Coloured sound cables

Do you think coloured sound cables are generally acceptable?


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techietim

Active Member
Hi!

I want to see what the general opinion is between technicians of whether coloured sound cables are acceptable or not - generally speaking (obviously varies depending on the situation!)

I think red cables are generally quite acceptable as they add a splash of colour onto stages.

Please comment below if you wish :)
 
No. Black cable only on stage, unless specifically requested otherwise by the performers. And if they want another color they better carry it or be paying for the rental.
 
Back in the pre-wireless days, we used to use colored cables for vocal mics. Since the mic wouldn't work without a cable, it was easier than wrapping the mic with tape (which the singer may cover up anyway). But instrument mics don't go anywhere so I don't see the point, unless it's a design decision.
 
I can think of 2 places where coloured cables have benefits...
The first is places like churches, for use on vocal mics - it helps with the "who's got which mic" problem - especially when people aren't diligent about keeping track of which one's which and you're working with volunteers.
The second is in community facilities - town halls and the like. Pick a colour that is not blacvk and have all your cables that colour - makes it really easy to tell at a glance what the venue owns when a single caretaker has to deal with everything.

Oh and the third which I had momentaily forgotten, is give me colour, and lots of it, in the patch bay please, but please make sure it follows resistor colour code :)
 
Back in the pre-wireless days, we used to use colored cables for vocal mics. Since the mic wouldn't work without a cable, it was easier than wrapping the mic with tape (which the singer may cover up anyway). But instrument mics don't go anywhere so I don't see the point, unless it's a design decision.
Very good point! Thanks :)
 
I can think of 2 places where coloured cables have benefits...
The first is places like churches, for use on vocal mics - it helps with the "who's got which mic" problem - especially when people aren't diligent about keeping track of which one's which and you're working with volunteers.
The second is in community facilities - town halls and the like. Pick a colour that is not blacvk and have all your cables that colour - makes it really easy to tell at a glance what the venue owns when a single caretaker has to deal with everything.

Oh and the third which I had momentaily forgotten, is give me colour, and lots of it, in the patch bay please, but please make sure it follows resistor colour code :)
Thanks Chris, as these cables are my own, I may get some coloured ones for that reason! :lol:
 
Might be worth using a different color for say, Helix ClearCom, it carries 60V and will fry other models of com. Maybe Some installs where a cable is exposed and the color matches the decor. Plenty of guitar players use multi-colored cables that "match their style", But If you wire up a hole stage with neon green XLR, most band probably wouldn't be to crazy about it.
 
Unless you have a speciality use for the cable, I would say that all of your general purpose cable should be black only. It provides for a cleaner stage appearances. Certainly if you are a professional company or venue, black cables are what will be expected.

~Dave
 
I worked for a production company that had different colors of cable for different things -- the rental stock they gave away was all black, but the rental stock they had when they would provide labor for their own events had color coded XLR's based on their length. 25' were black, but shorties and longer ones were various colors. Tour crews would sometimes request the colors just for ease of working with random crews on the road.
 
I have used different colors to keep depts straight. I work in an arena that I have cables I use for sound, video and headsets. My maintenance dept have cables for sound they set up. They are horrible at using, rolling,maintaining and retaining their cables. They constantly break them,lose them, leave them in a mess in storage. I found if I can mark them so mine are not used then mine stay in better shape. I can see the same issue in schools or colleges.
 
Might be worth using a different color for say, Helix ClearCom, it carries 60V and will fry other models of com. Maybe Some installs where a cable is exposed and the color matches the decor. Plenty of guitar players use multi-colored cables that "match their style", But If you wire up a hole stage with neon green XLR, most band probably wouldn't be to crazy about it.

I would agree with that, I don't think red is as bad though?...
 
I worked for a production company that had different colors of cable for different things -- the rental stock they gave away was all black, but the rental stock they had when they would provide labor for their own events had color coded XLR's based on their length. 25' were black, but shorties and longer ones were various colors. Tour crews would sometimes request the colors just for ease of working with random crews on the road.

This is a great idea!
 
Instead of colored cables, I would rather have color coded rings or bushings like Neutrik offers. I agree with Footer, no colored cables unless in a studio. Only black, grey or, if you want to look like its 1968, brown.

Focus also makes a good point about Helix Comm.
 
We recently designed a system with redundant digital audio networks. Technically four networks in place, Cobranet Primary and Secondary, and Dante Primary and Secondary.

Seemed a bit unnecessary at first to do etherCon and to do color-coding, but now that the system is in, the client loves how hard it is for his crew members to plug the network cables in incorrectly.

By the way, if you were wondering what something as simple as plugging your primary and secondary networks into each other accidentally does -- it corrupts your entire audio network in one fell swoop, and it's really easy to do inadvertently with non-colored connectors, and subsequently just about impossible to track down in larger system without tearing the network apart piece by piece and rebuilding it.

Can't say I'm wild about cable jackets being colored, but connectors with colored bushings can be used in a number of ways that make set ups and troubleshooting super easy.
 
My opinion is this: For general use mic cables, they should be black, no questions asked. (Barring exceptions for an install in a room with white carpeting or whatever odd situation might arise) If you, as a scenic designer, see fit to use a color to further a design, sure, have fun, but don't limit yourself to only having that color in stock.

One exception to this: One venue I work in used red cables for backstage comms. These were marvelous as you can see at a glance which actors are twisted up in your cable and which set pieces were rolled on top of it when you suddenly find that your 75' of cable has somehow reduced your radius of travel to about 6 inches.
 
I would agree with the no-exceptions but black/gray crew. It's standard on stage for a reason; to me, anything more than that just detracts and stands out way too much against what is normal a black (or variation thereof) stage. I would think artists expect black/gray and may invoke visceral reactions by some people. However, if an artists specifically requested that, I wouldn't be opposed to picking one up for that show.

I do love the idea of colored connectors as a sort of happy medium and can see the value, whether it would be in differentiating cable lengths or by specific purpose (for whatever reason).
 
My opinion is this: For general use mic cables, they should be black, no questions asked. (Barring exceptions for an install in a room with white carpeting or whatever odd situation might arise) If you, as a scenic designer, see fit to use a color to further a design, sure, have fun, but don't limit yourself to only having that color in stock.

One exception to this: One venue I work in used red cables for backstage comms. These were marvelous as you can see at a glance which actors are twisted up in your cable and which set pieces were rolled on top of it when you suddenly find that your 75' of cable has somehow reduced your radius of travel to about 6 inches.

We have that too, it's great! Ours need a wipe down though...
 
I would agree with the no-exceptions but black/gray crew. It's standard on stage for a reason; to me, anything more than that just detracts and stands out way too much against what is normal a black (or variation thereof) stage. I would think artists expect black/gray and may invoke visceral reactions by some people. However, if an artists specifically requested that, I wouldn't be opposed to picking one up for that show.

I do love the idea of colored connectors as a sort of happy medium and can see the value, whether it would be in differentiating cable lengths or by specific purpose (for whatever reason).

Yeah, I think colours can look kinda nice on mic stands (for bands) but that's probably as far as I'd go, using it anywhere else would look very messy.
Maybe colours for guitar leads too - matching the mic stands obviously!
 

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