Audio cables may seem like a simple thing until you are ready to buy one and realize that there are so many different cables available. This article will give you a quick overview of audio cables to help you choose the right cable for your purpose.
To reduce noise, balanced cables add a second signal conductor, called the cold conductor or negative conductor. Balanced electrical signals are transmitted along three wires: ground, positive and negative. Both conductors transmit the same signal, but with opposite polarity. Any noise picked up along the cable route is usually common to both legs. As the signal voltage in the hotline increases, the signal voltage in the cold line decreases, accurately reflecting the hot signal in reverse. Any noise common to both lines will be out of phase with itself and eliminated by a process called common mode rejection. XLR and TRS cables are used to carry balanced audio from one balanced device to another.
Unbalanced cables are less complex, but they are more susceptible to noise problems. Unbalanced cables have two wires: a hot wire that carries the signal, and a common ground wire that connects to an insulation wrap. A shielded ground helps isolate the hot wire from the interference that causes hum and other noise. In general, the unbalanced line should be as short as possible (certainly less than 25 feet) to minimize any potential noise that may be carried with the signal into the connected equipment.
The primary purpose of an audio cable is to carry signals from one device to another without signal attenuation or external noise. However, not all cables are of the same quality. While most casual musicians can use inexpensive cables, professional musicians will want noise-free, high-fidelity transmission for close listening, recording, mixing, and mastering. To get a pristine, noise-free signal from your cables, you'll need to spend a little more money.
There are many characteristics of a quality audio cable that are worth looking for. If we were to tell you some of the factors to prioritize when looking for a quality cable, they would be durability, flexibility, and strong solderability. With these elements, you will have cables that will last for years to come.
You may also want to consider using cables with heat-shrink plastic sleeves, as they prevent the internal wires from moving around.
Longer cables are more susceptible to noise. Therefore, it is more important to have a long cable that can be connected from your instrument to the PA system or mixer. However, if you want to buy unbalanced cables for the studio, you need to use shorter cables, because shorter cables are less susceptible to noise.
All audio cables have a shield for noise and interference protection. Typically, you will find braided wire inside the cable around the center conductor.
It is important to note that there are several available shields, including
Braided shielding is the most common type of shielding. It looks like a braid with small strands of wire braided around the signal conductor. Braided shielding is both durable and flexible, making it ideal for cables used in live performances.
Spiral-wrap shielding consists of flat wire tapes coiled around a set of central wires. You won't get the same amount of tensile strength or durability compared to braided shielding, although this type of shielding offers better flexibility.
Foil shielding uses polyester film aluminum to provide full coverage. However, it is not the best electrical conductor and it often interferes with the clear audio transmission. It is also the weakest of the three shielding types.
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