DJing Discussion

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CABLE CONNECTION FOR BEST AUDIO

Bachata Bandit 8:28 PM - 3 February, 2017
Hi everyone,

I'm new to djing and I just read about balance and unbalanced cables and how they affect audio output. I heard using XLR cables are much better.

I currently use a Pioneer DDJ SB2 that only has rca outputs. My question is if I connect my controller to a mixer using rca cables, then connect the mixer to speakers using xlr cables, have I eliminated the risk of unbalanced cables that way? Or do I need to have xlr cables connecting from my controller?

Can anyone offer tips for cable connections with the DDJ SB2 for maximized audio quality.

Thanks,
Lucas.
Ulrich von Hurtem 9:18 PM - 3 February, 2017
Rane Note 110 is your friend. www.rane.com

Build, or have built, cable #17 from Rane note 110. Keep your cables under 10 feet, and you should be fine.

Balanced cables don't sound better, if you're not getting hum. Balanced rejects hum much better than unbalanced.

Transformer isolation would work better than an extra mixer, which might not help at all. I'm a hopeless Rane fanboy, so I'd choose a RANE BB-22 Balance Buddy.

Upgrading to a controller with balanced outputs would be an excellent choice.
deezlee 11:41 PM - 3 February, 2017
Yeah RCAs to the mixer are fine. Then xlr to the speakers. Yup.
Hanginon 12:16 AM - 4 February, 2017
More yups, also, don't bundle your unbalanced cables together with anything carrying AC current (using tie raps) to tidy things up. Bundle signal wires together, bundle AC wires together, and whenever possible, cross the AC bundles and signal bundles at right angles.