Do Expensive Guitar Cables REALLY Sound Better? - Let's Find Out! 

Could you guys hear a difference? Would you ever spend the money for a high-end cable? In the end, which one was your favourite?

When your guitar cable has its own case, you've gone too far.

You dont need a super expensive cable but avoid ultra cheap ones.

If I would've bought the Transit Lab, my gear would be: Guitar - $200 Amplifier - $50 Cable - $250

Twenty years later, I never knew my first Fender was supposed to include a free cable.

Do a “wireless vs cable” video.

I've been playing electric guitar for over 50 years. I'm lucky I can hear anything now. Any cable sounds good now.

All of these had a high pitched whistle. Oh that’s my tinnitus.

I honestly extremely appreciate a shootout like this. We are all about strings, amps, guitars, and woods that cables are usually not consider as much, so it is definitely helpful to learn more about their importance. Cheers for this one man!

250 for a cable.......I COULD LITERALLY BUY A NEW GUITAR WITH THAT 😂

$250 Transit Lab DPA (Don't Pay Anymore) Cable.. I always make my own (HAND MADE) with Neutrik ends and Mogami Bulk Cable.. Never had an issue after many years.. It is the way to go.. Could hear the difference with the Fender, The rest were too close to call through my headphones. In a mix, you would never hear the difference. You may want to use them in a Recording Studio, but that is probably the only place they would make an audible difference?

10 bucks for a cable? Nah I just use an aux cord with 2 quarter inch adapter

Cables are like wine: $3 bottles make you sick, but $830 bottles make you poor

I love how he throws the cables away at the start hahaha

The fender cable has a relic buzz included,, its part of the vintage tone/experience.

What was so amazing about the Transit Labs cable @<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="551">9:11</a> is that it not only best reduced the high-frequency buzz, but it also virtually **eliminated the low-frequency hum** which was equally present and bad in all of the other three cables.

Apart from mechanical strength, here is what you want in any signal cable: - Good sheilding - Low resistance - Low capacitance That's it. Better sheilding of course means lower noise. You want low capacitance and resistance, because all signal cables act as a low pass filter, and those two values determine the frequency. If you like a cable with high resistance and capacitance, in my opinion, you are better off adding a capacitor and resistor in your signal path. Edit: Also, oxygen free cobber is nothing but a marketing term.

Darrel, I've followed your channel for over a year and let me tell you. Your reviews are really fun to watch (that's why I subscribed). But when you do stuff like this is really something else. Other youtubers do similar test but when I'm about to make a choice about gear, videos like this is what really helps me.

I started buying Mogami Platinum cables after trashing so many others by standing all over them etc. Since buying a few Mogami cables I've stood on them, run over them many times with chairs and box wheels. And after three years I still haven't managed to destroy one. IMHO the Mogami cables with the Neutrik silent plugs are more then enough.

250 for a cable...no f***ing way !!!...Like someone said...just stay away from super cheap cables and you're fine..

Cable length can be an issue - I use the shortest possible in my studio. Also crossing cables cancels hum whereas running them together lengthways can cause more 👍😊

I can hear the difference but truthfully it's because I'm listening for a difference. If I was casually listening I'd never notice the difference.

These shootouts are so awesome, thanks for taking the time to help us out with this stuff!! Your the best, thanks for listening to our ideas!

These are the kind of videos that keep me coming back to your channel. Stuff like this that we normally don’t consider but can still affect our tone.

I truly believe those frequencies he's hearing were influenced by the price tag. I literally chose the cable that wasn't the high end one almost every time.

I also think you should be testing these blindfolded to ensure you don't impart any bias from the price tag.

Gongrats Darrell for over 500k subs! You have a fantastic channel!

Very interesting. Thanks for doing it Darrell!

