Can someone explain cables to me?

[unconventional]

Balanced, shielded, unbalanced, unshielded?

I read today that if you use the wrong cable for speaker to amp you could fry your transformer?

I got 2 short 3' cables. I believe these are instrument cables right?

Guitar and effects cables are the same? I twisted the end off and looked at it. looks like no shielding or silver mesh inside like a coax cable. So I'm assuming this is unshielded or unbalanced? Is it the same?

I'd like to make my own cable. Been soldering for years, just want to get the right cable for the guitar / effects and the right cable for speaker.

Any insight is appreciated. No mathematicians please :lol:

 

[RJ2213]

speaker cable is unshielded. sheilded refers to the ground(negative) being a metal jacketing surrounding the core(positive).

balanced and unbalanced refers to line level signals, not high amperage signals like speaker cables carry.

balanced would have a positive, negative and neutral with the neutral being the metal jacketing surounding the positive and negative.

unbalanced would be like a guitar cable, shielded with only two connections.

balanced only works as balanced if the cable and both devices are balanced inputs and outputs. if one or both of the devices are unbalanced then it will run as unbalanced. the benefit of balanced is that you get use longer cable lengths without as much interference or attentuation.

xlr mic cables are balanced shielded cables.

standard guitar cables are shielded unbalanced

speaker cables are unshielded unbalanced and are made of thicker core conductor that can handle higher current.

 

[unconventional]

so is this shielded or unshielded? I tend to think unshielded as it does not have the outer silver mesh like coax right?

It was sold to me as an effects cable. Or because the inner (+) cable has clear plastic around it considered shielding?

 

[RJ2213]

looks like its most likely sheilded. the main reason i say that is that the cable doesnt look thick enough to be speaker cable. so the only other likely option would be a sheilded cable like what would be used to connect effects.

if you cut the cable open(which i dont recommend) you would probably see the braiding around the inner core there.

 

[Paul Secondino]

I don't see any shielding on that picture so it looks like speaker cable..I see only two conductors coming out of the jacket , if it had shielding around the conductor wires, it would basically be mic cable. But yes, you need to really look carefully inside the jacket to see if there is the braided shield ,similar to coax.

 

[RJ2213]

I don't see any shielding on that picture so it looks like speaker cable..I see only two conductors coming out of the jacket , if it had shielding around the conductor wires, it would basically be mic cable. But yes, you need to really look carefully inside the jacket to see if there is the braided shield ,similar to coax.

actually the bottom conductor looks like it is sheilding that is brought together for that solder joint. many guitar cables dont have a braided shield but more of a stranded shield, which is what this looks like to me. but i would have to see a better picture to be sure.

 

[6L6C]

I don't see any shielding on that picture so it looks like speaker cable..I see only two conductors coming out of the jacket , if it had shielding around the conductor wires, it would basically be mic cable. But yes, you need to really look carefully inside the jacket to see if there is the braided shield ,similar to coax.

actually the bottom conductor looks like it is sheilding that is brought together for that solder joint. many guitar cables dont have a braided shield but more of a stranded shield, which is what this looks like to me. but i would have to see a better picture to be sure.

I think its shielded too.

If you start making your own cables just make sure the shield is a copper braided shield they do a nicer job than the foil shields (but some of them are not that bad either). This is for guitar, effects loops and things of that nature
Out of some of the cables you come across, you might want to check out “Canare” I have been using this cable for about 15 years great stuff I use GS-6. I still have some of my cables from 15 years ago the jackets are great no cracking or anything really good stuff. Once in a while I will try other brands there is allot of good stuff out there. Lately I have tried “Planet Waves” since allot of people rave about them, I see why again good stuff.
The real nice thing about the Planet Waves is the plugs it is spring loaded provides a nice solid connection with the ground and also helps keep the plug in the jack. The unique thing about their system is when you make up cables no soldering involved. Check out the video. http://www.planetwaves.com/Pcablesdetails.aspx?ID=6

I was very apprehensive at first with the soldering but the prove is in there cables they sound great, I do wonder about oxidation over time but there again 1 screw trim the cable 1 ½ or so put screw back your done.

 

[bergsheil]

monster cable

 

[mikey383]

Looks like shielded cable to me also. It looks like only one conductor in the cable. Unshielded cables such as speaker cable typically have two insulated conductors, usually black and white. Since that conductor is in a kinda clear insulation, I'd say it's shielded.


Yes, you can fry your output tranny if you use instrument cable to connect the speakers. It's a small guage wire, which probably wouldn't be bad for a 5 - 10 watt amp. On a 100 watt amp, you could send enough current through the cable to burn up the small wire, which will leave your amp without a load connected.

 

[mikey383]

monster cable

...is overpriced and underperforms.