A few thoughts on audio cables (we've got real-world, brand-name comparisons coming up soon):

(i) There are two separate things to consider with a patch cable: the actual cable itself, and the connectors on each end. By far the most important (from a noise perspective) is the connector, and the connectors represent the largest part of the cost to the manufacturer. Basically, hi-quality coax cable is so cheap by the foot (10 cents/foot), that it costs a cable maker about the same price to make you a 1 foot cable as it does to make a 10 foot cable; all their expense comes in soldering on the end connectors. Charging on a per foot basis is a little like a prostitute charging on a per inch basis.

(ii) The main noise problem with connectors is so-called 'flicker' noise, caused by intermittant contact between metal. Basically, a connector brings one or more pairs of metal in contact. Ideally, this contact is very low resistance, but if some metal gets oxidized (exposed to air or water for too long) or worn down from repeated use, you can get a flakey contact. One good way to diagnose this kind of problem is to gently push on your connector (e.g. a 1/4 jack) when its sitting firmly in its receptacle. The connector should be "quiet"; if you hear a hiss (or see it in your waveform), then you might want to consider a fix.

Remedies: Hard core audio enthusiasts will avoid using connectors whenever possible, opting instead to make direct solder junctions. If, however, you operate in the real world, try using gold plated jacks and recepticals. Gold is soft and highly corrosion resistant, leading to much more reliable contact. The additional expense is well worth it, especially when you consider the cost of your time trying to troubleshoot a noise source. Check your cords regularly, and replace them as needed. Don't waste your time trying to clean, sand, grind, or polish a flakey connector; you might buy a little more use, but you're probably just getting lulled into a false sense of security.

(iii) Interference: much more to come!

Some of you have noticed that the sound of your tunes drastically changes when you upload and post an MP3 on Myspace... apart from the fact that Myspace further compresses your already significantly compromised/compressed MP3... the reason also may have something to do with encoding your MP3s at lower KBPS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND encoding your MP3s using CBR (Constant Bite Rate) at 128 KBPS... this certainly seems to help. To my knowledge, Myspace does not support VBR and probably rebuffers any MP3 encoded above 128 KBPS. Also look into different encoders. LAME is supposedly one of the best... www.versiontracker.com

I am not an expert on this... and anybody who has the time to experiment and/or knows more about encoding MP3s, please add your 2 cents... I am definitely curious.

Cheers
h

MP3's are what's called a "lossy" file format. Translated into english: valuable parts of your audio have been "lost" in order to make the file smaller (compressing sound 1:12, or reducing the size of the audio file by a factor of 12 compared with the original CD standard of 44.1kHz 16-bit sampling). The mastering process should be reserved for only the highest quality, earliest generation, audio. A mastering engineer cannot restore lost information and "mastering" an MP3/MP4 only serves to add more distortion to an already compromised audio file...

Save your time and money... don't hire a mastering engineer who offers to "master" an MP3... It's a dead give-away that you're dealing with an amateur.