I could easily got them all correct i here. But I admit this is cork sniffing🤣🤣🤣 the differences are so little that in a band context no one will ever hear it. And for the fender cable it might even cut through a bit more in the mix. I think what makes the expensive cables more expensive is their durability and the quality of building. Tone wise, it really doesn’t matter tbh

Expensive cables don't improve your tone. I've been hearing this argument since the early 1970s. I've made my own, bought $60 setups, used speaker cables when I was in a jam, etc. Maybe if I owned studio that had high level players recording, I'd go for the $$$ cables. For me, as a gigging guitarist I go for the medium price cables. Not the cheapest, but $250 for a handmade cable? No way. My guitar and amp are the main components of my sound.

I'm glad you made this video. I got every comparison 'guess' correct, because you can truly hear the difference of tone/frequency balance and delivery. This helped me confirm that I need a better cable. Mine is literally having aggressive static breaks while playing.

Great test! Thank you!

The most critical issue are the quality of the (double!) shielding, the thickness of the signal wire (which determines among other factors the electrical behavior and therefore the tone) and the craftmanship - meaning the quality of solderings/crimping/insulation at the connectors and the cable reliefs. The point where the cable meets the connectors cable reliefs are the most stressed ones. A 250$ cable where you cannot even repair a potential wire break due to factory sealing of the entire connector is not worth the money. I would also expect to get some information about the electrical characteristics for a high-end cable. Due to the capacity increase with longer cables the impact on tone can be massive on passive guitars.

Cable capacitance is dependent on length. So were all the cables the same length ? Also, it would have been great if you unscrewed each connector to show the differences in construction of the core, insulation, and shielding - it would be good to know where these differences are coming from, especially for people who might want to make their own cables.

Thank you! I love ALL of your videos and have made many decisions based on your advice. I really appreciate that you actually test these and don't just talk about them.

great video darrel ! really appreciate the input !

Great comparison.Been using Mogami cables for years and never had an issue. They also have a lifetime warranty.

Here is my sceptic take on this. Definitely the noise part is solid. Quality of the wire, shielding, length does make a difference for noise. Now about the tone that cable transfers, I'm not convinced. Every time you play, even if the volume levels are untouched, it can not be 100% identical. Starting with, the velocity of hitting the string ( in MIDI terms 1-127, but in reality much more finer), Exact position where the string was hit Angle of the pick contacting the string All of this, of top of my head, can contribute to a little difference in tone. What I would like to see is a single take recorded (to eliminate variances), taken direct out of the DAW and then using the 4 cables to compare. I wonder if we can actually hear a difference in tone.

Hey Darrell, I think this was an excellent demo. I like how you consistently cover the instrument info from beginner to intermediate to weekend player to full-time pro in your videos. That's important. Based on comments and questions here, I think a number of people didn't actually understand the gist of this unfortunately. Not your fault. It would probably serve them well to listen again with a different mindset going in. Thanks!

I appreciate the content, the sound tests, I could not really tell much of a difference, but could tell a difference in the noise test

Cheap cable: YEET High end cable: YEET Really appreciate your fairness Darrell!

Thanks for doing this. Good to know. I found the tonal differences negligible but the noise reduction of TL was impressive. Also durability is a big one for me. I've used PW for years and haven't changed them for more than a decade.

Thanks Darrel, always very good information.

Darrel I freakin love the new intro! You rock brother!

I switch from the fender cable which was like €10 and it was turquoise to a mogami premium gold cable. And changes the sound quite a lot. It’s so much more clear I love it

If I played on stage and had he money, of course I'd spend some serious money for my accessories, but being I just play near my home. my stuff is just fine and I saved all that money.

Kudos to the approach in comparing cables. Especially in recent comparisons of tonal differences in string gauges (from various RU-vid sources), it's hard to distinguish differences in tone when going sequentially through a series of variables where there are small differences between each step. I completely agree with your approach of picking one end of the spectrum as a baseline and then stepping through the comparisons. It makes it a lot easier to distinguish differences in sound.

