Choosing the Right Cables and Plugs For your Consoles and Systems Got the guitar tuned, the microphones checked, the speakers ready, vocal chords strengthened and the band all pumped up to perform. What you missed out on are the connectors and the cables that go along.
This can happen with a lot of artists – bands, singers, DJs - and can ruin a perfectly amazing performance. A slight difference in the type of cable can make your music look like noise. The right cable , the right adapter and the right plug matter as much as the right tuning of your instrument. First it's important to know what kind of cables are there so that it's easier for you to figure out what you really want. Let's start with the distinctions. That buzzing noise that comes from a speaker when a mobile phone is kept near it is due to the magnetic field around them which interface with each other. This is an excellent example that explains an unbalanced signal. Unbalanced cables have two wires, one carrying the signal and the other is the ground line. There is nothing wrong with unbalanced cables and they are totally acceptable normally. But for professional purposes, if you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of your audience, you better choose the balanced one. Now, a balanced cable unlike the unbalanced one has three wires instead of two. Two of these carry signal and the third one is the earth wire. That buzzing noise that comes from a speaker when a mobile phone is kept near it is due to the magnetic field around them which interface with each other. This is an excellent example that explains an unbalanced signal. Unbalanced cables have two wires, one carrying the signal and the other is the ground line. There is nothing wrong with unbalanced cables and they are totally acceptable normally. But for professional purposes, if you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of your audience, you better choose the balanced one. Now, a balanced cable unlike the unbalanced one has three wires instead of two. Two of these carry signal and the third one is the earth wire. They are preferred in the professional setup because of the lack of susceptibility to interface.