Magnetic guitar cables prevent pops, jack damage
You're on stage, in the middle of your first song. The band's tight. The sound's dialed in. The audience is grooving. But you--idiot guitarist--forgot to do the Stevie Ray Vaughan trick of tucking your cable up through your strap, so instead it's running straight down to the floor, next to your feet. Excited, you take a step forward to pose for your friends in the front row and step right on your cord. It comes out with an ear-splitting pop and buzz. The bass player rolls his eyes as you get down on the stage, pick the end of the cable back up, plug it back into your guitar--another loud pop--and finish the solo. Momentum lost. Show ruined. Chances of rock stardom zero.
Belkin's got the solution: BreakFree connectors. They're magnetic, like the MacBook's MagSafe power cable. They can't prevent you from stepping on your cord, but when you do there's no pop, no buzz, and you can reattach them very quickly. They're also excellent for guitarists who like to change axes between songs, but lack the roadies or foresight to do the busy work of turning on the bypass each time. Plus, you're less likely to damage your input jack after hundreds of plugs and unplugs--and there are few things worse than an input jack failing on stage. (What's that crackling sound?)
$19.99, available in September.
Matt Rosoff is an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, where he covers Microsoft's consumer products and corporate news. He's written about the technology industry since 1995, and reviewed the first Rio MP3 player for CNET.com in 1998. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattrosoff. 
If the cord's attachment point to the adapter is tighter than the magnet's hold, that means the magnet is the weak link with regards to staying connected. If that's the case, we now have an even weaker way of staying attached.
If, on the other hand, the magnet's hold is stronger than the adapter's hold to the cord, then the adapter/cord connection is the weak link, and we still have the same old problem.
At best, you now have two ways of coming accidentally unplugged. Excellent!!!
- by FourthNail July 23, 2008 1:27 PM PDT
- Or, you can do what most people do during live performances and buy a wireless. Problem solved.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(3 Comments)