IEM Cables. Please do not laugh, cos I sincerely hear a difference, contrary to expectations. Wish to explore WHY?

[Miguelón]

Hang on . Your original position was that...

In my studio monitors setup, connecting my WiiM Ultra to Genelec G Three monitors by RCA to RCA sounds different (“thinner” if this adjective make sense) than RCA to XLR (more “rounded”, again excuse for the adjective),

Why are we now talking about putting 2 different speakers in a pair and not getting good stereo .

As regards this thread , what is your position please ?

This is a thread about iem cables and it now seems we are into speaker comparisons ? Start a new thread please .

Yes, excuse me, I derived to another subject.

My position is that balanced cables are audible different than unbalanced ones: not night and day but at least in my ancient setup was there.

 

[antcollinet]

Yes, excuse me, I derived to another subject.

My position is that balanced cables are audible different than unbalanced ones: not night and day but at least in my ancient setup was there.

If there is no noise. Then no, they are not. At least not coming from the cables. If your gear has a problem with one or other of the inputs, that is a different matter - but that should - as pointed out by @Jimbob54 - be discussed elsewhere.

 

[Miguelón]

If there is no noise. Then no, they are not. At least not coming from the cables. If your gear has a problem with one or other of the inputs, that is a different matter - but that should - as pointed out by @Jimbob54 - be discussed elsewhere.

Ok, surely you’re right: I will open a thread to debate the origin of real or imaginary perception of harmonics in different devices.

First let me document a little bit, I find the subject quite interesting, probably more on the psychoacoustic side. Noise has a measured threshold, I guess harmonics behave differently on human hearing.

Excuse me @Jimbob54, this is my latest post branching the subject.

 

[HaveMeterWillTravel]

My electric network is not grounded, we made a complaint to the owner to change installation, so maybe justifies some audible differences.

The reason I believe is not necessary is because if a DAC is well done both unbalanced and balanced SINAD are under human threshold.

"Well done" is doing some heavy listing there.
Even well done, a single-ended line level connection such as the typical RCAs can still have mutual noise/distortion when connected to a separately powered device.

There is a reason why balanced differential signal connections were invented (XLR, TRS), and it wasn't just all snake-oil.

 

[antcollinet]

"Well done" is doing some heavy listing there.
Even well done, a single-ended line level connection such as the typical RCAs can still have mutual noise/distortion when connected to a separately powered device.

There is a reason why balanced differential signal connections were invented (XLR, TRS), and it wasn't just all snake-oil.

This is true.

But I think it is important to point out it is not the cable (the topic of this thread) that is bringing this benefit. It is the differential signalling.

You can have an unbalanced cable and balanced cable of identical construction (wire material & thickness, insulation and shield construction) apart from the additional conductor for the balanced connection - and still get the full benefit of a balanced connection. You can have a significantly poorer quality balanced cable compared to the unbalanced one - and still get dramatically improved noise rejection. In fact in most cases you could have a completely unscreened balanced connection and still get better noise rejection than an unbalanced connection with the best screening imaginable.

 

[Miguelón]

"Well done" is doing some heavy listing there.
Even well done, a single-ended line level connection such as the typical RCAs can still have mutual noise/distortion when connected to a separately powered device.

There is a reason why balanced differential signal connections were invented (XLR, TRS), and it wasn't just all snake-oil.

I know, the debate were if they are an audible difference in the context of no interferences/ loops added to the signal…

 

[HaveMeterWillTravel]

This is true.

But I think it is important to point out it is not the cable (the topic of this thread) that is bringing this benefit. It is the differential signalling.

You can have an unbalanced cable and balanced cable of identical construction (wire material & thickness, insulation and shield construction) apart from the additional conductor for the balanced connection - and still get the full benefit of a balanced connection. You can have a significantly poorer quality balanced cable compared to the unbalanced one - and still get dramatically improved noise rejection. In fact in most cases you could have a completely unscreened balanced connection and still get better noise rejection than an unbalanced connection with the best screening imaginable.

That's a good point.

Thou one can have two-wire balanced differential signalling.
It's just not used in audio.

 

[antcollinet]

Thou one can have two-wire balanced differential signalling.

Also true. Ethernet being a case in point.

But then you typically need galvanic isolation (such as the transformers used for ethernet), or simple transducers such as unpowered mics, to avoid the common mode problem. It tends to work better for data connections. Or in cases where common mode voltage differential is controlled in another way than a cable ground reference.