Extensive compressor reviews and FAQ

 
Brief subjective (opinion) reviews of the cables tested in the "measurement analysis" articles:
 
I don't plan to add cable-reviewing as a regular feature to my site; this is a one-time deal. If you haven't read those measurement articles yet, read them first, because they answer most of the questions you may have about the tone of the cables:
Click here to see the spectrum analysis (visual graphs of frequency response).
Here's a chart comparing how they actually measure up.
 
These reviews will focus on the following qualities:
--ruggedness of the cable, how well it would resist cuts and kinks;
--quality of strain relief on the plugs, and whether the plugs can be disassembled for re-soldering;
--thickness of the cable, stiffness vs. flexibility, and "feel";
--summary of reasons to buy or not buy.
At the end are my top picks for best value.
 
Atlantic Quality Design "ZeroCap": 6.5 mm thick, with good flexibility. Average (good enough) durability, ordinary rubbery vinyl outer surface. The powered module probably won't be damaged by normal studio use and moderate stage use, but might not survive rough treatment. Also it's very hard to tell whether you have actually clicked the switch on or off. The G&H plugs are good quality, the bodies are metal, and they can be disassembled for repairs. Very good strain relief. You'd buy it because it has the lowest capacitance of the group, and probably the lowest anywhere; but it may be overkill in that regard, and it's quite expensive.
 
Elixir "Premium": 7.2 mm thick, and a bit stiff, but it loosens up with use. The slightly thicker insulation diameter seems resistant to damage. Rubbery vinyl surface. Plug bodies are plastic, but chunky and tough. Very difficult to open for repairs though. OK strain relief. You'd buy it because it has very low capacitance and a rugged feel, though it might be a little too stiff for some people, and it's not cheap.
 
Planet Waves "Cable Station": 6 mm thick, and very flexible, with the typical rubbery surface feel. It comes as a kit with solderless plugs, and it's meant for making pedalboard patch cables, though it also works very well in greater lengths. Somewhat vulnerable to damage; the good news is if the cable does get damaged, it only takes a minute or two to cut off the damaged section and reattach the plug. The plugs have slim metal bodies, and no strain relief, but again they are solderless and the cable is very easy to repair. You'd buy it for the low capacitance and the versatility, but it is not suitable for rough onstage use.
 
Horizon standard: 6 mm thick, very flexible but also flimsy-feeling, not very damage-resistant. Probably very thin wire bundle inside the insulation. Rubbery surface. Plugs are generic, with metal bodies that can be disassembled for service. Good amount of strain relief. You'd buy it because it's very cheap and has good capacitance, but it can't take abuse.
 
Vox "Vintage Coil": 5.5 mm thick, but because it is tightly coiled, it feels heavy and bulky. The somewhat stiff/springy coils would make it resistant to damage from heavy objects dropping on it, but the thin cable would be easy to cut. Rubbery vinyl surface. The straight-end plug has a metal body that can be opened, however under the metal it is solid sealed plastic, and cannot be repaired; the right-angle plug body is just molded plastic. Small amount of strain relief, not so good. The stiff coils make repairs anywhere on the cable fairly difficult, and quite vulnerable to re-breaking; plus coiled cables in general tend to break internally after a lot of use. You'd buy it because it looks cool, and sounds good with below-average capacitance, but it's not a good choice for reliability or repairability.
 
Lava "Magma": 6 mm thickness, very flexible and easy to handle, but not particularly rugged. Typical rubbery surface. G&H plugs with metal bodies that are easy to service, and there's OK strain relief. You'd buy it because it has slightly better-than-average capacitance, and good-quality plugs, at a low price.
 
DiMarzio standard: 6 mm thick, but with a braided fabric outer surface that feels durable and damage-resistant. Very flexible and easy to handle. Good-quality Switchcraft plugs have metal bodies that are easy to open for repair. Good strain relief. You'd buy it because it's a great value: decent capacitance, and better-than-average construction, at a low price.
 
Musician's Gear "standard braided": 6.5 mm thick, and very flexible. I suspect the wire bundle inside is very thin. It has a braided fabric outer layer, but it feels softer and not as tough as the DiMarzio fabric. Plugs are generic, with metal bodies that can be opened for repair, and it has good strain relief. You'd buy it because it is incredibly cheap, but it might not last very long.
 
Monster "Bass": 7 mm thick, and fairly flexible. Typical rubbery surface. The plugs have metal bodies that can be opened--though if you're near a Monster retailer, they will just swap a new cable for your old one, so repair is not necessary if you have the time and opportunity to exchange it. Older Monster cables had oversized plugs that caused damage to the in/output jacks on your gear; however they corrected that problem years ago, so new cables have normal-sized plugs. There's no strain relief. You'd buy it because of the exchange policy, but be aware that all their descriptions of tone, bass response, and so forth are just meaningless marketing fluff. The reason it's a "bass" cable is that it has high capacitance and rolls off the high frequencies. Also do some research on the many aggressive lawsuits associated with Monster.
 
Evidence Audio "Lyric HG": 7.2 mm thick, and very stiff. It has a tough-feeling braided fabric exterior, seems rugged. Neutrik plugs are good quality, the bodies are larger than average, made of both metal and plastic; they can be opened for service, but it's not easy. Very good strain relief. You'd buy it for the boutique reputation and the very good construction; but it has somewhat high capacitance, is very expensive, and is too stiff for my tastes.
 
ProCo "Starguards": 6.8 mm thick, very flexible. Typical rubbery surface, average durability. Plugs have metal bodies that can be opened, with very good strain relief. You'd buy it because it is reasonably well-made and very cheap, though the capacitance is high.
 
Analysis Plus "Bass Oval": 8.5 mm thick, and heavy, but still reasonably flexible. Seems very, very durable and protected from damage. Rubbery vinyl surface. G&H plugs have metal bodies that can be opened, and there is decent strain relief. Just as with the Evidence cable, you'd buy it for the boutique reputation and the very good construction, but the price is crazy high, and so is the capacitance. If their non-"bass" versions of the cable have significantly lower capacitance, then maybe the price could be justified; if it turns out that their capacitance is just average, or below average, then maybe not.
 
Fender "Premium Platinum Acoustic": 8.5 mm thick, and as heavy as the Analysis Plus, but much less flexible. It has a very tough woven mesh exterior, almost seems bullet-proof! The plugs have chunky metal bodies, but they are extremely difficult to open up. No extra strain relief beyond the plug body, although the sheer thickness of the cable is a sort of strain relief. Aside from the bullet-proof toughness, there is no reason to buy this cable--its capacitance is just ridiculously bad. I also have one of their "Gold" cables, and its capacitance is equally bad. The one good thing about that one is it's very smoothly flexible and has a nice-feeling braided fabric exterior.
 
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My totally subjective conclusion is that the best values are the Elixir, Lava, and DiMarzio. The Lava and DiMarzio provide solid, respectable performance at fairly low prices. The Elixir costs more, but it actually delivers better performance, unlike most of the more expensive cables--and it's still only half the price of the Evidence Audio and Analysis Plus. The Planet Waves would rate higher with me if it was designed to handle gigging abuse.
 
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