Does it make any sense to talk of a balanced speaker or is the balanced function only a thing of the cable? Having said that there has to be a TRS jack wired to the speaker so...? I have some small cheap unpowered studio monitors in my home studio. I suspect they are for two wire cable because I see nothing in the ad about being balanced. Would there be anything to be gained by running TRS cable to a monitor designed for two wire cable?

 

Balanced audio is used to reduce noise picked up in the wire.
The high current, speaker level, audio signal is so much more powerful than any noise it might pick up. The speaker will NOT be able to respond to the low strength of any induced noise signals on a cable.

 

If the amp output is single-ended then the line to the speaker is unbalanced.
If the amp output is a bridge then the line is balanced.
But that has no effect on the wire used, which is typically just two-wire zip-cord type, (unless you are an audio nut where you have to use extra low resistance, low oxygen, low inductance, low capacitance, all the atoms pointed in the direction of the current flow, etc. etc. wire).

As Kermit2 noted there is no concern about noise pickup in speaker lines so whether the line is balanced on not is of no concern.

 

But that has no effect on the wire used, which is typically just two-wire zip-cord type, (unless you are an audio nut where you have to use extra low resistance, low oxygen, low inductance, low capacitance, all the atoms pointed in the direction of the current flow, etc. etc. wire).

I had thought that the kind of person you've just described did not exist... until I met one last week that was convinced that the only way to listen to perfectly pure audio (other than buying equipment costing a significant fraction of the gross domestic product) was to use $2,000.00 dlls speaker wires. It did not matter that I explained to him that a signal of that level was not affected either in its power or frequency output if ordinary wire were to be used, he just wouldn't listen to reason.
After a while I realized that the discussion was beginning to have overtones that borderline resembled a religious or political argument... and that's when I decided to drop it and let this person believe whatever he wanted to believe... it's his money and not mine, after all... I just find it shameful and frustrating that there are companies out there willing to exploit people's ignorance with pseudo-scientific arguments. But on the other hand, there are people that are willfully ignorant too... guess it's a match made in heaven...

 

extra low resistance, low oxygen, low inductance, low capacitance, all the atoms pointed in the direction of the current flow, etc.

Don't forget the "digital ready" speakers.
They were in most of the advertisements in the 1980's. The part which the advertisements didn't tell was that the speaker used by Alexander Graham Bell to invent the telephone, and every speaker after that, have been "digital ready" since before they were assembled. I feel a need to admit the digital TV signals I receive are very low quality compared to the analog signals. "I can tell it's digital quality. I can see the boxes in the picture fail to refresh." But that's because there is money to be made by selling the TV bandwidth to the cell phone companies. There is no similar way to sell the audio spectrum and make people buy digital ready hearing aids. I'm sure people are working on monetizing the audio range, and my congressman would sell it for the right bribe, but it isn't here yet.

 

I started college majoring in Electrical Engineering, and ended with a BA in Psychology. Here is what I learned:

1. EE provided definitive factual answers. Psych explained human behavior.
2. EE says no significant difference between standard copper wire and oxygen-free, etc. Psych says "it sounds as good as I believe it does."
3. Psych also says, "OK, let's just see. Close your eyes and listen as we play sounds and switch back and forth between the two cables (or whatever). Which sounds better, A or B?" Repeat a few times and see. Can they tell? This may be the only way to convince a person that there is or is not a difference.
4. Some comparisons, like tube vs. solid-state amps, may sound different. But better? That's in the ear of the beholder.

 

Don't forget the "digital ready" speakers.
.......................

Also the "digital ready" antenna.

 

Also the "digital ready" antenna.

Ack! I have one of those and I forgot about it.

 

All your common sense are belong to us!

(See store for details)

 

It reminds me of an article once published in a very famous equipment review magazine where the writer was testing his "Benchmark amplifier" with different mains leads, some were standard 10amp 3core, through to gold plated oxygen free copper flat pairs with a separate earth lead. Now this guy apparently did extensive listening tests and convinced himself that he could discern higher quality audio by using the ridiculously expensive ones (equivalent to about £100 sterling per mtr.)
Although he didn't actually say how long the lead was, I assume that at some point, it was plugged into his standard house wiring and not all the way back to the generating plant!
I wonder how many "Audiophiles" were taken in by that B.S???
Oh, and the same guy also reviewed two Sony cd players, the top of the range, and the next one down. He praised the second from top one saying it was very good quality and value for money etc. then proceeded to be in raptures over "how much better" the top of the range one was over the other regarding audio quality. Total B.S, the ONLY difference between the two was, the top of the range model also had all the remote control functions (same remote for both models) on the front panel of the machine. The same PCB was used in both except there were just unused track and component placement stencils on the cheaper one, and a different front panel without all the bells and whistles!!!!

P.S, There was an advert I saw back in the 80's by some enterprising company, that would Gold Plate Marshal and Fender guitar amplifier chassis for you at some incredible cost, but they guaranteed it gave "increased sonic performance"!!!

 

Try to convince a person who buys Monster Cables that he is wasting his money.
I have tried and failed.

 

Some people really want to feel the "elitism" of having every bit of electronic (or anything else) Quackery that they see advertised, then convince themselves as to how much better it performs. ("well mate, it cost thousands, so must be better, they wouldn't sell any if it wasn't) DUH!!!!!!!

 

Some people really want to feel the "elitism" of having every bit of electronic (or anything else) Quackery that they see advertised, then convince themselves as to how much better it performs. ("well mate, it cost thousands, so must be better, they wouldn't sell any if it wasn't) DUH!!!!!!!

There always have been and always will be gullible people who fall for the "snake oil" pitch.

 

I forget what catalog I got in the mail, but it was for audiophiles.
They had a AC wall socket (The one you plug your equipment in) that listed for $135.
I can't believe someone would be gullible enough to purchase one to supposedly improve their system.

 

Contrary to reality, people believe what they believe. Science does not apply. Don't waste your energy arguing with a person like that. Say your opinion and then step out of the way of the bus as it drives into the brick wall. Let them buy their 20 foot Monster speaker cables at $100 each or a wall outlet for $135.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

 

Technically - the audio engineering universe has some outstanding test equipment. So, technically, there *is* a measurable difference between zip cord and controlled impedance wonder-wire. However, it does *not* "contribute to the openness of the stereo image" or whatever borscht they're selling. Supported a psycho-acoustics research lab for some years. Soundproof, anechoic chamber (no, those aren't the same thing), controlled light level, color temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, and everything else we could think of. When you sweat the details and lie to *everyone*, no statistical difference.

ak

 

However, it does *not* "contribute to the openness of the stereo image" or whatever borscht they're selling.

Borscht?

 

Borscht?

Forum-friendly bullshit.

ak

 

Forum-friendly bullshit.

ak

Yeah... I figured that much

 

My dad was in the liquor business. He always laughed at people that thought they could tell one bourbon from another.
Pour them 5 tastes of the same one and listen to the answers.