OK a Seismic Audio 16 channel snake on a reel can be had on ebay for about $350, a Rapco snake on a reel $750. Any words of wisdom here ?
Do ya always get what ya pay for or do ya pay too much sometimes ?
seismic audio snake versus Rapco
seismic audio snake versus Rapco
Don't bitch to me about the economy while you're still buying Chinese products.
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JackANSI
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My experience with somewhat inexpensive snakes are the manufacturers save more in two places:
1. The gauge of the wire. Even if the manf. says it is, for example, 26 gauge it will really be 27-29 gauge with a 26 gauge jacket. (don't bother with a cheap one over 75-100')
2. The quality of the connectors. The cheap ones always have cheap connectors, even if they look like neutrik and the manf. say "it has quality connectors!", they aren't.
So as long as you are good with a soldering iron (and take it with you) and carry spare quality connectors it is nothing you can't overcome.
Also don't expect it to take a beating like a quality snake. Be fairly gentle with it, don't drop it or tug on it hard, always use the outer jacket strain reliefs if it has them, and never let people walk on it or especially drive over it. If you follow all that the cheap one will last long enough to make it worth the savings.
1. The gauge of the wire. Even if the manf. says it is, for example, 26 gauge it will really be 27-29 gauge with a 26 gauge jacket. (don't bother with a cheap one over 75-100')
2. The quality of the connectors. The cheap ones always have cheap connectors, even if they look like neutrik and the manf. say "it has quality connectors!", they aren't.
So as long as you are good with a soldering iron (and take it with you) and carry spare quality connectors it is nothing you can't overcome.
Also don't expect it to take a beating like a quality snake. Be fairly gentle with it, don't drop it or tug on it hard, always use the outer jacket strain reliefs if it has them, and never let people walk on it or especially drive over it. If you follow all that the cheap one will last long enough to make it worth the savings.