You are correct, but you misunderstood the explanation. You must short the cold to ground if you are making a cable that is unbalanced on one end, and going to an input that can be balanced, for example, xlr, or even phoenix. Perfect t example would be a CD player with RCA outputs going directly into something like a BSS Blu processor, or similar.

@@TheBrightPixel Well, if it's a balanced to unbalanced cable, permanently, I would prefer to use a balanced and unbalanced connector. There is no point, and some confusion, in converting a balanced connector to unbalanced in a way that's hidden from the user. Then... the signal voltage on the unbalanced end is between the tip and the ground (at the device), and on the balanced end, the signal is between pins 2 and 3. That's usually how the cable should be wired: the tip of the unbalanced end goes to the + signal (pin 2) at the balanced end, and the ground at the unbalanced end goes to the - signal (pin 3) at the balanced end. The unbalanced signal then appears across the preamp differential input, as expected -- pins 2 and 3. The cable shield goes to pin 1 at the balanced end, and does its "protective" job as usual along the length of the cable. It does not connect at the unbalanced end; it's not needed there, and will quite likely introduce a ground loop if it's connected to ground. I was concerned that viewers might think this was a good thing to do with balanced cables. It might in some cases work for balanced to unbalanced connections, but that is luck, not good practice! I'm in favor of luck, but I'm also in favor of good practices.

@@ydonl Using an unbalanced connector on the input does exactly the same thing inside the device - it shorts the cold to ground. This is built into the design of the jack plug itself - on a TRS plug the ring is physically where the sleeve of a TS plug is, so it is mechanically shorted in the receptacle. Shorting it in the cable itself will do no harm in this case. There are many, MANY devices, such as high end DSP and amplifiers that only have balanced phoenix connectors or XLR inputs, that don't even have the possibility to use unbalanced connectors, so you must short the cold to ground in the cable to connect it properly, otherwise the input circuit will not be driven correctly. It isn't optional, it is the default way to wire a balanced to unbalanced connection. Most modern equipment isolates the signal input ground from the power supply ground so the standard is to connect the shield to both ends if the shield is the ground wire. If the shield is separate to the ground wire (uncommon with audio cable), then you connect the shield at the input and not the output.

@@TheBrightPixel I'm not sure you're following what I'm saying; I'm only trying to help! Let me try it this way: the differential input, the balanced preamp input, does not use ground as a reference for the signal. The reason for that is that grounds cannot be trusted; they introduce noise and ground loops. So with everything balanced, there are no signals touching ground, and if you can keep it that way, everywhere, you by definition avoid ground loops. Remembering that voltage is always the difference between two potentials, the unbalanced signal is a voltage difference between the signal conductor and ground. A balanced signal is the voltage between pin 2 and pin 3, or tip and ring. The differential preamp is designed to take its input from those two points. Ground is not involved. If you plug an unbalanced connector into the balanced socket, pin 3 will be tied to ground. We have just corrupted the entire system! There is now a point where the ground is connected to the audio signal path. Noise and loops on ground can now exist, and the performance will suffer. Whether it's noticeable or not depends on the circumstances, but in general, this is playing with fire. Now... consider this: the unbalanced source is producing its voltage between the signal conductor and ground. The balanced input is expecting to see voltage between pins 2 and 3. So... give it voltage there! Connect the unbalanced signal conductor to pin 2, and connect the unbalanced ground to pin 3. Do not connect anything to ground at the balanced end; it is not only not necessary, it is bad, and potentially VERY bad! The grounds at the unbalanced source and the balanced input never touch each other. The cable shield is connected to the ground at the input; no signal touches it. It's job is to capture electromagnetic radiation and send it safely to the earth, where it can do no harm. sig > -------------- > 2 sig + gnd > -------------- > 3 sig - shield ------------- > 1 gnd

@@ydonl mate, you are going around and around in circles so much that you have lost the whole point of the conversation. Unbalanced to balanced cable needs the cold tied to ground at the input, because it is an UNBALANCED CONNECTION. you can backpedal and argue all you like, but that is just a basic fact of how equipment works and its not just common practice, it is necessary for a correct signal input. What you are saying is not helpful to anybody at all because it is plainly incorrect and you've even confused yourself by going on and on about grounds and differential pairs, when none of that is applicable to an unbalanced signal.

Of course, you are free to make cables however you like. But if you choose to not prefill the buckets with solder, then your cables won't last nearly as long as mine will. For the back of a studio rack, sure fine. For a rental kit cable? Not a chance.

You are welcome, Stay tuned for some new ones coming

I made this video years ago, but I'm pretty sure at the beginning I say, "This video isn't for people with short attention spans". If it isn't for you, I'm sure there are some short ones around by other people by now.

I've seen a lot of Chinese cables with the method you describe. They all fail.

@@TheBrightPixel lol I'm based in the UK where we have one of the most advanced technical events industry in the world - I promise you that the heatshrink that you're putting on does nothing for durability or reliability. Each to their own though!

@@TheBrightPixel The silicone method is solid though

@@williamj8349 Those cables I made in the video are still in service in the same venue, still going. Look at the date the video was uploaded. That's all I have to say about that.

@@TheBrightPixel I’m not criticizing the method, if anything I’m just stating that the heat shrink on 3pin XLR like that won’t have added to the durability of your good work. Glad to hear the cables are going strong, as they should be! 👍