Introduction
The Cable Matters 500011-3×2 Microphone Cable: A Closer Look
Whether you’re a podcast enthusiast, a musician, or a content creator, a reliable microphone cable is the unsung hero behind great audio. The Cable Matters 500011-3×2 Microphone Cable claims to be the solution to your audio connectivity needs. In this comprehensive review, we’ll explore its features, performance, and whether it lives up to the hype.
Design and Build Quality
The Cable Matters 500011-3×2: Built to Last
- Sturdy Connectors: The cable features robust connectors that ensure a secure fit, preventing accidental disconnections during use.
- Durable Jacket: The tough outer jacket provides excellent protection against wear and tear, making it suitable for both studio and on-the-go use.
- Tangle-Free Design: The cable’s design minimizes tangling, making setup and storage hassle-free.
Performance
Amp Up Your Sound with Cable Matters 500011-3×2
- Noise Reduction: Experience clear and crisp audio with minimal interference, thanks to the cable’s effective noise reduction capabilities.
- Signal Integrity: The cable maintains signal integrity over long distances, ensuring that your voice or instrument is faithfully reproduced without loss of quality.
- Versatility: Compatible with a wide range of microphones, this cable is a versatile choice for various audio setups.
Ease of Use
Simple Setup, Reliable Performance
- Plug and Play: The cable is user-friendly, allowing for a quick and easy setup without the need for complicated configurations.
- Flexible Length: With a 3×2 configuration, the cable provides flexibility in positioning your microphone, catering to different recording environments.
- Color-Coded Connectors: The connectors are color-coded for easy identification, simplifying the setup process even further.
Pros
- Reliable Connectivity: The sturdy connectors and durable jacket ensure a secure and uninterrupted connection.
- Clear Audio: Effective noise reduction and maintained signal integrity result in high-quality audio output.
- Versatile: Compatible with various microphones, making it a suitable choice for different audio setups.
- User-Friendly: Easy plug-and-play setup with color-coded connectors for added convenience.
Cons
- Limited Length Options: The cable comes in a specific length, which may be restrictive for users with specific setup requirements.
- Bulky Connectors: The robust connectors, while durable, can be a bit bulky, potentially limiting flexibility in tight spaces.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Cable Matters 500011-3×2 Microphone Cable proves to be a reliable companion for audio enthusiasts. With its robust design, clear audio transmission, and user-friendly features, it’s a commendable choice for various applications. While the limited length options and bulkier connectors may be drawbacks for some, the overall performance and durability make this cable a worthwhile investment for anyone seeking a dependable microphone cable.
Jesse –
artifact free audio without breaking the bank? I’m in!
I purchased this 2 pack of cables to run my Shure sm7b to my cloud lifter then to my interface and its decluttered my work space perfectly, all while not having any quality issues with the cables.
Sonorous817 –
These cables are durable and exactly what I was hoping for. The sound quality is very good.
Leigh –
TL;DR: These cables are extremely nice quality and are free of interference and defects for a fairly low price.
I ordered these because the last few cables I bought from CableMatters were pretty good quality and arrived very quickly. These were also the right length and price for what I was looking for, except I was going to end up with *2* cables for the price I was expecting to pay for a single cable.
They came in a padded Amazon envelope and inside a single plastic bag within this envelope; the bag also had a large label on it saying it should contain 2 cables and warning the distributor that they are to stay packaged together in a pair. I guess they’ve had issues with separation, kind of made me laugh a tiny bit because this warning label is so prominent.
I disassembled the connector on the female end just enough to check the assembly and material quality, since I just assembled one of these recently and I knew it would be easy to take apart and put back together. I wanted to make sure I got what CableMatters claims to sell, and I’m happy to say it looks like it’s all exactly what they said it is on their site.
WIRE/CABLE:
Anyway, these cables are very thickly insulated with copper braid shielding. Supposedly there’s foil in their under the copper braiding, but I couldn’t see it in there and I don’t want to damage anything digging for it. (Braided shielding is more effective, more expensive, and usually provides lower resistance path to ground than foil, but adding a layer of foil provides complete coverage against interference.)
Inside of the shielding, there are two conductors (separately insulated wires–hot and ground) that are very thin gauge. I’m not sure what gauge, but I’m guessing it’s like 24 or 26 AWG.
