A "Boring Thing" That Drives Me Nuts In The Studio

[Glenn D]

Very early on in this Covid season I became inspired to re-structure my studio - change the layout to reflect workflows and frequency of use. My studio consists of 30 plus fairly decent quality hardware units (Keyboards, Rack synths, Processors, etc) acquired inexpensively as people devolved (?) to ITB production. It's a creative choice for me as I'm very hands on and I like physical controls.
So now we get to the topic at hand ...

Everything is laid out and looks actually quite elegant. However ... I haven't cabled anything up yet, as my neurological disability didn't handle lockdown, and being denied support, at all well. But now I'm surfacing from my depression, so some encouragement to deal with this rather "boring thing" would be much appreciated.

Any hints on how to make it all look 'pretty' and uncluttered? And at minimal cost? I'm in a rental situation so can't modify walls or the like. As I struggle to maintain some inner order, the last thing I want is tangles of looped and drooped cables straggling behind everything and dribbling along the floor, making the studio seem crowded and confused.

Nga mihi nui, many thanks, Glenn

[Arpangel]

Try and use multi-core cabling as much as possible, terminating in stage boxes, near main banks of equipment. If you have lots of rack gear, use IEC mains socket strips.
Rubber cable protectors can be used where cables have to go across the floor.
Individual cables that have to be used can either be clipped together, or clipped to stands, using cable ties.
Carefully work out your wiring plan, and make sure you make it as short, succinct, and as logical as possible. Importantly, take your time.

[DGL.]

Naturally making cables yourself for each piece of gear that is the correct length can help matters, using "shotgun" cable for stereo devices and you can even use cable that has either one or multiple cores plus power to make things even tidier.

[ef37a]

I am with DGL in respect of 'roll your own' when it comes to cables but you can save a lot of money and space by avoiding rugged, 6mm+ 'mic' cables for fixed site interconnects.

A two core foil shielded cable is readily available with an OD of around 3mm, so you can get more down the same hole! This cable also comes with a stranded, bare 'drain' wire and this construction confers several benefits.

1) The foil screen gives 100% RF shielding, lapped (ugh!) and braided screens not quite.

2) The drain wire makes termination a dream, no braid to tease out and no possibilty of a 'whisker' causing havoc.

3)The small OD gives a tighter bend radius.

4) The cable is much cheaper than standard balanced mic cable and can be had in 50mtr drums and a variety of colours.

Plugs: Nukies are lovely but expensive to just leave in the back of gear for the spiders to look at? Shop around and you can buy 3, even 5 very serviceable jack plugs for one Nuke.
Gold plating costs little more and makes things a dream to solder and they won't tarnish over time (but in any case I always give plugs a wipe of WD-40 before final seating)
Make extensive use of heat shrink sleeving to improve the less than brilliant cable relief and clamping on budget plugs.

Last but NOT least, buy a cable tester BEFORE you start and test as you make. Not only for shorts/opens but also 'phase'. A swapped Ring-Sleeve cable in a system can be hidden to the listener for quite some time only to cause havoc at some point.

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-power/pp374 ... HmEALw_wcB

They only seem to do black but keep looking!

Dave.

[Arpangel]

I would avoid being tempted by small diameter plastic screen cable, I’ve known this to cause a noticeable increase in overall noise, changing to foil screened cable made a hell of a difference. It’s quite significant if you have lots of gear.
Klotz Installation cable is very good, nice to work with, just a great cable all round.

[ef37a]

I would avoid being tempted by small diameter plastic screen cable, I’ve known this to cause a noticeable increase in overall noise, changing to foil screened cable made a hell of a difference. It’s quite significant if you have lots of gear.
Klotz Installation cable is very good, nice to work with, just a great cable all round.

I did not mention "plastic" screened cable Arp? I have used many mtrs of the kind of stuff I linked to and my noise floors are where the interface specifications would suggest they be.

Dave.

[Hugh Robjohns]

And in addition to the wisdom above, label both cable ends!

[Arpangel]

I would avoid being tempted by small diameter plastic screen cable, I’ve known this to cause a noticeable increase in overall noise, changing to foil screened cable made a hell of a difference. It’s quite significant if you have lots of gear.
Klotz Installation cable is very good, nice to work with, just a great cable all round.

I did not mention "plastic" screened cable Arp? I have used many mtrs of the kind of stuff I linked to and my noise floors are where the interface specifications would suggest they be.

Dave.

Sorry Dave, I just meant it in the context of my post, it wasn’t meant to be related to yours, just wanted to drop that in about plastic screen.

