Can I connect a mixer with balanced outputs to a power amp with unbalanced inputs?
Yes. In fact there is a way to connect them, which gives you most of the hum cancelling you’d get if both units were balanced. Here’s how it goes: If the mixer has XLR outputs and the amp has ” inputs, use a balanced patch cable with a female XLR at one end and an TRS (stereo) ” male jack at the other. Modify it as follows: • Remove the ” TRS plug, • Solder on a standard mono ” plug as follows; – tip wire to tip tab, ring and sleeve wire (shield) to sleeve (ground) tab (alternately you can just modify the wiring inside the stereo plug, • Mark that cable with some tape to indicate that it’s the one for this application. If the mixer has XLR outputs and amp has screw terminals or phono (RCA) connectors, use a balanced female XLR – to – ” male TRS cable and remove the ” plug. If you need to install an RCA plug, solder the tip wire to the tip of the RCA and solder the other wire plus the shield wire to the RCA’s jacket (ground). If the amp has screw terminals, attach the tip wire to the po
