Balanced vs. Unbalanced

[Spaztic]

What is the benefit for using balanced cables vs unbalanced? Also if you go into preamp unbalanced, is there benefit to using balanced cables from pre to soundcard input? Thanks

 

[dachay2tnr]

Essentially balanced cables will eliminate noise in the signal that is picked up as it passes through the cable. As such they provide a cleaner signal.

This is more of a problem with longer cable runs than it is with short runs.

 

[GABritton]

Also don't forget to NOT USE SPEAKER CABLES. I've seen a lot of friends who will buy little 10 foot speaker cables to run from a pre-amp and it sounds like shit. The cables aren't shielded nearly enough. Make sure you use balanced TRS cables or instrument cables if you're going the unbalanced route.

 

[Downside Studio]

Balanced is for more reasons preferabbly...-10 versus +4 level if put into the wright holes. And the lenght of the cable does matter...but the location of the cable is also very important. Short cables can pick up noise too if put in the wrong location.

 

[Dracon]

What is the benefit for using balanced cables vs unbalanced? Also if you go into preamp unbalanced, is there benefit to using balanced cables from pre to soundcard input? Thanks

If you care about the sound, balanced. If you want to know more how balanced cables work, there are a million websites. In fact the homerecording.com webiste has a faq and it talks about it in great detail.

 

[Outlaws]

Also don't forget to NOT USE SPEAKER CABLES. I've seen a lot of friends who will buy little 10 foot speaker cables to run from a pre-amp and it sounds like shit. The cables aren't shielded nearly enough. Make sure you use balanced TRS cables or instrument cables if you're going the unbalanced route.

?

Unbalanced cables have 2 connections. Balanced have 3. If you plug a blananced cable into a unbalanced jack, then 2 of the connectors on the balanced cable will just accept the one big connector for the unbalanced.

When working with unbalanced, the quality of the cable is more important than it being "balanced". A quality balanced cable in a unblanced jack won't do any more good than a quality unbalanced cable would.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

If you plug a blananced cable into a unbalanced jack, then 2 of the connectors on the balanced cable will just accept the one big connector for the unbalanced.

Not necessarily - unless the gear has electronically-balanced inputs, unbalancing a balanced signal will cause one of the connectors to be "dropped", causing a -6dB drop in level (since you're literally chopping-off one of the conductors...)

 

[mixmkr]

to cut to the chase... for "most" home recording situations;

unbalanced cables should do ok in most home studio situations. With the exception of your low impedence mic cables, having the rest of the studio unbalanced, IF the cables aren't bundled with power cords, extended over 20 feet (as an average), or plugged into balanced 1/4" jacks (for the occasional situations BBear listed above), is just fine. Balanced lines are basically designed for eliminating noise, but if your system is quiet enough running unbalanced (and using high impedence mics for that matter...but that's another HUGE topic), go with it.

Remember, your gittar cable aint balanced...eh?? ....and don't say the word "humbucker"!!

 

[Killer B]

OK, phase cancellation makes sense, but how about this:

(presume 2=hot, 3=cold)

To me it seems that 3 has to go to ground because if it is left isolated, it will create too much resistance to pin 2.

If its joined to pin 2, then its just cancelling itself, but if it goes to pin 1, it provides less resistance than the normal load would be.

So whats the best way to go from balanced to unbalanced then?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

So whats the best way to go from balanced to unbalanced then?

Transformers - such as Ebtech's Hum Eliminator or their Line-Level-Shifter....