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Cables: Care & Feeding
No matter how sophisticated your sound system, cables are still needed. They are basically the veins of your sound system; but, as cables are used, they weaken. With time, they eventually wear out and break. Fortunately, you can extend the life of your cables by minimizing the damage with proper use and care. Storage: Treat cables with respect. In other words, untwist the cables each time you wrap them. Wrapping a cable for storage should be done the same way by everybody at your church. The over-under method is one of the best ways to store cables (for more information, see the "Cables: Tangle-Free" article). This method provides twist-free cables and allows quick set-up. Other methods twist the cable which cause permanent kinks after a period of time. Please note, never tie knots in a cable. After you have neatly wrapped your cable, use a Velcro cable tie or similar method to keep the cable neatly coiled for storage. Taping: Taped cables will minimize tripping accidents - safety should always be a concern. Especially tape cables in traffic areas. Taping also protects the cable connectors and jacks. For example, too often an expensive microphone has been pulled out of its clip or stand adapter and dropped on a hard floor. Did you know, one drop can change the characteristics of a microphone? | 
| Did you know, one drop can change the characteristics of a microphone? | 
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When taping cables, use a high quality gaffer tape. This is a cloth-based tape which has good adhesive properties, but leaves little or no residue when removed. Don't use duct tape which will definitely leave unwanted gunk on the cables (and other surfaces). Periodic Checks: Periodically look at the connectors on the cable. Tighten any screws. Examine for worn or broken pins or sockets in the connectors. Look at the cable: Are there worn spots or breaks in the cable jacket? Are there severe kinks? These are warning signs that the cable may need to be replaced or repaired. Other care hints: A wireless system eliminates some cables, but there is still a cable between the microphone and transmitter. This cable is often abused, which causes it to be a major source of problems. Try to minimize extreme bending. A common trouble spot is the connector into the belt-pack transmitter. Don't wrap the microphone cable tightly around the belt-pack transmitter. This usually results in a very sharp 90 degree bend at the microphone cable connector. |
| Don't wrap the microphone cable tightly around the belt-pack transmitter. |
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Microphone jacks in the platform steps are also a common source of cable-connector problems. For example, people can step down and land on top of the connector, either breaking the cable connector or the microphone jack mounted into the face of the step. If possible, locate microphone jacks in recessed floor pockets or in areas where traffic is minimal. Only use high quality cables. They will last longer. They are more flexible and will lay flat along the floor, resulting in better safety. Also, the price difference between low-quality and high-quality cables is minimal. by Ron Huisinga © 1996 Internet Sound Institute (www.soundinstitute.com). This article is for personal use only. Any commercial reproduction is not permitted without permission. To obtain permission, contact ISI at hopi@soundinstitute.com
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