Great one! Thank you sooo much!

Would have been nice to see some EQ Spectra too. Just to "see" the change in frequency that you are talking about

I'll take the machine made cable please. As also called a consistent quality.

He has such a nice and kind smile and personality. Thanks mate

Good vid bro. 🤘⚡

I never used to believe it and had the cheapest cables money could buy. But it started to sound clearly bad and dull; so I upgraded everything, all my patch cables and long cables. I even got a gold tipped curly cable, and I got a wireless system. And I'm glad I did all this. My tone feels open and fuller and crisper; and the wireless system?? The best! It sounds great (even less impedence) but the freedom of being able to sit on the couch without getting tangled, or go to the kitchen, or just roam wherever inside or outside, it's amazing!! But even when just sitting there (which comprises the majority of time) it's just great to not feel tethered to this thing that every time you move you feel Its' weight and the feeling that you're tangling. And the price is about equal to an fx pedal. It might not be as exciting to shop for, but I assure you , it's better to have! I honestly don't know why I'm not seeing everyone use them all the time! You really don't have to be jumping around on stages like Angus Young or CC DeVille to justify a wireless system - they're for you Bro, do yourself a favor and break the leash now! (that'd be a great Ad line! 😆)

Oxygen-free copper = snake oil at audio frequencies.

Im Sorry for watching your videos for over 2 Years now without subscribing your channel!!! Love your videos

Great, as always!!!

What the hell did you get me to watch this time Darrell!I I cudn't hear any difference between cables And they are all noisy! just different noise! None are silent!

When your cable costs more than your guitar

Awesome comparison video! I don’t use cheap cables and I certainly won’t spend 200+ bucks for a cable. I use Planet Waves American Stage cables and they sound great with minimal if not zero handling noise. They do great retaining your highs and I love how firmly the plug holds into the jack. By the way, I LOVE that Paoletti guitar!.

Great job man, keep doing, thank u

As is usually the case, as soon as you throw dirt onto the guitar, much of the difference goes away. The clean tests were much more revealing. The noise test had a very clear winner, though... that Transit Labs was remarkably quiet. Is it worth the money? No, of course not. But the Fender, on the other of the scale, is definitely not a cable you want to use if you have anything better. Somewhere, I have a bag of unused and mostly unpackaged cables that come with instruments. Most of my XLRs and the majority of my 1/4" cables are Canadian-made Digiflex. A couple I've had and used for well over 30 years, and they're still going strong.

The difference is down to the capacitance of the cable, it'll affect the resonant peak of the pickups.

I don't play any instrument but had to comment on how enjoyable and informative your channel is 👍 tempted to go out and buy one now 🤔😉

Good test comparison Darell. i need to change this fender cables of mine soon :)

Tight, open, boomy, more clarity, smooth, full, flabby, milky, glassy, and etc are not measurable qualities and are terms that demand double blind evaluation. If there is a true sound difference, there has to be a way to measure something that can quantify that difference. One could probably just measure capacitance with all cables the same length.

What I would Love love to see is a sound comparison of a pool routed strat verses traditional- Please!!!

i'm buying a guitar soon so i see your face a lot these days XD. you help a lot though!! thanks for the quality content and smiling face!!:)

As always great content. I have everything from cheap to expensive cables. There is a slight difference but nothing to write home about.

No, I don't believe they sound better, but I would expect the durability to improve as the price goes up. IF there is an improvement in sound I imagine it would be very very marginal, and if you play high gain/distortion you'll never know.

Cables do make a difference. I have been using the same 15ft Dimarizo Steve Vai signature cable for the last 30 years. I had to resolder one of the end once about two years ago. Great even tone. However this test needed a little rest between comparisons to allow your hearing a chance to reset for reference. Like stated he was able to really hear the difference through his studio monitors (think recording).

Darrell, I'd be intrigued to hear you do a comparison of cable vs wireless system. Love the channel!

