A balanced electrical signal runs along three wires: a ground, a positive leg, and a negative leg . Both legs carry the same signal but in opposite polarity to each other. Any noise picked up along the cable run will typically be common to both legs.
How can you tell the difference between balanced and unbalanced cables?
A balanced cable, by contrast, has three conductors in the connector and three wires in the cable: two signals wires plus a separate ground wire. As in the unbalanced cable, the ground wire still surrounds the signal wires and is used as a shield against interference.
How do I know if my cable is balanced?
If the cable has two points of contact, it's unbalanced; and if it has three , it's balanced.
What does a balanced audio cable look like?
Balanced audio connections use a number of techniques to reduce noise. A typical balanced cable contains two identical wires , which are twisted together and then wrapped with a third conductor (foil or braid) that acts as a shield. The two wires form a circuit that can carry an audio signal.
What is an example of a balanced cable?
A balanced cable, by contrast, has two signal wires as well as a separate ground wire. Just like the unbalanced cable, the ground wire wraps around the signal wires serving as a shield against interference. XLR mic cables and 1/4” TRS are the most commonly found types of balanced connectors in live sound.
Why are balanced cables so expensive?
XLR cables are used for long cable runs because they can interact with the interface, preamp, or mixer that the signal runs into, and flip one of the signals, putting the two back into polarity with each other. ... This explains why balanced XLRs are generally much more expensive than other cables .
Do balanced cables sound better?
Regarding audio cables, there are several differences, but balanced lines are always going to be more resistant to noise due to what is called common-mode rejection. ... Regarding circuitry and design, a “true” balanced circuit (being balanced from input to output) will always sound better than a single-ended circuit .
Should I use balanced or unbalanced cables?
With balanced cables , you don't get the same distortions, so they can be much longer without any detriment to your sound quality. That said, when the cord length is under 10 feet, unbalanced cables actually have a stronger signal than balanced cables.
Can I use a balanced cable in an unbalanced Jack?
Even if you plug a balanced cable into an unbalanced output jack, the signal will be unbalanced (see the downsides of unbalanced above). ... In many cases, interconnecting a balanced output to an unbalanced input will work just fine – your signal will be unbalanced.
Are XLR cables always balanced?
All XLR cables are balanced , except in a situation where the inner components have been damaged or malfunctioned. Likewise, several types of cables are almost always unbalanced. Differentiating between the two will ensure that you get the best results when recording or using them for live sound purposes.
What is a benefit of a balanced line?
A balanced line allows a differential receiver to reduce the noise on a connection by rejecting common-mode interference . The lines have the same impedance to ground, so the interfering fields or currents induce the same voltage in both wires.
Why don t guitars use balanced cables?
As guitar cables are unbalanced, they' re highly susceptible to interference . This means the quality of your cable will impact your tone. The amount of impact it has on your tone depends on the quality of your guitar and amp, pedals and interference.
Do XLR cables sound better?
In useable terms, this means that XLR cables tend to be quieter than RCA cables . Any audio that is sent through them is likely to sound much softer than audio sent through an RCA cable. If you want to know how long an XLR cable can be.
What does XLR stand for?
The XLR Connector, which stands for External Line Return , is a type of electrical connector found primarily in professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment.
Are all mic cables balanced?
Although the common 3-pin XLR cable (used to connect pro microphones and audio equipment) is designed to carry balanced audio, not all XLRs are strictly balanced cables . XLR connectors vary from 3 to 7-pin designs and are often wired to carry both balanced and unbalanced signals simultaneously.
Is a balanced cable the same as a stereo cable?
While a balanced signal and a stereo signal are not the same thing , both principles use three-wire cables and plugs with three contact points. The big difference is that a balanced cable has an earth, a plus and a minus, while a stereo cable has an earth, stereo left and stereo right.
