz/hum" but the "hiss" of the keyboard. the only success i've had with direct boxes is killing the buzz/hum. if it's solving your problem for you -- why make anything else (path of least resistance & all that....)

good luck!
steve

[cigam]

Steve,

Yeah, the DI box does seems to reduce the output noise. Which is interesting b/c like you said, DI boxes usually elimnate ground loops and line noise.

Now, I just read something on the Van Den Hul website:

" removing residual ground currents flowing in your audio installation:
Due to the fact that most audio equipment in your installation is powered by the mains voltage, an unavoidable hum voltage residual is induced on all cabinets and audio grounds. At all audio devices these residual voltages are of different magnitude (or phase) and will balance out by means of ground currents flowing through the shields of your interconnecting cables.
Generally, these ground currents are in the same order of magnitude as the audio signal currents being transferred (microAmperes), and thus are likely to interfere, thereby reducing transparency and imaging.
With the van den Hul POLARITY CHECKER, you can simply fine-tune your audio system to eliminate, or at least strongly reduce, these residual ground currents and thus improve your system’s performance."

http://www.vandenhul.com/other/c-care.htm#polarity

Could there be a polarity issue? I'm new to the whole "tech" side of this so I could be way off.

I am really wanting to get my studio noise floor LOW.

Thanks for your reply,
CIGAM

[Christian]

For punchblock, definitely 22 gauge. Make sure your rack stays put, punchblock likes to fall out if moved. Gepco is also a very good wire, made in Illinois and they sell direct.