Specifications

17
The Next Best Right Way To Do It
e quickest, quietest and most foolproof method to connect balanced and
unbalanced is to transformer isolate all unbalanced connections. See
Figure 2.
Many manufacturers provide several tools for this task, including Rane.
Consult your audio dealer to explore the options available.
e goal of these adaptors is to allow the use of standard cables. With these
transformer isolation boxes, modication of cable assemblies is unnecessary.
Virtually any two pieces of audio equipment can be successfully interfaced
without risk of unwanted hum and noise.
Another way to create the necessary isolation is to use a direct box. Origi-
nally named for its use to convert the high impedance, high level output of an
electric guitar to the low impedance, low level input of a recording console, it
allowed the player to plug “directly” into the console. Now this term is com-
monly used to describe any box used to convert unbalanced lines to balanced
lines.
NO
T CONNECTED
AT
CHASSIS
(PLASTIC JA
CK)
EARTH GROUNDED
METAL ENCLOSURE
CHASSIS IS
GROUNDED TO PIN 1
1/4”
TIP-SLEEVE
CASE LUG MAY
CONNECT TO
CHASSIS
(NOT REQUIRED)
TRANSFORMER
UNBALANCED BALANCED
3
1
2
CASE
(+)
(–)
COMMON (WRONG) PRACTICE RECOMMENDED PRACTICE
(–)
(+)
OPTIONAL
CASE
1
2
33
1
2
CHASSIS
GROUND
SIGNAL
GROUND
CHASSIS
GROUND
CHASSIS
GROUND
Figure 2. Transformer Isolation
Figure 1b. Recommmended practice.