XLR Microphone Cable: The Correlation of Price and Quality

Today it is really hard to imagine life without electricity. Thanks to modern science, electricity surrounds us everywhere, from light bulbs and electric motors all the way to radio waves and Wi-Fi. But, what is very beneficial and convenient for us, is causing tons of problems for audio engineers. Electrical appliances and transmitters are the main source of audio pollution and may cause unwanted noise in audio signals.

There are many points where audio signal degradation may occur, but most often the it is the microphone cable. Unless you are an avant-garde band that plays experimental music you don’t want weird noises interfering with your vocals because of a cheap audio cable. While most people would say “it’s just a cable”, there is a significant difference between cheap Chines knock-off and a premium XLR microphone cable.

Microphone cables are so susceptible to interference because they operate at very low voltages and any noise that infiltrated the cable gets greatly amplified when it reaches the output. What makes a balanced microphone cable are three main components: internal wires or conductors which carry the signal, shielding that protects the information passing through conductors, and an XLR connector at both ends. All these components must work together perfectly to ensure the cable is functioning properly.

It can be really hard for a newbie to sort the good from the bad cables and to find the right cable that fits their budget. It is best to avoid the cheapest ones since they are likely to break within weeks or may not work at all. Also, there is really no need to buy the most expensive ones because the minor difference in performance isn’t worth the high cost. What you should do is find the right balance between quality and performance.

Here is a list of the key factors that affect both the quality and cost of a premium XLR microphone cable.

1. The copper conductor in a mic cable consist of many fine strands and a higher strand count will increase the durability and flexibility of the cable. A high strand count is very useful with cables that frequently go through heavy abuse.
2. They lay or the distance between the twists of the copper conductors is another important factor. A shorter lay improves the flexibility and the noise cancellation, but it also means that more wire is used to manufacture the cable which leads to higher costs.
3. When it comes to shielding there are three main types: braided, serve, and foil shielding. They all have different levels of durability, flexibility and of course, shielding. Typically, the high-end cables are braided, the standard min-range ones have serve shields and the budget cables usually have foil shields.
4. Depending on whether you use the cable on a stage or in a studio, impact absorption may also play a vital role. When you step on a cable it compresses momentarily and produces a distinct sound called the triboelectric effect. To avoid that stage cables use a special casing that improves impact absorption, but for studio use, a less expensive casing will work just fine.
5. And finally, you must consider the connector conductivity. Silver and gold coating provide maximum electrical conductivity with the main difference being that silver corrodes faster than gold and it requires frequent cleaning to maintain performance.