Cable Tester - Behringer CT100

[Stub Mandrel]

I bought one of these as I am sorting out a PA and many of my existing leads are elderly.

 

It has a great, simple display that shows a cross for a good XLR lead/balance jack lead and a line for a good unbalanced Jack lead. It also has three LEDs taht light if you cause an intermittent fault by 'jiggling' the connector or wires. It also has a sturdy, if rather retro, plain steel case. You can see some other functions such as various level test tones etc. Unfotunately it doesn't contain a 'test cap' for installed cables, but these can be made simply by commoning all the pins in a suitable socket/plug.

 

 

I think it's paid for itself already! I tested several existing leads, made up some new ones and modified others.

 

Not only did it help me find a few intermittent faults caused by solder blobs shorting to earth or over-long shield connections and helped me thin the herd of old jack-jack leads by spotting the dodgy ones, it's revealed my own incapacity for soldering XLR leads by instinct rather than checking the pin numbers...

 

So i say if you make your own cables or have lots and sometimes have issue, get one of these for the price of a couple of high quality leads.

Edited July 31, 2023 by Stub Mandrel

[Woodinblack]

I carry one of those in my bag at all times. It is a great thing, even if it has a tendancy to switch itself on in a bag, but at least the batteries last well.

It does also have a signal generator too.

[BillB]

For installed cables a 'network cable tester' is very handy and just make up RJ45 to whatever, I used to pin 3x XLRs to wires 1-8 + ground.

[tauzero]

That's a CT100. It has that nice handy display that shows you what's connected to what.

 

The CT200 is a different kettle of fish. Microprocessor controlled, it scans the connections and tells you what's what.

 

 

More connection types than the CT100. CT100 does XLR, mono & stereo jacks, RCA phono, and MIDI. CT200 does the above, plus USB (type B only though), Speakon, 3.5mm mono/stereo jacks, and RJ45 ethernet cables. If you're testing jack-jack mono cables, it shows a ring to ground short, which is logical.

[Woodinblack]

I have both - I carry the CT100 with me everywhere, the other one I keep at home as although it does other things, it is a lot slower going through a number of leads.

[fleabag]

Had a CT100 for quite a few years.  A little gem

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

That's a CT100. It has that nice handy display that shows you what's connected to what.

 

The CT200 is a different kettle of fish. Microprocessor controlled, it scans the connections and tells you what's what.

 

 

More connection types than the CT100. CT100 does XLR, mono & stereo jacks, RCA phono, and MIDI. CT200 does the above, plus USB (type B only though), Speakon, 3.5mm mono/stereo jacks, and RJ45 ethernet cables. If you're testing jack-jack mono cables, it shows a ring to ground short, which is logical.

 

OOps! It does do 3.5 jacks, but Speakon would be handy.

[Bigguy2017]

On 31/07/2023 at 19:38, Stub Mandrel said:

 

OOps! It does do 3.5 jacks, but Speakon would be handy.

The Palmer AHMCT8 one does Speakons - and it has probes + buzzer - very handy

 

£46 inc P+P at Thomann

https://www.thomann.de/gb/adam_hall_ahmct8.htm

Edited August 3, 2023 by Bigguy2017