TS or TRS Cable Does it Matter?

[wweiss]

I have a bunch of extra 1/4" TRS Balanced cables. I am running a Roland SPD-One Kick pad which has a single 1/4" Mono out. Using the TRS cable it works fine.
Would I get any benefit using the mono TS cable?
Same question connecting a subwoofer from 1/4" output from Bose L1 Compact. Both cables work. Is one better than the other? I know TRS cables cost more but that is not a factor because I have the extra TRS cables and would have to buy the TS cables.

[OregonJim]

It just means you have an unused wire in the cable. That wire could *potentially* be a noise source since it's not terminated. That unused wire could behave as an antenna of sorts and pick up local EMI. If it were me, I wouldn't worry about it at home, but I wouldn't gig that way due to the potential for noise.

[pieterh]

TRS (tip/ring/sleeve) contacts means that the cable inside is probably 3-core. If it isn’t then the ring isn’t connected to anything. It’s the instrument equivalent of microphone cable which is usually terminated with xlr-contacts. Assuming the signal out is not balanced then it will make little or no difference. If it is balanced then connecting it with TRS to a balanced input will likely give a lower noise floor (good thing!) and a stronger signal.

As the other post said, there is a minimal risk it could pick up noise (the whole point of balanced cables is that the noise picked up on + and - is cancelled out at the receiving end) but if you’re worried just use regular 2-core (signal and ground) with good contacts.

Having good quality contacts with decent strain relief is as important as the cable imo.

[ljguitar]

HI ww

Some input jacks are wired for TRS and some are not. I've been surprised when I read the instruction sheets for my gear that several pieces of gear which are mono still list the input jack as TRS capable.

You can run a mono in using a TRS cable, and may never encounter issues.

I always carry both in my gig bag and use the one called for.

When I use Dual Source pickup rigs, I NEED TRS to separate the channels. When I don't use the dual source (like with my ToneDexter) I use a standard guitar cable.

Since I play both electric and acoustic, I always have multiples of both on hand.

[wweiss]

I read on the Bose website, using the Bose S1Pro line out if you don't use TRS volume/DB's will be cut by -6 dB's. Why would that be?

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by wweiss

I read on the Bose website, using the Bose S1Pro line out if you don't use TRS volume/DB's will be cut by -6 dB's. Why would that be?

You only get one side of a differential driver. Instead of X volts across tip and ring, you get X/2 (1/4 power, - 6 dB) between tip and ground.

Guitars that use grounding the ring to power up might not work with a TRS cable depending on how Ring is terminated on the receiving side.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

HI ww

Some input jacks are wired for TRS and some are not. I've been surprised when I read the instruction sheets for my gear that several pieces of gear which are mono still list the input jack as TRS capable.

Might have to do with how the ground is handled. I've had issues with some mono guitars and some preamps that a TRS plug doesn't activate whatever switching is required. I may be mis-remembering, but I think the Anthem is an example. A TRS cable doesn't activate the battery. Other systems have no issue, so I guess it's a matter of whether the switching contact hits the sleeve (ground) or the ring.

[agedhorse]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

You only get one side of a differential driver. Instead of X volts across tip and ring, you get X/2 (1/4 power, - 6 dB) between tip and ground.

Guitars that use grounding the ring to power up might not work with a TRS cable depending on how Ring is terminated on the receiving side.

Correct, and the same applies to many guitar pedals as well.

[Zandit75]

Apparently my Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend pickup can use TRS cables as a dual signal supply. By turning the blend control to full Piezo, it separates the signal of the mic from the piezo, and if the mixing desk being used is TRS capable, they can do the blend at the desk.

[agedhorse]

Originally Posted by Zandit75

Apparently my Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend pickup can use TRS cables as a dual signal supply. By turning the blend control to full Piezo, it separates the signal of the mic from the piezo, and if the mixing desk being used is TRS capable, they can do the blend at the desk.

The mixer must have a stereo channel on a TRS input for this to work.

Some consoles use 1/4" TRS for balanced line level inputs, and in this case it will not work (or work poorly) because the ring signal is first inverted and then summed (the equivalent of a differential input). Any signal that is common phase between the tip and ring will be canceled in this case and typically the input will sound very thin.