When cables make an audible difference!

[Codmate]

OK - I'm not generally a 'believer' when it comes to exotic cables, so I'm not even going to go there

However, I just made a *really* audible difference to my PC set-up by changing some leads over.

My set-up is a Delta66, going to OmniStudio b/o box, going to WharfeDale Diamond 8.2 active monitors.

Previously I was using some 3 meter standard 1/4" jack -> jack connectors (guitar leads basically). Good leads too - one Planet Waves and one Piranha.

Today I replaced them with cheaper - but shorter cables, with different connectors. I'm now using two times 2 meter Lynx Professional 1/4" jack to XLR cables. They are very well shielded, and now of course I'm going into the XLR inputs of my speakers.
I simply can't believe the difference. The sound stage has opened right up, and the low-mids, which were a bit boomy before, have calmed right down
Clarity and transparency are now words I can use about these speakers - where before I was wondering whether I liked them or not (they are still breaking in as they are quite new).

Maybe it's the fact I'm using XLR now, which is a better connector, maybe it's the shorter cables providing less resistance, maybe it's the thick shielding (although this has more to do with rejecting RF I guess). Maybe a combination of all the above.

The moral is, if you have XLR connections on your gear - use them! Oh yeah - and shorten all your cables if possible. I've made quite a difference to systems by doing this in the past. Just not usually quite as large as today!

 

[Dr.EM]

It probably is mostly to do with the XLR since most equiptment which has XLR available expects you to use it, so it probably has better circuitry with it. Hard to tell without knowing the exact equiptment, but its good you have an improved sound now

 

[Caged]

You've gone from unbalanced to balanced, it's got nothing to do with the cable quality.

Edit: If that's just a 2 conductor 1/4" then you still aren't balanced. What's the 1/4" going in to? Are there any cable runs now which are XLR > XLR?

 

[Codmate]

I'm using one of these:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan01/articles/maudio.asp

I think it's possible to get balanced outs from the b/o box by using stereo TRS 1/4" jack -> XLR (or another stereo TRS 1/4" jack). Mine are mono however, so I don't think I've gone from an unbalanced to a balanced signal - I'm not entirely sure. I think you need hot and cold (i.e. at least two) connections for balanced audio - so I don't think it's possible with a mono 1/4" to XLR, although It could be done with a stereo 1/4" to XLR I guess. I'm not entirely sure TBH!

Besides - I thought balanced audio only really made a difference over long cable-runs anyway?

I have shortened cables in the past by just 1 meter and had it make a huge difference. Bear in mind that, since the speakers are active, these are the only cables involved in the whole monitoring system (other than the connector from the Delta66 to the OmniStudio). Mabe this is why I've noticed a major difference - or maybe my guitar leads have a significantly higher resistance.

I'm quite tempted to get some other types of cable to experiment. Since the speakers are the same it should be easy to blind A/B and find out what exactly is making it sound better and to what extent.

I must solve this cable mystery (and improve my knowledge of cables and balanced audio)!

 

[Caged]

I can't get that link to load up (probably my fault) but if the card support 1/4" TRS output then getting a cable made up with the 1/4" one end and XLR the other will mean you have balanced audio throughout the whole chain.

Balanced generally only matters over a long distance, because it prevents any interference picked up messing with the audio signal, but if it's available I always use it.

 

[Dr.EM]

If you have a mono on one end then it can't be balanced at the moment. As mentioned, if the 1/4" output is balanced, using a balanced 1/4" to XLR would give you a fully balanced connection (ie, the 1/4" will have 3 bands on it). I also can't get that link to load btw.

Usually though, the balanced input uses better circuitry and this probably why your noticing the difference. In fact, on some equiptment, the balanced input is specified at 6db more sensitive than the unbalanced. Did you notice an increase in volume by changing over?

 

[Codmate]

If you have a mono on one end then it can't be balanced at the moment. As mentioned, if the 1/4" output is balanced, using a balanced 1/4" to XLR would give you a fully balanced connection (ie, the 1/4" will have 3 bands on it). I also can't get that link to load btw.

Usually though, the balanced input uses better circuitry and this probably why your noticing the difference. In fact, on some equiptment, the balanced input is specified at 6db more sensitive than the unbalanced. Did you notice an increase in volume by changing over?

Yes - I did notice some change in volume, and 6db would be about right!

I'm gonna get me some stereo 1/4" -> XLR connectors and see if my OmniStudio b/o box supports them. I may even attempt to dig out the manual!

Thanks for the advice - I'm always keen to find out about areas I don't know a great deal about, and balanced audio is one of them!

If I can get rid of some more background noise - that would be great!