Anyone who has dabbled in live audio production is aware of the significant influence various small details have on sound quality. For instance, did you realize that each cable you utilize in your production setup has the potential to contaminate your audio feed with unwelcome noise? To properly determine which audio cable is best for the job, it’s crucial to understand audio cables (and how they’re created).
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What Is Unbalanced Audio?
Two wires, a signal and a ground, are used in an audio connection to carry an unbalanced signal. The audio signal is transported by the signal wire, as its name suggests, to its destination. The signal uses the ground wire as a point of reference. But the ground cable itself actually functions as an antenna, gathering unwanted noise as it goes.
What Is Balanced Audio?
Two wires, a signal and a ground, are used in an audio connection to carry an unbalanced signal. The audio signal is transported by the signal wire, as its name suggests, to its destination. The signal uses the ground wire as a point of reference. But the ground cable itself actually functions as an antenna, gathering unwanted noise as it goes.
Balanced + Unbalanced Audio – What are the Differences?
One of the biggest distinctions between both cables is that balanced audio has less chance of picking up unwanted noise, but unbalanced audio can in some settings pick up humming or buzzing sounds.
A better, louder audio stream without any extraneous noises will often be provided by balanced audio. On the other side, unbalanced audio is more prone to picking up noise and interference over greater distances. An unbalanced audio cable’s ground wire may pick up unwanted noise when the audio signal passes through it. The method of construction of the cable accounts for this interference susceptibility (or lack thereof).
Balanced + Unbalanced Audio – Which One Should You Use?
In actuality, distortion isn’t much of a problem at distances under 10 feet. The length of your connection is probably not far enough to cause distortion for someone recording audio from a studio or recording booth. In fact, unbalanced connections can transmit signals that are much stronger than balanced cables at close ranges. Unbalanced cables often cost far less than their balanced equivalents, which makes the offer even sweeter. Balanced cables are more expensive due to their more complex design, and they also need supporting devices that can utilize the balance function.
Unbalanced cables are preferred by lower-budget broadcasters, and many recording studios choose unbalanced connections that extend up to 10 feet because of their clarity and straightforward design. Although balanced output and cable configurations may be regarded as the industry standard in some circles, the choice ultimately depends on your unique requirements and available resources.
You’ll likely have a long cord, be close to other electronic devices, and be able to hear every distortion when the presenter talks if you want to connect a microphone from center stage. Even when using a longer, unbalanced wire, a guitar is played loudly enough during a rock performance to drown out distortion.
The audio quality of your recordings will increase when you understand the distinction between balanced and unbalanced cables and how each of these cables should be used. This knowledge can also help you manage your finances and equipment.
Balanced + Unbalanced Audio – Which is better?
Longer cable runs and situations where the wires are in close proximity to a lot of electrical signal call for balanced audio. Unbalanced audio performs best within a 10 foot radius and in a more intimate studio setting.