using a Stereo cable to connect monitors

[astralprojection]

Hi.

 

Is it possible to use a balanced XLR male -> TELE male with stereo; to use in place of one that is mono?

 

Im worried the extra channel on the plug will somehow cause issues and perhaps short or in other ways disturb the signal.

 

Thanks!

[Paul Eye]

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to do here. What's the input on your monitors and what's the output on whatever it is that's on the other end?

But if you mean a cable with XLR (which is balanced) on one end and a 6,3mm "stereo" (as in, also balanced) plug on the other, this is how it should be done.

[astralprojection]

Hi!

The monitors have both XLR and TELE (6,3mm) inputs, both of which are balanced.

 

The cable im looking at has a stereo tele jack, instead of a mono one.

And im wondering wether or not its ok to use that cable even though its stereo.

 

Considering its intended to use a mono cable for each speaker.

Would using a stereo cable cause issues.

 

Hope thats clearer

[Paul Eye]

If you have a balanced output on whatever you're connectiong the monitors to, then yes, the 6,3mm stereo (aka balanced) plug/jack is what you should use.

[Paul Eye]

I'm just wondering why you have an XLR male on the other end. Usually you connect an XLR female plug to an output.

Unless of course you use the XLR as an input to the monitors, then there's nothing unusual about it.

 

Note to self: stop posting when dead tired and with brain function close to zero

Edited February 8, 2016 by Paul Eye

[astralprojection]

im sorry, i confused myself.

the xlr on the speaker is ofc female.

 

the cable is male.

 

so using a stereo cable instead of a mono cable should be fine then?

i.e two stereo cables - one for L and one for R.

instead of two mono cables which is intended.

 

the soundcard obviously has a L and R output both are balansed tele, female.

 

just wondering, like i said if its ok to use a stereo cable instead of a mono cable.

[Paul Eye]

i.e two stereo cables - one for L and one for R.

...

the soundcard obviously has a L and R output both are balansed tele, female.

Yes, absolutely correct. The "stereo" cables/plugs/jacks* you're referring to are also known as "balanced" and is what you should use as your I/O is balanced

 

*and XLR is balanced by definition

[astralprojection]

yeah but,

 

ok now im confused.

lets forget the terminology for a moment, and look at the two options here.

 

a stereo cable and a mono cable.

The mono cable is intended as the output is mono.

i.e there are two outputs. Not one - as for example on a pc motherboard sound interface or any and all laptops.

 

Then - you should of course use a stereo cable if you want both channels.

 

But in this case - where there is one output for left, and one for right - its intended to use two mono cables.

 

using a stereo cable would be a "waste" so to speak, considering there is only one channel per output - and not two - like the aforementioned example.

 

 

 

So would it be ok to use a stereo cable in that scenario, or would the extra unused channel on the cable - i.e the extra circle on the jack - cause issues.

[Paul Eye]

No, the other "channel" in the cable doesn't go to waste. I put that in quotes as it's not another channel per se, but that one channel/signal runs in parallel with the other polarity inverted (for interference/noise reduction purposes, to simplify the matter). Trust me on this one, the cable you have is what you should use.

Balanced audio on Wikipedia if you want further reading.

[astralprojection]

but im still not convinced. i dont doubt you or question you so dont get me wrong.

im just trying to fully understand and make sure i am fully explaining myself correctly.

 

But if the ouput is mono why would you want to use a stereo cable?

Also, how can the other channel run in parallell if the input is mono?

 

i think im understanding the concept but im still confused, which may or may not be my own doing

But logic says, if the ouput is mono - then the cable should be mono.

 

if the output is stereo then of course youd want a stereo cable.

 

so to your logic, and again im being completely honest in my confusion: what "would happen" if i used a mono cable when you say a stereo cable is intended?

 

edit: btw, i asked about a cable that was mono and it was a XLR - TELE cable and he said that cable was unbalanced, and im confused how a XLR cable can be unbalanced if you say they are not by defintion since its xlr.

 

damn this is probably alot more confusing than it needs to be and i blame myself fully, of course.

[Paul Eye]

Also, how can the other channel run in parallell if the input is mono?

It's not the "other" channel, it's the same. You plug you "stereo" jack (which in this configuration isn't actually "stereo" but "balanced") into the L output of your soundcard and it feeds the L channel into both wires in the cable. Read the Wikipedia article and especially the "Interference redustion" section for a better explanation than what I could give

[astralprojection]

yeah i buy that and all that technical stuff, but i guess i cant wrap around the fact that you should use a stereo cable on a mono source, when there are mono cables that would do the same thing.

and for me mono means one channel, stereo means two, and i dont wanna use the word balanced or unbalanced as i dont fully understand what it means - other than the fact that it will either have the same impendance throughout- or not, and i didnt think it had anything to do with a cable being stereo or mono.

 

i think im getting it though.

and if so, i learned something brand new today and i thank you for it

 

i would have never guessed to use a stereo cable for L, and another stereo cable for R.

well, i might have used it but i would always think if it would cause issues, which of course led to my question in the first place.

 

but just to put an end to the discussion and make a final saying in the matter :

 

for both the left and the right outputs on my soundcard - and obviously then also for both inputs on the speakers - I should use a stereo cable for L and one for R - and NOT mono cables?

[Paul Eye]

so to your logic, and again im being completely honest in my confusion: what "would happen" if i used a mono cable when you say a stereo cable is intended?

