the sssnake MC 24/8 Multicore

I decided to try out this snake for a second stage at a small festival. It would've cost nearly as much to hire one in, so why not?

First thing to notice is that it is very bulky and inflexible, even compared to other multicores. For installation or occasional use this is fine but will become quite a pain if you're running it in and out every night. If so, I'd recommend spending more for a reel.

Of course, the important thing is how it performs. Initially, all was good - the festival went without a hitch so I used it again for some more events. After a few outings, I ran into the problem. During sound check, we began to notice crackles and pops through the PA - cue frantic checking of connections whilst the band look on unimpressed.

We quickly tracked down the source - the noise was happening on phantom powered mics only and was due to poor contact between the sockets in the snake head and the mic leads plugged in, causing intermittent phantom power.

Note that this fault applied to phantom powered mics only, we had no problems with the dynamic mics. Also, it's not necessarily due to the snake but perhaps a combination of snake + mic cables.

Despite these criticisms, I really can't complain because I've had my money's worth out of this snake. The price for 24/8 channels is amazing and for many people the issues I raised won't be a problem. If you're looking for a budget snake, then look no further. Just be aware that budget price = budget performance.

This is one heavy beast. I have installed this in a Church and it is absolutely perfect. The stage box is good and solid, and the tail end has a nice snazzy clip to keep all the cable together. The only thing missing is a strain hook to support the weight at the desk end, so we made our own out of coat hangers.
There is no noise on this loom at all. IT is perfectly silent and that is brilliant.
If you want to use this for touring mount it on a drum with wheels but for a fixed installation I am very impressed.
All tails and the stage box are clearly labeled. The connectors on the stage box are a good tight fit and have latches to prevent accidentally pulling cables out.
The stage box has four screw holes for mounting to a wall, but a set of rack ears would be a nice addition then I could mount the box in the back of a rack.

The MC 24/8 is a good quality multicore in its pricepoint, especially if you don't need/want wheels on your multicore. The connectors and panel have been working well, allthough the cable itself is quite sturdy and therefore not as flexible as others of the same quantity of channels.
But this does do the job it's suppose to, the sound is ok, and as said the machanics work nicely. The individual channels might be marked more visibly, but they also can be identified when the lights are on, so minor problem in that.
All in all, in this pricepoint a good product and the 8 returns also provide the possibility of monitpr mixing from the front.

The multicore is overall sturdy and well-made but I strongly advise not using it in harsh conditions. The connectors are cheap, are prone to oxidation and early wear. I found that changing the ones that connect to the mixer with more expensive neutrik plugs (even the cheapest neutrik will do) is a very good investment and prolongs the snake's life greatly. Changing the ones in the stage (metal box) part is a different story, it's a bit more complicated and I advise a better maintenance instead. The "cable" (the rubber cable cover from one end to another) is very well built and will take almost anything, from burial in the sand to being stepped or drove on.

4 stars from me, as there is no other product on the market to deliver such functionality at this price.