[Folderol]

I would avoid being tempted by small diameter plastic screen cable, I’ve known this to cause a noticeable increase in overall noise, changing to foil screened cable made a hell of a difference. It’s quite significant if you have lots of gear.
Klotz Installation cable is very good, nice to work with, just a great cable all round.

I did not mention "plastic" screened cable Arp? I have used many mtrs of the kind of stuff I linked to and my noise floors are where the interface specifications would suggest they be.

Dave.

That looks exactly like the stuff we used to use for audio in full size rack cabinets, where we'd have 50+ incoming sources then distributed around various processing and recording devices. The rack to rack and rack to wallbox umbilicals often had bunches of these too... on 90/120 pin EDACs (hate the 'kin things).

[Sam Spoons]

Another +1 for foil screened twin installation cable. I recently bought 120 metres of Canford Audio's own branded stuff for 54p a metre inc VAT. Very easy to work with and surprisingly durable, I have a few patch cables I made up 25 years ago when I was skint out of FST and they still work fine.

[ef37a]

I would avoid being tempted by small diameter plastic screen cable, I’ve known this to cause a noticeable increase in overall noise, changing to foil screened cable made a hell of a difference. It’s quite significant if you have lots of gear.
Klotz Installation cable is very good, nice to work with, just a great cable all round.

I did not mention "plastic" screened cable Arp? I have used many mtrs of the kind of stuff I linked to and my noise floors are where the interface specifications would suggest they be.

Dave.

Sorry Dave, I just meant it in the context of my post, it wasn’t meant to be related to yours, just wanted to drop that in about plastic screen.

Ok matey, no worries. Whilst we are a bit OT? I don't know if they still make that instrument cable that was loaded with graphite grease? Supposed to reduce 'cable clonk'? If you did not clean off EVERY trace with meths or similar, gave all sorts of weird results.

Dave.

'

[zenguitar]

I've put some of these on my shopping list for when I set-up again. Extension lead with 4x IEC mains connectors. Could prove very helpful for keeping the power connections neat and organised.

https://www.studiospares.com/Cables-Lea ... 574430.htm

Andy

[Dave B]

In terms of cabling, I'd go a different route. I would be looking at ordering a number of pre-made 8 way looms and using those instead. Yes, they are not as robust, but this is a fixed installation so I wouldn't expect them to be knocked about much.

I would also be thinking of patchbays. I can get away with just the one half-normalled patchbay at home, but do have the odd spare. If I were running to other places where there were random connections to make (like various keyboards), I'd either be thinking along Arpy's lines of stage boxes, or another patchbay and a loom back to the main system. That way, shorter cables from the keys to the box/patchbay and you can re-patch when needed.

Also, you have a large number of devices - great - but are they all going to be in use at any point in time? If not, then I'd also be looking more at patching via patchbays/stage boxes and shorter leads.

All other advice above is good : rubber matting to cover unwanted cables, ties, rack mounted IEC power blocks - all good ideas.

[ef37a]

Dave B, you have prompted another idea in my head regarding cable management.

Mini Trunking. Cheap as chips* and available in various sizes. You can get an awful lot of that 3mm stuff in a 20x30mm trunking.

*Get the stuff SANS adhesive backing and fix it with blobs of No Nails. The S/A job grabs like a Scotsman on a poond and is virtually impossible to re- position. You can cut 100mm pieces of the snap in cover and use them to hold the cables as you feed then through then slide in the rest of the top. You can hardly see the join 'Ern.

Dave.

[Arpangel]

Dave B, you have prompted another idea in my head regarding cable management.

Mini Trunking. Cheap as chips* and available in various sizes. You can get an awful lot of that 3mm stuff in a 20x30mm trunking.

*Get the stuff SANS adhesive backing and fix it with blobs of No Nails. The S/A job grabs like a Scotsman on a poond and is virtually impossible to re- position. You can cut 100mm pieces of the snap in cover and use them to hold the cables as you feed then through then slide in the rest of the top. You can hardly see the join 'Ern.

Dave.

Only problem is he’s in rented, so can’t stick stuff to walls.
Good idea though, I would have suggested it also, but....
This cabling business can all too easily become OCD Obsessive Cabling Disorder...
It’s interesting looking at people I admire, and their studios, they are either totally immaculate, or they look like a doss house, it seems to have no bearing on what you produce, but it’s massively important to the individuals piece if mind in a creative situation, so given that, it’s all fine....whatever.

