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View Full Version : Pro Level Audio vs. Consumer Level Audio



jamesdelfresco
06-15-2015, 02:39 PM
Can someone please explain to me what the difference is between Pro Level Audio and Consumer Level audio.

Do Podcasters benefit from having pro level audio?

mjgraves
05-24-2016, 11:43 AM
Analog signals in/out of consumer gear are typically passed via unbalanced (2 conductor) cables terminated in RCA connectors. The nominal reference signal level is -10 dbm. This is fine for short cable runs, as you might find in the back of an old skool stereo cabinet.

Analog signals in/out of professional gear has historically been via balanced (3 conductor) cables terminated in XLR type connectors. The nominal reference signal level is +4 dbm.

The differences revolve around reliability and signal integrity.

- XLRs are locking connectors that won't come loose or get disconnected by someone tripping on a cable.
- Balanced signaling down the cable allows for balanced inputs which reject common mode noise that might be induced by a long cable run in an electrically noisy environment.
- The higher signal level also supports the use of longer cable runs that are less susceptible to noise

A podcaster can be successful using either type of gear. Many probably use a bit of both.

The thing to watch out for is combining both. You need to be careful to not overdrive the input of a consumer device with the hotter output of a piece of pro gear. Or conversely, dial up some input gain to bring up the level from a consumer CD player, for example.

Level matching is usually not a huge problem, but converting from balanced-to-unbalanced and back should be done carefully to avoid problems. There are inexpensive level matching devices (http://amzn.to/1WMIwWJ)that are designed to bridge these two realms reliably.