I came here to figure out how to balance two channels with resistors. I stayed because this is just some excellent content. Great editing, great explaining... etc
Hi, thanks for this video. I would like to ask why there's a need to add resistor to each connection? Is there going to be an issue if connected without them?
I want to split a stereo source signal into two mono sources, one carry the left signal and one carrying the right signal, that can be plugged into a mixing board with them hard panned left and right. This wouldn’t work for it right?
Thank you very much for this video, it’s exactly what I needed. I used his same method to combine 2 x 3.5mm mono sources in to a single XLR and it works perfectly. I could only find 1/2w resistors for both the 470 and 20k resistors but it seems to work great. Thanks again
For a short cable, the 20k resistor is probably not needed, as the input you're connecting to is somewhere between 600 ohms (unlikely these days) and 10k ohms. But it certainly doesn't hurt to shoehorn one in. And if you don't have 470 ohm resistors, any pairs up to 1.5k ohms each or even more will work. 470 ohm appears optimal, especially if you're feeding a relatively low impedance input. Most inputs these days will be quite a bit higher. And the resistor tolerance is not of much consequence. For 1/8 watt resistors, they are probably all 1% anyway. You can measure them with a meter to make sure they're close to each other. The resistor power rating doesn't matter; the only consequence is that they get bigger as the power rating goes up.
hi, I think it would be very helpful to indicate on the diagram at 4:52 that the view you have there is from the cable connector side, not from where you doing the soldering. It's the mirror side from what you show before, but since it's easier to follow diagrams people may indeed connect pin 2 to 3 !
im wondering if there is a way to make a cable to convert a balanced mono TRS or XLR into an unbalanced stereo TRS? so that the stereo TRS output end of the cable has the same signal on L and R channels?
I used 1/4 watt 470R resistors and a 1/4 watt 20K resistor...the cable is way too quiet going from Macbook Pro or Samsung S10e to mic inputs on Everse 8, Shure SCM410, and Azden FMX-42u. Cable is about 85cm long. Should I be using different value resistors?
You should be using 5-minute epoxy applied to the contacts on the TRS jack with a toothpick, and loctite blue on the screw threads. There should be one smaller piece of heat-shrink on the cable as a strain relief, and one larger one over the housing if desired.
Thanks for the great instructions! Due to my eyes (I have some problems with focusing on the nearby things) I can't do this cable myself. Is there any such cable for sale? ( e.g. eBay, Amazon, BH Photo & Video, etc...)
@@TheRasteri Thanks for replying... I've showed the video to some guys who are dealing with Pro Audio business, but they didn't want to help. "It's too complicated", they said. There are some DI boxes and passive mixers around, e.g. Rolls DB226 (which sums up stereo RCA signal to a balanced mono signal). I use it for my projects. The downside is the price ($70 on eBay) and delivery time as well (it takes more than 2 weeks to get it in my country). So, I thought, it would be a good idea to make such cable locally. Thanks again!
Great tutorial! Thanks a lot! I am planning to instead take a 1/4" jack (than a 3,5mm) to an XLR and then buy a solid 3,5mm jack male to 1/4" female and connect the self-created one. I guess that would make it a bit easier to assemble? :)
alright mate, just made this cable - unbalanced version to mono quarter inch jack and im getting a very loud low frequency hum!!??? any ideas - my stereo output is from a bose 802 controler into a single mono sub woofer - cheers.
What a most helpful and well explained guide. I want to build the same sort of summing lead but for a 3.5mm stereo input jack plug into a 6.3mm mono output jack plug. I understand why you tie the left and right (T & R) input signals together using 470 ohm resistors. However, as I am not using an XLR plug for the output connector do I still need to use the 20K ohm resistor between the summed signal and the sleeve on the mono jack output? Many thanks.
@@TheRasteri Ok, as I said before, I understand why you tie the left and right (T & R) input signals together using 470 ohm resistors. However, what is that 20K ohm resistor between the summed signal and the sleeve on the mono jack output actually there for? May thanks again.
@@mickypoo4622 Honestly I'm not 100% sure what the rationale for it is (the rane document doesn't specify), but it will provide some input attenuation to help avoid clipping, as well as potentially avoiding AC/DC coupling issues with poorly-designed devices.
Hi there. Thanks for this video. But i need help. There's no 1/4 watt available around. They say they are only selling 1w and above. Any alternative and suggestions? I really need this combined signal for my e drums. Thanks
Yeah, when you mix a stereo into a mono mix,well then there is a potential that there’s 2 opposite sounds could cancle out eachother, i was thinkinv abou an advanced algorithm to detect those opposite sounds before the mixing process, this sothat you still can hear all sounds on a mono device.
Can I hire you to make me a cable like this with two male TRS 1/4 inch ends to a single TRS 1/4 inch male? This would be from my stereo out of my console on my mixer to a single channel input on the back of my crown amp for a mono mix cube.
