Though not as sexy as gleaming microphones, boutique preamplifiersor the latest studio monitors, our industry boasts a massive wave of new components in the pro audio category of Interconnects, which includes cables, connectors and DI products.
Fromhigh-endcablesandnewconnectivitydevices frommanufacturers like Neutrik;to A/Ddongle-typeproductsfrom Switchcraft;tosolidcore, world-class Swisscablesfrom VOVOX;savvyaudioprofessionals know that whenitcomestosignalflow,itcansometimes bethelittlethings thatmatter.
PARTI:CONNECTORS
PerhapsAmphenolisa less-recognizedbrandinconnectivity forsound engineers, especiallycompared to pro audio industry stalwart Neutrik. YetAmphenol connectorsare found acrossthe board inproaudio products, including, forexample,within the two superb bus-powered USB2-channel preamplifiers currently sittingon mydesktop;boththe FocusriteScarlett2i2and TascamiXRboastdual-Amphenol comboXLR/ TRSontheirfrontpanels.
Neutrikisourindustry’sdefacto leaderin connectivity, whetherby sheer numberofpatentedhigh-qualityaudioconnectortypes,proliferationinthefield orboth.Thatsaid, Neutrik’s most exciting XLRaudio product is arguablyits low-latency XiriumProline,builtuponthecompany’sDiWA(Digital Wireless Audio) technology.Offeringcompression-freeandFCC license-freewireless transmissionofaudio within the 5GHzband, XiriumPro’s 20to 20k Hzaudiotransmissionsystemprovideslatencyequalto3milliseconds, regardlessof numberofdevicesused.A varietyofanalog/XLRanddigital AES/EBU and Danteinputandoutputmodelsare available.
Since 1989, Utah-basedRolls Corporationhasofferedawiderangeof proandconsumer audiointerconnects, aswellasprocessors,amps,mixersandmore. Mostnotably,thelarge numberofproductsinitsAccessory lineallowscustomers topairalmostanysoundsourcetoanother input. Theproducts areaffordablypricedandwell made,too.
Best known for its connector lines, Switchcraft offersothermod- ernconnectivitysolutionssuchas its AudioStix DI productline,ideal for audioenvironments thatneednew signaldistribution formsonabudget. Specifically, Switchcraft’s318BTisthe world’sfirst phantom-powered Bluetooth 4.0audio receiver DI. Featuringa SwitchcraftbalancedXLRconnectorandpoweredviastandard48V phantompower, the 318BTwirelesslytransmitsanyBluetooth audio source(via2,402-2,480MHzfrequencies)upto50 feet away (obstructed indoor)or100 feet (unobstructed lineofsight).
With availablebulkandprewiredcableandconnectorsofalmostevery kind, plustons of“blackbox”interconnectproducts, New York-based Whirlwindhasbeeninbusiness formorethan40 years,providing U.S.- builtnetworking solutions forawiderangeofend-users. Most recently, Whirlwind haslaunched afiber-optic departmentand builds custom signalandpowersystems formajorclientsworldwide.
PARTII: CABLES
Basedin Buena Park,Calif., Hosa Technologyspecializes in interconnects between musical instruments andproaudiodevices, yet offersabevy ofnewand useful tools that blur the linesbetweenconsumerandproaudioapplications.Caseinpointis Hosa’snewDrive,a Bluetooth3.0audio receivereasilypairedwithanyaudio source,and featuringbuilt-intrackbuttons for controlatthe playback systemand3.5mmTRSaudiooutputandaUSBMini-Bchargingport.
AccordingtoMogamipromotionalmaterials, “every foot of Mogamicableismadein Nagano, Japan,under thedirectsupervisionofthe company founder, whocontinuestoworkeveryday.” It’snowonderthat virtuallyallpro-gradeanalogsignalinfrastructureshavewallsfilledwith Mogami, availableinsingle-channelcablesand2-to48-channel snakes, andmore.Thecompanyofferscablingin Silver,Goldand Platinum delineations(inname,notmaterials).
Firstknowninconsumer audiomarkets,MonsterCablewas founded by NoelLeein 1979,makingandsuccessfullymarketing multiwirespeakercabletoaudiophile-types. Yearsdownthe road, Monsterdroppedthe “cable”fromitsmoniker andventured intoheadphone,speaker,power conditioning,portable audio,andhome theater, amongother markets. Today,proaudiotypesenjoyhigh-quality Monster interconnectsunder itsPro Musiciancategory, featuringinstrument,microphoneandspeaker cables,aswell asvarioussplittersandadapters.
Michigan-based Pro Cospecializesinbuildingaudiointerface productsfromcablestohighchannel-countanaloganddigitalsnakes,IEM controllers andvariousdistributionsystems. Bulkconnectors, wireand othercomponent-leveltoolsareoffered,too. Notably,Pro CobuildscustomI/Opanelstofitawiderangeofneeds,frombroadcasting tostudio andlivesound,tocomprehensive A/Vsystems.
Van Dammecable,manufacturedbytheUK’sVDC Trading,isnow distributedinthe U.S.by Fingerprint Audio, whichwillcarrytheentire Van Damme line featuring audio,fiber,data andvideocablesinbulk, manufacturedandpackagedcablepackages. Usingits Van Dammeproducts, VDC Trading hascreated comprehensive cablinginfrastructures forsuchvariedclientsasAbbey Road Studios, Coldplay, Muse, X-Factor, Wimbledon, WestfieldShopping Centers,Sky Network,CNNandothers.
