TRS Cable: All You Need to Know

Due to frequent plugging and unplugging, pro audio cables need to be tough. They encounter a lot of twisting, stepping, and tugging during their use. Besides, the wires, especially those conveying signals over a long distance, are vulnerable to external noise. A stable construction should have two fences and a ground such as in TRS cables, a design that is critical in noise cancellation.

However, TRS cables vary in quality and can significantly impact captured sound and signal flow. Therefore, you need to have adequate information on TRS cables before you buy one.

TRS jack

What is a TRS cable

TRS, short for Tip Ring Sleeve, refers to the jack plug’s parts connected to different conductors. To get a reasonable interpretation of the TRS cable, you can visualize a headphone, also known as insert cable.

TRS cable consists of three conductors, while the standard guitar cable has two. The guitar cable is the TS abbreviation for Top Sleeve cable, and the top jack plug is the TS jack. There are a pointed metal tip and a long metal shaft, which is the sleeve.

A black band, which is the insulator, prevents the shorting of two parts of the jack. A device that needs a TRS cable means that the application requires a third wire. When you hear of a TRS cable, the meaning is that there is a TRS jack on the two ends. However, there is a variant known as TRS Y cable.

There are several functions of the TRS cable, and it helps to connect stereo signals between devices and is also suitable for mono, balanced movements.

TRS cable serves in two ways. There is a single cable that conveys two audio signals, and there is also a ground signal. The two signs can be cold or hot, depending on how it connects to equipment. It is an unbalanced mono TRS cable connected to the correct audio and a stable one if combined with the left sound.

Varying plug sizes of TRS cable

The cable has varying plug sizes, the 3.5mm, and the Quarter-inch jack.

The Quarter-inch jack:

The Quarter-inch jack has an exterior diameter at the quarter sleeve. The connector is handy today despite being an old type. The first use of the Quarter-inch jack traces back to the 19th century.

Several ¼ inch audio cables plugs

The 3.5-millimeter jack:

The plug became popular in the 1950s. The 3.5millimeter jack works harmoniously with one of the initial radios, Walkman. They require the jack to connect to an external speaker as they come without one. The 3.5mm jack allows proper conveyance of stereo audio sounds. Furthermore, it ensures call, volume, and playback on specific mobile devices and laptops.

3.5millimeter jack

TRS vs. TS Cable: What’s the Difference?

TRS cables and XLR cables have several differences.

TRS connector

You can use the TRS cables for both stereo and single stable signals. TRS transmissions have three lines with two rings insulating them. The apex conveys the audio message while the casing is for the ground, and there is an extra wire, which is the second wire.

TS connector

TS cable is vital for mono unbalanced signals and is efficient in the connection of keyboards and guitars. They have two conductors, with insulation between them, and the apex conveys audio signals while the casing is a ground line.

Can I use a TS Cable as a TRS Cable? Or Can I use a TRS Cable instead of a TS Cable?

At times you can use a TS cable as a TRS one. However, the output is more petite and increases the chances of noise obstructions. The ring of TS shorts connects to the ground, and therefore, the cables do not convey stereo signals.

However, using TRS cables in place of TS cable will lead to an unstable signal.

TS jack to TRS jack

TRS vs. TS Cable: What’s the similarities?

TRS cables and XLR cables have several similarities, also.

Cable Material

They consist of a polyvinyl chloride shell and lines made of copper material. The cables have the ground and two signal lines. Similar to TRS cables, they consist of Polyvinyl Chloride casing and copper wire lines. They have a single contact line and the ground.

The mode of connection

Both TRS cables and XLR cables have three connection lines. They can convey ground and hot signals in case the two are stable connectors.

TRS vs. XLR Cable

XLR cables can lock, which does not happen in TRS Cables. Sometimes the XLR cables are on the microphone inputs, and for TRS, the slot is on the inner and outer line components. Nonetheless, most appliances that use XLR cable have their XLR on them. In contrast to TRS cables, the XLR is crucial in conveying stable connections and not ideal for applications.

Balanced Audio

Balanced audio involves the use of stable lines in the interconnection of audio equipment. The connection is crucial in sound recording and production, and it allows the use of long cables and reduces susceptibility to external noise resulting from electromagnetic interference.

The balanced audio cable has a structure similar to an unbalanced line but with a ground wire. It transmits two copies of an equivalent incoming audio signal known as jovial (hot) and negative (cold). The two signs have reversed polarity such that they cancel each other out when they travel down the cable.

The XLR cables can transmit balanced audio signals to a distance of 200 ft. The connector has three male pins: the hot signal, cold signal, and the ground wire.

Quarter-Inch TRS is also a balanced audio cable, and you can use it to send either mono or stereo signals.

Unbalanced Audio

An unbalanced signal flows along an audio cable with two wires, a ground, and a message. The signal wire transmits the audio signal, whereas the ground wire is the signal’s reference point.

The RCA audio cables are analog and unbalanced. They convey the stereo signals over the left and right channel, and they don’t transmit above 25ft since they are unstable.

Quarter-Inch TS Cables are vital in the transmission of unstable signals. They are common in electric guitars that usually output to an amplifier.

Most Popular Custom Types of Custom TRS Cables

Using TRS cables is not a big issue, and the market has a lot of TRS cables that are efficient for your equipment. The puzzle is where to purchase the cable. The fear is understandable since no one would wish to spend resources on buying an item that comes without a guarantee. Wiringo is the safest place if you are looking to purchase a TRS cable.

TRS to XLR Cable

Similar to TRS cables, the XLR cables have three wires. XLR cable is a shielded twisted pair cable for balanced connections where one conductor grounds the hot tip.

TRS Cable for Guitar

TRS type lead works in a guitar though it is pointless. The output for a guitar is an unbalanced mono signal.

TRS y Cable

TRS Y cable is proper when there is a single signal to go to two different places.

Right angle TRS Cable

Right angle TRS cable allows easy accessibility of the jack with little clearance.

TRS to RCA Cable

The RCA cable has a single conductor and ground.

TRS to TRS Cables

TRS to TRS cables transmits a balanced signal. The cable has three wires, which are the positive, negative, and ground.

TRS patch Cables

TRC patch cables connect one device to another for signal routing.

Conclusion

Although many people cannot distinguish between the TRS and TS cables, the two differ a lot. TRS cables give a stable connection. Audio cables, to a great extent, impact the quality of sound. Choosing correctly and doing everything correctly will provide the results you want from your studio. Therefore, you must select the TRS cables with precision. Though it might seem unimportant, the right decision in choosing TRS cable could be a game-changer for your music. However, identifying the wires that you will use and when to use them requires background information, which could be a challenge to many. Through recognition of the plight, Wiringo offers you the solution at all times.