Balanced or unbalanced...

[RochaCullen]

Is there any advantage in using balanced cable when making RCA terminated interconnect cable??

[Barry]

Is there any advantage in using balanced cable when making RCA terminated interconnect cable??

No, not really. All you are doing is using one of the conductors of the screened twisted pair as the signal return. The screen, or shielding, needs to be connected to the outer part of the RCA connector at one end only. This makes the cable directional, as the common connection needs to be made at the point of lowest electrical potential. This is often at the source end, but not always - you will need to experiment.

Using a twisted pair configuration is likely to increase the capacitance of the interconnect, but this can be lessened if a twin screened cable is used (having a 'figure of eight' , or so called 'shotgun' cross-section). In this, the inner core of each is used for the two signal paths and the screens of each are connected together, again to the RCA outer at one end only.

Regards

[RochaCullen]

Hey Barry,

So your impression is that there is not really any benefit to using a balanced cable to form an interconnect over an unbalanced cable.

Well if that is the case it will save me a lot of cash, in constructing a new set of cables!!!

:cool:

I am thinking of buying some Furutech alpha cable which comes in two common varieties, common on ebay that is:

Alpha balanced: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120758853802?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Alpha unbalanced: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120758853715?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Nathan


No, not really. All you are doing is using one of the conductors of the screened twisted pair as the signal return. The screen, or shielding, needs to be connected to the outer part of the RCA connector at one end only. This makes the cable directional, as the common connection needs to be made at the point of lowest electrical potential. This is often at the source end, but not always - you will need to experiment.

Using a twisted pair configuration is likely to increase the capacitance of the interconnect, but this can be lessened if a twin screened cable is used (having a 'figure of eight' , or so called 'shotgun' cross-section). In this, the inner core of each is used for the two signal paths and the screens of each are connected together, again at to the RCA outer at one end only.

Regards

[Barry]

Hi Nathan,

You might have misuderstood me. I genuinely believe that true balanced line operation has significant benefits, but only if the items being connected have balanced line inputs and outputs.

When it comes to unbalanced interconnects, such as supported by the RCA connector interface, then I see absolutely no advantage in going for the so-called semi-balanced approach which I described. Others may disagree, but I would prefer to use ordinary coaxial cable, and do.

Both the Furutech cables you quote are perfectly satisfactory, but you could do just as well for less by choosing one of the Van Damme products. Don't believe all that Furutech "technobabble"!

Regards

[Reid Malenfant]

<snip> I genuinely believe that true balanced line operation has significant benefits, but only if the items being connected have balanced line inputs and outputs.

When it comes to unbalanced interconnects, such as supported by the RCA connector interface, then I see absolutely no advantage in going for the so-called semi-balanced approach which I described. Others may disagree, but I would prefer to use ordinary coaxial cable, and do.
I'm with Barry on this :) +1

[Spectral Morn]

I'm with Barry on this :) +1

Me too, though I would add that the circuits need to be dual differential as well i.e separate left and right channels as XLR ins and outs don't A make it balanced and B does not usually (though in a few cases it does) add much to the sound over RCAs.




Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Both the Furutech cables you quote are perfectly satisfactory, but you could do just as well for less by choosing one of the Van Damme products. Don't believe all that Furutech "technobabble"!


Good advice, matey. However, "technobabble" aside, in my experience Furutech products continually deliver, in terms of offering superb sonic performance. So whatever the "technobabble" claims, to my ears, seems to work very well indeed, which is why my system is full of Furutech products ;)

They're not cheap, but they are extremely effective!

Marco.

[hifi_dave]

True balanced requires a separate amp for the pos and neg of each channel, which is very expensive and difficult to implement properly. When done properly, it does sound better than unbalanced.

[Barry]

Good advice, matey. However, "technobabble" aside, in my experience Furutech products continually deliver, in terms of offering superb sonic performance. So whatever the "technobabble" claims, to my ears, seems to work very well indeed, which is why my system is full of Furutech products ;)

They're not cheap, but they are extremely effective!

Marco.

Hi Marco

Oh I don't deny Furutech make good products, it's just I think them overpriced.

Or maybe I'm too much of a skinflint to fork out the dosh? :scratch:

Regards

[Marco]

Lol - perhaps.... Well, I've roughly totalled up the value of the Furutech items in my system, and it comes to just over £2.8k. And most of those are just plugs and sockets! :eek:

Marco.

[RochaCullen]

I managed to find a cheaper alternative that has a very very good spec, Neotech. Neotech cables are stocked and sold by a canadian company that I have used a few times called take five audio: http://www.takefiveaudio.com/

Some of the DIY things they sell on that site are very good value compared with local distributers.

I will be buying the RCA plugs a little closer to home.

Nathan


Hi Nathan,

You might have misuderstood me. I genuinely believe that true balanced line operation has significant benefits, but only if the items being connected have balanced line inputs and outputs.

When it comes to unbalanced interconnects, such as supported by the RCA connector interface, then I see absolutely no advantage in going for the so-called semi-balanced approach which I described. Others may disagree, but I would prefer to use ordinary coaxial cable, and do.

Both the Furutech cables you quote are perfectly satisfactory, but you could do just as well for less by choosing one of the Van Damme products. Don't believe all that Furutech "technobabble"!

Regards