Sound Quality
As one might expect, Asterope’s offering sounds phenomenal in comparison to most other guitar cables. Adjectives such as clear, accurate, and precise might explain the sound this cable offers. Because of the shielding and high-quality components Asterope uses, this cable passes sound quite faithfully with almost no coloration. While this makes this cable perfect for studio and recording uses, it won’t add the warmth and clipping a cable of lower quality might offer. Of course, many players use this warmth artistically, especially in the blues, rock, and acoustic genres; players seeking this quality from their guitar cable ought to look elsewhere. For the rest of us, however, Asterope offers one of the most transparent, well-balanced cables on the market.
Build Quality
As great as a cable might sound, if it feels flimsy to the touch, it’s not high quality. After all, cables get kicked, tossed, squished, and walked over in even the most calm of practice spaces, to say nothing of a live performance. Fortunately, Asterope does a fantastic job addressing this concern by making their AST-B20 cable quite robust. While Asterope opted for a rubber coating over a tweed jacket, the type of rubber used feels very durable and could stand up to hundreds of hours of play time. This same statement also rings true for the tips on this cable, one of which comes in black and the other in Asterope’s signature blue. These connectors are extremely high quality and take measures to prevent against wear and tear These precautions taken by Asterope translate directly into long term reliable performance.
Options
Though this review focused on Asterope’s 20 foot option, the company produces identical cables in a range of sizes extending from one foot up to forty feet. Asterope also produces identical cables in XLR format, for use with microphones. The 1/4” guitar cables come in two classes: stage and studio. The studio format costs slightly more but offers a better signal to noise ratio for high quality recordings. You can check out all of Asterope’s offerings here.
Currently, Asterope does not offer any color options for their cables apart from the standard black rubber. However, the company does offer a bit more leeway when it comes to tip type. Although the standard straight tips are definitely the most popular options, the AST-B20’s also come in the “half-and-half” style featuring one straight tip and one right angled tip. This connection option makes more sense for players patching their instrument into a pedal board, though the right angled tip works just fine when plugged into the guitar or directly into the amplifier.
Value
Though the price of the Asterope AST-B20’s definitely rates significantly higher than most other cables, the superior durability and sound quality of this product definitely justify the costs. While the average hobby guitarist may not necessarily have the funds or need for this cable, recording studios, professional artists, and anyone requiring a precise harmonic reproduction capabilities definitely ought to do some research into Asterope’s product. The most cost efficient market to purchase this cable in is definitely online, though Asterope products do appear in major and minor music retailers. Regardless of where you pick your Asterope AST-B20, one thing is for sure: this product will suit your needs for quite a long time.
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