What is the difference between unbalanced and balanced cables

If I have balanced outputs on my interface but have unbalanced inputs on my monitors, what cable do I use? Great question Tim, bottom line is an unbalanced cable. In order to utilize a true low Z or balanced connection, both the in and out must be balanced. This is something I have always wondered about. Looks like I need some balanced cables for my monitors too :- Great article.

Thanks, David! I should get some balanced cables for my studio monitors. If I just let the cables I have flop on the ground, I get this weird clicking noise when bringing up certain webpages or using my mouse wheel.

Your email address will not be published. Balanced vs Unbalanced Cables by David 13 comments. From Kirkenes Norway he writes, "What's the difference between unbalanced and balanced cables? What's the difference between balanced vs unbalanced cables? When should I use a balanced cable? When should I use an unbalanced cable? How do I know if my cable is balanced or not?

TJ on May 19, at am. David on May 30, at pm. Alan Greenaway on February 4, at pm. Ben Cruz on January 19, at pm. Aloha, thank you for the explanation.

I have always wondered which to use to specifically patch mixer to amp. Again, thank you — Aloha, should you ever get to Big Island, Hilo side — get in touch — we play music everyday.

Mixers and Speakers are balanced devices and thus balanced cabling for use. Although you can use unbalanced cables for very short runs, and probably not have any issues, you will still run the risk of getting an unnecessary hum through your speakers with any other electrical interference.

Whenever possible I would still recommend using the designated balanced cables for your cable runs between the board and the speakers. Thanks Mathieu. That is a good and interesting article. The interference noise in almost unnoticeable.

The other problem is that I would like to play my recording from the DAW back to the organ through the UR22, and this gives a horrendous amount of buzzing and shushing. As far as I know, I have tried all types of cable, all of which make the same amount of unwanted sound. Also I have moved the UR22 around to eliminate other wires in the vicinity. Your advice would be appreciated.

Regards, Robert. Unfortunately this goes beyond the scope of technical support for our Epiphan Video products. They will be able to provide more specific troubleshooting recommendation for audio-specific use cases.

The distance between the keyboard and monitors is 5 ft. What cable type, balanced or unbalanced, would be best used for this set up? Thanks for your help with this. When utilizing speakers or specific balanced gear, whenever possible we would recommend to use the proper balanced cables. However, as stated in this blog post, if the cables are under 10ft typically it should be fine. If you do hear unnecessary hum or distortion that would mean that there is too much signal noise or interference.

Thank you so much for this blog!! WOW, fantastic!!! I have a fairly simple question. What about cables that have different ends? Super curious!! Maybe I just got really lucky not picking up any extra sound. I am however running into that hum for a different speaker further away. I need at least 40 ft of cable, if not more. Knowledge Base. Product manuals. Home Support Tech Notes What is the difference between balanced or unbalanced?

Document Actions. Audio software All Anyone involved in audio production can attest to how even the smallest details can impact audio quality. While microphones are a big part of the process for streamers and YouTubers, audio cables are just as essential in achieving the desired audio quality. When picking a suitable cable, it is essential to know if it is unbalanced or balanced.

While both work similarly, each offers different results in audio quality and limitations. This article will explain what the differences are and when to use each cable. An unbalanced cable is comprised of two wires: ground and signal. The signal wire delivers the audio frequency from one end of the cable to the other, connecting the input with the output. The ground wire acts as a reference point for the signal and a shield against interference. Despite acting like a shield, the ground wire itself attracts signals like an antenna, especially from radio signals or power cables.

Like unbalanced audio cables, balanced audio cables have a signal wire and a ground wire. However, there are two signal wires in a balanced audio cable: a hot positive wire and a cold negative wire. Each wire carries a polarity-flipped copy of the signal down the cable converging to deliver the audio signal.

The ground wire again acts as a shield from potential interference. When the two signal wires meet at the end of the cable, the polarities of both the hot and cold wires flip back.