With tools like the VP4 and HX Effects, why have there been no modern advancements in 4CM cabling tech?

[Desertdweller]

Pro touring musicians use 4CM all the time, but they have it usually isolated in a rack. Petrucci, Vai, Tremonti, etc., use 4CM rigs isolated in their respective racks. But at the mid-level and consumer end, we have devices like the VP4, H90, HX Effects, etc., that can run 4CM allowing us to put effects in front of and behind the amp, yet control it from a floorboard 30 feet away. The problem is how do we cable it? From my experience, looms. Buy 4-5 cables, throw them in a loom and be done. It’s unwieldy but gets the job done.

Some companies have made solutions, this one is particularly elegant, d’addario’s junction box system. Connect up to 8 cables to the box at either end and run one multi-pin cable between them. I love this:

Then there are companies really going out there with Ethernet capabilities. I think this is the way of the future and the most elegant solution, but I only see one company doing this right now, with one product, and it’s XLR only. So for guitarists, it’s adapter city.

Is there something I’m missing? Is there a hole in the market or is it just too small of a market for anyone to care to make anything? I’d love a box like the one above, but with 3 1/4” jacks and a MIDI jack, and I’d be happy. Add power and I’d be even happier. What do you think?

 

[JiveTurkey]

Preach! Big thing on this convo you get is guys who make their own snakes and like doing that sort of thing. I don't so I just live with the spaghetti pile

 

[sleewell]

4 or 5 cables wrapped in a tube/snake still seems like a better plan than whatever the rats nests would be created at the modeler and then also at your amp by using those above.

4cm turns into 9cm hahahahaha

 

[MirrorProfiles]

 

[Desertdweller]

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Yeah that’s exactly what I use now, I’m just looking for an even better solution. 1 Ethernet cable carrying everything is superior to this DIY method you and I are both using.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Yeah that’s exactly what I use now, I’m just looking for an even better solution. 1 Ethernet cable carrying everything is superior to this DIY method you and I are both using.

Ethernet cable would need its own breakout cables on each end, all it would really do is make the loom less chunky.

I like the idea of it but IMO it creates as many problems as it solves. If it’s a problem I’d just look to something controlled remotely with no audio running through it at all.

 

[sleewell]

yea but its not 1 ethernet cable. its one ethernet cable with 4 more cables at the modeler and 4 more at your amp lolololololololol


if you really really want one cable just go with a rack based setup and a controller on stage.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Yeah that’s exactly what I use now, I’m just looking for an even better solution. 1 Ethernet cable carrying everything is superior to this DIY method you and I are both using.

So just make your own Ethernet solution.....not too difficult actually.

 

[fetishfrog]

My solution has always been three 1/4 in cables zip tied together every 18" or so. Then a second version of that as a back up. Leave the ends with enough cable to plug in and go. Easier to manage IMHO, than a loom.

If a cable fails, cut the zip ties and replace. I like the idea of the snake, but if you have an internal connection failure, it's more expensive to replace.

Having a break out box makes sense in a rack. If you don't have a rack it's another thing to think about and worry about.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I guess I don't really follow use 4cm with a multifx in the same manner as I would with a non multifx pedalboard. I feel like my board is pretty streamlined, I pack it in a bag and transport it multiple times a week, I have my pedalboard setup and ready to go in under 60 seconds, I can't really see an alternative that could possibly improve on that

 

[HotRats]

I use 6mt single cables wrapped with a sleeve and marked connectors: works great, looks nice.

A multicore cable would be more elegant but is less flexible.

Wrapping cables allow you to add or remove cables as needed:
need to bring a midi cable to your head? just add a midi cable.
moved from a multi channel head to a single channel one? just remove one or 2 cables.

 

[DrewJD82]

I’d absolutely love to see some growth in this area. I suspect we will see more of it as we’re kind of passed the ‘modelers are new territory’ era and we’re seeing more and more hybrid rigs where cabling could be managed better.

At best, there’s a few companies making breakout boxes that help tidy things up, but you still end up making your own looms.

I remember when I first saw Petrucci’s Awake rig, he had his pedalboard wired up with a giant multi-pin cable and I thought it was he coolest thing in the world. Maybe that’s something to look into more from a “Can I build something like this?” utilizing ethernet cables and breakout boxes. The one thing I loved about my FC6 board was that I just needed a single XLR to power/use it, I’d love to have a 4CM rig wired up with just one multi-pin cable.

PS- A certain company has made me hate seeing the word “elegant” in relation to guitar gear. New pet peeve added to the system.

 

[TJontheRoad]

MIDI is your friend.

 

[SonVolt]

MIDI is your friend.

huh?

 

[TJontheRoad]

huh?

You don’t need long 4cm cable runs if you use a MIDI controller to your back line amp and effects. Just power the controller and a MIDI cable.

 

[TubeStack]

My solution has always been three 1/4 in cables zip tied together every 18" or so. Then a second version of that as a back up. Leave the ends with enough cable to plug in and go. Easier to manage IMHO, than a loom.

This is what I do. Just gotta watch your hands when coiling it up, ouch.

I also leave one end all plugged in, at the pedalboard, and just coil it up and carry it inside the pedaltrain case. Cable ends at the amp are colour coded.

 

[laxu]

MIDI is your friend.

Exactly. Bring your controller board to the front of stage and leave your actual pedals near the amp.

I do wish we had half rack unit sized l, 1U tall processors. Stack a few boxes like that on top of your amp instead of big 3U rack boxes or a pile of pedals.

 

[spawnofthesith]

This is what I do. Just gotta watch your hands when coiling it up, ouch.

I also leave one end all plugged in, at the pedalboard, and just coil it up and carry it inside the pedaltrain case. Cable ends at the amp are colour coded.

Yep all my pedalboard connections are permanently attached, pull board out, plug into amp, fx loop, guitar done. Writing "send" and "return" in sharpie at the ends of those cables was one of the greatest setup innovations of my life

No zip ties here, but actually not a bad idea on at least the FX loop cables

 

[HomespunEffects]

I can’t believe that GigRig and Boss ES series hasn’t incorporated a Bluetooth connection between a rack and the footswitches. This is 2024 dangit! Solves everything.

 

[Desertdweller]

I can’t believe that GigRig and Boss ES series hasn’t incorporated a Bluetooth connection between a rack and the footswitches. This is 2024 dangit! Solves everything.

Is there a low latency Bluetooth solution?