Mic cables: question and suggestion needed

[Confuzzled]

Hey all,

I've been recording a bit during this pandemic and the other day I busted out my EHX voice box and decided to try the vocoder. I have an old Shure SM58 (the only mic I own besides a few condenser mics) and 2 old mic cables and noticed a lot of scratchiness in the sound if I moved the mic or the cables jiggled slightly.

Can cable connections be cleaned? If not I'm just going to buy 2 new cables but I haven't bought new microphone cables in... 20 years? What do you all suggest? I'm running the cables into my Tascam 16x08.

Thanks in advance.

[K2000]

If you want to try new XLR cables, Reverb sells their own stock for like $9

[MechaGodzilla]

sounds like you could try cleaning the xlr jacks on the cable and the socket on the mic. it might be the cable has some tiny breaks somewhere that you hear when you move it around (i have had some guitar leads develop this)

[voerking]

the shielding on some cables is like a thin wrap of tinfoil inside the rubber outside layer. sometimes it gets loose/worn/cracked & makes crackly rustling sounds when moved. just a thought!

[John]

It might be the ends. Take out the little screw, slide the cover backand see if the connections are secure.

[JonnyAngle]

It might be the ends. Take out the little screw, slide the cover backand see if the connections are secure.

this.

if you buy the spendy cable ends, you can actually re-solder them and they will last several lifetimes!

[MechaGodzilla]

yeah i don't fuck about with anything that isn't at least neutrik+vandamme any more. reliability saves you money long term.