PROEL DIE-HARD XLR(F) to XLR(M) Mic Lead available in 1, 2, 3, 5 & 10 Meter Lengths

PROEL, one of the major players in the world of power and signal cable production, has developed a product that will enter the market at the top of the list for technical characteristics, durability, and reliability. 

The intention to create this unique technologically advanced, and high-performance series led us to design innovative, dedicated mechanical solutions for the quality and stability of connection, which have earned two international patents.

Technical specifications:

OFHC Copper
Cold braided shielding
Minimization of skin effect
Lower Capacity
Increased number of conductors
Flexibility
Low handling noise

These features, some normally reused to describe active electronic devices, in this case refer to cables…
It may seem incredible, but what appears to be a common signal cable is instead the result of intense research by our laboratories in material analysis and design that has allowed us to present the best cable available on the market today.

We started out with the ideal of a medium of transmission of an acoustic signal completely transparent, and this is what brought us to analyze more fundamental aspects.

First of all, the performance of the product depends on the components, the production methods, constant quality control and, above all, the choice of materials. Copper: the material at the heart of the cable and the medium through which the audio signal passes to reach its destination.

This was our starting point in the search for materials with cutting-edge performance, and this search brought us to OFHC (Oxygen Free High Conductivity) Copper. Due to its production in an Oxygen free environment, this is the nearest to 100% pure Copper available, and is used in hi-fi applications because of its notably higher malleability and, especially, conductivity. This material markedly improves electrical signal transmission over traditional Copper and alloys.

    For the Die Hard series, we have developed an innovative system of connectors that increment contact surface area between male and female connectors and minimize oxidation of metallic parts.
In XLR connectors, the problem is particularly piquant, given that electrical contact is trusted to 3 tiny pins, which must have excellent mechanical stability. In the case of our cables, the male and female cylinders are built with an internal, spring-like, brass sleeve that "grips" the connector to which it is coupled and assures firm mechanical contact - even when subjected extremely dynamic cable movement

The physical connection obtained by the junction of the male and female connectors in a standard XLR connector is located outside of the shielding, leaving this area susceptible to external EM interference, completely compromising the shielding of entire system. The solution lies in somehow enclosing this connection inside the grounded shielding.

    The internal, brass coupling sleeve in the Die Hard series connectors, as it is connected to the screen, serves this function as well, completely shielding the signal-carrying conductors against external electromagnetic fields. Furthermore, gold plating insures excellent electrical contact of all conductors.

Optimum mechanical stability and ample contact surface, though important steps ahead in respect to previously available connectors are still not enough. It is not sufficient to guarantee stable physical contact if this become more and more negated over time by the effects of oxidation on the contact materials. Only Gold, the metal least susceptible to oxidation, could be the perfect companion to Die Hard. Every contact surface of the male and female XLR is 24 Karat Gold plated to insure perfect contact for years.

    A special procedure in the production of OFHC Copper permits the alignment of its crystalline structure, allowing a natural "direction" in which electron flow is facilitated. In this way, a particular direction of preferred signal transmission can be pre-imposed on the material itself, allowing improved transmission in that direction.

    The cable will, obviously, work in the opposite direction, but with perceptibly diminished performance. This is the reason for which there are arrows on the connectors of these cables, clearly indicating preferred direction of signal path for peak performance of the cable.

A related concept is tied to Skin Effect, an electrical phenomenon that causes higher frequency alternations to be attenuated near the core of a conductor, and facilitated in the outer layers. Skin effect is therefore responsible for high-frequency loss across cables. How have we minimized this phenomenon in our cables?

The solution to the problem lies in the use of conductors with a reduced ratio of cross-section area to circumference. This means, in practice, the use of extremely fine conductors despite their more limited current-flow capability.

Since fine conductors are problematic in this sense, we opted for the use of a disproportionately increased number of them in compensation, thus reversing a disadvantage with two resulting advantages: improved flexibility and shielding.
Regarding the first of theses advantages, it should be considered that the increased number of fine conductors together equals the applicable current of a single, larger section conductor, but also allows a physical flexibility unobtainable with larger conductors.

The use of these finer conductors also permits a much finer, closer-knit braiding in the screen layer of the cables. This provides an unprecedented shielding against external EM interference, the Achilles' Heel of most currently available cables. We mention electromagnetic interference because today's stage and studio are typically a spaghetti-plate of criss-crossing cables, all of which and especially in the case of AC Mains cables are surrounded by their own varying electro-magnetic fields that can induce hum and distortion in nearby signal cables.

In testing under conditions of extremely exaggerated external interference duplicated in our laboratories, our cables performed impeccably in every aspect, including complete exclusion of audible interference.


An additional advantage of our use of these fine, flexible conductors is the reduction in handling noise. Do you happen to know anyone who remains perfectly motionless during a live performance?

Another important electrical characteristic of a cable is capacity. In practice, a cable can be considered a capacitor that, in series with the impedance of the signal source forms a low-pass filter, and can significantly filter out the high end of an audio signal.

We have tested many commercially available instrument cables, and found that they effectively attenuate audio signals up to 4dB/oct starting at only 5kHz, thus darkening and closing tone. Each of these new cables has been quality tested to assure that this low-pass extends up to at least100kHz…extraordinary quality.

And connections?

These are the critical points for a reliable signal transmission, relying on physical contact between metallic parts. Considering the certainty of wear and tear and the problem of oxidation, connectors can be the make-or-break points in your signal path and poor contact or conductivity can cause noise, attenuation or distortion.

    Mainly two reasons have led us to create Die Hard line.

First of all, our initial success came from musical accessories such as cables and connectors, which are basic complementary elements, necessary even to the most sophisticated equipment.
Today PROEL is one of the major company in this field, with a considerable competitiveness thanks to its high quality standards.

We have always enhanced our Research and Development: our departments are more and more focused on the opportunities of anticipating market trends, offering to our customers innovative or even revolutionary items, according to the concept of "total quality.

To make a system efficient, we have to carefully consider what can seem "worthless", such as cables, which instead need to be processed with great accuracy.

Cables quality can affect a live performance, that can be more or less successful according to sound transparency. What makes Die Hard cables different from the standard ones is the selection of pure materials, distinctive patterns as well as unprecedented product design's accuracy and constant quality monitoring, all elements that have allowed us to follow closely the signal integrity.

Our difficult but successful Die Hard project is a unique example of cables delivering the most neutral, transparent, fluid and dynamic sound, overcoming any possible distortion.