Hi, I need my audio device (Digidesign Digi002) to record a few MIDI
tracks to an Audio track (converting MIDI output to an audio track as
part of my mix-down). So, I need to connect the Digi002's main outputs
to two of it's inputs. I'm wondering what the best type of 1/4" cables
I should use. Will unbalanced gold instrument cables be fine, say from
Monster? Or should I be using gold speaker cables? Does it matter if
they are not balanced if each one is carrying only one channel?

Thanks!

I need to connect the Digi002's main outputs to two of its inputs.

You want this device to break into oscillation?

No.Don't be a fool.
Your get the same results using $4.95 shielded
cable from Radio Shac or $40 for a 6" gold cable,
but anyone will take your $40 !

wrote:
Or should I be using gold speaker cables? Does it matter if
they are not balanced if each one is carrying only one channel?


Well, not speaker cable, whatever you do.

wrote:

Hi, I need my audio device (Digidesign Digi002) to record a few MIDI
tracks to an Audio track (converting MIDI output to an audio track as
part of my mix-down). So, I need to connect the Digi002's main outputs
to two of it's inputs. I'm wondering what the best type of 1/4" cables
I should use. Will unbalanced gold instrument cables be fine, say from
Monster? Or should I be using gold speaker cables? Does it matter if
they are not balanced if each one is carrying only one channel?

Why do you think you need gold anything ? Fancy cables are for the rich
and foolish.

Are the connections both 1/4" at both ends ? Are they balanced or
unbalanced ?

Whatever makes you think speaker cables are appropriate ?

Graham

wrote in message
oups.com...
Will unbalanced gold instrument cables be fine, say from
Monster?

Gold or Tin.. YOu won't know the difference. Neither will 99% of your
listeners.

nappy wrote:

Gold or Tin.. YOu won't know the difference. Neither will 99% of your
listeners.

100%.

Speaker cables are a different animal from instrument cables. Don't
use 'em for anything but speakers.

Any 1/4 instrument/guitar cable will do. The only criteria I ever
think of is if it's long enough and isn't scary looking.


If you're bouncing from the 002 inputs...doesn't that mean you're using
software instruments? In that case you don't even need cables. You
do it internally without leaving the box. Route the plug-in track's
outputs to a matched set of inputs on an audio track and record.

"Dr. Dolittle" wrote in message
...


nappy wrote:

Gold or Tin.. YOu won't know the difference. Neither will 99% of your
listeners.

100%.

agreed .. I was allowing for the 'believers'

If you're bouncing from the 002 inputs...


I meant from the 002 outputs.

On 3 May 2006 18:33:08 -0700, wrote:

Hi, I need my audio device (Digidesign Digi002) to record a few MIDI
tracks to an Audio track (converting MIDI output to an audio track as
part of my mix-down). So, I need to connect the Digi002's main outputs
to two of it's inputs. I'm wondering what the best type of 1/4" cables
I should use. Will unbalanced gold instrument cables be fine, say from
Monster? Or should I be using gold speaker cables? Does it matter if
they are not balanced if each one is carrying only one channel?


You don't need magic cables. No-one EVER needs magic cables.

Do you need a cable at all? What comes out of a soundcard can
generally be routed internally to a record input.

wrote in message
oups.com

Hi, I need my audio device (Digidesign Digi002) to record
a few MIDI tracks to an Audio track (converting MIDI
output to an audio track as part of my mix-down). So, I
need to connect the Digi002's main outputs to two of it's
inputs.

There's no way to do this internally?

I'm wondering what the best type of 1/4" cables I
should use.

You need 1/4" cables that a

(1) Long enough to reach from the input to the output. Excessively long
cables are awkward.

(2) Have the appropriate connector at each end

(3) Provide a reasonably low resistance for each of the two connections, and
provide a reasonably high resistance and low capacitance between the two
connections.

Will unbalanced gold instrument cables be
fine, say from Monster?

Only if you have been silly enough to already waste your money on them.

Or should I be using gold speaker cables?

Only if you have been silly enough to already waste your money on them.

Does it matter if they are not balanced if each one is carrying only one
channel?

Balanced versus unbalanced has nothing to do with the number of channels.

Both of the cables you have suggested are unbalanced cables.

