Best cables from my synth to Digi002R?

[tysonjm]

Any recommendations on the best cables to use here? The 002R manual says to use balanced 1/4" cables for low-noise, but from what I can tell my synth only outputs in mono (unbalanced) on the L and R Main outputs. Should I spend extra money on balanced then? What are the best cables? I've looked at Monster, but they just have so many different 1/4" models for Pro Audio. What is everyone using? Thanks!

[albee1952]

Odds are 99.9% that your keyboard has unbalanced outputs. Any good quality guitar cable will be fine. Keep the length as short as you can. If you need to go more than 20 feet, I recommend using 3 footers and going to DI boxes and mic cables the rest of the way. You can "roll your own" if you have good soldering skills. Buy some Mogami or Canare cable and Nuetrik ends and go for it. You can even use balanced mic cable (NOT QUAD!)for unbalanced if you simply clip off the unused signal wire(do not wire it!!). If you need to go long distances with DI boxes, RADIAL just came out with a less pricey stereo DI that should be nice. Whirlwind Direct2 is another solid stereo DI.

[tysonjm]

Thanks, Albee. I think I'll be fine with the 3-ft. distance. I wonder, since Digi says unbalanced may cause some noise, if I can use my synth's optical out and go to the optical in on the 002R? Or is that stricktly meant for ADAT machines and wouldn't work for sending the synth's audio to the 002R for recording into PTs? Seems like that would be the cleanest if it's possible...but I don't much about the optical technology.

[cybership]

The Digi 002R optical I/O is switchable from ADAT to SPDIF.

[albee1952]

I think cybership is on the mark there, but I would hate to waste the optical port for a stereo keyboard when it is so handy for another 8 channels of mic pre's. You probably won't be able to hear a difference anyway. The deal with unbalanced cables is that the longer they are, the more "crap" they pick up. 3' cables should be plenty quiet. My 15' cables are fine. Just run your keyboard volume at or near wide open so you are shoving as much signal down the line. The hotter the signal, the better the signal-to-noise ratio.