kmsomethingmore
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Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
Hi all,
I recently moved and now I have a darn buzzing noisy gurgling sounds in my both left and right monitors, everything's hooked up the same. Before I have no noise. It was nice. I use simple 1/4 inch guitar patch chords from my EMU 1616M unit out to my KRK's 1/4 inputs. Do I need a special 1/4 to 1/4 chord? I think this is "balanced" on the KRK, whereas the unbalanced is the RCA inputs. Anyway, any advice for getting these things quiet again would be appreciated. Thanks
Kevin
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FastBikerBoy
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/07 06:11:37
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The first thing I'd try is swapping out the cables for known good ones. Are your monitors powered? Run them disconnected, do you still get the buzz?
Have you moved them recently? Maybe close to a source of potential interference. A/C units, strip lighting, microwaves, etc?
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fireberd
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/07 06:55:23
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If you are using standard 1/4" guitar cords, they are "unbalanced" as they only have one "hot" lead and the ground. A balanced cable will have two "hot" leads and ground (like a stereo cable).
I had a noise problem in my Samson powered monitors and as it turned out it was my own fault. I was connecting them to a headphone output rather than the intened line out on my Saffire Pro 40.
Since you moved, it could also be a ground loop hum problem.
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sven450
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/07 08:48:30
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When I first bought "real" studio monitors I used unbalanced guitar cables I had laying around, and I dealt with a lot of funky electircal hums, crackling and general weirdness. I picked up nice balanced cables, hooked them up, and things were 100% improved. Not sure if it was the balanced part or the fact that they were new, and not 5 year old ratty unbalanced, but it worked for me.
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johnnyV
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/07 11:13:24
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If your interface has "balanced" outputs then use a TRS connector cable. If it has only RCA then use good quality cable, not home stereo. If its 1/4" un balanced ( guitar) patch cable which should not matter on short runs unless there is something terrible going on. I'm not sure if your monitors and interface have SPDIF but that's the best route if it does. Use a line conditioner for your AC power. Use a circuit that does not share with a motor.
post edited by johnnyV - 2011/01/07 11:14:42
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Guitarhacker
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/07 15:24:22
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Use some good quality cables and you should be fine. I run unbalanced 1/4 inch jacked cords....
Unhook the cables form them and see if the noise goes away. If it does, get better cables.... and radio shack is NOT my cable supply shop.
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ohhey
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/09 15:41:58
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kmsomethingmore
Hi all,
I recently moved and now I have a darn buzzing noisy gurgling sounds in my both left and right monitors, everything's hooked up the same. Before I have no noise. It was nice. I use simple 1/4 inch guitar patch chords from my EMU 1616M unit out to my KRK's 1/4 inputs. Do I need a special 1/4 to 1/4 chord? I think this is "balanced" on the KRK, whereas the unbalanced is the RCA inputs. Anyway, any advice for getting these things quiet again would be appreciated. Thanks
Kevin
The guitar cable isn't balanced. You need to get balanced cables. The 1/4" plugs will have the extra band on them like a headphone plug. The noise should go away then. Here is a link to an example... http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSCSS403
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kmsomethingmore
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/10 12:10:52
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Hi again, thanks.
What about XLR Male to 1/4 Female ? I have the XLR out on my speakers.
Any advantages there?
Thanks
Kevin
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Beagle
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/10 12:40:41
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MOST XLR to 1/4 cables I've seen tie the ground and return together and the 1/4 connector gets terminated to unbalaced connection. if it has a STEREO 1/4 connector then it remains balanced for the whole cable. if the 1/4 connector is MONO then it's unbalanced and that really doesn't help anything.
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Cactus Music
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/10 20:01:21
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What about XLR Male to 1/4 Female
Yes if the 1/4 " jack is TRS ( tip ,ring, sleeve) as stated above by the Beagle dog.
There is no big benefit on short runs to using balanced cables, the sound quality will be the same. But It certainly doesn't hurt and I use them if available without question. The quality of the cable is more important. Just because a cable is XLR or TRS does not immediately mean it is a better cable.
Balanced cables generaly are for longer runs that would pick up RF interference otherwise. Then there is the low and Hi impediance issue.
Guitars are Hi Impedance, Mikes are usually Low impedance. That's why we use DI boxes on stage to convert the Guitar from hi to low impedance when sending through a long Snake.
A guitar cable (unbalanced hi impedance) should be no longer than 25'.
A mike cable ( balanced Low impedance) can go 500'. The output of your interface will be Hi Impedance so is fine on short runs with 1/4" guitar patch cable.
But if you wanted to run the output cable 50' you would defiantly use the TRS option.
The Monitors have XLR inputs because most pro mixing desks have XLR outputs.
As said by everyone here, if you hear noise , then you have bad cables or some other interference. The suggestion to run the speakers un plugged is excellent advice.
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kmsomethingmore
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Re:Unbalanced or balanced monitor connections
2011/01/11 19:36:22
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