In the photo below of my Scarlett Focusrite 2i4 audio interface, a very popular interface in many home music studios, you can see I have the option of ¼ inch speaker outputs on the very right which are handily labeled ‘balanced’. But I don’t have the option of an XLR connection here. So, keep in mind that while balanced cables offer advantages over unbalanced cables in terms of audio quality (or when using phantom power), unbalanced cables are sometimes the best solution for your audio application. Maintenance and care tips for balance audio cables Once you’ve identified the ports on your audio devices, choose the appropriate balanced audio cable.

Don’t force a connector into a port. If it doesn’t fit, it’s likely not the right type of connector for that port. The longer your TS cables are, the more likely you are to run into issues with noise and interference. To avoid this, make sure that they are shorter than 20 feet. What Is A TRS Cable? Another secret I share with you: midi doesn’t transfer any audio signal. Really? No. You won’t need a buffer or overdrive for your midi signal.They are called mono cables because they can only send one signal. So, if you want to use TS cables for stereo audio, you’ll need two cables. The transmission of sound along these wires is not perfect due to a variety of factors and this can have implications on the sound coming from your speakers. Very common for midi connections is the 5-pin DIN connector. But what if I tell you, midi needs only 3 pins? It has a shield and 2 lines which differ in voltage (5 V and 0 V) and therefore is a binary control signal (ones and zeroes). You can do a lot of cool things with midi, like recalling presets or change values in your gear. If your keyboarder won’t stop playing the solo of Van Halen’s “Jump“, just send midi control change CC#120 and he will (Earworm in 3…2…1…). Unlike TS cables, the TRS cable can be used with mono and stereo signals. So, it can be used with headphones or any equipment that requires balanced connections. It’s also safer to use TRS cables when you need to plug equipment into multiple devices. It can work with mono-balanced, unbalanced mono, etc. That can eliminate most guesswork over which connectors to use on the right channel. What About TRRS Cables? One notable feature of the insert TRS cable is that it is very functional in the recording studio. These insert cables connect various outboard equipment to some insert points on a mixer.

The two audio signals are either hot or cold. However, it is much dependent on how it connects to another device. The TRS of your foot switch simply opens or closes a connection and as a reaction the amp switches the channels. Your expression pedal changes a resistance via an internal pot, your controlled pedal reacts to this new value and does a faster chorus rate or a different mix amount at your delay. For monitor speakers, it is preferential to use balanced cables if you have the correct inputs in your speakers and audio interface. Balanced cables provide a signal that reduces unwanted noise giving you a sound with less interference which is important when monitoring. Popular balanced cable types include XLR and TRS cables—both are widely used in audio applications. The ability for a TRS cable to carry 2 lines of audio makes it capable of transferring both 'balanced' and 'stereo' audio. A balanced audio signal consists of 2 versions of the one signal (normal + inverted), so in essence balanced audio is 2 individual signals, it's just that these are combined by the input device to create one 'noiseless' signal. Audio mixers and processors will often have balanced TRS inputs and outputs.As they work independently of one another, you can send ‘mono’ signals to each one separately which as a pair (left and right speaker) form a stereo output. This is different from a pair of headphones, for example, which has just one ‘stereo’ cable.

If your audio equipment requires a balanced or stereo signal, you must use TRS. TS cables can only output mono, unbalanced signals.

The separate shield that’s commonly provided in a balanced audio cable also yields a noise rejection advantage over an unbalanced two-conductor arrangement (such as used in typical home stereos) where the shield must also act as the signal return wire. Therefore, any noise currents induced into a balanced audio shield will not be directly modulated onto the signal, whereas in a two-conductor system they will be. This also prevents ground loop problems, by separating the shield/chassis from signal ground. Always turn off your audio devices before connecting or disconnecting cables. This can help prevent possible damage to your equipment. High-quality interfaces usually come with TRS outputs. When using many signals, it isn’t easy to detect the differences. Balanced connections are safer for minimizing the interruption of sound and electrical interference. Guitar cables are classic examples of TS, while TRS cables include balanced audio and headphone cables.