Cables, Connectors and Adapters

Cables, connectors and adapters link instruments, microphones, mixing consoles, amplifiers and speakers into one working system. Your choice depends on the type of signal you are carrying, the connectors on your devices at both ends and the cable length you need. A quality cable helps you avoid noise, interference and dropouts while playing, so it is worth choosing carefully rather than at the last minute.

Ready-made cable or custom assembly?

The quickest solution is ready-made cables with connectors that you can plug in immediately. If you need an exact length or non-standard routing, choose bulk cable and suitable connectors that you can fit yourself. Where the connectors between devices do not match, connector adapters and couplers can help.

Order and safety on stage

Coiled and tied cables are less likely to become damaged and are quicker to pack. Use cable ties and clips to organise them, cable ramps to protect cables on the floor, and adhesive tape for temporary fastening. If you have many cables, label them so you do not mix them up when setting up.

What to check before choosing

1. The connector type at both ends (jack, XLR, RCA, USB and others).
2. The signal type: instrument, microphone, speaker, digital or power.
3. A length that is not unnecessarily long.
4. The durability of the jacket and connectors for frequent setup and teardown.
5. Function testing, for example using a cable tester.

Do not confuse a speaker cable with an instrument cable, even if they have similar connectors.

The most common connectors

In music equipment, you will most often encounter jack, XLR, RCA and USB connectors. Jack is used for instruments and line signals, XLR for microphones and balanced connections, and RCA for home and DJ equipment. A speaker cable has thicker conductors than an instrument cable, so do not mix them up. Choose the cable length so you have a little extra, but not so much that noise increases unnecessarily or the cables become tangled.