Blackstar Standard Instrument Cable 3m, Straight to Right-Angle 1/4-inch Jack
Blackstar built these cables to their own spec after benchmarking against the highest quality cables on the market. This one is the 3m Standard, terminated with a straight 1/4-inch jack at one end and a 90 degree right-angle 1/4-inch jack at the other, which is the usual pairing for running from a guitar to an amp or a pedalboard without the plug sticking out.
- Braided copper shielding, 90 to 95 percent coverage: more durable and better insulated electrically than the spiral shielding used in most low to mid-level cables.
- AWG23 conductor, 99.95 percent oxygen free copper: a reliable low impedance signal path.
- Shield ring: reduces capacitance and microphonic effect, so handling noise and cable movement stay out of your signal.
- Heavy-duty nickel-plated connectors: straight to right-angle on this cable.
- 6.5mm PVC outer jacket: flexible and durable, and it helps the cable resist tangling.
- Ultra-low noise and high RF rejection: from the specified insulating wire.
- Hook and loop cable wrap included: and the packaging is made from 100 percent recyclable material.
Blackstar offers the Standard instrument cables in 1.5m, 3m and 6m lengths. This is the 3m.
Cables are the part of a rig people replace last and complain about first. Blackstar built their own line after benchmarking against the highest quality cables on the market, with the goal of an uncompromised signal path. This is the 3m Standard instrument cable, a straight jack at one end and a 90 degree right-angle jack at the other.
Shielding is where the work went
Most low to mid-level cables use spiral shielding. Blackstar uses braided copper shielding at 90 to 95 percent coverage, which is more durable and offers better electrical insulation. Braided shielding normally costs you flexibility, so Blackstar modified the internal construction of these cables to retain softness and flexibility even with the braid in place.
Conductor and jacket
The core is an AWG23 conductor in 99.95 percent oxygen free copper, chosen for a reliable, low impedance signal. Around it sits a 6.5mm PVC outer jacket, which gives excellent flexibility and durability and helps reduce cable tangle when the cable is coiled and uncoiled every night.
Quiet in practice
A shield ring reduces capacitance and microphonic effect, which is the noise you hear when a cable is stepped on or dragged across a stage. The insulating wire is specified for ultra-low noise and high RF rejection, which matters in rooms full of lighting rigs and wireless gear.
Lengths and packaging
Blackstar Standard instrument cables come in 1.5m, 3m and 6m. Every cable ships with a hook and loop cable wrap included for tidy storage and cable management, and all the packaging is made from 100 percent recyclable material.