I am fixing to look at getting a new snake , there's not a thing wrong with my old one it still works but I am looking to get my amps closer to the stage And need more returns , I have been leaning to trying to go the reel snake direction but i am wondering what are the pro's and cons of a reel snake, and how many of you guys use them. I like the snakes with a box, but i just want something that i can just roll up and your done with it. would i benefit anymore with a reel snake over a traditional snake?
Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
- Thread starter Jimmy Hardin
- Start date
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Hello Jimmy, I guess it depend on it's intended use. Bar gig, festival, arena, weekend warrior...etc. I own 2 reel snakes from EWI, that I purchased in 2002 and they are still going strong. My 32x8 200 footer is in a pull-over case and is in near excellent condition, the 16x8 10 footer that is used for bar and small gigs is naked and shows plenty of battle scars on the frame and snakeskin and still works great. For a one man operation it works great for small gigs, for the big stuff I have a crew. But all in all I have been very happy with both.
Hello Jimmy, I guess it depend on it's intended use. Bar gig, festival, arena, weekend warrior...etc. I own 2 reel snakes from EWI, that I purchased in 2002 and they are still going strong. My 32x8 200 footer is in a pull-over case and is in near excellent condition, the 16x8 10 footer that is used for bar and small gigs is naked and shows plenty of battle scars on the frame and snakeskin and still works great. For a one man operation it works great for small gigs, for the big stuff I have a crew. But all in all I have been very happy with both.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Reel snakes work better when you have 2 people to wrap it up, IMO. When you are rolling up a reel snake, it is a lot easier if one person is doing the cranking and another is guiding it around corners, tables, etc., wherever it is going to bind. When rolling up a loose snake, most people will carry it with them and roll it up as they go along, making it easier for one person to do by themselves.
Reel snakes work better when you have 2 people to wrap it up, IMO. When you are rolling up a reel snake, it is a lot easier if one person is doing the cranking and another is guiding it around corners, tables, etc., wherever it is going to bind. When rolling up a loose snake, most people will carry it with them and roll it up as they go along, making it easier for one person to do by themselves.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
A reel works really well if you have a loom of multiple cables, as those can be challenging to properly coil into a road case. The downside of a reel snake is the reel. It can be a bulky item, especially on small stages. With a free snake, the stagebox is smaller, and you can tuck the excess wherever it's handy.
Since switching to cat5 snakes, I've found I can wrap that easier by hand than using a reel. However, if I have 2-3 cables loomed, then reeling is faster.
A reel works really well if you have a loom of multiple cables, as those can be challenging to properly coil into a road case. The downside of a reel snake is the reel. It can be a bulky item, especially on small stages. With a free snake, the stagebox is smaller, and you can tuck the excess wherever it's handy.
Since switching to cat5 snakes, I've found I can wrap that easier by hand than using a reel. However, if I have 2-3 cables loomed, then reeling is faster.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
In my experience, it depends on the snake and the reel.
I like reels for long, small diameter cables (digital snakes, drive snakes), where the reel is small enough to be managable, and the cable coil is too big to comfortably fit in your hand while coiling. OTOH, reels for large diameter multicore are heavy, and either big enough to be unwieldy or small enough in diameter to not be great for the snake. A typical 16x4 snake is right in the middle of those 2 options.
If you do get a reel, you want the stagebox permanently attached to the reel (so it doesn't flop around), and you want an adjustable brake on the reel (locked for transport, and with a friction setting for unreeling).
In my experience, it depends on the snake and the reel.
I like reels for long, small diameter cables (digital snakes, drive snakes), where the reel is small enough to be managable, and the cable coil is too big to comfortably fit in your hand while coiling. OTOH, reels for large diameter multicore are heavy, and either big enough to be unwieldy or small enough in diameter to not be great for the snake. A typical 16x4 snake is right in the middle of those 2 options.
If you do get a reel, you want the stagebox permanently attached to the reel (so it doesn't flop around), and you want an adjustable brake on the reel (locked for transport, and with a friction setting for unreeling).
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
So about 10 years ago I was in your position. I do a lot of gigs where it's just me or me plus one guy to help setup/packup.
And I wondered about a reel. My options were a reel or, build a really fancy box to house the core (more on this later).