I tried without the resistors before i saw ur vid 😂if i play "mono" output over 3.5jack it sounds great but if i play "stereo" the sound is soft/caped off bc audio is tryin to filter the mirrored audio as if it was interference i try this one out soon im curious 😁 i realy need to try to make a filter that passes normal stereo to + - and earth mono
Hi, do you still make these? And are they for sale? I dont know how to solder electronics/cables and stuff, so i need to buy one, but none are available for sale in my contry :(
I want to take the headphone jack stereo convert to mono to send to XLR male to send to powered monitor. My stereo inears do not have a loopout just the headphone jack
Hi, this cable also works bidirectional? I mean, if I would like to send signal from a XLR mic to a jack 3.5 mm input as a camera ? or there is another wiring? thank you
Can u explain the 1/8 side a bit better. It’s hard to see in the video the solder joints on the connector. The connector has 3 sections and I will like to see in more detail where unsolder it.
What if i am just using a mono TS cable and not an XLR cable with 3 pins. can I just put the resisters to the tip - and the ground to the shield of by TS cable? - what about that 3rd 20K ohm resistor do i still need that ?
@@TheRasteri thanks alot. I have just been messing around and it is quite a bit easier to fit everything in the XLR housing I think im gonna go with that afterall
@@TheRasteri I just put the cable together and it works great. I did it pretty much the same as you except its a shorter cable with a female 3.5mm trs to male XLR. i used the 560R for the L and R channels from the stereo side (housed inside the xlr case) - and bridged the appropriate pins on the the xlr jack with 22k ohm resistor (thats a great trick bridging pins 1 and 3 with the excess leg) i was worried it might be quiet - but it is actually louder than the (cheap) stereo RCA to 3.5mm TRS cable I was using before. So now its louder and it has also freed up some inputs on my mixer. thanks again for the video and the replies its been very helpful
helo, is that configuration can be used if i use it in reverse ? connect from mono output to make stereo, so i can get stereo signal from a mono output ?
So you're trying to come out of a single mono XLR and go to a stereo headphone amplifier? If so you don't even need the resistors, just wire pin2 of the XLR to BOTH the Ring AND the Tip of the TRS connector, then wire the Screen of the TRS connector to BOTH pins 1&2 of the XLR
My XR18 aux send to Behringer P2, Donner EM2, others, have required nothing but a standard cable. The aux outs on the XR18 are mono, and all my headphone/wired IEM amps can take mono in, though they drive standard stereo headphones. Switch on amp selects mono or stereo input. At least it's worked for me for a while.
What stops phantom power blowing up your headphone socket of your computer if someone accidentally switches fantompower on on that channel do the resistors stop the flow of volts back up the cable some consoles have global phantom power and this is unavoidable
Yeah you absolutely can, just the signal will be a little bit louder. In fact if you look closely at the video I'm actually using a 22k resistor myself, haha.
@@TheRasteri Thank you for your reply! I made mine without the 20K resistor, but with but the 470 ohm resistors and use them to connect 4 stereo TRS monitor outputs from the mixer to the mono XLR input from passive monitor speakers. Do you think it is ok like this?
that is a great teaching video. I have a question : why are you combining the 2 stereo tracks into 1 mono track if the cable has stereo XLR and TRS plugs, and you are coming from an stereo and going into an stereo active speaker ? can not you maintain separete stereo tracks at both ends ? thank you
Ok. Can I just ask what the purpose of the 20k resistor is because I have seen others do this with a mini jack to a regular jack and in those examples the resistor you are using is not part of the equation yet the diagrams otherwise remain the same. I assume it has some function related to grounding if I understand the diagram you linked to correctly. NB: Forgive me if I have completely misinterpreted something. My knowledge of electrical engineering is very basic and essentially dates back to an intro electronics class at university several years ago.
Some examples of other guides I have found creating a similar stereo to mono cable/converter: ruclips.net/video/kL94do8x1-g/видео.html or ruclips.net/video/bJ3AS5EwOCk/видео.html
@@aBoogivogi You can certainly omit the 20k resistor with no problems, I only include it because of the Rane guide. I'm guessing it's to insure that capacitively-coupled signals remain near ground, or termination for transformer inputs, or for a (negligible) amount of input attenuation.
Ended up making a cable where the 470 Ohm resistors was in the joint and the 20k resistor was hidden in the plug that vent into the amplifier like you suggested. They work great. So thanks for answering my follow up questions and the link to the Rane article :)
4:32 I am confused "....Pin 1 & 3 also be connected together....."? & 4:52 diagram shows 2 & 3 connected. My query is for third resister(20K) connection
2&3 are connected via a resistor, 1&3 are connected directly. In this case I've connected 1&3 together using the spare length of one of the resistor's legs, just to keep things tidy.
@@TheRasteri Thanks. I think this customise cable might solve another issue. Regular XLR to 3.5 mm cable mic input given to video camera records the audio but Right & Left chanel inverted. so does not have any issues playing back on stereo device i.e. desktop speakers or on mobile using headphones but there will be no audio while playing on mobile via its speaker(most of the mobile has mono speaker out). Although this could be resolved in post production by audio editing software but it could be time saver for many RUclipsrs/podcasters with this customized cable. Please correct me if I am technically wrong.
