CORD PROBLEMS!

[coleslaw]

I have an alesis amplifier. It has two pairs of inputs - one is rca and the other is 1/4 inch. I am having a tough time deciding what to use...people tell me to use 1/4 inch...I have a pair of cheap mono 1/4 inch cables (from radio shack) that i plugged into my 001 box into my amplifier. However, the sound that comes out of my amp is very weak and soft - even when i turn up both my amp and the volumes on my 001 box. In the instructions manual of my amplifier - it tells me to use balanced, shielded, quarter inch or rca cables. i want to use 1/4 inch. i guess i am wondering what the difference between balanced, shielded mono 1/4 inch cables and balanced, shielded stereo 1/4 inch cables is?? Should i use 1/4 inch stereo balanced, shielded cables? i should mention that when i hook up my amp to my turntables mixer (vestax) via rca (which i dont know is shielded or balanced) the signal comes out strong and loud... any input is appreciated!

thanks!

ps sorry about long message!

[coleslaw]

ooosp i always wanted to know also - is 1/4 inch better than rca?

thanks again!

[BFSfullsail]

you usually have 3 wires in a cable
1)Ground
2)Hot
3)Nuetral
in an unbalanced cable (i.e.guiatr or instrument) the Connector is called a TS connector meaning tip and sleeve. they are seperated by a band usually. In this scenario Hot is wired to the tip, and ground and nuetral are both wired to sleeve(which is the shield). In a balanced cable the connector is called a TRS connector. Tip, Ring, Sleeve. Hot is wired to tip, Nuetral is wired to Ring, Ground is wired to sleeve. You can tell these if the connector has two bands on it dividing the sections. The inputs on your 001 are balanced. I usually run my keyboards stright to those inputs using unbalanced cables and have never really had a problem. Coming from your 001 into your amp you may want to go balanced however. As for which is better to me it is six and one half dozen of the other (that's southern talk for you guys above the Mason Dixon). To me it's more important to have good cable.

[Sugarite]

If the signal is a significantly lower level than expected, it's not because your interconnects are balanced or unbalanced, ot 1/4" or RCA. Your problem is probably unrelated to the cable, assuming the problem is the same on both channels.

IMO RCA connections are better than 1/4" because RCA connections offer more contact area.

Regardless, it seems you should learn more about audio hardware, no offense.

[Park Seward]

The two front panel connectors are balanced, the rear 1/4" are unbalanced on the 001.

You'll hear no difference between RCA phono or 1/4" connectors if the same cable is used.

If you connect only one side of a balanced circuit to an unbalanced circuit, the volune will be reduced by half.

Be sure you plug the cables ALL the way in.

[where02190]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR> The two front panel connectors are balanced, the rear 1/4" are unbalanced on the 001. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

WRONG!!!!!!!
All the 001 inputs are +4 balanced trs(1/4") connectors, including the two front neutrix combo jacks, which will accept either 1/4" trs or XLR.

Contrary to this outputs 1 and 2 are balanced +4, BUT outputs 3-8 are unbalanced and -10.

For best results use outputs 1 and 2 into the 1/4" inputs with balanced (TRS) cables.

[Doug Ring]

Yep, the easy way to remember is that the 001 is powered by the computer and there's not enough juice available to run 8 low impedance balanced outs, so you only get 2.

The tip about pushing jacks fully home is good. That's caught me out before.

[kris whitten]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by where02190:


WRONG!!!!!!!
All the 001 inputs are +4 balanced trs(1/4") connectors, including the two front neutrix combo jacks, which will accept either 1/4" trs or XLR.

Contrary to this outputs 1 and 2 are balanced +4, BUT outputs 3-8 are unbalanced and -10.

For best results use outputs 1 and 2 into the 1/4" inputs with balanced (TRS) cables.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Isn't this what he was saying... Or is the key "incorrect" word here connectors ???

So excuse being misinformed on this board original poster....

The CONNECTORS are balanced on the back 3-8 but the CONNECTIONS are not. Confused yet?

Thank where02190
[img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[galaxiejer]

i don't think it has anything to do with the difference between "connectors" or "connections". the inputs are all balanced. only outputs 1-2 are balanced (as where02190 correctly stated).

jer

[phamtec]

I think the confusion is with the "type of jack" and the "type of wiring".

All inputs are balanced, but 1 & 2 have Canon+TRS, were 3-8 only have TRS.

Outs 1-2 are balanced using TRS, but 3-8 are unbalanced (so just 2 wires in the cables).

I think I just stated exactly the same as before, but I might of been more clear.

As far as the original post, if you are using unbalanced cable (just 2 wires, like normal instrument cables), then there is no difference between having a mono 1/4" jack or an RCA jack on the end.

But you can take advantange of the balanceness (my own word) of the inputs on the 001 by using a cable that goes from a mono 1/4 (or RCA) from your instrument to a stereo 1/4 (TRS) input.

Apparently (I have never done this), you can eliminate a lot of moise problems even with unbalanced lines by wiring them up to balanced connectors.

Straight from my Yorkvolle PA manual, here is the how you wire it up:

On the Stereo end:
solder shield to Sleeve, solder wire #1 to Tip, solder wire #2 to Ring.

On the Mono end:
solder the shield to and wire #2 to the Sleeve, solder wire #1 to the tip.

Now (obviously), you plug the mono end to your gear, and the stereo end into yur DIGI001.