In this application it probably does not matter tha much whether the
interconnect is balanced or unbalanced, but its possible that the balanced
cable will give higher signal levels because it connects both sides of the
output to the input.

Thanks for the feedback all. So despite what you hear in places like
Guitar Center and read in gear manuals or in record production books
and reviews on Musiciansfriend.com, sounds like gold gives you no
advantage but to lighten your wallet. Very interesting...apparently
I've been brainwashed?

For my purposes, I wish I could do this internally, but I don't see
how in my set up. Using Sonar (w/ Digi002), any audio input I select
for a record track seems to require a physical/external connection on
my Digi002. So, while I can select an output from my Digi002 for my
softsynth track and then create an audio track to record that has the
matching input, it will record nothing...until I physically plug
something into that input on the Digi002. Wonder what I'm missing?

wrote:
Thanks for the feedback all. So despite what you hear in places like
Guitar Center and read in gear manuals or in record production books
and reviews on Musiciansfriend.com, sounds like gold gives you no
advantage but to lighten your wallet.

Gold contacts do have an advantage when you're talking about low level
signals, sometimes. But what's really not worth spending money for is
fancy cable, regardless of what kind of connectors they put on the
ends.

Very interesting...apparently I've been brainwashed?

No. Flummoxed.

For my purposes, I wish I could do this internally, but I don't see
how in my set up. Using Sonar (w/ Digi002), any audio input I select
for a record track seems to require a physical/external connection on
my Digi002. So, while I can select an output from my Digi002 for my
softsynth track and then create an audio track to record that has the
matching input, it will record nothing...until I physically plug
something into that input on the Digi002. Wonder what I'm missing?

A patchbay. Or manybe a thorough understanding of how to assign an
input source to a track.

wrote:
Thanks for the feedback all. So despite what you hear in places like
Guitar Center and read in gear manuals or in record production books
and reviews on Musiciansfriend.com, sounds like gold gives you no
advantage but to lighten your wallet. Very interesting...apparently
I've been brainwashed?

Gold plating prevents corrosion. Most of the consumer "gold" cables,
however, are just lightly gold flashed and so the gold really does no
good anyway.

If you're stuck using lousy connector designs like RCA, it can be worth
it to use gold plating, but for the RCA the spring design is more important
since the contact area on the RCA is so poor to begin with. But the better
RCA connectors, like the Canares, tend to be gold plated and around a dollar
or two each.

For the most part, better connector designs eliminate all of these issues,
which is why you'll find XLRs on most professional gear.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for the feedback all. So despite what you hear in places like
Guitar Center and read in gear manuals or in record production books
and reviews on Musiciansfriend.com, sounds like gold gives you no
advantage but to lighten your wallet. Very interesting...apparently
I've been brainwashed?

That's not entirely true. Gold contacts are much more resistant to
oxidation, which means that several months or years down the road you might
hear (and measure) a difference between a gold-plated connector and one made
from baser metals. On the other hand, if you clean the base-metal connector
properly, the difference will go away again.

Peace,
Paul

wrote:

Thanks for the feedback all. So despite what you hear in places like
Guitar Center and read in gear manuals or in record production books
and reviews on Musiciansfriend.com, sounds like gold gives you no
advantage but to lighten your wallet. Very interesting...apparently
I've been brainwashed?

You should understand what you're getting and not getting
with a gold plated connector. Gold has about the lowest
resistance of any metal used for contacts, and doesn't
oxidize. But gold is less durable and will wear faster than
nickel for example. So for a cable that's likely to get plugged
and unplugged quite often it might not last as long as the rest
of the assembly, if it's a well made cable.

Gold (or any other connector metal) does not affect the sound
in any way.

For my purposes, I wish I could do this internally, but I don't see
how in my set up. Using Sonar (w/ Digi002), any audio input I select
for a record track seems to require a physical/external connection on
my Digi002. So, while I can select an output from my Digi002 for my
softsynth track and then create an audio track to record that has the
matching input, it will record nothing...until I physically plug
something into that input on the Digi002. Wonder what I'm missing?

I don't use Sonar, but you may be able to use something like VAC
(Virtual Audio Cable) to route the signal internally rather than
sending
the synth output to a hardware output.

rd