Re: need help choosing between line level cables

"Don Pearce" <nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:480497bb.538411812@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:52:51 -0400, "Arny Krueger" <arnyk@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
>>"Eeyore" <rabbitsfriendsandrelations@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
>>message news:4804960C.2046F6A0@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>>> Balanced wiring only gives you an advantage if the
>>> equipment is balanced. With clever wiring it's only
>>> actually necessary for either the 'sending' or
>>> 'receiving' equipment to have a balanced input or ouput
>>> but you need to know what you're doing in this case.
>>
>>I know the strong advantage that balanced inputs give, but what
advantage 
>>do
>>you get from an electronically-balanced output driving an unbalanced 
>>input?
>>
>
> Provided you have an appropriate balun, like a transformer at the
> input, you get all of the advantages.
>
> d
>
> -- 
>
> d

Yes but then you're driving a balanced input aren't you ;-)  If you have
an 
electronically balanced output (hence usually but not always referred to 
ground) driving an unbalanced input, I can't see what real benefit you
will 
get however clever you are with wiring. What you use a balanced system for

is to get rid of common-mode noise, usually in the form of hum, but also 
higher frequencies. Unbalancing at the receiving end will remove the 
common-mode rejection.

If I were doing what the OP is doing, I would wire my house with CAT5/6 
cable which is really cheap these days, then use equipment with balanced 
I/O.  As already mentioned, CAT5/6 can carry 4 balanced audio signals, so 
you either get 2 stereos or a send and return stereo pair in each cable. 
Crosstalk isn't an issue with balanced operation. If suitable balanced 
equipment isn't available, then there are some alternatives. Transformers 
are definitely one, and they have the advantage of fully-floating
operation 
and galvanic insulation. However, good transformers are expensive,
although 
it's not necessary these days to have transformers which will drive 600
ohm 
lines, 10k-10k transformers are somewhat cheaper. Other alternatives are
to 
get some pro units like the Henry Matchbox which lists at $225 for a 
bi-directional interface, therefore equivalent to 4 transformers.  I would

guess that the street price for the Matchbox is under $200 and as these 
things don't wear out, it may be possible to buy these on EBay for half
that 
price.

Whatever way you do it, I would not even think about using unbalanced
wiring 
however well screened, as once incor****ated in the house, it can't be 
changed.


S.
-- 
http://audiopages.googlepages.com