Ethercon cable suggestions

[SoundaveParticipant]

Can someone from Allen and Heath make a recommendation on the best ethercon cable to use for the SQ S-link and GX4816 stagebox connections? Either bought as a made product or components to make my own. This will be a permanent install of about 200′, but we’ll need the last 20′ or so to be able to move around a bit.
THANKS

[SteffenRParticipant]

https://www.allen-heath.com/media/Recommended-cables.pdf

[tourtelotParticipant]

Remember, it’s a digital signal. Don’t put too much thought (or money) into your decision. I use Cat5e shielded stranded network cable for my whole Dante rig (20+ devices) and use this on location as a portable system. I think I bought the cable on Amazon but any like it are available pretty much everywhere. Maybe Monoprice. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=12724

I use good shielded connectors and solder the shield to the plug and then encase them in Neutrik Ethercon connectors. I have, literally, never had a cable failure. And if I do, off to Home Depot to buy more cable. Even unshielded will serve perfectly for a gig.

I do carry a “first aid kit” to every job with connectors and tools to terminate ethernet cable just in case. If you are doing a permanent install, you might use solid core (stranded rolls and coils much better but connectors, theoretically, stick to solid more securely) and maybe “riser rated” which might make the Fire Marshall more happy.

But really, it’s not rocket surgery.

D.

[TonyParticipant]

Old post, but Google led me here. I’d like to add an update and an opinion.

First, the earlier post’s link to A&H’s recommended cables seems to be dead, this one is working as of today: https://support.allen-heath.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4403615333009-General-Recommended-cables

Second, while I mostly agree with tourtelot’s ‘don’t worry too much about it’ attitude about the cable, some care must be taken with connector selection. Even Neutrik sells certain EtherCon plugs that don’t mate with some of their own jacks. I saw this warning on Neutrik’s site, and got worried. That is what got me on Google to look for a specific recommendation from A&H (linked above). I’m excerpting here:

*Use only Neutrik NE8MC EtherCon or compatible connectors. The Neutrik NE8MC6 range is NOT mechanically compatible with the EtherCon socket on our products. For CAT6 termination use the NE8MX6 range instead.”

For what it’s worth, I have other another digital mixer that is equipped with non-Neutrik EtherCon sockets, and have found that they are hit-or-miss when connected to some, but not all, genuine Neutrik EtherCon plugs. It had to do with the insertion depth of the RJ45 relative to the EtherCon shell; you could insert & latch the Ethercon, but tug on it a little and the signal would drop out.

YMMV. It’s the NE8MX6 & shielded Cat6 or 6A for me, at least for the run from my board to the stage. Not because I need the bandwidth, but because I like how mechanically rugged the stuff is (I spool it, so I find it easy enough to deal with).

Any pre-made cable I buy has to state the specific connector used, and I’m personally disinclined to go with anything but the specific Neutrik models listed by A&H, unless I have the time and inclination to test & return it.

[tourtelotParticipant]

Weird, I didn’t know that there was another Neutrik Ethercon connector. I had to go down and look and yes, all my Ethercons are NE8MX. Just lucky I guess. Funny to watch the evolution of these connectors as Neutrik makes them simpler and simpler to assemble. Just like Neutrik XLRs got simpler from the old days, and more part-swappable as they got further into the process. The earliest of both types of connectors were positively Rube Goldbergian. 🙂 Better these days.

I would make this recommendation to everyone who has basic bench skills. Buy the tools and roll-yer-own. Not only will it be markedly cheaper to do so, but there is satisfaction in building cables for your rig that are just the correct length needed and some satisfaction that you DIY’d.

You’ll need a crimper, and cable testers at least and tools such as jacket strippers and the like will make life easier. Do some research on what RJ45s are correct for the type of cable you are using (there are some differences) but after a pretty easy learning curve, you’ll be turning out professional and robust Cat cables with ease. As well, I always tack solder the drain wire to the metal shell on shielded RJ45, so another step, but it makes everything bomb-proof.

Like I said above, I have had, literally, no cable failures, ever. The possibility of a cable failing is so deep in the noise that I never consider it. I have spares on hand, of course, but even if a cableocaltpse occurs, a trip to Home Depot (and my Dante toolkit) would have me up and running in no time.

Funny that Audinate has Cat cable preferences since, mostly, no one would have any trouble with any quality cable. All copper wire is important though. No copper-coated aluminum for a professional rig please. : Good luck to all who dare down the DIY path. Very rewarding.

D.

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