Balancing Synths?

Hi_D_Ho_Man

Hi_D_Ho_Man

Tha' So & So ,So & So
What's up everybody.

One of the users here posted of running synths thru a preamp to balance it.( I don't remember which user or which thread).

1. What benefits are reaped by balancing unbalanced synth outputs to balanced interface inputs?

2. Is there another way to balance the signals, as I have 14 outputs to balance if there is improvement from doing this?

BTW my longest audio cable is 15 ft if that makes a difference.

Thanx in advanz
 
Short cable runs are going to be best in an unbalanced situation. I like running a stereo synth through a tube direct for the improvement in sound quality...
 
Hi_D_Ho_Man said:
1. What benefits are reaped by balancing unbalanced synth outputs to balanced interface inputs?
Click to expand...
The benefits are simply lack of interference from external signals/line noise/AC hum etc. Balanced cable runs are a lot less likely to suffer from interference, but if you're not having a problem with any type of interference you would probably be wasting your time to balance your whole keyboard setup.

And hasbeen's answer is on the money recommending short cable runs, but off in saying a tube DI helps the sound of the keyboard -- it's true that it does help some patches but others suffer from distorting everything that comes out of the 'board including the reverb and the delay. I wouldn't trust a tube DI that didn't have some kind of footswitch to defeat it to be strapped across the outputs of an expensive keyboard that I'd worked hard to program precisely.
 
Thanks for the replies fellas.

I can't say I'm getting a terrible amount of interferece. But say I wanted to have a DI just to color when desired, Would I be right to assume thats where a patch bay would be the most convenient way getting diff synths to it?
 
Yeah - you could have the outputs of your synths normaled to their usual destinations, then have the ins and outs of a stereo DI on four patch points.
 
Thankks again fellaz.

I checked out the link, the synth driver looks like its for setups with a console which counts me out. Pricy as hell too, I'm sure it keeps it all clean though
 
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