P
pM of impk21.co
New member
Ive been recording for a long time, but really never understood the difference between balanced and unbalanced for cable and mics. Can someone break it down for me.........?
pm
pm
C
CanopuS
Amateur music since 1847
If I'm correct, it's when the wave is flipped on itself to eliminate any unwanted sounds. Here's an example:
When the wave goes in, it looks like this:
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The wave is then flipped on itself like this:
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Now, if any evil unwanted sounds occur during it passing through the cable, this happens:
/\/\/\/\/\/O\/\/\ - The O is the unwanted sound
\/\/\/\/\/\O/\/\/ - The O is the unwanted sound.
When the bottom wave is flipped back again, the two O's cancel eachother out because they are the same, so they directly cancel out eachother. I hope this makes sense, I'm probably all wrong aswell!
When the wave goes in, it looks like this:
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The wave is then flipped on itself like this:
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Now, if any evil unwanted sounds occur during it passing through the cable, this happens:
/\/\/\/\/\/O\/\/\ - The O is the unwanted sound
\/\/\/\/\/\O/\/\/ - The O is the unwanted sound.
When the bottom wave is flipped back again, the two O's cancel eachother out because they are the same, so they directly cancel out eachother. I hope this makes sense, I'm probably all wrong aswell!
crazydoc
Master Baiter
You're on the right track.
I look at it like this:
A signal to be sent over a balanced line is split into two identical signals. One of these then has its polarity reversed, so that it is a mirror image of the other (balanced). These two signals are then sent over two conductors to a receiver. At the receiver one again has its polarity reversed, and the signals are combined to the original signal again.
If another signal is injected into the line during the transit (RF, 60Hz, etc), it will be in equal amounts in each conductor (theoretically, since they are right next to each other). When one signal has its polarity reversed at the receiver, the interference signal will then be a mirror image of itself, and will sum to zero when combined, thus eliminating it.
I look at it like this:
A signal to be sent over a balanced line is split into two identical signals. One of these then has its polarity reversed, so that it is a mirror image of the other (balanced). These two signals are then sent over two conductors to a receiver. At the receiver one again has its polarity reversed, and the signals are combined to the original signal again.
If another signal is injected into the line during the transit (RF, 60Hz, etc), it will be in equal amounts in each conductor (theoretically, since they are right next to each other). When one signal has its polarity reversed at the receiver, the interference signal will then be a mirror image of itself, and will sum to zero when combined, thus eliminating it.
crazydoc
Master Baiter
Oops, forgot unbalanced.
In an unbalanced line, the entire signal is sent over a single conductor, with the other conductor tied to ground at each end. In shielded lines, the ground conductor is wrapped aound the center signal conductor, and hopefully any interference will be picked up by this outer shield (as in the Starship Enterprise) and shunted to ground.
In an unbalanced line, the entire signal is sent over a single conductor, with the other conductor tied to ground at each end. In shielded lines, the ground conductor is wrapped aound the center signal conductor, and hopefully any interference will be picked up by this outer shield (as in the Starship Enterprise
) and shunted to ground.
