20 Questions on Cables with Mark Stoddard of Lava Cables

[El_jalepeno]

20 Questions on Cables with Mark Stoddard of Lava Cables
by George Mangos (El_Jalepeno)

Recently I had the opportunity to ask some questions of Mark Stoddard of Lava Cables. Many thanks to Mark for taking the time to shed some light on the technical aspects of instrument cables. There is a ton of additional information on the Lava Cable web site at www.lavacable.com

George Mangos - How did you get involved with making custom cables?

Mark Stoddard - I got involved in making cables about two years ago when I made one for myself Canare GS-6 cable and Neutrik connectors. Later I found this cable in bulk at about half per foot what I paid for it but I needed a business license, so I went and got one - this about 3 weeks prior to deploying to Afghanistan as part of a Special Forces Battalion.

GM - How long have you been in the cable business?

MS - A little more than two years now, Lava Cable started in May 2004.

GM - Do certain cables work better with different amps, tube vs. solid state for example?

MS - Yes, certain cables do work better with different types of amps but not necessarily because they are solid state or tube, it more has to do with type of amp and what kind of tone you are after. For instance, some the cables I carry like the George L's and Cardas Audio Golden Chord have been characterized as "bright" sounding, so if have a high gain amp this might not be the result you are after, as cables such as the van den Hul Integration Hybrid, Evidence Audio Lyric HG and Lava ELC all excel with high gain amps, but there are trade offs as some of these cables are a little stiffer due to the materials they are made of.

GM - Does the overall chain of cables, including connected pedals, noticeably impact tone if different thicknesses of cable are used?

MS - Overall thickness of a cable does not affect cable tone significantly, but the thickness of the material directly surrounding the conductor (the dielectric) can - especially with coax (single conductor and shield) where the larger it is the less capacitance there is and this results in more of the signal being passed through and heard. What I have learned is that the best tonal improvements can be achieved when you use the same type of high end cable for your entire chain. For example, if using a cable with a solid core copper core conductor you should use this same general type for the whole chain to include amp head to speaker if you want to hear the most noticeable improvement. With stranded cables you can mix and match some, but even here I recommend sticking with the same brand.

GM - Does length or thickness noticeably impact tone, and can you explain a bit as to why?

MS - Length can affect tone especially on cheap copper coax when it exceeds 30 feet or so. But with all of the cable brands I carry you will not notice any audible signal loss until you get well over 50 feet in single runs. Again thickness of a cable is not important, but what the cable is made of and how it is made.

GM - Is one type of cable better for certain types of music, like Metal vs. Blues?

MS - This goes hand in hand with the previous question asked about cables and amp types, and yes, certain cables I carry are going to be better for these two styles. For instance, the Klotz La Grange is an excellent cable for Metal because it has got excellent low end response and is not too bright, where with blues a cable like the Zaolla Silverline is excellent.

GM - What are some of the boosters available to boost the signal?

MS - What you are talking about here I believe is a really a buffer. These are best used at the end of your pedal chain to boost the signal back to your amp especially when using long cable runs. I do not have any favorite products here as there are many good ones on the market.

GM - What makes a good cable?

MS - What makes a good cable is high quality metal for the conductor or conductors whether that is copper, silver, or an alloy of copper and silver - the more pure it is the better sounding the cable will be. In addition, what makes a good cable is a balance of good shielding to protect against RFI and EMI and along with the use of good conductor and dielectric materials, as well as an outer jacket that is durable. With cable that is stranded, a general rule to remember is that the more strands there are the more "darker" or "compressed" the cable will sound. Low capacitance is important, but is not the "holy grail" quality of a good cable. In my opinion what matters most the overall sound quality of a give cable is the purity and type of metal used for the conductor and whether it is solid or stranded.

GM - Since money may be tight for some of the younger players or even working musicians, what should they look for in an affordable cable?

MS - You should look for one that has fairly low capacitance, that is made well and with good materials. The brands I recommend for players on a budget are Canare, Mogami, George L's and Sommer. Don't just buy a cable because they are offering a lifetime warranty - for the larger cable companies, this is just a gimmick to get you to buy the cable.

GM - Is there an ideal cable length?

MS - No. Players should find what works for them and stick to that - this often changes obviously as you upgrade gear or start playing on larger stages for example.

GM - Are there any tweaks the average person can make to their cables to make them quieter?

MS - No.

GM - What kind of maintenance do cables generally need?

MS - Cables should be wound up in a circle, stored in a gig bag and if not braided, regularly washed with a little warm water and gentle soap to keep them clean. In addition, you can often twist the connector housings off to check for corrosion, rust and excess oxidation which can be cleaned off with a little alcohol.

GM - What is the proper way to roll up and store a length of cable? Around the arm, or "over and under"?

MS - Most definitely "over and under" as this prevents excess kinking and cable memory. (A diagram of how to do this is on my website)

GM - How has technology increased the quality of cables compared to 20 or 30 years ago?

