# What is the difference between an instrument cable and a speaker cable?



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

I just bought a speaker cable and an instrument cable. 
Plugging the speaker cable in my guitar and amp sounds like crap. Why?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Cables 101: Instrument vs. Speaker Cables

Difference Between Speaker Cable & Instrument Cable? « Real Time Audio

Speaker vs. guitar cables

If you have any questions AFTER reading the above articles, please don't hesitate to ask.

Enjoy!


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Thanks a lot Greco. 

Why is there a 4 inch of plastic sleeving over the cable on one end? Every cable seems to have this but I fail to see a reason.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Jamdog said:


> Thanks a lot Greco.
> 
> Why is there a 4 inch of plastic sleeving over the cable on one end? Every cable seems to have this but I fail to see a reason.


That's just for added protection as the ends get all the flexing


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

GuitarsCanada said:


> That's just for added protection as the ends get all the flexing


Not the flexion protecting rubber (or springs) that's on all jacks, but the transparent plastic over sleeve that's on one end of nearly every new cables at the store, right after one jack. Seem completely useless, but a pain to remove...


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Heat shrink for a label?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I learned something new today.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Jamdog said:


> Not the flexion protecting rubber (or springs) that's on all jacks, but the transparent plastic over sleeve that's on one end of nearly every new cables at the store, right after one jack. Seem completely useless, but a pain to remove...


 I don't remember ever seeing any transparent sleeves on the ends of the plugs. Is it on a *specific brand of new cables *at the store you are shopping at?


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

greco said:


> I don't remember ever seeing any transparent sleeves on the ends of the plugs. Is it on a *specific brand of new cables *at the store you are shopping at?


I've seen it on multiple brands, at different stores. Perhaps it is a packaging method when most of the cable isn't inside a bag, box or anything, just rolled with one end showing (and having this extraneous material)? 
I guess it is useless if nobody uses them, and it answers my question of "should I keep it on?"


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Jamdog said:


> Thanks a lot Greco.
> 
> Why is there a 4 inch of plastic sleeving over the cable on one end? Every cable seems to have this but I fail to see a reason.


On some cables that have multiple shields this is sometime used to provide indication regarding the side of the cable at which the top shield is connected (Floating shield). With these cables already one of the internal conductors functions as signal return, connecting between signal source and receiver ground. In connecting the shield to ground only at one side of the cable and lifting it at the other side it functions as a true screen: It does not carry any audio signal; It screens the inner conductors and drains away unwanted noise to one location. This location (marked by the ground-end sticker) generally is chosen to be the at the signal source’s end.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

GWN! said:


> On some cables that have multiple shields this is sometime used to provide indication regarding the side of the cable at which the top shield is connected (Floating shield). With these cables already one of the internal conductors functions as signal return, connecting between signal source and receiver ground. In connecting the shield to ground only at one side of the cable and lifting it at the other side it functions as a true screen: It does not carry any audio signal; It screens the inner conductors and drains away unwanted noise to one location. This location (marked by the ground-end sticker) generally is chosen to be the at the signal source’s end.


This is totally new to me and very interesting. Do you know of any manufacturer's names and/or product names of these instrument cables?
Thanks


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

No I do not have any names of manufacturer for instrument cables but in audio cables using twisted pair it is quite common. Same goes for coaxial cables using more than one shield. One of the shields acts as a return while the top one is usually left floating. Some manufacturers use a heatshrink or other indicators. Some use the writing on the cable (van den hul) as read left to right with the left side being the connected side. 

In the old days single ended interconnects contained only one (center) conductor (+) and the shield carried the (-) signal, so it had to be connected at both ends. Then Bruce Brisson (owner of MIT cables) invented the "shotgun" single-ended interconnect while working for MonsterCable, which is what put MonsterCable on the map! It is called "shotgun" because it contains TWO signal conductors (double-barreled shotgun surrounded by a shield -- but since the shield no longer has to carry the audio signal, it can be 'grounded' at just one end, and can do its shielding job even more effectively.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I don't know if 'invented' is the right term.

Balanced cables have been done this way for a very long time (two out-of-phase audio conductors and a shield). It was quite common to lift the shield at one end, especially when connecting two active electronic devices, such as a mixer and a graph or crossover. Those are the devices that are particular prone to create ground loops, which would be audible.

While good practice, it isn't necessary on an amp to guitar cable as the guitar is passive (no ties to the AC ground grid so no potentially different ground potential). It may benefit on connections between pedalboard and amp depending on the specific power connections.


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

GWN! said:


> No I do not have any names of manufacturer for instrument cables but in audio cables using twisted pair it is quite common. Same goes for coaxial cables using more than one shield. One of the shields acts as a return while the top one is usually left floating. Some manufacturers use a heatshrink or other indicators. Some use the writing on the cable (van den hul) as read left to right with the left side being the connected side.
> 
> In the old days single ended interconnects contained only one (center) conductor (+) and the shield carried the (-) signal, so it had to be connected at both ends. Then Bruce Brisson (owner of MIT cables) invented the "shotgun" single-ended interconnect while working for MonsterCable, which is what put MonsterCable on the map! It is called "shotgun" because it contains TWO signal conductors (double-barreled shotgun surrounded by a shield -- but since the shield no longer has to carry the audio signal, it can be 'grounded' at just one end, and can do its shielding job even more effectively.


If I understand correctly, I should put that end on the amplifier side to reduce interference? 

