Patch cables, TS or TRS?

[eeieeio]

I have the M308 mixer. I know the channel inserts are TRS and I'll use a TRS split to two TS patch cables for compression etc but when patching effects through the send/returns should I be using TS or TRS cables? My Zoom RFX 2000 says the 1/4 are TRS but I've been using regular TS cables and they seem to work fine. What would be the difference if I used TRS?

Thanks,
Jodi

[xistenz]

there shouldn't be any difference. what makes a TRS jack work is an extra conductor that makes contact with the ring. a mono jack just makes contact with the tip and sleeve. so unless you've got some funky jack that's going to touch the ring instead of the sleeve, you're going to be fine.

[eeieeio]

Thanks a lot

[Reggie]

Well.....depending on what you are patching in, you may lose about 6db by using TS. I think; right?

[littledog]

Also you will have an unbalanced signal instead of balanced, which may not be a problem if you are using short cables or are not in an electronically "noisy" area.

[eeieeio]

I don't use a patch bay and all patch cables are only 6 ft long max. I just didn't know why most patch cables seem to be TSR because the bundle that came with the mixer I bought are all TS, but a few of them aren't working of have shorts etc so instead of fixing them I figured I'd get some fresh new cables so all is well. Do these cables look like they are decent? Patch Cables

Thanks,
Jodi

[xistenz]

i'm skeptical of anything advertised as:

THE ABSOLUTE BEST *INSERT ITEM*!!!!!1one

[eeieeio]

Understand, but with over 18,000 100% postitive feedback isn't it safe to assume they provide good gear? I mean how can anyone have THAT much feedback and not? I don't know, thanks for the post.

[xistenz]

i was kinda joking, they're probably fine cables. i make my own so....

[xistenz]

Originally Posted by Reggie

Well.....depending on what you are patching in, you may lose about 6db by using TS. I think; right?

hmmmm, perhaps if your source is balanced you will lose signal going to an unbalanced source with a TRS cable. i could see that, not the other way around though. a balanced output will divide the source, if you don't put them back together again it would be lost. but i'm not 100% sure of such things, perhaps someone with a little more electronics savy will chime in.

the moral of the story is patch wisely

[Reggie]

Well, being that the manual says that the send and return jacks are TRS, I would have to assume that they run a balanced signal; in which case using an unbalanced TS cable will lose you about 6db of signal. But if he is patching in unbalanced equipment anyway, it won't really matter as the return signal will be unbalanced no matter whether a TS, TRS, TSR, or whatever other cable is used.