The jacket of the cable (outermost layer) is soft, thick, and should be made of PVC but I don’t know how to tell what the material actually is. Scratching it with my nail doesn’t seem to hurt it. Text is printed at regular intervals on it in a very clear font; it contains their logo and reads, “Cable Matters (THEIR WEBSITE URL)HIGH QUALITY MICROPHONE CABLE” and does not otherwise describe the ratings or properties of the cable; I would have liked to know the ratings and maybe who manufactures the cable material (I don’t think CM makes the wire in-house, I think they just modify and assemble it), but that’s me.
CONNECTORS:
You can disassemble these connectors by gently unscrewing the black plastic strain relief cones from the metal connector housings.
The connectors seem to be some Neutrik XLR gold-plated connectors, which have been repainted in semi-gloss black, do not have the stamped NEUTRIK labels on the strain relief or housing, and have a silkscreened small CableMatters logo opposite of the latching mechanism. I’m not sure which model line (eg XX, EMC) the connectors are, and I can’t be completely sure if they are actually NEUTRIK or just look the same. The springy plastic ring around the strain relief can probably be swapped for Neutrik’s XXR-n (swap n for numbers 0 through 9) color coding rings. These are currently $0.25 or so each if you order them from electrical supply companies, such as Mouser or Allied, but if you really want them from an Amazon vendor, I saw a listing selling them for $6 *each* with an additional ~$7 in shipping, or another listing that sells them for about $8 shipped. 🙂
The paint looks like the polyester powdercoating that I’ve seen on Hoffman industrial enclosures at work, except thinner, so I believe it’s the same stuff. It’s not a very tough paint, in my experience; it will probably scuff somewhat easily if you drag or hit it against metal, but I also think that since it’s thin, it probably is at least not going to have poor adhesion or just flake off, and it shouldn’t get damaged by fingernails, wood, or plastic.
The wires and shielding are soldered to the connector pins and tab; the solder is shiny, I was not able to pry off any connections with my fingernail (I’d rather know if they are cold-soldered sooner rather than in the middle of a gaming session), and the insulation of the wires and connector isolator material are not deformed or melted. These cables are probably assembled by hand and the workmanship is absolutely fantastic.
SOUND QUALITY:
Using the direct monitor setting, even with my pre-amp’s mic gain setting turned all the way to +60 dB, the sound through this cable is crystal-clear and no detectable hiss. I can clearly hear sparrows chirping and wind blowing through my open window with how high I have the gain set; when I swap to my old cobbled-together coax abomination cable, there is a lot of popping, there is a low hum, and everything going through my mic sounds horribly distorted. I wish I had a “real” XLR cable that I could compare it to.
NOTE: My pre-amp has noise filtering, so it’s possible that some interference may still be getting picked up in this cable and the amp is managing to filter it all out enough that I can’t detect it at full gain. The pre-amp definitely doesn’t filter much noise from my other cable, though, so I think this cable from CM blocks interference extremely well.
NoseboraMusic –
I have these as sort of backup cables… but I have used them on a couple recordings and they have sounded normal with no extra audible noise. Build quality seems comparable to any of my name brand ones.
Matthew –
These cables are excellent quality. 2 cables for basically half the price of 1 at my local music store its pretty hard to beat this deal. The ends are servicable which is always a plus!
LWKeeping –
I’ve used several “big name” brand XLR cables. These are the only ones I will use from now on. Easily the best in all aspects imaginable.
Alan –
Running these into my goxlr with an EV RE20, cables are good quality and are the perfect length for my setup, not to long and not too short. Will definitely be buying these in the future if needed and recommend to anyone that needs one!
Ogi –
This is the perfect length to connect a DAC to an Amp. Much better signal than RCA cable.
B4UBuyReviews –
Cable Matters cables are very good in general. I had 25ft XLR cables which caused some sound problems, so I needed something new and came across these.
They are short, versatile, and fine. I connect them to my XLR microphone, cloud lifter, and audio interface.
Would recommend if you are looking into great and affordable XLR cables.
TJW –
Just received these and did a quick test with an SM58 through a mixer. Everything works as it should and the connectors/strain relief feel like good quality for the price.
Jon –
I purchased these 35 foot XLR cables to run from my speaker system outward to my desk area for my day to day use in a classroom setting. So far, after 30+ days of daily use these cables have held up nicely and are continuing to provide quality audio to my classroom. One of the challenges that I have with these cables are that they really want to curl up on itself. I often have to spend time untangling them at the end of the week because they want to become curly and roll up.
Overall, I would recommend these cables. They are affordable and work well even when used frequently.
Frank –
it serves my needs
Michel Brito –
Compré los de 10 mts y a 1 año de uso medio, todavía sirven y no me han representado ningun problema