MS - Technology has increased the quality of cables tremendously in the last 20-30 years by departing from the mass produced copper stranded coax design most common for guitar cables and using alloys of silver copper and zinc (van den Hul), solid copper core conductors (Evidence Audio, Tara Labs), solid silver core conductors (Zaolla) and litz copper stranding (Cardas Audio) where the individual strands are coated with an enamel to make them more conductive and then counter wound. Each of these companies have taken a slightly different approach and the result has been cables that clearly out perform the mass produced copper coax that has flooded the market for years. In addition, several other companies such as Klotz and Sommer have improved on the basic copper coax design by using better material and fewer strands. It is a good thing that these companies have made these advancements, because in the end, we musicians benefit.

GM - Is there a benefit to upgrading the tips of cables or should one replace the whole cable?

MS - No not really. It is really difficult to hear the sonic differences in the connectors used, unless of course they are poorly soldered in the first place. It is better to replace the whole cable.

GM - How noticeable is the difference between a gold plated tip and a chrome tip?

MS - Refer to previous question - not much really. Gold is a better conductor than nickel which is commonly used.

GM - Will mixing tips in a chain impact tone?

MS - No.

GM - What do you suggest to fix a cable that is making a lot of noise?

MS - Replace it with one that has better shielding. Cables with a double spiral shield such the van den Hul Integration Hybrid and the Sommer Spirit offer the best protection against outside noise such as radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI). Densely braided shields are the next best. Cables can also be noisy when they are moved. When a cable moves across the floor, small micro voltages occur which, if not absorbed by the materials around the conductors can be heard - this is called "microphonic" Cables that are microphonic are this way due to the way they are made and not much can be done to overcome this other than not moving the cable (using it as a patch cable) or replacing it with a different brand.

GM - What should a musician consider when buying a new cable?

MS - First and foremost he or she should consider the tone they are after. Do they want a cable that is going to give them great definition across the entire frequency spectrum? Or do they want a cable that is more "warm" sounding or perhaps one that provides them with the best possible sustain. They should then consider the over quality of the cable and budget.

GM - Anything else you can share with us regarding cables?

MS - Everyone's ear is different. There is no one cable that it is the "one" for everybody. When possible, experiment with different cable brands and find the one that fits your style and amp/guitar configuration the best. This is why I carry 12 different brands of guitar and instrument cable. For too long guitarists have underestimated the impact a quality cable can have upon their tone. A good high-quality cable will open more usable tone range on your amp and make it more responsive and as a result you will enjoy playing more and this is what it all about - achieving great tone and having a blast playing!

Thanks again to Mark Stoddard from Lava Cables!
www.lavacable.com

[Beka4MikE]

Nice one EJ. Now I have another option for good cables!

[Sean]

Great interview

[CanyonCarver]

Wow, this is very informative and quite in-depth. I will never look at a cable the same way again! Thanks, Mr Pepper!

[supercharged 350]

Very cool read! I own a Lava cable myself and am MORE than happy with it.

[T.A.Z]

Thanks for the EJ, great read and very informative, I love to learn about stuff like that

[JaimeRiguez]

Here I thought a cable was just a cable. Thanks for the interview.

[Clay1269]

I can tell you exactly how to make a better cable than the $50.00 15 footers that are sitting broken in your music paraphernalia, for the price of a few cheap materials. I even used the connector from first guitar I bought 25 years agowhen I was a zit faced 12 year old. ( now IM a 37 year piple head. I rebuilt that one about 5 years ago and that lil mofo has oulasted every Munster Cable* I bought 3 years ago ( 4 - 20 footers all farged because bad design in crimp but a nice tight fit on the terminal end ....sorry to use the terminolgy TOO TIGHT, but I couldnt push those Munsters all the way unless I used a pneumatic jack hammer at 20 JIGA PSI!!). (Back to Future RIP OFF, "20 THousand JIGA WATTS!! IKES") A good crimp for strain relief and knowing a few things about correct solder techniques ( how to identify a "cold" solder joints, Temp setting,.... and how a few tips on technique and you will outsolder any "production splash machine and as good as the Techy named Joey Bologna at the ACME Cable Co. .....Very basic stuff plus its good to now when you start rewiring your wives or neigbors wifes hair dryer...or working on a stereo you grabbed out of a garbage( garbage doesnt mean a strangers living room, well it might )....Joking aside... I am trying to give back some of my knowledge because I have gained volumes of info memeberes here (along with alot of awesome live Rush tunes!!!!) I'm trying to put some notes together on odd stuff like that to post with pics and specs. If you have the money just buy the best ones you can.

Quick note of my background: EET andBSEE and in the auto biz of 13 years was transducer design coupled with collecting and instrumented durability cars for proving grounds data collections plus the lasting through 100 thousand miles on Servo-Hydarulic 18 Channel MTS Road Simulators....Anyway we would make on average 40 to 60 (typical 6 conducters connectors) ....blah blah reme)..... Also I have a backgrond in soldering the staingages used the making the transucers for collecting road input into the test vehicles..in short not here trying to make a living...Note to self good idea #1001101 jk


Sincerely,