So I went the reel route and within a few weeks I was regretting my choice but I stuck with it until I went digital and now I just have a loose 4-core cat 5 that I roll like a mic cable albeit a 50m one... (and a 100 but only take that one out if I need it).
So back to the reel.
As others have mentioned, works well with two people.
If you have one person, because my reel had wheels on the bottom, I had to kind of straddle the reel and crank. One hand turns, the other needs to guide the cable in nicely - left to right, right to left, left to right and so on.
On my own I would need to clear the path of all obstacles before rolling up. In some cases I was practically rolling the cable as I would if I didnt have a reel only to dump it next to the reel and then need to reel in again... more wasted time.
I also found that the cable over time developed a bit of a curve to it. I guess because it's not over/under it's always going around the same way..
I also had my reel kindof custom made; I had the patch points on the reel itself and because there was not a lot of space for a 32ch core, all the XLR's were right next to each other. This makes for really tight patching.
But, if you've got 50m or more of 24+ch analogue core, you're not really going to go well just rolling it loose. You'll want some kind of container for it be it a reel or box.
The other idea I had was to make a roadcase where the lid would have a notch in it to allow the cable to come out. So take out as much as you need and leave the rest in the box. This is a common practice at most large events.
But instead of having a traditional stage box which i'd need to place on stage, I was going to have one side of the roadcase unclip and have a patch panel right there. So the box would live side of stage (as a reel probably would); and then could patch directly into that. Options also included female XLR panel mounts for a mic split to monitors. Being one man band kind of setup I wasn't going for multipin disconnects; favouring simplicity/repairability of just XLR connectors.
Ok that's my .04AUD...
Andrew
So about 10 years ago I was in your position. I do a lot of gigs where it's just me or me plus one guy to help setup/packup.
And I wondered about a reel. My options were a reel or, build a really fancy box to house the core (more on this later).
So I went the reel route and within a few weeks I was regretting my choice but I stuck with it until I went digital and now I just have a loose 4-core cat 5 that I roll like a mic cable albeit a 50m one... (and a 100 but only take that one out if I need it).
So back to the reel.
As others have mentioned, works well with two people.
If you have one person, because my reel had wheels on the bottom, I had to kind of straddle the reel and crank. One hand turns, the other needs to guide the cable in nicely - left to right, right to left, left to right and so on.
On my own I would need to clear the path of all obstacles before rolling up. In some cases I was practically rolling the cable as I would if I didnt have a reel only to dump it next to the reel and then need to reel in again... more wasted time.
I also found that the cable over time developed a bit of a curve to it. I guess because it's not over/under it's always going around the same way..
I also had my reel kindof custom made; I had the patch points on the reel itself and because there was not a lot of space for a 32ch core, all the XLR's were right next to each other. This makes for really tight patching.
But, if you've got 50m or more of 24+ch analogue core, you're not really going to go well just rolling it loose. You'll want some kind of container for it be it a reel or box.
The other idea I had was to make a roadcase where the lid would have a notch in it to allow the cable to come out. So take out as much as you need and leave the rest in the box. This is a common practice at most large events.
But instead of having a traditional stage box which i'd need to place on stage, I was going to have one side of the roadcase unclip and have a patch panel right there. So the box would live side of stage (as a reel probably would); and then could patch directly into that. Options also included female XLR panel mounts for a mic split to monitors. Being one man band kind of setup I wasn't going for multipin disconnects; favouring simplicity/repairability of just XLR connectors.
Ok that's my .04AUD...
Andrew
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
http://www.audiopile.net/RT-006DC
So this is what you are suggesting. I could see that working for a larger system, where you know you'll always have room for such a large case to be on the stage.
http://www.audiopile.net/RT-006DC
So this is what you are suggesting. I could see that working for a larger system, where you know you'll always have room for such a large case to be on the stage.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Yeah I wasn't thinking about it being a two man job . I may just stick to the kind that I have. My main problem that I would have would be putting it in the middle of the stage or on the side stage with the amps.
Yeah I wasn't thinking about it being a two man job . I may just stick to the kind that I have. My main problem that I would have would be putting it in the middle of the stage or on the side stage with the amps.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Exactly!! That's the main problem that I would have.
Exactly!! That's the main problem that I would have.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Yeah that's the kind of problems that I wouldn't need lol. I can see me doing the same thing . I may just stay with the box one.
