Is there a way

[Dan Kelly]

Is there a way to make RCA unbalanced connectors balanced for less noise? I was told that XLRs have less noise, is that true?

[Speedskater]

It's not the connector's, it's the circuits of the send and receive units. Under bad EMI/RFI interference conditions, balanced circuits are quieter. You can't just replace the connectors or the cable & connectors.

[Dan Kelly]

I have seen these adapters that change 1/4" phono plugs to mono phone jacks will that work? I am trying to make my home stereo hook up to Pro equipment.

[chris661]

Mono jacks won't work: you need 3-pin connectors to go balanced.

Normally, signal -'ve connects to ground, but in PA, its given its own conductor, and the shield is grounded.

You're gonna struggle to get phono-based consumer equipment to run balanced, unless you fancy playing around with line-level transformers or making a bunch of differential input boards. Both are fairly heavy modifications.

What's the equipment you're trying to hook up?

[Dan Kelly]

I have a Soundcraftsmen EQ that I might need to replace and it's hard to find a replacement with RCA jacks. I prefer to have an EQ in my system but I might have to do without. I'm also looking to rack mount it and that makes it hard too. I just turned my EQ in, to have it cleaned. I hope that is all that is wrong with it. It is hard to find someone to work on Soundcraftsmen equipment. The company went out of business a few years ago, I guess It's been more than a few years.

[Conrad Hoffman]

Just so our terminology is straight, noise is usually high frequency stuff like you hear between stations on AM radios. Then you have hum, usually 60 and 120 Hz. Balanced connections will tend to cancel out hum picked up by the cables. They may cancel some noise, but the big gain is for hum. The interesting thing is that most balanced connections actually have a bit higher noise than the best single ended connections, unless you use transformers, because of double the active devices.

IMO, no home system should have a problem with single ended connections unless there's an unusual interference source present, or unless there's some fault with the equipment. Any decent tech should be able to service Soundcraftsman equipment.

What kind of hum/noise problem have you got and what sort of stuff have you got hooked up at what distances?

[Enzo]

We use balanced lines - which is usually what is in those XLR cables - in sound production, because we can run a weak signal like a microphone creates down a 100 foot long cable without picking up every stray electronic signal in the area. Unless you have a serious noise problem in your area, the advantages of balanced cables will be darn small when running only a foot or two between components in your system.

[Dan Kelly]

I don't think there is any problem with hum in our area, but if I need to replace my current EQ with something else I'm having ahard time finding anything that can replace it. I have a tuner, C/D player, EQ, preamp, and amp. All Soundcraftsmen equipment and all in a rack. They are all next to each other connected by 3' Monster cables. Does anyone have an idea of a good EQ?

[mickeymoose]

DK: You are fixated on an EQ. EQs are used in sound-reinforcement systems, not home systems. If you need an EQ in a home stereo (or 2+1, 5+1, etc) you have other problems that need to be addressed first. You should not need anymore than a bass and treble (and maybe midrange) adjustment with a controller thingy for the subwoofer! E

[Dan Kelly]

On Amazon they have GXM-133 RCA female to XLR male adapters and GXF-132 RCA female to XLR female adapters. Will that work to hook up a pro EQ to my stereo? They are grounded to make an unbalanced signal??? I just like to have an EQ in my system if I can, if not I won't.