Connections And Applications

Question 1

Balanced cables

Answer 1

XLR
Jack

Question 2

Balanced cables

Answer 2

2 identical cables
1 positive
1 negative
1 ground cable
Invert the signal and cancels out the noise, so less unwanted noise

Question 3

Unbalanced cables

Answer 3

More unwanted noise as there’s not another identical cable to invert the signal

Question 4

Linking to DI box

Answer 4

Purpose of DI box-Plugging in cables
Converts the unbalanced signal into a balanced signal
Converts line/instrument to mic level-Changing the impedance

Question 5

What’s impedance and how does this affect sound?

Answer 5

Impedance=Resistance
High impedance-Less signal can go through
Low impedance-More signal can go through
We want low impedance since it helps reducing the noise and interference

Question 6

TS (Tip Sleeve)

Answer 6

Unbalanced

Question 7

TRS (Tip Ring Sleeve)

Answer 7

Unbalanced

Question 8

Unbalanced and balanced cables

Answer 8

Only apply to analogue cables, NOT digital

Question 9

Digital connectors

Answer 9

Toslink
Coaxial

Question 10

Digital

Answer 10

Represents information using discrete values, typically as binary code (1s and 0s)
Samples the original sound wave at specific intervals and converts these samples into digital data

Question 11

Analogue

Answer 11

Represents information in a continuous wave form
Analogue audio signals are smooth, continuous waveforms that mimic the original sound wave

Question 12

Impact of digital signal

Answer 12

Signal remains stable over long distances and through multiple transfers, as it doesn’t degrade easily
Less susceptible to noise and distortion, resulting in cleaner reproduction

Question 13

Impact of analogue signal

Answer 13

Signal can degrade over distance or due to interference, leading to potential noise or distortion
Often has a ‘warm’ sound due to subtle distortions or artefacts in the signal

Question 14

When to use digital connectors?

Answer 14

Noise-free sound with minimal interference
Studio recordings or home theatre systems
Prevents quality degradation which suits for high quality audio

Question 15

When to use analogue connectors?

Answer 15

Line-level instruments like acoustic guitars, drums, acoustic instruments, or even vocals as these instruments produce analogue signals

Instruments with analog outputs like electric guitars, basses, and synths as they also output analogue signals

Question 16

Connectors for transferring data

Answer 16

USB-A
USB-C

Question 17

Difference between USB-A and USB-C

Answer 17

USB-A: Much slower
USB-C: Much faster

Question 18

Impact of using USB-A

Answer 18

Generally sufficient and performs reliably, provides the necessary speed for higher data demands like recording and processing multiple audio channels simultaneously

Might have latency issues when handling large sessions with high-resolution audio or multiple tracks

Question 19

Impact of using USB-C

Answer 19

Lower latency, making it ideal for handling multiple audio channels, high sample rates and complex sessions without lag

May not be fully utilised if paired with devices that only support older USB standards