Stereo vs Mono / Balanced vs Unbalanced?

[cincy_kid]

ok, another one of my fine newbie questions. I have been tryiong to do some research on "stereo" vs "mono".

My questions is: Does TRS (Tip, Ring, SLeeve) always mean that it is stereo and TS always means its mono? In addidtion, does balanced usually mean stereo where as unbalanced is more mono?

I am wondering when I am running 1/4" cords from my mixer to sound card and then from sound card back into mixer is it better to use stereo? mono? balanced? unabalanced? TRS? TS?

Also, will the answer differ if I am running one 1/4" cord than if I am running a pair? For example my Quattro has 4 outs but are in pairs like 1/2 and 3/4. So if I am running two 1/4" cords from 3/4 of my sound card back into 5/6 on my mixer, should they each be stereo cords? mono? TRS? etc.....

Thanks for any input -

[TripleJ]

Well TRS is a balanced line. TS is not.

But I believe TRS can also be stereo unbalanced. The T/R/S accounts for 3 wires in the cord. In a stereo cord it means that there is left, right and ground but in a mono balanced cord there is a hot, cold and ground. Basically if you want balanced stereo you have to use two mono balanced cables.

I may be wrong on the last part.

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by cincy_kid

My questions is: Does TRS (Tip, Ring, SLeeve) always mean that it is stereo and TS always means its mono? In addidtion, does balanced usually mean stereo where as unbalanced is more mono?

I am wondering when I am running 1/4" cords from my mixer to sound card and then from sound card back into mixer is it better to use stereo? mono? balanced? unabalanced? TRS? TS?

Also, will the answer differ if I am running one 1/4" cord than if I am running a pair? For example my Quattro has 4 outs but are in pairs like 1/2 and 3/4. So if I am running two 1/4" cords from 3/4 of my sound card back into 5/6 on my mixer, should they each be stereo cords? mono? TRS? etc.....

TRS cables are used for a few different things:

1) stereo signals, or more generally two-channel signals, which are unbalanced.

2) balanced signal, which is mono.

3) effects send & return, which is really a special case of #1--two discrete channels on a single cable.

If your cable runs are short, it doesn't matter too much if you are balanced or unbalanced. For long cable runs, balanced helps avoid interference. Having said that, it all depends on what your equipment is designed to do. If your mixer sends or soundcard ins are unbalanced only, balanced cables will make no difference. If your soundcard and mixer are designed to use stereo sends and returns, you've got to use TRS cables, which will be unbalanced in that case. If your mixer has mono balanced sends, but your soundcard wants a TRS unbalanced two-channel in, then you need a special cable or adaptor (2 TS to 1 TRS), and your signal will be unbalanced.

[crankz1]

Unbalanced would be the same as a mono cable and balanced would be the same as TRS.
TRS has the ability to carry a stereo signal, because it has three areas of contact tip, ring and sleeve. The tip and ring will be the + side of left and right and the sleeve will be the - side of both (common ground). Like a Headphone jack or plug.
It could take a bit of detail to explain TRS in a balanced situation other than the fact that it is a method of providing better isolation from outside interference getting into the signal being carried through the wire.
A balanced cable uses the three areas of contact to carry the common ground on the sleeve, the signal+ on the tip and the signal- on the ring. This is the same way an XLR cable is ... pin one is ground, pin two is signal+ and pin three is signal-.
You need to have an understanding of an AC waveform, where you have 0 volts in the middle. Anything over 0 volts is the + side of the signal and anything below 0 volts is the - side of the signal. These are the same as what is going on with a balanced cable, with the addition of the Sleeve for the common ground. That is what magnetic pickups and microphone capsules create, an AC signal.
An unbalanced cable takes the signal+ and the signal- and sums them together to one signal (the Tip) plus the common ground on the Sleeve. Since there is only two areas of contact, an unbalanced (TS or mono) cable can only carry one signal (channel).
For short runs TS (mono,unbalanced) cables are fine, though not all audio components offer balanced I/O so a TRS cable would be pointless.
Analog RCA would be an unbalanced connection like a TS.

This would much easier to explain in person, but hopefully this will shed a little light for you.

[cincy_kid]

I appreciate the help all. I guess I am just wondering if I need to buy stereo 1/4" or mono 1/4" cords to connect my hardware. By the sounds of it, it doesn't matter?

[crankz1]

You'll do just fine using regular old 1/4" (guitar/instrument) cables, just keep the lengths as short as possible. Except for any mics, Use the XLR cables.

[TexRoadkill]

Originally Posted by cincy_kid

I appreciate the help all. I guess I am just wondering if I need to buy stereo 1/4" or mono 1/4" cords to connect my hardware. By the sounds of it, it doesn't matter?

It depends on exactly what jacks you are using on the gear you have. Consult your manual. If it says it's a balanced in/output then use a TRS cable.

[cincy_kid]

Thanks again for the comments. Both manuals, card and board say they can accept balanced or unbalanced. So I have the choice. Sounds like balanced is always better? Is there any reason I should buy unbalanced instead of balanced?

[crankz1]

Originally Posted by cincy_kid

Thanks again for the comments. Both manuals, card and board say they can accept balanced or unbalanced. So I have the choice. Sounds like balanced is always better? Is there any reason I should buy unbalanced instead of balanced?

Yup ... balanced would be better, specially for long distance runs where the risk of introducing interference is greater.
Might as well get the balanced, seeing as how your equipment supports it.
The price difference shouldn't be to bad on short cables.