Gunsfreddy2003 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Messing around with my IEM system today and something perplexes me. If you take the Di out from my amp to the desk (so xlr cable) you get a nice clean and strong signal. If you use a standard mic cable (xlr to jack) and plug direct from the Di out into the jack socket of the IEM system then it is really weak and buzzes like hell. Is this something to do with the type of cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Mono or stereo jack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Mono I believe - it is the same as my guitar cables. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1337539358' post='1661660'] Mono or stereo jack? [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 What is happening is that the signal from the XLR-XLR cable is "balanced". That is to say, 2 signals have been sent out of phase from the DI to the mixer, which then puts them back in phase. This means you get a louder signal, and most of the noise picked up by the cable is cancelled out. Sounds as if there is a lot of interference coming from the cable somewhere if it is buzzy, or it is just a crap cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 I did wonder if it was the cable, so used it to plug a mic into my bass rig and not one bit of hiss or noise. I think that you could be right about it not being balanced though as that seems to be the only difference. [quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1337544150' post='1661789'] What is happening is that the signal from the XLR-XLR cable is "balanced". That is to say, 2 signals have been sent out of phase from the DI to the mixer, which then puts them back in phase. This means you get a louder signal, and most of the noise picked up by the cable is cancelled out. Sounds as if there is a lot of interference coming from the cable somewhere if it is buzzy, or it is just a crap cable. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightSix Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 The XLR-XLR cable is balanced as EH says but the XLR-Jack cable is unbalanced so it is introducing noise. There's your answer. If you have a balanced output, you should always use a balanced input where possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Cool at least I know now. OBBM can make me up a balanced one so will get that next week and should solve the problem. [quote name='StraightSix' timestamp='1337544389' post='1661797'] The XLR-XLR cable is balanced as EH says but the XLR-Jack cable is unbalanced so it is introducing noise. There's your answer. If you have a balanced output, you should always use a balanced input where possible. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightSix Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I thought you said you tried an XLR-XLR cable and it was quiet so I guessed you already had one...? Also, IMHO an XLR-Jack cable is not a 'standard' mic cable - almost all modern decent mics should be low impedance so XLR-XLR cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Yes I did. I have an xlr to xlr cable that goes into the desk but the input for the IEM system is jack only so thought that a mic cable would work being xlr to jack. I was obviously wrong! [quote name='StraightSix' timestamp='1337545314' post='1661821'] I thought you said you tried an XLR-XLR cable and it was quiet so I guessed you already had one...? Also, IMHO an XLR-Jack cable is not a 'standard' mic cable - almost all modern decent mics should be low impedance so XLR-XLR cable. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 XLR to TRSjack is balanced too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='StraightSix' timestamp='1337545314' post='1661821'] I thought you said you tried an XLR-XLR cable and it was quiet so I guessed you already had one...? [/quote] No, he said the XLR to jack cable was too quiet. [quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1337854821' post='1666333'] XLR to TRSjack is balanced too [/quote] Certainly is. Hence BigRedX's question about it being a mono or stereo jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Turns out that the IEM transmitter actually has dual jack/xlr inputs and I didn't realise! Hoping to try the xlr cable this weekend and see if it sounds better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'll attempt a simple explanation though it is probably better with some drawings to explain. We are surrounded by electro magnetic fields from just about every electrical gadget around us. Any conductor in a magnetic field will act as an aerial and pick up some of that energy as electricity. In an audio cable this comes out as noise, it is only a tiny voltage but so is the voltage a mic' produces. In a 'balanced' (three pin) cable there are two signal wires and an earth. The cables are wired up so the signal goes in opposite directions down the cables but the electromagnetic noise will be at the same volume and the same direction in both cables. In the amp they are combined so that the noise cancels out but the signal doesn't. A mono jack can't do this as it only has one connection and an earth. If the signal has been through an amp then it will be much bigger. The noise will be the same. It is still there but swamped by the signal so you can safely use a mono jack (or an unbalanced cable) for these connections like the ones to your IEM's The balanced XLR's will be quieter but you might not notice much difference, Always use XLR (balanced) connectors if you can, they are never really wrong but don't worry too much if you know there is a good strong signal in an unbalanced lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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