What is a Balanced as opposed to an Unbalanced Cable?
A balanced audio cable will reject interference from neon lights, stage lighting equipment etc whereas an unbalanced cable will not. Consequently if you connect two pieces of audio equipment together (for example a mixer to a power amplifier) using an unbalanced connection, the sound will begin to lose quality after only 6 metres of cable length. I you connect the same equipment using a balanced connection, the cable could be 200 metres long but will suffer no audible loss of quality. It is OK to use unbalanced cables for short lengths, but the rule of thumb is - use a balanced connection wherever possible.
In live sound, the most common form of balanced audio cable is the standard XLR to XLR 'mic' cable. If you have a mixing desk with XLR outputs and a power amp with XLR inputs, you should connect them to each other with this type of cable - you are then running your system in a 'balanced' fashion which is the best way.
The most common forms of 'unbalanced' cables are the Jack to Jack 'Guitar' cable and in DJ applications, the Phono to Phono or Phono to Jack cable.
Be aware that both the connectors on a balanced cable must have three seperate signal routes - these connectors will typically be XLR or Stereo Jack. If either end of the cable has a connector with only two contacts, the cable is not balanced.
The actual cable itself has also to be of the corrdect type. If you cut open a signal cable, it will usually have either two wires in it, or three. One wire will be the outer braid or wrap which is wound in a spiral along the cables' length and there will also be either one or two 'cores' which run down the centre of the cable.
If the cable has only the outer braid and one 'core' in it, then it can only ever be used to make an 'unbalanced' connection. If there is an outer braid and two cores, then the cable can be used to make a 'balanced' connection.
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A balanced audio cable will reject interference from neon lights, stage lighting equipment etc whereas an unbalanced cable will not. Consequently if you connect two pieces of audio equipment together (for example a mixer to a power amplifier) using an unbalanced connection, the sound will begin to lose quality after only 6 metres of cable length. I you connect the same equipment using a balanced connection, the cable could be 200 metres long but will suffer no audible loss of quality. It is OK to use unbalanced cables for short lengths, but the rule of thumb is - use a balanced connection wherever possible.
In live sound, the most common form of balanced audio cable is the standard XLR to XLR 'mic' cable. If you have a mixing desk with XLR outputs and a power amp with XLR inputs, you should connect them to each other with this type of cable - you are then running your system in a 'balanced' fashion which is the best way.
The most common forms of 'unbalanced' cables are the Jack to Jack 'Guitar' cable and in DJ applications, the Phono to Phono or Phono to Jack cable.
Be aware that both the connectors on a balanced cable must have three seperate signal routes - these connectors will typically be XLR or Stereo Jack. If either end of the cable has a connector with only two contacts, the cable is not balanced.
The actual cable itself has also to be of the corrdect type. If you cut open a signal cable, it will usually have either two wires in it, or three. One wire will be the outer braid or wrap which is wound in a spiral along the cables' length and there will also be either one or two 'cores' which run down the centre of the cable.
If the cable has only the outer braid and one 'core' in it, then it can only ever be used to make an 'unbalanced' connection. If there is an outer braid and two cores, then the cable can be used to make a 'balanced' connection.
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