I like neutrik connectors, particularly the ones with the auto cutoff switch, it makes for easy instrument changes without having to remember to stand on the tuner.

Should have included Monoprice cables in the test. Great cables and you can't beat the price. Clearly I've become a Monoprice fanboy. 🤣

I've run over my DiMarzio cable at least 100 times with my computer chair and and it doesn't have any problems, so I'm happy. I also have some old Beldin cables that sound surprisingly good. Both boutique cables and tone woods are a ripoff in my opinion.

Cool video, I would love to see a comparison between the quality of cables regarding humidity. I live in the second most humid city of the world and I was told to put my cables and equipment in a non humid palce like a box with news papers and sawdust to keep stuff dry.

Nice comparison Darrell!

I'd test these cables with a calibrated tone generator, set to an output impedance similar to a pickup. 😉

Repeat the same test with the spectrograph. Then we could visibly identify more highs less lows etc.

Man I Do Love Your Intro!

This is one of the best shootouts I've ever watched.

An idea, Darrell: Post the audio results of A/B tests like this in one video, get us to vote, and then reveal the "answers" a week later in another video.

Other than the noise, I couldn't tell a difference between the 4.

Love this channel

Loved the way that you set up the review especially the noise/hum comparison. I'd buy the Transit Lab cables but that can't happen until the promotion to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff comes through LOL.

The only difference in cable quality is build quality. Sure, low cost cables degrade quicker and lose sonic quality as they break. But they pretty much sound the same to me. I have a couple higher end Monster cables I’ve been using for a very long time and still sound great. I also have some Sound Gear cables that I’ve been using for a long time and they still sound great. Same with Mogami cables. I’m confident if you take care of equipment it’ll last and sound great.

Ho god stepping into snake oil land. Copper is copper, inductances is inductance, capacitance is capacitance, if the mfg can't state those, anything else they try to pour at you is bs.

I like the way you coat the plugs with skin oil before the test. And as you talk about the cables you whip them around in your hand. I can can almost hear the tiny little shielding wires breaking. Great video!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="290">4:50</a> man!!!! your guitars are insane!!! what a beauty!

oxygen free copper is marketing invention. All copper is oxygen-free! Exception is rusted copper - it's the copper oxide. It looks different. It is black and fragile. So if you see just a red copper - it is oxygen-free

That cable is more expensive that my Guitar 😳

Yes! For sure. I experienced beginning with a poor cable and I swapped to a cordialcableusa-like and it changed drastically. I can hear a big difference even with a low quality transistor amp.

Great video. Would love to see runway Vs the others, since that’s the one I’m most likely to buy.

I am expecting audio recording frequency graph.. so we can see which one have unnecessary frequency response in.. and also spectrum graph so we can see which cable have the thicker sound

Imagine someone sees one of those expensive cables laying on the floor and they're like "must be trash"

I've been searching for a price list for Wreck Guitars. I love the show that you did where you demonstrated one of their guitars,"but I can't find a price for it!"

Unlimited Video! Very interesting and informative video.

I can't speak for everyone, but I dare say that most of us Darrel Braun Guitar subscribers would much prefer to put $250 toward a great amp or guitar or even a stomp-box, versus a guitar cable. But if I was a pro, I might think differently. As always, I love when you do comparison breakdowns like this, even when the cheapest item is barely within my budget.

Things like high-end cables, exotic conductive materials in components and such are really only worth it if you regularly play over large PAs where the complete signal path will provide a fair amount of net resistance and reducing that can get a bit of extra clarity for a better mix. Bar gigs and home playing hardly call for that. Just my opinion.

Hi Darrell, Excellent Video 👍👍👍. Cables can be often overlooked, I went with Planet Waves American Stage Series, nice and quiet Lifetime Warranty. Take care ♥️🎸👍. Melbourne, Australia

great video :-) I've been having pretty good luck with the Ernie Ball cables as of late.