What is the difference between balanced and unbalanced audio?

Unbalanced cables carry the signal on one conductor plus a ground/shield (e.g. TS jack, RCA). Balanced cables use two conductors carrying the same signal with opposite polarity, plus a ground (e.g. XLR, TRS). The receiving device subtracts the two signals, cancelling any noise picked up equally by both conductors.

How far can I run an unbalanced cable?

In a clean environment (home studio): up to 7-8 metres. In a moderately noisy environment: 3-5 metres maximum. On stage with lots of EMI: keep it under 3 metres. Beyond these distances, noise pickup becomes increasingly problematic. Always use balanced for long runs.

Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) measures how well a balanced input rejects noise. Professional equipment typically has 60-80 dB CMRR, meaning noise is reduced by 60-80 dB compared to unbalanced. Higher CMRR allows longer cable runs in noisier environments.

Can I convert between balanced and unbalanced?

Yes, using a DI box (unbalanced to balanced) or a transformer/active converter (balanced to unbalanced). When connecting unbalanced outputs to balanced inputs, wire the cold/negative pin to ground. Never just leave it floating — this reduces CMRR to zero.

AudioCalcs

Balanced vs Unbalanced Calculator — Noise Rejection & Max Cable Length

Compare noise rejection and maximum cable lengths for balanced and unbalanced connections.

Cable Length

Environment

How We Calculate This

Balanced Noise Rejection

Balanced cables reject common-mode noise (picked up equally by both conductors) by phase cancellation. The receiving device inverts one signal and adds them, doubling the wanted signal while cancelling the noise.

Maximum Length Guidelines

Unbalanced: 3-8 metres depending on environment

Balanced: 30-60+ metres depending on environment

These are practical guidelines. Actual performance depends on cable quality, shielding, and the specific noise sources present.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.