The speaker cable we discussed here has that on one end, would the shielding work appropriately on my guitar?


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Jamdog said:


> If I understand correctly, I should put that end on the amplifier side to reduce interference?
> 
> The speaker cable we discussed here has that on one end, would the shielding work appropriately on my guitar?


The connected side (the one with the indicator) of the instrument cable would go on the guitar (source). There would be no reason for that indicator on your speaker cable since it is not shielded. So it seems that there is probably no reason for the clear heatshrink on your cables. What brand are they?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

GWN! said:


> No I do not have any names of manufacturer for instrument cables but in audio cables using twisted pair it is quite common. Same goes for coaxial cables using more than one shield. One of the shields acts as a return while the top one is usually left floating. Some manufacturers use a heatshrink or other indicators. Some use the writing on the cable (van den hul) as read left to right with the left side being the connected side.
> 
> In the old days single ended interconnects contained only one (center) conductor (+) and the shield carried the (-) signal, so it had to be connected at both ends. Then Bruce Brisson (owner of MIT cables) invented the "shotgun" single-ended interconnect while working for MonsterCable, which is what put MonsterCable on the map! It is called "shotgun" because it contains TWO signal conductors (double-barreled shotgun surrounded by a shield -- but since the shield no longer has to carry the audio signal, it can be 'grounded' at just one end, and can do its shielding job even more effectively.


Thanks for taking the time to explain this. Much Appreciated!


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

GWN! said:


> The connected side (the one with the indicator) of the instrument cable would go on the guitar (source). There would be no reason for that indicator on your speaker cable since it is not shielded. So it seems that there is probably no reason for the clear heatshrink on your cables. What brand are they?


That's a very good question. The very reason I bought them thinking they were instrument cable is because there's no packaging on it. I got them in a bankruptcy liquidation sale for dirt cheap. 

With recent reading, I was somewhat hoping perhaps there was a shield and connecting it the proper way would help, but I tried the plastic guitar side yesterday for awful hissing hum, so it's a no go. Might trade for an instrument cable with a co-worker, or use the cable for parts (neutrik connectors ain't bad)


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Usually in instrument cables like George L or the lower end Lava it does not make any difference since they use a coaxial with a single shield and the shield also acts as a return. When you get to the upper end of the Lava cables, Mogami or others they use twisted pair or quad cables with a shield. Then it is best to only connect the shield at one end but connecting it a both ends will not cause any problems. Just not as efficient.

Same goes for instrument cables with shield connected at one end only. Try and plug it in both ways to see if one way is quieter. It will not harm anything.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Jamdog said:


> That's a very good question. The very reason I bought them thinking they were instrument cable is because there's no packaging on it. I got them in a bankruptcy liquidation sale for dirt cheap.
> 
> With recent reading, I was somewhat hoping perhaps there was a shield and connecting it the proper way would help, but I tried the plastic guitar side yesterday for awful hissing hum, so it's a no go. Might trade for an instrument cable with a co-worker, or use the cable for parts (neutrik connectors ain't bad)


This is certainly getting very interesting.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Pictures please.
They will be a great help. You said you've seen these on various cables at various stores so I'm sure if we see one, someone will have seen it before.
Agree that if it's on a speaker cable, it won't be showing which end has shield connected as there should be no shield.
And just wondering how you determined they are speaker cables?


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

jb welder said:


> Pictures please.
> They will be a great help. You said you've seen these on various cables at various stores so I'm sure if we see one, someone will have seen it before.
> Agree that if it's on a speaker cable, it won't be showing which end has shield connected as there should be no shield.
> And just wondering how you determined they are speaker cables?


The lettering on the outer rubber says "digiflex d-14/2 speaker cable"  
It's subtle and I didn't see it when I bought. 
Now I understand why such a big gauge... 




What's that plastic thingy?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

This is totally a guess. 

I tape the plugs on my speaker cables with blue tape just to be able to see at a glance that they are speaker cables and not to allow them (e.g., by a guest) to be used as guitar cables. 

Maybe the person that built that cable did the same type of thing?


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

greco said:


> This is totally a guess.
> 
> I tape the plugs on my speaker cables with blue tape just to be able to see at a glance that they are speaker cables and not to allow them (e.g., by a guest) to be used as guitar cables.
> 
> Maybe the person that built that cable did the same type of thing?


I cut one off another of my instrument cable I got elsewhere too. 
Before seeing this one on the speaker cable, I wondered if the plastic was meant to protect friction with the instrument... 

I guess it's something to do with packaging, for non-bagged display packages...


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Jamdog said:


> I guess it's something to do with packaging, for non-bagged display packages...


I think you are probably correct with this idea.


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

greco said:


> I think you are probably correct with this idea.


At the minimum I know I don't do a faux pas by taking it out


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Jamdog said:


> The lettering on the outer rubber says "digiflex d-14/2 speaker cable"
> It's subtle and I didn't see it when I bought.
> Now I understand why such a big gauge...
> 
> ...


I have some older cables that look like this.....not too sure if they are speaker or instrument. Doesn't matter, they seem to work ok with the amps I use. Some have one plastic sleeve and at least one has two sleeves. IIRC on mine the sleeves slide so wouldn't give any indication if one end is different to the other.


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Electraglide said:


> IIRC on mine the sleeves slide so wouldn't give any indication if one end is different to the other.


True that. They are not fixed. Makes very little sense to me.


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