Do I have a faulty VDI cable?

[Arakula]

Hi All,

 

I recently got a Variax 300, which came with the USB interface.

I complemented that with a Firehawk FX now, and also bought a VDI cable.

Unfortunately, the cable doesn't work at all, so I tried it with the cable that came with the USB interface - and THAT worked.

So, my question is ... do I have a faulty VDI cable, or is there a physical difference between the two?

 

Thank you,

 

  Hermann

[jerseyboy]

If connecting to the Firehawk works with standard ether Cat5 cable but not with VDI - certainly leans towards a duff VDI cable IMO.  

[Arakula]

Thank you for the tip.

 

I tried with a straight Cat5 cable now, and that worked nicely. Well, I'll try to get a replacement for the VDI cable then <sigh>

[psarkissian]

CAT5 is for connecting to the VDI/USB interface device for using Monkey and in your case, original Workbench (not the HD version).

VDI/VDI 25ft cable is for playing thru.

[Arakula]

Hello psarkissian,

 

if ...

• the cable from the USB interface works between Variax 300 and Firehawk
• a Cat5e patch cable works between Variax 300 and Firehawk
• the VDI cable does not work between Variax 300 and Firehawk (no sound, no recognition of the guitar)

... is it safe to assume that the VDI cable I got is faulty or not?

[psarkissian]

Good chance the cable has a problem. I would start there with the VDI cable.

Also consider that the older guitars don't always talk nice to the "HD" new era series of gear.

 

[Arakula]

Well, some time has passed, and I've been busy ...

 

I had the chance to test the cable with another Variax (600 in this case) and a Pod X3 Live. Worked nicely.

With the 300, it didn't ... but if I connect one end of the VDI cable to the Pod X3 Live or Firehawk, the other end to a Neutrik NE8FF etherCON coupler and put the cable from the USB interface between that and the 300, it works - with intermittent failures, which now also occur if I connect Variax and Firehawk / Pod X3 Live directly with the cable from the USB device ... so my current guess is that the jack in the Variax isn't that good any more and starting to fail. Replacement NE8FAV jacks are on their way. Whatever the outcome, I'll report it here :-)