Torpedo Live Out - TRS to TRS or TRS to XLR... does it matter?

  • Thread starter Thread starter saxxamafone
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saxxamafone

saxxamafone

Well-known member
When connecting from the Live to my Interface, i'm a little confused on the best cabling option.

I can go either TRS to TRS or TRS to XLR.

Does 1 produce different results to the other?
Or is it more just different physical connections?

My Interface is a Focusrite Clarett if that matters.
 
No, it shouldn't matter, as long as the wiring is correct for the pin-outs, which in most modern cases it is.
TRS (Tip=Hot, Ring=Cold, Sleeve=Ground/mass)
XLR (X=Ground, L=Hot, R=cold).

Balanced-Stereo-Jack-to-XLR-Male-schematic-768x324.jpg
 
saxxamafone said:
When connecting from the Live to my Interface, i'm a little confused on the best cabling option.

I can go either TRS to TRS or TRS to XLR.

Does 1 produce different results to the other?
Or is it more just different physical connections?

My Interface is a Focusrite Clarett if that matters.
Click to expand...
Focusrite Clarett's a great unit. A lot of audio interfaces "assume" an XLR connection as an input means mic/phantom power, and therefore screws/defaults with the line levels. A lot of interfaces design their inputs to be XLR = mic, TRS = line, the Clarett is smart about this, but for safety sake and continuity, I'd opt for XLR out from your TNLive and TRS in to your Clarett.
 
Speeddemon said:
No, it shouldn't matter, as long as the wiring is correct for the pin-outs, which in most modern cases it is.
TRS (Tip=Hot, Ring=Cold, Sleeve=Ground/mass)
XLR (X=Ground, L=Hot, R=cold).
Click to expand...
Thank you for helping me once again sir! :)
 
Ventura said:
Focusrite Clarett's a great unit. A lot of audio interfaces "assume" an XLR connection as an input means mic/phantom power, and therefore screws/defaults with the line levels. A lot of interfaces design their inputs to be XLR = mic, TRS = line, the Clarett is smart about this, but for safety sake and continuity, I'd opt for XLR out from your TNLive and TRS in to your Clarett.
Click to expand...
Thanks mate - yes I wasn't sure if the Clarett was XLR mic and TRS line, looked in the manual but didn't see anything.

I'll just use TRS to make sure then.
 
Yep, @Ventura raised a good point about mic vs. line-level.
Mics need a lot more gain to be at the same level, so if it's a dual function input (mic and line) it should at least have a gain/trim control or a -20dB pad (when Line level input needs to be brought down considerably).
I've looked at the Clarett and it seems it uses those Neutrik XLR/TRS combi jacks for the inputs, where the T(R)S also doubles as an instrument input.
You probably have to choose which sort of input you're using in the Focusrite software, right? Because there's not an Instrument switch on the unit itself.
Just make sure you're NOT engaging the +48V phantom power for line level use (or for dynamic and/or unbalanced mics. It can fry a mic.)
 
Speeddemon said:
Yep, @Ventura raised a good point about mic vs. line-level.
Mics need a lot more gain to be at the same level, so if it's a dual function input (mic and line) it should at least have a gain/trim control or a -20dB pad (when Line level input needs to be brought down considerably).
I've looked at the Clarett and it seems it uses those Neutrik XLR/TRS combi jacks for the inputs, where the T(R)S also doubles as an instrument input.
You probably have to choose which sort of input you're using in the Focusrite software, right? Because there's not an Instrument switch on the unit itself.
Just make sure you're NOT engaging the +48V phantom power for line level use (or for dynamic and/or unbalanced mics. It can fry a mic.)
Click to expand...
Hardware is also safer to side with than software, generally - IME.... That said, the new FocusriteControl software platform is pure gold - and yes, it does offer input (and output) differentiation and a plethora of extremely top-drawer tweakability parameters to run your workspace/DAW, recording and monitoring at optimal levels. But that's software. I run my CaptorX's with their given XLR outs and use TRS male to jack into the rear of my Clarett 8Pre. Just saves any hiccups.

I've got pretty much everything connected out the back of my 8Pre, and as I don't like to go back there without a specific reason (cable mania), it's kinda nice to differentiate between the mic-ins versus, say, the CaptorX ins just by their socket type. I really don't like going back there if I can avoid it ?????

Anyway, glad to be of assistance - the 8Pre is a dope piece of kit. I've had mine for ages, and the preamps, the "air" feature, and now the new Control software platform - just incredible. Never had a hiccup and it gets worked hard and there've definitely more than my embarrassing share of accidental meter-blasting peaks, loop-feedbacks, and red-zone panic moments. It always came out without issue.

(a sidenote: regarding the Clarett range - VERY sensitive to clean power - keep that in mind...get a decent power conditioner to run it and all the peripherals connected to it to avoid any unwanted artifacts, RFI/EMI noises/hums, etc)

Peace
Mo
 
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