Balanced Audio Cable

[Rickster71]

I'm going to get some Balanced Audio Cables, and was looking at the
Blue Jeans site.
I know the connector I need, but I need help understanding which, one of the Cables is better?
They offer two different types.
The first is Belden 1800F Balanced Audio Cable
(AES/EBU, low-capacitance, high-flex cable)
The second is Canare L-4E6S Star Quad Balanced Audio Cable
(Higher noise rejection, but with higher capacitance)
I'll be getting 3 or 4 foot lengths, so is the second one overkill?
THANKS very much for any help.
Rick

 

[mr-ben]

I can't answer your question, but why not call them and ask the experts?

 

[jcPanny]

Balanced connection

Rick,
Both are probably overkill for your application and an unbalanced RCA connection would work just as well for the short connections from the pre-amp to the amp. I would pick whichever is cheaper of the Blue Jeans balanced cables.

 

[mnolting]

Balanced Audio cables

I have been doing Pro-Video business for 12 years now. A 3' length for audio does not need to be balanced. However, If the output of the device is balanced and the input of the connecting device is balanced, then use balanced, its just too funky to convert from unbal to bal and then back to unbal again (or vise versa). ANY balanced cable purchased from a A/V dealer will work just fine.

 

[indcrimdefense]

may also want to look at rivercable, at times they offer discounts on shorter lengths of cable. at one time i think they also gave a % discount to audioholics members, at least on certain products, but may want to contact them & see. i have used rivercable for several years now & have been very impressed w/ their products, non snake oil approach, build quality & pricing.

 

[Ampdog]

Rickster 71,

I could not find the specs for the Canare; the 13pF/ft. capacitance for the Belden is extremely low. I also see that these cables are (also) intended for long distance microphone work.

So let me just state in general that this business of inductance and capacitance in audio cable, at least for domestic application, is overrated. Some quite expensive "low capacitance" interconnects actualy have over 100pF/ft. Unless you are using quite a few meters (or if you have a feed - CD or whatever - that has a uselessly high output impedance), neither of these properties will come close to influencing your audio. Especially in loudspeaker cable, these parameters usually come into the picture at over 500 KHz to several MHz - a little high even for the best hi-fi systems! (There are excellent tests reported on this site under Test Reports.)

PS: Long-distance microphone work is a different scenario altogether, so their specs are to be noted in such applications.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...Unless you are using quite a few meters (or if you have a feed - CD or whatever - that has a uselessly high output impedance), .

Yep, some use passive preamps with very high output impedance and variable, and wonder why they alter sound as it cots the HF, at times to 5kHz.

 

[Ampdog]

Indebted to you, Mtrycrafts!!

Of course, I should have included that

Only, as you also seem to wonder......what on earth is a passive pre-amplifier?

Of course, Rickster 71, if you use such a control unit (to use the correct term), i.e. without any transistors/tubes in it, you will have to consult any specs regarding the output impedance (if they give it at all!). Most important.

 

[Rickster71]

Thanks to all that replied.
My reason for getting the new cables: my wife is 'letting me' get
the Emotiva MPS-1 Amp and DMC-1 Preamp/Processor.
It has sockets for balanced audio, so I figured I try them.
Rick