XLR and TRS connections

[Pete_202]

Sorry if this is such a basic question but,

I have a Yamaha HS8 sub which has the choice of TRS and XLR inputs but only XLR outputs back to the monitors. The audio interface I am looking at getting (Focusrite 2i2 4th Gen) has only TRS outputs. Is it OK to run TRS into the sub and XLR out to the monitors? I have heard some people say it is 'unprofessional' to mix connection types but I don't really have much of a choice. Reading other posts on here I don't think it will make any difference in the real world. Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Papanate]

It doesn’t make any difference - they are connecting the same thing in the same way - just a different shape -
for example my Apogee Duet has TRS outputs and my Mackie HR625s have XLR & TRS Connections - it doesn’t matter
which kind I use - but I have TRS to XLR Cables so I use those.

 

[olavsu1]

no probleem

read this: https://support.genelec.com/hc/en-u...-on-my-equipment-How-do-I-connect-my-monitors

 

[Pete_202]

Great. Many thanks for the confirmation. I read the linked article which drove the point home.

 

[Avatar74]

Sorry if this is such a basic question but,

I have a Yamaha HS8 sub which has the choice of TRS and XLR inputs but only XLR outputs back to the monitors. The audio interface I am looking at getting (Focusrite 2i2 4th Gen) has only TRS outputs. Is it OK to run TRS into the sub and XLR out to the monitors? I have heard some people say it is 'unprofessional' to mix connection types but I don't really have much of a choice. Reading other posts on here I don't think it will make any difference in the real world. Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

Yes it's ok. The reason the 4th get has TRS outputs but XLR inputs is because an XLR-only output is still a common feature of both dynamic and phantom-powered condenser mics, whereas monitors often feature TRS inputs. Both the XLR ins and TRS outs are balanced, so there should be no RF/EM interference end to end.

What audio engineers actually mean when they say "don't mix" is they mean do not hop from balanced to unbalanced when you can avoid it. Since we're talking about monitors and not instruments that typically have an unbalanced T/S (as opposed to TRS) connection, there's no need of a DI box in this equation.

 

[Pete_202]

What audio engineers actually mean when they say "don't mix" is they mean do not hop from balanced to unbalanced when you can avoid it.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[ChrisA]

It doesn’t make any difference - they are connecting the same thing in the same way - just a different shape -
for example my Apogee Duet has TRS outputs and my Mackie HR625s have XLR & TRS Connections - it doesn’t matter
which kind I use - but I have TRS to XLR Cables so I use those.

Are you sure the TRS are differential? The XLR is for sure. But many TRS are single ended. Generally if the TRS caries a mono (single track) and is 1/4" it is diferential.

 

[Papanate]

Are you sure the TRS are differential? The XLR is for sure. But many TRS are single ended. Generally if the TRS caries a mono (single track) and is 1/4" it is diferential.

TRS Can carry two signals - in your situation they don’t - it is a balanced signal - I use TRS to XLR for my Apogee and Mackie Speakers.