semi-pro PCI snd crd for linux

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Wed, Sep 05, 2007 at 11:49:51AM -0400, Chris Aitken wrote:
> So, you need the specs to know if the port (jack) is stereo, balanced or 
> unbalanced (mono). But is a TRS cable always capable of stereo and 
> balanced signal (depending on whether the port you are plugging into 
> transmits stereo or balanced signal)? Or is there balanced TRS and 
> stereo TRS and never the twain shall meet? In that case, again, I would 
> need to know (specs) whether it was stereo TRS or balanced TRS?

Yes a TRS cable with 3 conductors will carry either a stereo signal or a
balanced audio signal depending on the equipment you connect it to.  So
as long as both pieces of equipment have the same interface the cable
will work.  It won't work connecting a balanced output to a stereo input
since that just doesn't work.

> I guess until I get an answer to that I would be safe as long as any TRS 
> I use I am assured is balanced and any port (jack) I plug it into I am 
> assured is balanced. At least now I understand why you still need L and 
> R ports for balanced. It's because L and R are carrying their respective 
> parts of the stereo whole, and balanced has to do with noise reduction.

Yep.

> P.S. I would still like to know if all TRS cables are both stereo and 
> balanced at the same time (meaning the stereo or balanced application 
> would have to do with the port (jack) it's plugging into).  I fear the 
> answer to this question is 'No', which means I will have to replace some 
> of my cables. I probably would have had to replace them anyway as the 
> local recording guru advises I use military grade cabling (which, I 
> assume, ain't the stuff they flog at The Source).

The cable is the same.  So if you have a bunch of "stereo" 1/4" patch
cords, you can use them as balanced audio cables if you want.  You of
course need two cables to get stereo for balanced since each only
carries one channel.

--
Len Sorensen
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