[MOF]

You can cover your cables with long strips of rubber mats, used for H&S reasons but also literally covers up an eyesore e.g.
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/C ... gJYkfD_BwE

[CS70]

the last thing I want is tangles of looped and drooped cables straggling behind everything and dribbling along the floor, making the studio seem crowded and confused.

Nga mihi nui, many thanks, Glenn

Ikea and velcro to the rescue!

On the back of my (Ikea) desk I have attached a couple of Ikea's picture ledges - specifically this one https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/mosslanda- ... -70292104/

It's super cheap, and allows you to place the cables over it, bundled together with velcro strips (and the bundles are labeled), and a little velcro adhesive on the ledge ensures that there's no drooping cables and they don't move. Yet when you want to rewire, it's as simple as tugging the velcro and undo the bundle.

Now if I only found a solution for the amplifiers and other stuff I have under the desk..

[Glenn D]

Wow! Thanks everyone for al the great ideas.
Now to do some research and planning (which may take some time as I have a learning disability ).

Re: Labelling cables - how do folks do that?

Cheers, Glenn

[Eddy Deegan]

Re: Labelling cables - how do folks do that?

I think you are in the US? I am in the UK, and use the British equivalent of one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Brother-PTH110-P ... 01J3WQ360/

The US model is slightly different than my UK version but the Brother label printers are really good. The one I have can print labels suitable for wrapping around cables as well as various other configurations, the refills are cheap, the cartidges last for ages, I've printed 200 or so labels and have yet to change batteries, the labels are good quality and it's a doddle to use.

[Glenn D]

Re: Labelling cables - how do folks do that?

I think you are in the US?.

I'm in Australia - but probably similar Brother products are available here. Do they have a choice of tape types and is there one you'd recommend?
Thanks, Glenn

[Sam Spoons]

I use one of these



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dymo-S0915390-Label-Manager-silver/dp/B004G6NVKU/ref=sr_1_15?adgrpid=53264424236&dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu7rao7DC6gIVFbTVCh2e9Aa3EAAYASAAEgJtl_D_BwE&hvadid=259076204581&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=2826&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8887094707845767830&hvtargid=kwd-1683683520&hydadcr=4397_1795148&keywords=dymo+label+maker&qid=1594373543&sr=8-15&tag=googhydr-21

You can print (small) graphics/images as well as text and any fonts your computer has onboard, the labels are great on flat surfaces but don't stick so well on cables.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I've been using these self-laminating wrap-around labels after a recommendation on hear some time ago (they are available through Amazon, too).

http://mr-label.com/product/mr-label-25-4-x-57-2mm-self-laminating-white-wrap-around-cable-labels-laser-printer-only-for-wire-marker-identification

I print the required idents using the Dymo printer mentioned above, just so it's neat and tidy.

You can print onto the labels directly with a laser printer and, if you're careful, with an inkjet... however, I found inkjet printing smudges easily when fitting, and you have to print a whole page at a time which isn't always convenient. Printing individual labels on the Dymo is quicker and easier...

So I cut the dymo label to length (if necessary) and stick it onto the white space on the wrap-around label before wrapping that around the cable as required. It gives a very neat, professional and long-lasting result.

[ef37a]

Heh! I had some software that allowed you to print very neat 'slide in' labels for rack network gear but it was on a floppy and you would need 3.1!

Like the look of that USB printer...

Dave.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I've been using the dymo USB printer for years and it is excellent.

https://www.dymo.com/en-US/labelmanager-pnp-label-maker

There are more complicated versions, but this one does everything I need very easily and conveniently, with superb results. You can get tape cassettes in a range of sizes and different colour combinations.

When plugged in it appears as a thumb-drive containing the (simple) operating software, but there's also a more sophisticated downloadable application which I tend to use.

The only maintenance required is occasional cleaning of the print head with the provided brush. When it gets dirty the print suffers 'dropouts' a bit like a clogged inkjet... but it's much quicker and easier to restore!

[DGL.]

Brother PT-D600VP user here, can print up to 24mm and as such can print on the printable heatshrink too, built in keyboard and colour screen for making labels without a PC. Both the unit itself and the companion PC/MAC software has wizards for cable labelling, both for wraparound and flag type labels.
Powered by either the included AC/DC adaptor or 6? AA batteries (which last ages) and comes in a blow moulded case that takes not only the machine itself, but the power adaptor, manual, USB lead and a few label cartridges.
The non-genuine tape is really cheap (about £4 for a 24mm cassette) and seems to be of decent quality.
If you go for one of the Brother PC/MAC only labellers (the ones which have no way to make labels directly on the device) then for PC use you can use it like a USB stick with no driver or software installation, it all runs of the labellers internal memory.