Cables for monitors

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beethoven77

New member
I know the balanced cables like TRS or XLR are the better options for studio monitor connection but would it make a big difference if RCA cables were used instead? Even if I keep the RCA cable length to under 2m, for example, would the quality of the sound be noticeably worse than the balanced cables?
Thanks.
 
No downside, besides them being more prone to interference on longer runs. People just tend to have the mental association that RCA is consumer stuff and that TRS & XLR look "pro", thus they must sound better.
 
RCA cables are unbalanced. XLR and TRS cables are balanced. There are two issues:

1. Over the length of the cable, noise can build up. How much depends on a lot of factors like where the cables are located relative to other devices and cables (power supplies, power cables, MIDI cables, etc. are the worst offenders of introducing "junk" into audio cables. The way balanced cables work is they accumulate this added noise across two different conductors (a positive one and a negative one) and then at the receiving device the phase is flipped. This cancels out any of the noise that has built up. This usually makes for a cleaner signal, but not always - and even if it does, the amount is highly variable.

2. Unbalanced cables will simply carry less signal - the signal will be lower at the input device (in this case the amp for the speakers). That means in order to get to the same volume, you will need more gain (ie. turn up the volume on your speakers). The gain will introduce more noise because it will pull up everything - the signal AND the noise floor. And depending upon the amp, it may introduce a minuscule or large amount of it's own hiss.

Bottom line: always use balanced (TRS or XLR) cables for monitors (assuming the speaker amp accepts balance inputs, which almost all do). RCA or other unbalanced lines can work in a pinch, but the quality will be slightly degraded. Whether or not you will notice the degradation depends on a lot of variables.
 
chris carter said:
2. Unbalanced cables will simply carry less signal - the signal will be lower at the input device (in this case the amp for the speakers). That means in order to get to the same volume, you will need more gain (ie. turn up the volume on your speakers). The gain will introduce more noise because it will pull up everything - the signal AND the noise floor. And depending upon the amp, it may introduce a minuscule or large amount of it's own hiss.
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Huh, I've never heard of this signal drop (other than the balanced output to unbalanced input scenario).

Anyway, I should've been clearer in my post: yes, use balanced with if possible, but theoretically the sound quality will be the same - unless the unbalanced connection picks up more noise on the way, that is. But if it's a short connection and it doesn't, say, cross power cables and such, there should be no problems.

Then again, my cabling is a mess of balanced and unbalanced, and I don't really have any issues with noise.
 
The others nicely covered noise and interference.


A couple of points:

- Though noise and interference on the path to your monitors is bad, you're the only one hearing it, not your audience. It's not the end of the world to deal with some noise if you can't avoid it.

- Balanced cables do provide more gain and do cancel out noise by inverting the polarity of one of the leads.

- Balanced cables also help protect against signal loss. You typically don't want unbalanced signal to run more than 20 feet, and balanced signal to run more than 200 ft. If you're a purist, cut those numbers in half. I try never to use an instrument cable longer than 10-12 feet when recording, and I met a guy who doesn't use longer than 6 feet. (I also met a guy that ran 50' unbalanced from his guitar to his pedalboard, and 50' unbalanced from his pedalboard to his amp. Don't do that.)

- If your interface has balanced out and your monitors have balanced in, use it. If one or both are lacking balanced connections, just go unbalanced. RCA or 1/4" should be fine unless you have obscene noise problems. Again, this is for your ears only, not baked into your recordings.
 
for those who want to make beats ;
you can simply buy computer + midi + monitors with unbalanced cables and you will be OK

but for those who also want to record, considering that you have an audio interface and all that using balanced cables is not like extreme expensive to discuss about just get them,
 
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