There are few things more frustrating than trying to get a remote on the air when a defective gets in the way. Likewise, during a studio installation, ensuring the cables work before they are needed saves time and aggravation.

While a basic continuity check can verify a cable’s performance, the trusty ohmmeter can yield a false result through human error or by only checking one conductor at a time. There’s also the hassle of touching the probes in just the right spots, holding it there, then flexing the cable to check for intermittents.

Multi-connector cable testers have the added flexibility of testing cables with various connectors on each end. And even if you’re not in a time crunch, your time is still valuable. A few seconds with a decent tester is better than several minutes with just as ohmmeter.

The latest breed of cable testers have evolved beyond being passive devices. They can quickly diagnose wiring errors, which further saves time in making the repair. Some have added unique connectors beyond XLR and TRS as well, such as RJ-11, RJ-45 and USB.

These handy toolbox testers may not get used every day, but they have proven to be timesavers when they are needed.