J
Jakester
New member
How much better than the standard 1/4" connection are the XLR cables? please explain this to me.
Thanks
Thanks
monty
Banned
With the regular 2 wire cable the shield is one of the wires carrying the signal and is exposed to outside interference. With the XLR cable there are 2 wires inside the shield carrying the signal, for a total of 3 wires (or leads). The 2 inner wires are shielded better from outside interference as they are inside the shield.
J
Jakester
New member
OK...but audibly...if i have the XLR as opposed to the standard guitar connection...what is the difference?
gaffa
Recalcitrant Member
OK, firstly there are 2 types of 1/4" plug - mono (2 wires) and stereo (3 wires). The stereo plug can also be used to carry balanced signals (in the TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) setup).
Guitar jacks are a two line (unbalanced) signal, XLR is a three line (balanced signal). The difference lies in two places - the actual plug type (XLR vs 1/4") and the line type (balanced vs unbalanced)
As monty said, an unbalanced line has two wires - hot and common. Any interference picked up on the hot line will be included when the signal reaches it destination (amp, pre, mixer etc.). The common in the shield, and the hot is the centre cable
In the balanced configuration, there are three lines, hot, cold and common. Hot and common are the same as above, and the cold is also a centre cable. (ie. there are two centre cables in a balanced line)
Any interference picked up on the hot (signal) line will also be picked up on the cold line.
The difference is how the signal lines are handled at the signals destiantion. In a balanced line device, the cold line is phase shifted 180 degrees before being combined with the hot line. This means (and can be proven using trigonometry) that any signal that is on both hot and cold (and it will be only the interference, not the actual guitar signal) is cancelled out.
The long and the short of it is that the interference is removed from the signal using a balanced line, while it is not using an unbalanced line.
Don't be confused between the techniques for signal transmission and the actual plugs that are used. XLR is merely a different type of plug from a 1/4" TRS plug. The XLR is used a lot because it is solid, and locks the cable into the socket. The 1/4" TRS plugs are used because they are physically smaller and cheaper.
- gaffa
Guitar jacks are a two line (unbalanced) signal, XLR is a three line (balanced signal). The difference lies in two places - the actual plug type (XLR vs 1/4") and the line type (balanced vs unbalanced)
As monty said, an unbalanced line has two wires - hot and common. Any interference picked up on the hot line will be included when the signal reaches it destination (amp, pre, mixer etc.). The common in the shield, and the hot is the centre cable
In the balanced configuration, there are three lines, hot, cold and common. Hot and common are the same as above, and the cold is also a centre cable. (ie. there are two centre cables in a balanced line)
Any interference picked up on the hot (signal) line will also be picked up on the cold line.
The difference is how the signal lines are handled at the signals destiantion. In a balanced line device, the cold line is phase shifted 180 degrees before being combined with the hot line. This means (and can be proven using trigonometry) that any signal that is on both hot and cold (and it will be only the interference, not the actual guitar signal) is cancelled out.
The long and the short of it is that the interference is removed from the signal using a balanced line, while it is not using an unbalanced line.
Don't be confused between the techniques for signal transmission and the actual plugs that are used. XLR is merely a different type of plug from a 1/4" TRS plug. The XLR is used a lot because it is solid, and locks the cable into the socket. The 1/4" TRS plugs are used because they are physically smaller and cheaper.
- gaffa
drstawl
Banned
Depends on what equipment you're connecting with them. If they're balanced on both ends, inserting the unbalanced option between them WILL degrade your signal.
D
DropD
New member
Something else to add: XLR has another advantage, 1/4 phone plugs tends to make a quick short when connecting and unconnecting them, every guitarist knows that because we need to turn our volume off when switching guitars because of that (it creates this poping sound when you insert the plug), XLR don't have this problem, you can connect and disconnect a micro on the fly and all you will hear is the sound of it through the mic. I know because my singer shorted an amp by connecting an additionnal speaker using a phone plug while the amp was on. Fortunately it had a failure protection and just turned itself off.
antichef
pornk rock
Well, I figured I'd dig up and reanimate the oldest thread I could find, before someone beats me to it -- the way things have been going, there wasn't much time left to act. Actually, this isn't the very oldest, but it's a thoughtful discussion of a timeless topic that affects us all.
