Multicore cable
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A multicore cable or snake (in the audio recording and entertainment fields) is a compact cable, typically about the diameter of a coin, which contains typically 16-24 individual microphone cables all housed by one common outer rubber jacket. The inner microphone cables are each a pair of insulated, twisted-pair, multi-strand wires, surrounded by shielding made of foil or tightly-braided wire mesh. Each inner cable is usually color coded, and often a number is printed on each one, either on a tag at each end, or by dot matrix printer on the insulation (along with the wire's specifications).
The multicore cable runs from the stage box to the sound desk or mixing console, and prevents a tangle of wires that the performers and stagehands could trip over. The overall thickness of the multicore cable also helps to protect the much smaller wires inside from damage by being walked on or folded up.