BILLBAX UK - New 13 pin Cable and Powered Break out box

Started by Vic1iful, January 07, 2011, 11:53:44 AM

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Vic1iful


Elantric

Very impressed with the Video production!

Makes is very clear whats going on.


Be sure to check out his updated web site:

http://www.separate-strings.co.uk/

LeeMorant

Not bothered about the powered bit but make a decent quality/length/screened/soldered with a 90 degree bracket on one end and I reckon everyone here would buy one, I know I would.

audiotrax

I don't mean to be a busy body always posting in here, but I really want to say Bill is a cool guy and a very good musician.  I've spoken with him quite a bit through email.  He send me a demo of a song he did with Wishbone Ash's lead guitarist.  Really, really good stuff.  His bass playing was first class.  His VG-88 guitar sounds were spot on too.  That's another guy that should be famous and get his due. :) 
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

Elantric


billbax

Hi everyone,

Here's the latest update to my studio 13-Pin multicore cable. Manage to slim the cable down to a 10mm diameter, with four OFC twin-core and one six-core signals/vdc cable.  String signals are handle by 100% screened oxygen-free copper cores, and overall the multicore represents an improvement over a standard off-the-shelf 13-pin cable audio specification.  As with all multicores, there is a need to cope with additional handling, and so the cable is more suited to a studio environment.

SPECIFICATIONS:
* Four cables of fully screened OFC twin cores (two string signals per cable).
* Cable core resistance = 0.17ohms @ 2M (A Roland GK cable is 0.21ohms @ 2M).
* Cable capacitance - core to screen = 454pF @ 2M.
* Soldered 13-pin connections (lower resistance and improved connections).
* 10mm diameter.
* Available in 2M/3M lengths. (longer lengths negate improved audio specification).

PROS:
* String signals 1-7 100% fully screened.
* Low string signal cores resistance @ 0.17ohms @ 2M.
* Minimum cable movement noise with hi-gain distortion v-synth patches.
* Cable maintenance possible with multicore form factor.
* Robust.

CONS:
* Limited to a studio environment.
* Cable use and handling is around 50% more bulky compared to a standard GK 13-Pin cable.
* Only available in 2M/3M lengths.

13-Pin studio multicore.


Multicore 100% screens versus off-the-shelf 13-pin token screen.


A soldered connection versus a crimp.


Mini spiral wraps keep the cable tidy.


13-Pin plug and cores.


Multicore and dust covers.


A battery powered GP-10/GR-55 improves signal-to-noise by around 2-3dB.


Alternative GK preamp battery PSU. One additional core needed.


Thanks for viewing.

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk

GuitarBuilder

"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

Elantric

Quote from: GuitarBuilder on April 10, 2017, 12:28:26 PM
I don't see any ordering info on the website yet?

Email : billbaxendale (at) talk21.com
http://www.separate-strings.co.uk/

billbax

#8
Hi  GuitarBuilder & Elantric,

Haven't got round to creating a new page at separate-strings.co.uk yet, as I'm gauging the cables potential.  Any feedback gained here at the forum is most welcome.

Questions and order information will be through billbaxen at separate-strings.co.uk  My billbax at separate-strings.co.uk email is still valid, although it seemed some emails were not getting through - hence the email change.  Btw on a scary note, most email addresses end up on a spam list after two years. :(

Multicore cable pricing:

2M Multicore £50.00GBP. Plus shipping.

