"joining" the two XLR outputs from HELIX into a single stereo jack - any problem doing this other than going unbalanced ?

[d0stenning]

i'm considering buying a stereo 1/4 jack to twin XLR female splitter cable and plug the XLRs into the two outputs on my HELIX and plugging the stereo 1/4 at the other end into a passive stereo mixer. There will be a similar stereo jack splitter cable going from the output for the mixer and split into two male XLRs going to my studio monitors. 

 

Clearly this makes the balanced XLR output from my HELIX go unbalanced from hence on.The passive mixer I own ( which takes up very little room and needs no PSU wall wart ) only has 1/4" stereo jack sockets on it. All unbalanced of course. 

 

Is there any danger or problem with doing this - other than the fact that obviously this means i'm then going unbalanced into my monitors ?

 

the splitter cable:  https://www.studiospares.com/Cables-Leads/Leads-Splitter/Pro-Neutrik-Stereo-Jack--2x-Unbalanced-XLR-Female-Splitter-1m_594890.htm

 

and at the mixer output into monitors: https://www.studiospares.com/Cables-Leads/Leads-Splitter/Pro-Neutrik-Stereo-Jack--2x-Unbalanced-XLR-Male-Splitter-1m_594850.htm

 

 

the mixer: http://artproaudio.com/mixers/product/splitmix4/

[hideout]

Something tells me that the cable in your link is still a balanced cable. That it doesn't split out the left/right signals to tip and ring. That would be fairly uncommon unless what they're showing is an insert cable. What kind of mixer are you plugging into and do you have any specs on it?

I think you'd have better luck using a 1/4" stereo to two 1/4" mono "Y" cable. These are more readily available and you don't have to worry about balanced or unbalanced signals.

[rbum]

if you "loose" the balanced signal anyway, did you consider using the earphone out (which IS stereo) and a good shielded stereo cable to go into your mixer?

 

I take the earphone out signal to a stereo DI-Box which can merge it to mono and use the balanced mono xlr out to feed my stage monitor. works perfect and the way to the (active) stage monitor IS balanced and quiet. Even has the earphone-volume knob seperatly.

 

Another idea would be to use the mono 1/4" outs of helix to go into two seperate inputs of your mixer. In my enviroment I got to much noise everytime I tried to use unbalanced connections. Biggest problem was the usb between helix and Laptop... so I ended up with some Di-Box solutions bewteen helix and PA / Looper / Amp...

[d0stenning]

Something tells me that the cable in your link is still a balanced cable. 

 

It can't be.  The jack end is just a normal stereo type jack. Which is of course unbalanced.  So even though the XLRs at the other end have wiring for balanced - eventually they feed an unbalanced stereo jack connector

 

The other idea ( using 1/4" stereo to two 1/4" mono "Y" cable )  is one i am considering. 

[hideout]

It can't be.  The jack end is just a normal stereo type jack. Which is of course unbalanced.  So even though the XLRs at the other end have wiring for balanced - eventually they feed an unbalanced stereo jack connector

 

The other idea ( using 1/4" stereo to two 1/4" mono "Y" cable )  is one i am considering. 

 

 I have wired these things up myself for years and I know for a fact that it absolutely can be. There are two ways to wire it up.  One would be as you'd want it - in stereo where one of the XLR's hot conductors goes to the Tip and the other goes to the Ring. This could also be used as an Insert Cable if one of the XLRs is Female.  The other way is to have both of the hot conductors go to the Tip.  This would be a true Balanced Splitter and cannot be used as an Insert Cable nor would it work as a Stereo cable.  It would be Mono.

 

I just had a look at the cable again, the two XLRs are identical so the connections at the Tip and Ring may be incorrect.  The confusion here is that people and companies often conflate Stereo and TRS as being the same thing. I've bought too many Y adaptors with bad descriptions from the retailer.