I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Shawn Wells, ACT Entertainment Market Manager: Sound to get his insights on ACT Entertainment’s RapcoHorizon and Lava Cables brands
Tell me about the history of ACT Entertainment and its cable brands.
Headquartered in Jackson, MO, ACT Entertainment was formed in 2021 following the merger of ACT Lighting and RHC Holdings. Today, ACT is North America’s leading supplier of the entertainment industry’s principal products to professionals across six different markets, including professional lighting and control equipment; audio, video, fiber and power distribution; cables; connectivity; metalwork; custom manufacturing; and design.
Among ACT’s cable solutions are three leading brands, RapcoHorizon and Lava Cable, which are both prominent players in the music world, as well as ProCo, an audio interfacing solution found in systems integration.
Originally founded in 1982 as simply “Rapco,” the brand merged with Horizon in 1997 to become the powerhouse “RAPCOHORIZON” name that it is today. Owing to four decades of retail partnerships, RapcoHorizon’s has grown to be one of the world’s largest cable manufacturers. The brand’s North American-made products offer optimal flexibility and premium performance for everything from systems integrators, concert touring sound companies and sound and video contractors to recording studios, audiophiles and musicians.
Since its inception in 2004, Lava Cable has been known for providing innovative cable, plug and accessory products, such as its pedal board kits. Acquired by ACT in 2018, Lava Cable grew from a love for music, good tone and the desire to produce innovative cable solutions using best in class, American-made materials. The result: a product line with standard, premium and studio-quality solutions that have solidified the brand’s reputation for everyone from house musicians to major recording artists.
What are some of the unique benefits of RapcoHorizon cables?
The name of the game with RapcoHorizon is durability, viability and affordability. ACT has a wire extrusion facility in Massachusetts, where every single element of the build, assembly and delivery is within our reach. The entire assembly process is kept in-house, which ensures every product is held to our company standards.
Additionally, RapcoHorizon is the most customizable brand that we carry. We provide the opportunity for customers to control the cable manufacturing process, from start to finish. Since our facility is right here in the U.S., we can go directly to the source and make decisions on the fly. With RapcoHorizon, customers can customize just about anything—from shrink wrap to logos and other branding.
What are some of the unique benefits of Lava Cables?
When it comes to Lava Cable, the benefits become more product specific—with our most popular solutions being either the Pedalboard Kit or the Retro Coil cables. Lava Cable’s coil solutions are the brand’s best seller, and that’s not just because there aren’t many coil cable manufacturers out there anymore. Our coils offer exceptional quality. They feature a unique, hybrid Elastometric Polymer jacket that makes it the most rugged, light and durable coil solution available, in addition to being truly better in terms of touch and feel.
The coils rebound back together nicely, and the connector assembly is incredibly durable. The coils round out the mid-range frequencies and project more of that sound. They also give some weight to the sound, which makes it super smooth in terms of tone. The effects that can be reached with the Lava Retro Coil cable make it a very cool product.
Tell me a little more about Lava Cable’s pedalboards.
The Lava Cable Pedalboard Kits are the most popular in this category as they can be as unique as the musician themselves. The kits are 100-percent DIY and make it possible to build out exactly what you need, so everything looks super sleek and clean on a board. Additionally, users can choose between three different signal kits and one power kit, and there are a variety of lengths and color options available. Every design is based upon a specific player’s needs, and we have a lot of videos up on our social media pages showcasing the best approaches for those who need guidance.
Say I’m a new, emerging musician – what cable solutions would you suggest?
I would say RapcoHorizon, for sure. The beauty of RapcoHorizon is that it is a phenomenal beginner brand. You won’t have to worry whether it works or not; it’s stable. More than that, we’ve got a product for every stage of a musical journey. So, as a musician progresses, they can start to lean towards the Lava Cable line and get more particular and specific in their tone.
Do you feel that the pricing of RapcoHorizon and Lava Cables are competitive for what you are getting?
They are definitely competitive when you also consider the quality and value that are offered. Our RapcoHorizon G1 cable is one of our most popular solutions. It’s your basic, 10-foot guitar cable; it’s extremely affordable and reliable—and it’s everywhere. With Lava Cable, we fall in the middle in terms of pricing, and we deliver a value that others might not.
Find out more at actentertainment.com
