There have been some intense independent tests done on cables. These tests were to determine what amount of signal got through the cable to the amp and what the resulting effects were on the sound quality of the instrument signal.
There are some brands that retain most of the complete signal and thus most of the fidelity. Other cables act as filters and effectively remove certain parts of the signal spectrum.
It comes down to personal preference really. Do you want to hear all the signal or do you like your signal shaped?
I fall into the shaped category. I use 30 to 40 feet of cable when I play out. With that much cable and the type of cable my high end has a slight roll off of the higher frequencies. It helps to keep the guitar from sounding too bright.
For recording and around the house I use shorter more transparent cables. First I don't want to be tripping on tons of cable, and second I can adjust instrument tones in the recording software if needed.
That is what I prefer from my cables. I'm sure other players have their own preferences. Really that is what it comes down to anyway.
Last edited by Spudman; October 1st, 2006 at 08:48 AM.
"No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi
Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.