My Life Is Very Balanced

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by POE_UK, Aug 18, 2017.

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  1. POE_UK

    POE_UK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Somerset
    Right, i think ive ordered the wrong cable here, i do online radio and ive ordered a balanced XLR cable for my mic to go into the mixer/compressor. now then, is there such thing as an unbalanced XLR cable? could this work, or will i have to rewire one of the ends into an unbalanced TRS jack plug?
     
  2. CoolJazz

    CoolJazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern Tennessee
    Sounds like you're confusing connectors with balanced/unbalanced. As long as you have enough conductors in the cable and enough contacts on the connector, you can do any version.

    You don't specify which end is not compatible with an XLR cable, so let's talk about it in general.

    The mic end for what I'd call an amateur mic can be unbalanced. It simply is risky in a higher noise environment and probably more susceptible to discharges to it's body making more noise. You can wire it into a balanced input though with no problem. It simply won't have as carefree of a life noise wise.

    If the equipment end is 1/4" then the next question is if it's two conductor or three? In this case, we should be also considering those as unbalanced or balanced. If it's balanced, then you simply need to either put a new end on to mate or an adapter cable (which should be with mic quality cable). If going into an unbalanced piece, then you can wire it to adapt, you simply unbalance the mic and again raise the risk in some environments of greater noise.

    So to further the connector and wiring knowledge a little beyond the immediate, just for puttin' you're learn on... :) Remember that as reference above you need to know what the devices at each end are doing and expecting. A connector is simply a pass though device that only needs enough poles and to be appropriate for what's being done. When talking low level audio signal type stuff, it can really be about any connectors. It's so easy to get fixed in your head via what you've been exposed to what's "right". Like the thread somewhere recently about XLR's being used for speaker level. Some are so used to an XLR being only for low level signals and they have all kinds of issues about it not being appropriate. (That discussion is for another thread)

    Further...A 1/4" jack can be used several ways for several types of signals. It can be a headphone jack, a line level balanced jack or even mic level audio. It can be mono or stereo, with either 2 or three...of course if two, then only as mono. It can be wired stereo or as balanced audio. Ponder for a moment what happens if you plug a stereo signal on 1.4" into a 1/4 TRS input that's wired for balanced audio. What do you get? Verrrry poor audio. The balanced input is trying to reject all common audio between left and right. But the cable can be plugged in. Again...the lesson is to not focus on the connectors used, but instead the signals involved.

    That's enough, and you can ignore the last two paragraphs if all you're concerned with is the current situation. But as a longer term tech you've mentioned you are, then the step back and consideration of what is being done can help you beyond this one time and apply to other times too.

    CJ
     
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  3. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    If your gear uses XLR connectors , and XLR cable will do. Would need more details to expound any.
     
  4. POE_UK

    POE_UK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Somerset
    I know whats going on here, wrong mic for the job, im trying to use a JTS Cardiod mic when i should be using a condenser type, its just not picking up anything at more than 6" away, which is to be expected as the mic is designed for karaoke.

    Ive seen a pretty neat Marantz desk mic with stabilizer migh have to grab that.

    Reason i was asking about the cable is just found out the magnetic switch in the mic was faulty but only using it with a TR plug (non balanced) which is a bit weird, but again those switches are super sensitive
     
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