3M Multicore £55.00GBP.  "   "

Thanks,

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk

spectrale

#9
I've been a periodic watcher (and patch leech) in the Forum for a long time, but figured I'd start contributing a bit.  Just ordered and got Bill's Breakout Box and cable sets, and I'm totally impressed at the engineering and build quality.  I probably pinged him off and on for a few years before finally pulling the trigger.  I'd been hung up on how shipping costs from the UK to US were so much compared to the cost of the gear I wanted to order that I kept holding off (under the simultaneously logical and silly rationale that the global post shouldn't make more than the inventor on the transaction - yes, in some twisted way I didn't believe that would be fair to Bill).  Eventually, the global upheaval of the current political environment and Brexit finally made this a deal my flawed sense of principle couldn't justify putting off.  The drop in the UK Pound versus the USD made me pull the trigger.  The post still took a undeservedly large cut, but Bill made me realize my thinking was a bit backward.  He took the time to make me a semi-custom one-off, since his component stock was low and he talked me down from trying to stuff more gear into the deal, since the incremental shipping costs for the extras I was prepared to shoehorn into the deal would have increased the 'wasteful' component of the shipping costs relative to the gear.   We closed a sale years in the making, and I'm very happy with what I have.  The quick review -- The BOB does exactly what it's billed for and is a great tool for those of us tweakers looking to leverage the full gamut of options through 'RSS' as Bill has termed it. 

Though my playing is nowhere near Bill's, I think his breakout box helped me 'discover' that there is an audible difference in signal quality and content depending upon your chosen gear.  My Brian Moores are RMC-driven, and the broken out string signals hitting my DAW sound much warmer and fuller than the sound samples Bill uses in his excellent videos demonstrating the RSS features.  His sample raw 13 pin signals sound thin ('more piezo-like and metallic?) in comparison to mine, though when driving the VG gear it seems to function just as you'd expect without any performance difference on the back end (modeled output).  My ears tell me Bill might be using a straight piezo hex signal with no filters.  I could be wrong, but I have concluded that the RMC setup must color the signals in a way that the output is itself a little warmer. 

I always wondered whether there is any quality difference driving roland vg gear with different piezo platforms?   Anyone got any thoughts on the existence of any differences between 'warmer v colder' hex signals that can be attributed to the types of hexaphonic filter/board and outputs used?

-Paul

neilD321

Hi Bill, quick question if I may. How did you go from 7 twin cores (as shown in the video) to 4 in your new design??

billbax

#11
Hi NeilD321,

No problem. 

The slimmed down four twin-core is not as bulky compared to the seven twin-core version. Also a four twin-core cable is easier to make, and requires less cable.

Cheers,

Bill


admin

#12
My mini breakout cable and any hex preamp can do all of this and much more.


allows Any Electric Guitar with 1/4" output jack access to a Roland GR-55 synth voices. or VG-8/VG-88/VG-99/GP-10 tones

MINI BREAKOUT CABLE

1  13-Pin line-socket. GK pickup input for recording separate strings. V-synth input with re-amping, re-guitar and re-synth etc.
2  13-Pin GK pre-amp power cable (3M).  Connects to a v-synth (power) or an optional dual 7-9vdc PSU.
3  Separate string output/input jacks (including Pin-7 normal guitar).  XLR and phonos are an option.
4  Extremely durable oxygen-free-copper cable for separate string signals. Fully shielded. Very low cable resistance. 40cms / 16" length. 
5  Pin-8 'Phantom power' with internal in-line socket resistors. Pin-8 allows access to a Roland GR-55 synth voices. Thanks to Elantric.

Price: £75.00GB plus trackable shipping.  3 years warranty with RTB.

Regards,

Bill Bax
http://www.separate-strings.co.uk

alexmcginness

Im lookin at the pic above and after reading the copy Im confused. So is there a video showing how to use this cable to clear up the confusion?
VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.


alexmcginness

Thanks for the link but after a search theres nothing there explaining this particular cable that I can see. Cheers.
VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.

billbax

QuoteThanks for the link but after a search theres nothing there explaining this particular cable that I can see.

Hi Alex,

You'll find a little more detail here http://www.separate-strings.co.uk/breakout%20cables%20and%20more.html

The cable combines a breakout box, and a separate strings cable set into one complete solution.  The main nag with a breakout box, is the need for quite a few separate string cables. Some people find the extra cable set needed a turn-off.

The separate string audio quality from the cable is excellent, and with an average playing strength, you can expect a fairly healthy -6dB daw line-input level.

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk

alexmcginness

VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.