Hum From Cables

[damasp]

I recently bought two high quality Mogami gold guitar/instrument cables for my Nord E3. I started hearing a slight hum in my headphones, which I run out of my mixer. I was using both cables to connect the keyboard to the mixer for stereo. I tried a variety of ways to hook it up and also used another keyboard and different cables. I found that the Mogami cables were the causing the hum.

They are expensive, but considered by some to be the best. I talked to a tech at Mogami and he couldn't figure out the problem either. He said it's highly unlikely that they would be defective. I don't always play in stereo and I don't know if that matters. I didn't test them with a powered speaker. I knew my return policy was running out from Guitar Center, so I returned them quickly. The salesperson there was baffled also, but returned my money. Mogami also has Gold Stereo Keyboard, Unbalanced cables. Guitar Center doesn't carry those and I don't know if you could use them when playing in mono. The Mogami tech didn't seem to think I would need those.

I liked the craftsmanship of those cables, but I can't figure out what went wrong. I would like to get another set of cables, but unsure which ones to get. Any opinions on good quality cables?

[analogika]

These were balanced cables?

The outputs on the Nord are unbalanced. Using balanced cables with unbalanced equipment can cause weird issues occasionally.

[damasp]

Thanks analogika. I'm pretty sure they were unbalanced. I know they had just one ring tip.

This page shows their line of gold cables. http://www.mogamicable.com/category/ins ... /index.php

I had these: http://www.mogamicable.com/category/pro ... 8-25-R.php

But not these unbalanced stereo ones: http://www.mogamicable.com/category/pro ... 15_20S.php

[Mr_-G-]

Did both cables cause the hum? And did it go away when you used different cables?
In the past I got some hum when the amp+kbd and the mixer were in different mains sockets.

[damasp]

Not sure if both cables caused the hum. I should of test them individually, but just wanted to return them before the store refund expired. I did try a bunch of other cables and different sockets. It just came down to the Mogami cables for some strange reason. What cables do you find work well?

[Mr_-G-]

I do not have a particular brand. I made some with neutrik plugs (I like those) I have some cheap ones and I have a couple that came with roland equipment. They all seem to be OK. Everybody says that Van Damme cable is very good for making you own.

[damasp]

thanks Mr_-G. I probably won't get into making them though. A while back I bought a couple of Spectraflex cables from someones recommendation here. They seem to be of good quality. The Mogami cables looked very durable and had a life time warranty. Oh well.

[Six-string-man]

I have some Hosa cables, and they seem to be high quality. They look to be well made, have absolutely no hum, and the price was reasonable.

I got them from Ashby Solutions, when I bought a switch for my Burn pedal. I believe Amazon also sell them.

Highly recommended.


SSM

[Kayj_prod]

Surely the best investment a musician can make -as well as practise of course- is a decent soldering iron and wire strippers? Saves a fortune in cables if you can make them yourself and to make up a couple of unbalanced 1/4" cables will take less time than going out to the shop... unless the shop is just at the end of the road. You'll know they are made well, you'll know there aren't any frayed strands (which I think might be the cause of your hum if other cables didn't exhibit the same) and if something does go wrong, whizz the end off and fix it rather than trashing them. I have a reel of Van Damme cable which I take a length of as and when and terminate as I need to with Neutrik connectors. 10 minute job for a pair usually.

I make up all my cables now with right angled plugs so they don't get knocked when playing on smaller stages (usually by guitarists). Playing last weekend on a flat floor and some muppet fell over a wedge bending the straight input jack.

[damasp]

I've never tried making them, but now might be a good chance to learn.