I first heard of VOVOXseveral years ago whenthecompany’sdistributor, Audio Plus, sentovera fewmicrophone and instrumentcables for evaluationfromboth their“sonorous”and “link”product lines. (Over)builttolast,these VOVOXcablesarethebestandmostdurable I’veeverused. Hand-assembledin Switzerland, the sonorus direct S non-shieldedbalancedcable, forexample,boastsa singlesolid-corepure copperconductor, anatural fibernetting surroundperconductorwire and muchmore.
PARTIII:CONNECTIVITYANDPREMIUMDI
AltoProfessional’s Stealth Wirelesseliminates the need forcablebetweenanytraditional soundsourceandpoweredspeaker,openingan affordablearrayof placementoptionsinvariedlivesoundenvironments. AsimpleUHF-based waytobypasscablesbetween amixerand loudspeakers,the Stealth Wirelesspackageconsists ofonetransmitterand two receivers,withthreepoweradapters(12VDC,300mA) foreach, plus mountingaccessories:twoM10screws(formounting Receiverstofly points onpoweredspeakers)or“hookand loop” Velcro-stylestrips(for mounting receiversonvirtuallyanysurface).The Stealth’stransmitter isswitchablebetweenmonoandstereo,sendingoneortwochannelsof audiotoevery receiverinrange (reportedlyupto200 feet away)andon thesamechannel (oneof16UHFchannels).
Several yearsago,Iorganized a multiproductevaluation focusedon directinput boxeswiththehelpof recording engineer Rob Tavaglione andtechnicalassistancefrom formerProSound Newseditor Frank Wells. The followingtwo DIswerestandouts forseveralgood reasons:
Accordingto Rob, theAR-133fromBSS, a Harman company, provides fantastic bass responsechar- acteristics thatwere “biggerthanlife,and afullnessthatwould be helpful with troublesome [sound sources]like ply-topacousticguitarsandlightweight, anemicbassguitars.” Meanwhile,the legendary Type85 DIfromCountrymanjustified itselfwithits “time-provenruggeddesign,widefrequency responseand goodheadroom…withslightly forwardmidrange response andcomparably leanbottom.”
Eventide’sMixingLinkis acleverlittle (4.8×3.95×2.15-inch) creativeaudioproduction tool in the form of a stompbox. It featuresahigh-qualitymicrophonepreamp with phantompowerand65dBofgain, plus aneffects loop,headphoneoutput,andvarioussignalcombinationparameters.
GraceDesign’s Felixisa2-channel acoustic instrument “preamp/ blender”housedinafloorunitwithprimarycontrols locatedonthetop, andI/Oonthe rearpanel.Each Felixchannel includesanindependent EQsectionandthree footswitches formix,boostand mute/tunefunctions. Felix’s rearpanelincludesa Gracem101stylemicpreampinputon anXLR femaleconnector, andtwoinstrumentinputs on1/4-inchjacks. Four1/4-inchjacksprovideaccesstoatuneroutput,aux footswitchinput, dedicatedampoutputandeffectsinsert.
Along with all kinds of creative tools for recording production, JonathanLittleofLittleLabsmakessomeofthemost flexible DIand connectivity devicesinthebiz.A greatexampleofLittleLabsingenuityisthe PCPInstrumentDistro, a1-in/3-outguitar splitter featuring transformer-isolated,guitar level/impedanceoutputs with phase reverse, groundliftand leveladjustoneachoutput,designed forguitar re-amping. Includesan “audiophile”-grade DIandguitarcablelinedriver.
Radial Engineeringarguably has more pro-grade I/O, analog connectivity and routing/snake options than any manufacturer in the market, seemingly offering the precise tool for any need, environment or venue. An ideal example of their I/O tools is the relatively new Di-NET DAN-TX stereo direct box, with 1/4-inch, RCA and stereo 3.5mm input jacks, allowing connectivity between instruments or line level sources, and networked audio systems using the Dante protocol. DAN-TX operates witha 24-bit/96 kHz A-D converter; its local 3.5mm headphone output allows for simple signal monitoring.
RapcoHorizonbuildsa variety of useful interfacing tools, including its neat little iBLOX Series, which allows musicians to use their favorite iOS device-based instrument amplifier emulation easily during performances. Features includea 2-foot lead with 1/4-inch right angle plugs for instrument input, belt/instrument strap clip, 6-foot iPhone interface cable, black powder-coated aluminum chassis for durability, and high-quality, hand-soldered connectors. Headphones or IEMs plug directly into iBLOX.
Accordingto my frequent review collaborator, Nashville-based recording engineer Russ Long, Rupert NeveDesigns’ RNDIisa fabulousmodernactive DI, fea- turingaClassAdiscreteFETamp circuitthatnotablyaddsflattering harmonic content. “It reallyshinesonbassguitar,”heexplains,“where itcomplementsthebass’midrange tone,makingitpracticallyjumpout ofthemix whilethebottom-end retains thesmooth, richfullnessofa completelytransparent DI.”TheRNDIalso featuresanLEDcurrentconsumption meterwithgroundliftandspeaker/instrumentswitches.