 

edit: btw, i asked about a cable that was mono and it was a XLR - TELE cable and he said that cable was unbalanced, and im confused how a XLR cable can be unbalanced if you say they are not by defintion since its xlr.

 

damn this is probably alot more confusing than it needs to be and i blame myself fully, of course.

Yeah I can understand why it can get a bit confusing

And of course you can mix balanced/unbalanced plugs on a cable, like an XLR -> RCA (as RCA is unbalanced, definitely by definition) but you're leaving the interference cancelling "cold" (polarity inverted) signal unwired in a cable like this (this is where my expertise is a bit lacking though but that's the principle). In home use it shouldn't really be a problem so nothing bad should happen (at most, some interference noise, if at all). Of course just out of good practice it's good to use balanced cables when your I/O is balanced.

[astralprojection]

Yeah I can understand why it can get a bit confusing

And of course you can mix balanced/unbalanced plugs on a cable, like an XLR -> RCA (as RCA is unbalanced, definitely by definition) but you're leaving the interference cancelling "cold" (polarity inverted) signal unwired in a cable like this (this is where my expertise is a bit lacking though but that's the principle). In home use it shouldn't really be a problem so nothing bad should happen (at most, some interference noise, if at all). Of course just out of good practice it's good to use balanced cables when your I/O is balanced.

yes that made perfect sense. I just didnt think that the fact that the cable was mono or stereo had anything to do with the cable being balansed or not.

[Paul Eye]

I think that some confusion might be caused because on headphones, the stereo plug/cable actually is stereo (as it runs 2 signals). On a headphone cable the signals are L and R (not the same signal) and on a balanced cable the signals are Hot and Cold (the same signal). Same cable (basically), 2 different uses

[astralprojection]

i thought hot and cold was referring to which channel was the live one. well perhaps that is what you said

 

But just to end it; you are positive that i should in fact use two stereo cables and not two mono cables? I just want an absolute, on that

[Paul Eye]

But just to end it; you are positive that i should in fact use two stereo cables and not two mono cables? I just want an absolute, on that

Yes.

[astralprojection]

great, then i thank you for the new knowledge!

my curiosity though, must ask, what if i used mono cables - balanced ones - if they even exist - would/could happen? and this is of course just for my own curiosity.

and the followup would be - are there balanced XLR/TELE cables that is mono? microphones are usually mono arent they? so they are exclusively for microphones then, i assume, and not for connecting monitors to an interface.

 

edit: i think i got it - so for a cable to be balanced , with xlr on one end, it would HAVE to be stereo or it couldnt be balanced?

[Paul Eye]

edit: i think i got it - so for a cable to be balanced , with xlr on one end, it would HAVE to be stereo or it couldnt be balanced?

It actually needs a TRS ("stereo") and/or XLR plug in both ends to be balanced. There's no such thing as a balanced "mono" cable because the entire idea of a balanced cable is to have 2 identical signals (one of them polarity inverted) running in parallel With a "mono" cable such as an RCA you only have one signal running in the cable.

Ans yes, microphones are usually mono, but they use the same balanced cable as you use between your audio interface/soundcard and monitors; TRS and/or XLR plugs, as far as the signal is concerned, the plug doesn't matter. So for all purposes the balanced cable you use between your balanced sound output and your monitors, and the one you use on an ordinary micrphone is exactly the same.

 

You should probably just drop the "stereo" way of thinking (unless used in an explicitly stero application such as headphones) and just stick to the balanced/unbalanced distinction

[astralprojection]

i get it now i think.

but what are the mono cables used for? the xlr trs mono cable for example.

I learned that it is not balanced but im wondering what its purpose is. possibly electric guitars and a small amp?

it doesnt matter though and i know what cable to get now, and it also makes alot of sense what balanced actually is.

[Purple Sunray]

but what are the mono cables used for? the xlr trs mono cable for example.

TRS mono cable?

TRS = Tip/Ring/Sleeve. So this connector has 2 signal lines (Tip and Ring) and ground (sleeve).

I think you mean TS (Tip/Sleeve) which only has 1 signal and ground.

It is used for all kind of mono signals.

Mics, (dual-)mono amps with unbalanced in (they use cinch not TS or XLR most of the time thou), effect pedals, ect.

[astralprojection]

I meant tele. The 6mm jack.

 

and yeah I can see the usage for an unbalanced mono cable I guess - although it would seem better to use a balanced cable instead, for all those purposes.

and if not - ive still to know why that is.

[Purple Sunray]

and yeah I can see the usage for an unbalanced mono cable I guess - although it would seem better to use a balanced cable instead, for all those purposes.

and if not - ive still to know why that is.

Well - you can use stereo/balanced cables, but you don't have to.

If you put a TRS jack into a TS (mono) plug, wire connected to tip will receive signal, wires on ring and sleeve will be on ground.

So if you put a TRS jack to TS (mono) plug, it will work (1 wire has signal, 2 are on ground).

If they would design their mono devices to require 3 wires, you HAVE to use stereo/balance cables - won't work otherwise (or with half volume like if you pipe you balance signal into an unbalanced in).

If they design their mono devices to require only 2 wires, can you use mono and stereo cables (having more wires than required is no issue, but vice versa it is )

[astralprojection]

thank you both paul and purple.

i feel confident enough now to also be able to share my newfound knowledge on the subject

[Starkraver]

Got it