So here's my reply, given the 8 years I've had to think about this: I prefer XLR cables to 1/4 inch cables for those situations where I have a male or female XLR jack that I need to plug into. They're much better for that -- I can never jam the standard 1/4 inch cables in securely enough to those XLR jacks to keep them from falling out when I'm doing some serious mixing. Jakester - that's how I sees it.
So here's my reply, given the 8 years I've had to think about this: I prefer XLR cables to 1/4 inch cables for those situations where I have a male or female XLR jack that I need to plug into. They're much better for that -- I can never jam the standard 1/4 inch cables in securely enough to those XLR jacks to keep them from falling out when I'm doing some serious mixing. Jakester - that's how I sees it.
D
dementedchord
Psychotic State alumni ch
WTF???? i didn't see anything about brass....
WhiteStrat
Don't stare at the eye.
I can't believe I fell for this... 
genesisariana
New member
The cables are potentially capable of carrying the same signal, but on some devices, especially those with both a 1/4 and xlr out, the xlr is a hotter signal.
D
dementedchord
Psychotic State alumni ch
thanks for playing our game... as a parting gift please acept our home version...
want some coffee??? he was making fun of NYB resurecting old brass threads...
R
RAMI
Guest
I just heard that something has happened to President Kennedy.
I think a brass section was involved. By the way, I've been a big fan of NYB since their hit "Pick up the Pieces", or was that TSOP by MFSB???
I think a brass section was involved. By the way, I've been a big fan of NYB since their hit "Pick up the Pieces", or was that TSOP by MFSB???
Fishmed
Well-known member
It is not old unless it mentions, "The Rake". 
Mish
New member
Try pluggin in condencer mike with a quarter inch cable.
You'll know. Gutted you won't read this
G
gdavi1
New member
after 8 years jakster is still listed as newbie
it is kind of sad
it is kind of sad
antichef
pornk rock
I'll always be a newbie -- that is, until I get my first cable with *brass XLR pins*
F
Fpellegrini
New member
Distance issues as well
I'm surprised no one brought up degradation of signal over distance in this thread.
I'm surprised no one brought up degradation of signal over distance in this thread.
WhiteStrat
Don't stare at the eye.
Oh, we did. Of course we were discussing how the signal of communication degrades over distance in years...
antichef
pornk rock
When I use short cables, I can get a nice brassy sound.
T
turboneal
New member
Avalon AD 2022 into channel 5 of Apogee Ensemble
What if you are using an XLR CABLE but use an adapter to plug into a TRS jack? For instance I am just setting up my studio and I have 4 XLR inputs in the Apogee Ensemble with Preamps. I have 4 other channels with no preamps that use TRS jacks. I have an Avalon AD2022 2 channel preamp that I was thinking to use adapters for in channels 5 and 6 of the Ensemble.
My reasoning is that I already have preamps on channels 1-4 so it's better to put the Avalon into channels 5 and 6.
Since the cable itself is still "balanced" am I good to go with this route or am I being a rookie newb using a TRS adapter between two 2000 dollar pieces of equipment?
In case it matters I am also using Macbook pro, tascam US-2400, Protools 9, (Also still have Logic Studio), AKG 414 (2 each), Shure SM57s, KSM 27, Beta 52, AKG D 112, and a borrowed Presonus Digimax LT 8 channel ADAT pre.
Thanks in advance for your assistance,
-Neal
What if you are using an XLR CABLE but use an adapter to plug into a TRS jack? For instance I am just setting up my studio and I have 4 XLR inputs in the Apogee Ensemble with Preamps. I have 4 other channels with no preamps that use TRS jacks. I have an Avalon AD2022 2 channel preamp that I was thinking to use adapters for in channels 5 and 6 of the Ensemble.
My reasoning is that I already have preamps on channels 1-4 so it's better to put the Avalon into channels 5 and 6.
Since the cable itself is still "balanced" am I good to go with this route or am I being a rookie newb using a TRS adapter between two 2000 dollar pieces of equipment?
In case it matters I am also using Macbook pro, tascam US-2400, Protools 9, (Also still have Logic Studio), AKG 414 (2 each), Shure SM57s, KSM 27, Beta 52, AKG D 112, and a borrowed Presonus Digimax LT 8 channel ADAT pre.
Thanks in advance for your assistance,
-Neal