PRODUCT REVIEW
Planet Waves
Modular Snake System
I love twiddling around with new gear at
the music store and researching unfamiliar
products online, but nothing beats a new
product that is innovative enough to be
appreciated at a mere glance. That’s the
case with Planet Waves’ new Modular Snake
System. Think of the system as a high-end
stage snake without the bulky box head for
the female ends, but made for studio use or
shorter scale live situations.
BY JOE COFFEY
without a breakout if your console is equipped
with a db25 connector. You could use this
system for any number of things – connecting
studio components, snaking inputs to a mixer,
running lines to multiple recorders, etc.
Here’s how it works: you buy the core cable in
lengths of 5, 10 or 25’. Each end of the cable
is equipped with db25 (printer-style 25 pin)
connectors. You then buy the ends you want
(ranging from $60-$100), snapping them on
and securing them with finger twist screws.
The ends, or breakouts as PW calls them,
contain eight lines with whatever jacks you
choose. You can buy breakouts of eight 1/4”
TRS jacks, eight male XLR connectors, eight
female XLR connectors and a combo of four
male/four female XLR connectors (AES/EBU).
The snake’s actual multi-pair cable is made
with oxygen-free copper conductors and
100 percent shielding. While testing a 5’
cable with XLR and 1/4” breakouts I heard
crystal-clear signals and felt each connector
lock solidly. The streamlined, sturdy design
could only be knocked by someone needing
core cable lengths longer than those currently available (though Planet Waves says
a 50 footer is coming soon), odd breakout
connector combinations, or the kind of signal
neutrality that most people aren’t even aware
of. If you’re looking for an intuitive and well-built system to keep your studio/stage cords
in order, look no further.
RATING...
Starting at $30
In other words, your snake is adaptable to
multiple environments. You can even plug
one end of the cable straight into a console
5.0
Planet Waves
planetwaves.com
light compact adjustable
