There are 3 types of cables we are going to talk about, and when to use them. Unfortunately, you can’t always tell what type of cable you have just by the connector on the end (XLR, 1/4 inch, etc.), but most connectors have a sleeve that unscrews quickly giving you access to see how the wires are connected to the end so you can figure it out. We will cover 3 generic types of cables: microphone, instrument, and speaker cables. Using the correct cable for appropriate applications will help eliminate 99% of possible buzz and hum, and in some cases make the system safer to operate.