Synth->Mixer 1/4" Cables

[roboDNA]

Do I use 1/4" balanced TRS or 1/4" unbalanced TS cables to connect a Mother32, DFAM, Subharmonicon or TR-8S to a souncraft mixer?

The Mother32 manual says 1/4" Headphone TRS or 1/4" TS Instrument.

Will both kinds work, and is the balanced less noisy?

Thanks!

[roboDNA]

Do I use 1/4" balanced TRS or 1/4" unbalanced TS cables to connect a Mother32, DFAM, Subharmonicon or TR-8S to a souncraft mixer?

The Mother32 manual says 1/4" Headphone TRS or 1/4" TS Instrument.

Will both kinds work, and is the balanced less noisy?

Thanks!

Not sure about replying to my own post, but the answer is it is better to use balanced/TRS when possible. I ended up building my own cables so I can match connectors and lengths as required, and also use quality parts. ( No need to worry about pricey or out-of-stock items ) I was able to do Neutrik Black-Gold TRS right-angle connectors at both ends too, and have 12' lengths.

I used BRTB Contour 3224 cable instead of Canare L-2T2S so not sure if that will make any difference. ( same specs I think )

[zollenz]

I have the DFAM, and the manual explicitly states:

WARNING: Do not use a TRS (balanced) cable for line output applications as this will cause phase
cancellation and a very weak signal.

I'm assuming the same goes for the Mother-32 and the Subharmonicon. The output is not balanced. So you should use a TS cable for connecting to your mixer. You can use a TRS cable for plugging in headphones, but that doesn't mean it's a balanced signal, it just means that the mono signal is duplicated on the tip and ring.

Don't know about the TR-8s, check the manual.

[roboDNA]

I have the DFAM, and the manual explicitly states:

WARNING: Do not use a TRS (balanced) cable for line output applications as this will cause phase
cancellation and a very weak signal.

I'm assuming the same goes for the Mother-32 and the Subharmonicon. The output is not balanced. So you should use a TS cable for connecting to your mixer. You can use a TRS cable for plugging in headphones, but that doesn't mean it's a balanced signal, it just means that the mono signal is duplicated on the tip and ring.

Don't know about the TR-8s, check the manual.

Good point. I'm still trying to figure out what they mean by 'a very weak signal'. If the Mother32 uses dual mono TRS, I can see how the signal phase cancellation would eliminate both signals, so there would be NO signal and not a 'weak' signal. It makes it sound like there will be an audible signal, but a weak one... I suspect they mean the input device will not know if the signal is balanced or unbalanced and zero the signal as a result phase cancellation?

I'm guessing headphones do not do phase cancellation, and that is why the Mother32's dual mono TRS signal will not be 'weak' for headhones?

[flashheart]

Do I use 1/4" balanced TRS or 1/4" unbalanced TS cables to connect a Mother32, DFAM, Subharmonicon or TR-8S to a souncraft mixer?

The Mother32 manual says 1/4" Headphone TRS or 1/4" TS Instrument.

Will both kinds work, and is the balanced less noisy?

Thanks!

Balanced only has benefit over long distances, it is not quieter than unbalanced. The only point of using balanced cables is to reduce induced cable noise in long runs. Unless your synths are in another room from your mixer and you're living somewhere electrically noisy there's no benefit. All the instruments you have use unbalanced outputs so use standard TS cables.

[diophantine]

Headphone output is stereo output, not balanced output.

None of those instruments support balanced output.