Cables & Cable Maintenance

Some of the most important parts of your studio are the cables that connect everything together, without them you wouldn't get very far. As a result it is important to take proper care of your cables to get the best out of them. To help you out we have prepared the following guide:

• Cable Budget: To get the best audio quality and performance out of your studio it is typically recommended to allocate 10% of your overall studio budget to cables alone. Good quality cables do cost a little bit more, but the results are more than worth it. This includes using properly shielded cable, and balanced connections wherever possible to eliminate noise being induced into your audio or data signals.
• Cable Storage: In most studio situations you will find that some cables will be part of a more permanent situation, while others are only needed during more  specific tasks, like recording. It is recommended that the more permanent cables are separated into different groups (eg: power, data and audio cables should be kept away from each other), also make sure that no heavy objects are sitting on any cables and that none of the cables are running over sharp edges.
• The cables you only need occasionally should always be kept properly rolled up and stored out of the way, this helps prevent the cables getting tangled or pinched, which can break the conductors inside the cable, stopping it from working properly.
• Shielded Cables: Shielded cables should be used wherever possible, especially where audio signals are being carried. Shielded cables add an extra layer of protection from noise caused by electromagnetic radiation, helping to stop the signal inside the cable from picking up noise, while also helping to prevent EM radiation from the signal itself from getting out of the cable. This all helps to provide much cleaner signal paths within your studio.
• Balanced Lines: Balanced lines, in the audio sense, is a way of adding an extra layer of noise rejection for analogue audio signals travelling through cables. Balanced line cables generally come with either XLR or 1/4 inch TRS connectors and helps to provide much cleaner signal transmission through the cables, especially in the case of microphone leads. The devices you are connecting must both support balance line connections for this to work effectively.