I have been looking for three pair balanced XLR cable to run between my Behringer Ultradrive and three QSA amps in a rack over 100 feet. Something pre made would be great if not what cable should I use to make my own? Thanks Andy
Why not put the Ultradrive in the rack and run a single pair to it?
Look for an audio snake at a musician store, but they are fairly expensive and have more connections than you need. Then again, assuming that you have another channel close by you could run the snake to the center point between the channels.
Parts express is one place that carries snake cable so you can roll your own. Pro Co Snake Cable 8 Channel 100 ft. | Parts-Express.com Sometimes they have closeout pricing.
If you can live with unshielded cable, cat 5/6 cable has four twisted pairs and is inexpensive. There is shielded cat 5 cable, but at $450/1000 foot roll, it ends up costing more than a pro audio snake to roll your own.
Another heavily DIY option would be to make your own cable using three runs of something like this http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=100-242 in a techflex sleeve. Since the sleeves tend to come in 25' rolls you'd need to put 4 sections on the cable and heat shrink them in place. Could be sort of cool, probably cheaper than a pro snake if you don't count your labor.
Good luck.
Look for an audio snake at a musician store, but they are fairly expensive and have more connections than you need. Then again, assuming that you have another channel close by you could run the snake to the center point between the channels.
Parts express is one place that carries snake cable so you can roll your own. Pro Co Snake Cable 8 Channel 100 ft. | Parts-Express.com Sometimes they have closeout pricing.
If you can live with unshielded cable, cat 5/6 cable has four twisted pairs and is inexpensive. There is shielded cat 5 cable, but at $450/1000 foot roll, it ends up costing more than a pro audio snake to roll your own.
Another heavily DIY option would be to make your own cable using three runs of something like this http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=100-242 in a techflex sleeve. Since the sleeves tend to come in 25' rolls you'd need to put 4 sections on the cable and heat shrink them in place. Could be sort of cool, probably cheaper than a pro snake if you don't count your labor.
Good luck.
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mainly to save on speaker wire runs. I have 4 sets of speakers seperated about 100 feet each with one central control. The amp racks will be on the left and right between pairs so the speaker wires will only need to about 50 feet long. Andy
I meant locate the ultra drive units where you have the amps between speakers, leaving you a single run from amp/crossover rack to the central control unit. If your controller can send a digital signal to the DCX2496 that would probably work best.
I assume that you mean to have individual crossovers for each side. I am far from an expert on PA setup, but I think at a minimum you'd want a delay on the rears relative to the front and probably different crossover settings as well. This would require a DCX2496 per side.
It sounds like a semipermanent installation, where it might take some walking back and forth to get set up but once you have it dialed in you won't need to tweak. Am I correct or are you thinking of a touring rig?
I assume that you mean to have individual crossovers for each side. I am far from an expert on PA setup, but I think at a minimum you'd want a delay on the rears relative to the front and probably different crossover settings as well. This would require a DCX2496 per side.
It sounds like a semipermanent installation, where it might take some walking back and forth to get set up but once you have it dialed in you won't need to tweak. Am I correct or are you thinking of a touring rig?
Bob; It is sound system for pyromusicals. It will be setup at a few differant locashoins and used for 20mins a couple of times a year. Once set up at a locashoin I will save the setings. I am only using one DCX in mono left and right to run tri amplification. Thats why I need 100 foot 3 channel XLRs.
I'm spring loaded to prioritize sound quality. 😉
BELDEN|8777 060100|UNSHLD MULTIPR CABLE 3PR 100FT | Newark.com - although the description is unshielded, each pair is individually shielded. http://www.belden.com/techdatas/english/8777.pdf A lot cheaper than a ready made 8/4 snake. Add some XLRs and some heat shrink and you've got a workable snake.
Edit Maybe not - http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musician's-Gear-Stage-Snake?sku=620862 the 100' 8x4 is $130+ 3 cables from the end of the snake to the amps.
BELDEN|8777 060100|UNSHLD MULTIPR CABLE 3PR 100FT | Newark.com - although the description is unshielded, each pair is individually shielded. http://www.belden.com/techdatas/english/8777.pdf A lot cheaper than a ready made 8/4 snake. Add some XLRs and some heat shrink and you've got a workable snake.
Edit Maybe not - http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musician's-Gear-Stage-Snake?sku=620862 the 100' 8x4 is $130+ 3 cables from the end of the snake to the amps.
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Bob thanks for the tips, the belden cable has PVC jacket not to flexable. Nice price on the snake, iwoulder what gage the wires are. 8X4 channels may be over kill and heavy. Andy
I'd bet the snake uses pretty small conductors, since the cable looks to be about 1" OD. I haven't seen a snake smaller than 8x4. Parts express' closeout price on 100' 12 pair cable was around the same as that snake, if that tells you anything about potential quality.
Poke around in Newark's catalog you may find something more flexible than a PVC jacket but likely to be twice the price. Look at 4 pair to potentially expand the options.
Poke around in Newark's catalog you may find something more flexible than a PVC jacket but likely to be twice the price. Look at 4 pair to potentially expand the options.
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