Curtis Judd 4/14/24 Curtis Judd 4/14/24

Cheap vs. Expensive XLR Audio Cables: What's The Difference?

In this episode we find out if more expensive audio cables are actually better than cheaper ones. Important points to consider when choosing a cable regardless of price include the actual cabling quality as well as connector build and cable management strategy. Let’s see how it’s done!

Find SoundSpeed's channel and cable-wrapping tutorial here.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

- Full selection of Mogami XLR cables — B&H

- Full selection of Canare XLR cables — B&H

Some of my other studio gear:

- Sennheiser MKH50 microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Impact Turtle-Base C-Stands — B&H, Amazon

- Aputure LS 600x Pro Bicolor LED Light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Light Dome III Softbox — Aputure, B&H

- Amaran 300c RGBWW Single-Point LED Light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Amaran Spotlight SE — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 Cinema Camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8 lens — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed - “Dynamo” by Virgil Arles. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Curtis Judd 9/6/22 Curtis Judd 9/6/22

Sound for Video Session — Connect balanced and unbalanced audio

In this week's session, we cover the difference between unbalanced and balanced audio connections and how to connect devices with different types of inputs and outputs. Then we answer your sound for video questions.

Find the Video Mantis course on hiding lavalier microphones here. Use coupon code "CurtisJuddAudio" at checkout for 25% off.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. We have a course on sound for live-streaming with the ATEM Mini and just added Introduction to Izotope RX for Dialogue Audio.

Gear I often use or that we mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Waves, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

- ART CleanBoxPro converter (convert both ways) — Sweetwater, Amazon

- Whirlwind pcDI stereo DI box (convert unbalanced to balanced) — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Dual TS to 3.5mm TRS cable — Cable I use to connect the Balanced RODECaster Pro outputs to the ATEM Mini's unbalanced input — Amazon

- Mackie 802 VLZ4 analogue audio mixing board — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater

- Sound Devices MixPre II Series Recorders - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera - B&H, Amazon

- Canon C200 Camera - B&H

- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 lens — B&H, Amazon

- ATEM Mini Extreme & Extreme ISO - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Allen & Heath SQ5 Digital Mixer - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel, pre-amp, EQ, compressor - Sweetwater, B&H

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Curtis Judd 5/20/22 Curtis Judd 5/20/22

Sound for Video Session: XLR Audio Cables & Q&A

In this week's Sound for Video Session, we talk a bit about XLR audio cables. First we cover some of the basics on using XLR cables. Also, one of the questions I've been asked many, many, many times is, "Do those expensive Mogami or Canare cables really sound better?" I've also been told, "You're wasting your money on expensive cables, they don't sound any better..." After that, we answer your sound for video questions.

See Allen Williams's video on how to over/under wrap an audio cable here.

I'd recommend you have custom cables made with Mogami or Canare cabling and Neutrik connectors. I get mine at performanceaudio.com. But many local pro audio shops should be able to supply cables for you. (I do not have any sort of affiliate or sponsorship relationship with Performance Audio, I'm just a customer like everyone else.)

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. We have a course on sound for live-streaming with the ATEM Mini and just added Introduction to Izotope RX for Dialogue Audio.

- Mogami XLR audio cables — B&H

- Canare XLR audio cables — B&H

- Universal Audio VOLT 276 USB audio interface — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Earthworks SV33 studio vocal microphone — B&H, Sweetwater

- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater

- Neumann U87 Ai microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Epiphan Pearl Nano live stream encoder — B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre II Series Recorders - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera - B&H, Amazon

- Canon C70 Camera - B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L IS lens - B&H, Amazon

- TA3-M to XLR-F Adapter cable to feed microphones to C70 or Blackmagic Pocket cameras - B&H

- ATEM Mini Extreme & Extreme ISO - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Allen & Heath SQ5 Digital Mixer - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel, pre-amp, EQ, compressor - Sweetwater, B&H

Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Curtis Judd 10/20/19 Curtis Judd 10/20/19

Sound for Video Session: Cleaning Audio Cables and Q&A

In this week's live Sound for Video Session, we'll cover cleaning your microphone cables - for both lavaliers and XLR cables - and take a shot at answering your sound for video questions. You can submit them live, or for future sessions, just sign up for free over at the Learn Light and Sound School and I'll email you when its time to submit.

The Army Nurse - Indiegogo fundraising page

Uni-Solve Wipes - I use these to clean adhesive and dirt off of cables without drying them out: Amazon

Shure Twinplex TL-48 Lavalier Microphone - used this on Private Bradley character - B&H

Shure Twinplex TL-47 Lavalier Microphone - used this on Nurse Jane character - B&H

Audio Limited A10 Wireless System - B&H

Sound Devices 633 Recorder/Mixer - B&H

Deity S-Mic 2 Shotgun Microphone. One of my favorite budget shotgun mics - B&H Amazon

Sennheiser MKH-416 Shotgun Microphone. One of the most popular shotgun microphones of all time and still very popular amongst voice-over artists and Live Streaming channels - B&H

Ethics statement: Some of the links above are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn a commission when you use these links.