Audio Cables and Audio Cables and ConnectorsConnectors

Common Audio CablesCommon Audio Cables

Balanced: Have two conductors and a Balanced: Have two conductors and a shield or ground. Used for low impedance shield or ground. Used for low impedance - balanced circuits (+4 dBu)- balanced circuits (+4 dBu)

Unbalanced: Have one conductor and a Unbalanced: Have one conductor and a shield. Used for high impedance shield. Used for high impedance unbalanced, or -10 dBV signalsunbalanced, or -10 dBV signals

Speaker wire: 2 conductors and no shieldSpeaker wire: 2 conductors and no shield

A Balanced LineA Balanced Line

An Unbalanced LineAn Unbalanced Line

Speaker WireSpeaker Wire

3 Electrical Characteristics of 3 Electrical Characteristics of WireWire

Resistance/ Impedance: Will decrease the Resistance/ Impedance: Will decrease the audio signal level audio signal level

Capacitance: Will roll off high frequenciesCapacitance: Will roll off high frequencies Inductance: Will alter the frequencies of Inductance: Will alter the frequencies of

the signal in various ways the signal in various ways

Specs for quality wireSpecs for quality wire

Resistance/ Impedance: Less than 100 Resistance/ Impedance: Less than 100 ohms per 1000 feetohms per 1000 feet

Capacitance: Under 100 Pico farads per Capacitance: Under 100 Pico farads per footfoot

Inductance: Depends on how the wire lays Inductance: Depends on how the wire lays - coiled wire has more inductance than - coiled wire has more inductance than uncoiled wire uncoiled wire

Wire GaugeWire Gauge

The diameter of wire is measured in The diameter of wire is measured in gauges gauges

The smaller the gauge - the bigger the The smaller the gauge - the bigger the diameterdiameter

Audio cables are typically 20 - 22 gaugeAudio cables are typically 20 - 22 gauge Speaker cables can be from 18 and down Speaker cables can be from 18 and down

depending on the system depending on the system

Comparison of Balanced/ Comparison of Balanced/ Unbalanced LinesUnbalanced Lines

BalancedBalanced UnbalancedUnbalanced

Fairly insensitive to Fairly insensitive to electrostatic noise/ RF electrostatic noise/ RF interferenceinterference

Very sensitive to Very sensitive to electrostatic noiseelectrostatic noise

Can be used in lengths Can be used in lengths from 25 - 300 feetfrom 25 - 300 feet

At lengths greater than At lengths greater than 25’, much of the high 25’, much of the high frequencies in the signal frequencies in the signal start to disappearstart to disappear

XLR, TRS ConnectorsXLR, TRS Connectors TS, RCA ConnectorsTS, RCA Connectors

Used for low Used for low mics, pro mics, pro line level gearline level gear

Used for high Used for high mics, line mics, line level instruments, level instruments, consumer or semi-pro consumer or semi-pro geargear

Guidelines for Speaker CableGuidelines for Speaker Cable If you are driving an audio system outputting under 500 If you are driving an audio system outputting under 500

watts RMS, and your speaker wire runs are under 100 watts RMS, and your speaker wire runs are under 100 feet, use 18 gauge speaker cablefeet, use 18 gauge speaker cable ･･

If you are under 500 watts RMS and greater than 100 If you are under 500 watts RMS and greater than 100 feet, but under 250 feet of wire, use 16 gauge speaker feet, but under 250 feet of wire, use 16 gauge speaker cablecable ･ ･

If you are between 500 and 2000 watts RMS and under If you are between 500 and 2000 watts RMS and under 100 feet of speaker wire runs, use 16 gauge speaker 100 feet of speaker wire runs, use 16 gauge speaker cablecable ･･

If you are between 500 and 2000 watts RMS and and If you are between 500 and 2000 watts RMS and and greater than 100 feet, but under 250 feet of speaker wire greater than 100 feet, but under 250 feet of speaker wire runs, use 14 gauge speaker cableruns, use 14 gauge speaker cable ･･

If in excess of 2000 watts, you should refer to the If in excess of 2000 watts, you should refer to the documentation associated with your PA system power documentation associated with your PA system power amplifiers and use what they recommendamplifiers and use what they recommend..

Balanced (TRS) 1/4” Balanced (TRS) 1/4” ConnectorsConnectors

T = Tip R = Ring S = SleeveT = Tip R = Ring S = Sleeve

Balanced XLR (Mic) Balanced XLR (Mic) ConnectorsConnectors

Male XLRMale XLR

Female XLRFemale XLR

Unbalanced (TS)1/4” Unbalanced (TS)1/4” ConnectorsConnectors

Sometimes called an instrument or guitar cableSometimes called an instrument or guitar cable

Unbalanced RCA ConnectorsUnbalanced RCA Connectors

Common Speaker ConnectorCommon Speaker Connectorfound in Studiosfound in Studios

Balanced Multi-pin CableBalanced Multi-pin Cable

•Used to connect 2 or more channels of audio on a single connector. •Commonly found on recording console I/O,DAW interface I/O, audio patchbays, as well as multi track tape machines.•Used in conjunction with multi channel audio connectors.

Balanced Multi-pin Balanced Multi-pin ConnectorsConnectors

ELCOELCO

Balanced Multi-pin Balanced Multi-pin ConnectorsConnectors

D-SUBD-SUB

Balanced Multi-pin Balanced Multi-pin ConnectorsConnectors

DLDL

Audio PatchbaysAudio Patchbays

Each patch point is electrically balanced. Front panel switches make it easy to change between full, half and non-normalled connections.

Most pro audio studios use TT (tiny telephone) patchbays.

Punch style patchbay by ADCPunch style patchbay by ADC

Patchbay with soldered Patchbay with soldered connectionsconnections