the sssnake SMK 222 PU / 100m

Reviewing cable is hardly exciting, but this cable makes it worthwhile. I have a few unusual requirements for mic cable. It must be purple (basically, a colour I chose years ago to make mine more easy to spot mixed with others) and it has to coil nicely, and lay flat. It has to be easy to solder, and needs to be tough enough to run the odd flightless over without damage. I'm totally disinterested in all the people who need magical cables that 'enhance' the sound, or contain rare and expensive precious metals. I need electrically capable cable - that is all. I have always used Canford HST, but this is priced at nearly £100 for 100m, and just too expensive - so I was looking for something more economic, but still decent enough to be reliable. I spotted this cable and thought I'd give it a go, at about a third the price of HST.

I expected to be disappointed, but it is actually really good cable. All the needs I have were fully met. The screen is pretty heavy and screens well, and because it can be unwound, and twisted, is much easier to solder than some types. The outer jacket is easy to strip and pretty tough, and cotton type filler is used to keep it round in section - and give some extra toughness when crushed by wheels on heavy cases.

There is one minor annoyance - it doesn't impact on performance whatsoever - it has the type of cable and coding printed on the outer jacket every 6 inches or so, in white. It's small enough to not me too noticeable at a distance, but it's too much an advert, and not really just identification - it repeats too often and is too bright. A small point, but at the price, the cable can be forgiven just one negative. I've just made up a batch of cables using this cable and my last drum of Canford HST. Neither was easier to make, or more tricky to coil up. I can find no audible difference (not that I expected one) between the two types. The HST is a little heavier, and perhaps a bit tougher on the outer jacket, but it's a small difference that does not make up for the big price differential. The cable just does what you expect - it works!