Hello all music lovers I am Lamont (Renton07) and I am here in the lovely weather of Casselberry Florida. I am going through the Introduction to Music Production course on Coursera (which is awesome) and this is my first Assignment.
I have learned so much in just one week and realize this class will be even more fulfilling than I have imagined. I decided I wanted to discuss the different cables that are being used currently in music recording and production. As technology changes I am sure these cords will continue to evolve.
I will break down the most commonly used cables and describe some of the benefits and options that will provide the best recorded and produced sounds for every user. When it comes to cables by the best. Cheap cables can produce unwanted noise in your recorded sound. Also, the more the cables are moved from one instrument to another or plugged in and out of your components, the more likely they will be to become damaged and need to be replaced.
TS (tip and sleeve) cable
TS cables also known as 1/4 inch cables or Instrument cables are the cables that will connect your instruments to your other components including pre-amps, amplifiers, and recorders. TS cables are single conductor cables. The tip conducts the single signal and the sleeve (ground) is used to help prevent outside noise or interference. This cable should be used in short lengths to prevent noise interference. This cable carries an unbalanced signal.
TRS (tip ring and sleeve) cable
TRS cable is very similar to the TS cable in size and shape but is a two conductor cable and is better constructed to stand up to outside noise. The TRS cable has a tip (hot) ring (cold) and sleeve (ground) section. The TRS cable can be used in two ways, as a stereo cable that transmits two signals (ex. headphones) or as a single conductor cable configured to cancel out noise on the signal. As stereo cable the TRS cable is unbalanced. When the cabled is used as a single conductor cable it is balanced. TRS cables can still experience some noise on the signal.
XLR Cable
The XLR Cable has 3 parts similar to a TRS cable but unlike a TRS cable can only be used in a balanced configuration. The cable defends against outside noise for much longer lengths than a standard TS cable. This cable has both a male and female end and can be used to connect microphones to other components. The XLR cable is used also for some lighting configurations, comes with pin configurations that can include between 3 and 7 pins and can transmit phantom power to condenser microphones.
Direct Box
In some stage or studio setups it may be necessary to have a longer connection from instrument to component or amplifier. Since the instrument cable is more vulnerable to outside noise and the XLR cable can cancel out outside noise at a longer distance, a Direct Box can be used to connect the two cables. The direct box is a great way to convert an unbalanced line to a balanced line. It also usually can provide an additional parallel output to allow for another 1/4 cable to connect to another component. The Direct box is inexpensive and can provide a big value to your setup.
1/8 inch cable
Some component require a 1/8 inch cable for connection. This cable is virtually the same design as the TRS cable just in a smaller fashion. There are adapters that can be purchased to got from 1/8 size to the 1/4 size lead.
RCA cable
RCA cables should be used with caution. They are generally designed for consumer electronics and may not be able to handle the +4 line level of the professional studio equiptment. They are very similar to TS cables in that they have a conductor and a sleeve and are unbalanced.
MIDI cable
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) cable has a 180 degree shaped 5 pin connector and is used to connect instruments to digital recorders or computers. Digital data is then transferred to and from the instrument over the cable for recording or playback. The MIDI cable only uses 3 of the 5 pins to transmit data. It uses pins 4 and 5 for data transfer and pin 2 as a ground. In some cases the 1 and 3 pin can be used to transmit some phantom power. The cable should be used in lengths less than 20 ft to avoid data loss or separation.
There are several other cables that may be used in studio or stage setups but the listed above are the most popular. Newer technology will someday make some of the cables unnecessary. Wireless technology is improving and better constructed cables will be produced to provide clearer sounds over greater distances. Until that time we can use the many options above to connect our instruments and create crisp clean sounds and music.
Citations-
"What Is a MIDI Cable? ." [Online] 5 February 2014. .
"XLR connector." [Online] 5 February 2014. .
anonymous. "TS & TRS connectors explained." [Online] 5 February 2012. .
No comments:
Post a Comment