TRS > XLR Balanced VS TRS > RCA Balanced to Unbalanced (Volume drop)

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
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1

TRS > XLR Balanced VS TRS > RCA Balanced to Unbalanced (Volume drop)

Hi All,

Here’s the scenario.

Previously running 2 x KRK Rokit 6’s from my NI Komplete Audio 6 with the following cable connections.

Balanced TRS output on the Audio 6 > Unbalanced RCA on the KRK’s (I was using an RCA cable with a TRS jack on the end plugged into the Audio 6, with the RCA end plugged into the KRK)

Received 2 TRS > XLR cables today & switched to them

Now running with the following:

Balanced TRS output on the Audio 6 > Balanced XLR input on the KRK.

I’m noticing a considerable amount of volume LOSS when using the TRS > XLR, purely by switching the cables.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Much appreciated.

J

2

No idea. How much of a volume loss are you talking about?

I would just readjust the attenuators on each speaker, could just be the way the circuit on the krk amp is. unless it’s really quiet. if you have a regular 1/4" trs cable you can try that and it should be exactly the same as using the 1/4" to xlr.

3

Your previous cable most likely wasn’t TRS. Look at the end on the, bet there’s only one black or white line just at the seam off the tip. A TRS would have two lines, one at the same seam and another slightly up the sleeve. Additionally do you only have the XLR plugged into the KRK’s?

4

I have to turn the volume knob UP on my audio interface over a quarter to match the previous volume.

Strange as I thought the circuit would have been exactly the same.

Thanks for the advice :slight_smile:

5

The previous cable was an RCA cable. Plugged into the RCA unbalanced input on the KRK, with the other end plugged into the balanced output on the Audio 6 (With a RCA > TRS adapter)

Does it make a difference having Balanced > Balanced Vs Balanced > Unbalanced?

6

RCA is NEVER balanced.

once you got to the RCA input you are unbalanced.

7

What ^ said. The adapter you used may have summed both channels of audio (don’t think Left/Right) and sent a hotter signal than desired, now you think the true balanced line is quite.

8

Wasn’t saying RCA is balanced. I’m wandering if it makes a difference in the way they have been routed?

Balanced TRS output > Unbalanced RCA input connection (Via an RCA cable with a TRS adapter on the RCA output end)

9

Cool. So there’s a possibility I’m now hearing the true audio by using the correct cables.

Nice to know!

Cheers.

10

+1

11

http://www.rane.com/note110.html

The good peold at Rane have made this gem.

12

You can’t “sum” the two outputs of a balanced connection, since you’ll end up with 0 signal.

I’m guessing that the RCA and XLR sockets of your speakers are simply designed with the output power of your sound device in mind. Things with XLR outputs generally put out a much hotter signal than those with RCA.