Extending Balanced Cable

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08-18-2005, 03:05 PM

#11

ChinaMan

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Quote:

Originally posted by Dukk:
If I merely answered you question, what have you learned? What happens the next time this issue comes up but with, for example, a different brand of cable? Then you have to ask again.

The question is not so much "can I extend the shield with aluminum foil"? The question should be: If this is really a balanced system, does the wire NEED the shield? Answer = no. Jared already explained why.

Yeah I could have explained all that in the first place but I thought the mental exercise may be worth it [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

I understand what you're getting at and the purpose of a true "balanced" cable... however, regardless if this is really a true balanced or not, the point is that Soundstream decided to shield it. I'm not going to argue whether or not this cable is really balanced or not... or why it needs a shield to begin with. Heck, maybe it's just a marketing gimmick and it's not a real balanced cable. Personally, it makes no difference to me because I have to use the cable one way or another. But if there is a shield in the first place, I'd rather play it safe and duplicate how it was originally made - with the shield. Then again, don't XLR cables have a shield as well? Some even have mylar, teflon or some other dielectric, aluminum and braided copper shields all in one cable!

So maybe the question should be "Are soundstream balanced cables really balanced... or is it just a gimmick?"

Maybe I should just get really really long PS2 cable (if that's possible)and call it the day... [img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

08-19-2005, 12:58 PM

#12

Paul Niwranski

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I think that first we should establish: can a cable be balanced?

no.

The system the cable is in is balanced and if it really is then the shield won't matter worth beans.

Don't fool yourself - Soundstream ordered a generic cable out of a wire catalog. If it has their logo on it then they paid a few cents more.

08-19-2005, 01:14 PM

#13

JRace

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Join Date: Jun 2002

Posts: 1,242

[quote]Originally posted by ChinaMan:

Quote:

Maybe I should just get really really long PS2 cable (if that's possible)and call it the day... [img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

that would work.