So about 10 years ago I was in your position. I do a lot of gigs where it's just me or me plus one guy to help setup/packup.
And I wondered about a reel. My options were a reel or, build a really fancy box to house the core (more on this later).
So I went the reel route and within a few weeks I was regretting my choice but I stuck with it until I went digital and now I just have a loose 4-core cat 5 that I roll like a mic cable albeit a 50m one... (and a 100 but only take that one out if I need it).
So back to the reel.
As others have mentioned, works well with two people.
If you have one person, because my reel had wheels on the bottom, I had to kind of straddle the reel and crank. One hand turns, the other needs to guide the cable in nicely - left to right, right to left, left to right and so on.
On my own I would need to clear the path of all obstacles before rolling up. In some cases I was practically rolling the cable as I would if I didnt have a reel only to dump it next to the reel and then need to reel in again... more wasted time.
I also found that the cable over time developed a bit of a curve to it. I guess because it's not over/under it's always going around the same way..
I also had my reel kindof custom made; I had the patch points on the reel itself and because there was not a lot of space for a 32ch core, all the XLR's were right next to each other. This makes for really tight patching.
But, if you've got 50m or more of 24+ch analogue core, you're not really going to go well just rolling it loose. You'll want some kind of container for it be it a reel or box.
The other idea I had was to make a roadcase where the lid would have a notch in it to allow the cable to come out. So take out as much as you need and leave the rest in the box. This is a common practice at most large events.
But instead of having a traditional stage box which i'd need to place on stage, I was going to have one side of the roadcase unclip and have a patch panel right there. So the box would live side of stage (as a reel probably would); and then could patch directly into that. Options also included female XLR panel mounts for a mic split to monitors. Being one man band kind of setup I wasn't going for multipin disconnects; favouring simplicity/repairability of just XLR connectors.
Ok that's my .04AUD...
Andrew
Yeah that's the kind of problems that I wouldn't need lol. I can see me doing the same thing . I may just stay with the box one.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
I once liked the idea of reel snakes and for some very specific applications they're a good thing. For most of us, though, I've found they increase the amount of time and hassle factor involved. It takes a lot of care to make the cable lay nicely (flat and snug) on the reel; if you don't do this you may find you have more cable than reel diameter.
Personally I'd rather have dedicated case or trunk for the snake.
I once liked the idea of reel snakes and for some very specific applications they're a good thing. For most of us, though, I've found they increase the amount of time and hassle factor involved. It takes a lot of care to make the cable lay nicely (flat and snug) on the reel; if you don't do this you may find you have more cable than reel diameter.
Personally I'd rather have dedicated case or trunk for the snake.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Yeah i know . I have a dedicated tote box for mine and I DO like it but I was thinking more of the lines of easier and less time consuming , but now I am thinking of just dating with the kind that I have now. Lol
Yeah i know . I have a dedicated tote box for mine and I DO like it but I was thinking more of the lines of easier and less time consuming , but now I am thinking of just dating with the kind that I have now. Lol
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
I've got CAT5e STP on a reel. It's marginally better than hand-coiling 250'.
Time to go digital maybe?
I've got CAT5e STP on a reel. It's marginally better than hand-coiling 250'.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Not really interested in going digital.
Time to go digital maybe?
Not really interested in going digital.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
I used to be in your state of mind as well. Once I got over the fear of digital, I haven't looked back. Even the cheap gear has a high enough reliability factor that it makes more sense than sticking with legacy copper.
I used to be in your state of mind as well. Once I got over the fear of digital, I haven't looked back. Even the cheap gear has a high enough reliability factor that it makes more sense than sticking with legacy copper.
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
(In an Evil Dead voice) Join us!
(In an Evil Dead voice) Join us!
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Shouldn't the title of this thread be "Are Reel Snakes all they're CRANKED UP to be?"
Shouldn't the title of this thread be "Are Reel Snakes all they're CRANKED UP to be?"
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Lol good point I didn't think of that!!!!! Lol
Shouldn't the title of this thread be "Are Reel Snakes all they're CRANKED UP to be?"
Lol good point I didn't think of that!!!!! Lol
Re: Are reel snakes all they are cracked up to be?
Well, let us know what you're looking for in the classifieds and some lucky soul will get rid of his useless snake .
Well, let us know what you're looking for in the classifieds and some lucky soul will get rid of his useless snake
.