Poloralphloren
Anyone know what the benefits of XLR or 1/4 inch connectors are? My speaker monitors can be attached via ordinary speaker wire and a smallish (~1/8th inch) connector unbalanced, or alternatively, can be attached via balanced XLR or 1/4 inch connectors. Right now I'm using the smaller unbalanced type, but one of my monitors exhibits a fair amount of background noise. Would the balanced connection fix this? Or what benefit would it offer?
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 12:52 am
TAKEDA
For Stereo signal, the best is unbalanced.
XRL is best for long wires (that wires can be shield)
I Make a diagram for you in:
http://www.djtakeda.unlugar.com/XLR.JPG
Bye.
XRL is best for long wires (that wires can be shield)
I Make a diagram for you in:
http://www.djtakeda.unlugar.com/XLR.JPG
Bye.
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 2:47 am
xeon
Sometimes is good to check featured blogs ;)
http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2698.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2723.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2698.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2723.html
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 8:54 am
Poloralphloren
Thanks guys, this helps...
Xeon: Your first blog says XLR plugs may help eliminate hum from long cables. I have exactly this problem (hum from long cables), so XLR plugs would help? Does it matter what type of speaker wire I use too? And where can I find speaker wire that connects to an XLR plug? Or are there adaptors for this? Thanks!
Xeon: Your first blog says XLR plugs may help eliminate hum from long cables. I have exactly this problem (hum from long cables), so XLR plugs would help? Does it matter what type of speaker wire I use too? And where can I find speaker wire that connects to an XLR plug? Or are there adaptors for this? Thanks!
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 3:32 pm
frd1963
XLR and 1/4" TRS balanced cables will only help you if the equipment at both ends of the cable are designed for balanced signals.
The hum elimination of balanced audio siganls is not from the shielding in the cable, it is due to a technology whereby there are two separate signals running through the cable on different parallel conductors that are identical except that they are 180 degrees out of phase. Think of 2 sine waves running down the wires, when one is at its max, the other is at its minimum, and when one is at zero, the other is also at zero. This is so that any electrical interference that is introduced into one signal is introduced identically into the other signal (depending on how parallel the corresponding cables are to each other) so this can be thought of as a spike on each of those sine waves, but the spikes are in the same direction on each wave. The receiving equipment gets these signals and takes the difference between them. Because they are 180 degrees out of phase, you end up with a signal that is the same as the original signal on each wire, but twice as high in gain (10db.) What happens to the noise spikes that were introduced? They are in phase and so there is no difference between them and so they cancel each other out! That is why you can run balanced cables such long distances and past noisy equipment, etc; It's not that they are shielded from external noise, but that the technology efficiently uses any noise introduced to cancel itself.
Bottom line, if you have the capability to use balanced signals, then use them, especially when using computers and transformers in the close vicinity. However, using unmodified balanced cables with unbablanced signals will give you no benefit, and in some cases makes the sound much worse (think of a TRS cable going into a stereo 1/4" input feeding 2 out of phase signals to you amp... we've all done it once probably.)
The hum elimination of balanced audio siganls is not from the shielding in the cable, it is due to a technology whereby there are two separate signals running through the cable on different parallel conductors that are identical except that they are 180 degrees out of phase. Think of 2 sine waves running down the wires, when one is at its max, the other is at its minimum, and when one is at zero, the other is also at zero. This is so that any electrical interference that is introduced into one signal is introduced identically into the other signal (depending on how parallel the corresponding cables are to each other) so this can be thought of as a spike on each of those sine waves, but the spikes are in the same direction on each wave. The receiving equipment gets these signals and takes the difference between them. Because they are 180 degrees out of phase, you end up with a signal that is the same as the original signal on each wire, but twice as high in gain (10db.) What happens to the noise spikes that were introduced? They are in phase and so there is no difference between them and so they cancel each other out! That is why you can run balanced cables such long distances and past noisy equipment, etc; It's not that they are shielded from external noise, but that the technology efficiently uses any noise introduced to cancel itself.
Bottom line, if you have the capability to use balanced signals, then use them, especially when using computers and transformers in the close vicinity. However, using unmodified balanced cables with unbablanced signals will give you no benefit, and in some cases makes the sound much worse (think of a TRS cable going into a stereo 1/4" input feeding 2 out of phase signals to you amp... we've all done it once probably.)
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:33 pm
xeon
"I have exactly this problem (hum from long cables), so XLR plugs would help"
yes, it can if you use balanced audio wire and connector. check this: http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2810.html
"Does it matter what type of speaker wire I use too?"
Actually yes :) low quality speakers can produce some noise too. But it most depends of wire. I am just writing the tutorial about speakers.
"And where can I find speaker wire that connects to an XLR plug?"
You can find in stores, or you can make it. Buy cable and connectors. For speakers do not use adaptors!
Better connector for speaker is Neutrik Speakon, as you could saw in my blog.
Most of hum is produced on low powered signals, so not in speakers cables.
yes, it can if you use balanced audio wire and connector. check this: http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/xeon/blog2810.html
"Does it matter what type of speaker wire I use too?"
Actually yes :) low quality speakers can produce some noise too. But it most depends of wire. I am just writing the tutorial about speakers.
"And where can I find speaker wire that connects to an XLR plug?"
You can find in stores, or you can make it. Buy cable and connectors. For speakers do not use adaptors!
Better connector for speaker is Neutrik Speakon, as you could saw in my blog.
Most of hum is produced on low powered signals, so not in speakers cables.
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:33 pm
frd1963
P.S. You can skip my explanation and go straight to Xeon's blog (see above.) He does a very good job at explaining the same thing I did, but he has pictures, which always helps ! ;)
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:41 pm
Poloralphloren
Fantastic, you guys rock. I have XLR outs on my mixer, and XLR ins on my powered monitors. So I could connect them directly without going through my stereo receiver?
Thanks for all the help!
Thanks for all the help!
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:42 pm
xeon
yes, you can connect them directly as far as they are self powered ;)
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:44 pm
Poloralphloren
Excellent, thanks!! My next project... :)
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:47 pm
xeon
you're welcome ;)
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:49 pm
Poloralphloren
Actually one more stupid question -- looking at XLR cables online, most of it is referred to as "microphone cable", is this the same cable I'd use for my monitors?
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:50 pm
xeon
Actually yes, there will be only balanced unpowered signal in them. In microphone is the same.
BUT! you can't use these cables for passive speakers (because of wire). Just connector is correct for speakers.
BUT! you can't use these cables for passive speakers (because of wire). Just connector is correct for speakers.
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:55 pm
Poloralphloren
Okay, thanks again!
Posted Wed 10 May 06 @ 4:57 pm