Not quite. Converting a mono balanced XLR signal into a stereo unbalanced signal is even easier - you don't need the resistors. Just wire pin2 of the XLR into the Tip and Ring of the 3.5mm TRS, and pins 2&3 of the XLR into the Shield of the TRS.
The reason for your issue is that XLR mics give a MONO balanced signal, which has the normal signal AND an inverted copy of the same signal. Wiring this straight into a STEREO 3.5mm plug will put the normal signal in the left channel and the inverted signal on the right channel. The cable I just described will wire the normal signal into both the left and right channels of the 3.5mm TRS, eliminating this problem.
I came here to figure out how to balance two channels with resistors. I stayed because this is just some excellent content. Great editing, great explaining... etc
Today I tried to assemble this cable. It was not easy (at least for me), but I was able to do it :) The cable works great! Thanks for this video!
Hi, thanks for this video. I would like to ask why there's a need to add resistor to each connection? Is there going to be an issue if connected without them?
I want to split a stereo source signal into two mono sources, one carry the left signal and one carrying the right signal, that can be plugged into a mixing board with them hard panned left and right. This wouldn’t work for it right?
Thank you very much for this video, it’s exactly what I needed. I used his same method to combine 2 x 3.5mm mono sources in to a single XLR and it works perfectly. I could only find 1/2w resistors for both the 470 and 20k resistors but it seems to work great. Thanks again
Thanks for the video, very well explained and demonstrated. I have now learned the correct way of creating this cable.
For a short cable, the 20k resistor is probably not needed, as the input you're connecting to is somewhere between 600 ohms (unlikely these days) and 10k ohms. But it certainly doesn't hurt to shoehorn one in. And if you don't have 470 ohm resistors, any pairs up to 1.5k ohms each or even more will work. 470 ohm appears optimal, especially if you're feeding a relatively low impedance input. Most inputs these days will be quite a bit higher. And the resistor tolerance is not of much consequence. For 1/8 watt resistors, they are probably all 1% anyway. You can measure them with a meter to make sure they're close to each other. The resistor power rating doesn't matter; the only consequence is that they get bigger as the power rating goes up.
do you make these for sale?
hi, I think it would be very helpful to indicate on the diagram at 4:52 that the view you have there is from the cable connector side, not from where you doing the soldering. It's the mirror side from what you show before, but since it's easier to follow diagrams people may indeed connect pin 2 to 3 !
Excellent video. Is there any place where I can get that cable? Are you selling them somewhere?
im wondering if there is a way to make a cable to convert a balanced mono TRS or XLR into an unbalanced stereo TRS? so that the stereo TRS output end of the cable has the same signal on L and R channels?
This is type of project I really want to do even though I don't have a practical need for it.
I used 1/4 watt 470R resistors and a 1/4 watt 20K resistor...the cable is way too quiet going from Macbook Pro or Samsung S10e to mic inputs on Everse 8, Shure SCM410, and Azden FMX-42u. Cable is about 85cm long. Should I be using different value resistors?
You should be using 5-minute epoxy applied to the contacts on the TRS jack with a toothpick, and loctite blue on the screw threads. There should be one smaller piece of heat-shrink on the cable as a strain relief, and one larger one over the housing if desired.
Does this make the audio quieter?
Thanks for the great instructions! Due to my eyes (I have some problems with focusing on the nearby things) I can't do this cable myself. Is there any such cable for sale? ( e.g. eBay, Amazon, BH Photo & Video, etc...)
not that I'm aware of, but show my video to a local audio repair shop and they should be able to help you out
@@TheRasteri Thanks for replying... I've showed the video to some guys who are dealing with Pro Audio business, but they didn't want to help. "It's too complicated", they said. There are some DI boxes and passive mixers around, e.g. Rolls DB226 (which sums up stereo RCA signal to a balanced mono signal). I use it for my projects. The downside is the price ($70 on eBay) and delivery time as well (it takes more than 2 weeks to get it in my country). So, I thought, it would be a good idea to make such cable locally. Thanks again!
What happen or what possible effects if i use 1kohms resistor rather than 475ohms and same value of ground resistor of 20kohms.
Great tutorial! Thanks a lot!
I am planning to instead take a 1/4" jack (than a 3,5mm) to an XLR and then buy a solid 3,5mm jack male to 1/4" female and connect the self-created one. I guess that would make it a bit easier to assemble? :)
would doing this on a TRS to TRS cable be dangerous, like you mention in the beginning?
alright mate, just made this cable - unbalanced version to mono quarter inch jack and im getting a very loud low frequency hum!!??? any ideas - my stereo output is from a bose 802 controler into a single mono sub woofer - cheers.
What a most helpful and well explained guide. I want to build the same sort of summing lead but for a 3.5mm stereo input jack plug into a 6.3mm mono output jack plug. I understand why you tie the left and right (T & R) input signals together using 470 ohm resistors. However, as I am not using an XLR plug for the output connector do I still need to use the 20K ohm resistor between the summed signal and the sleeve on the mono jack output? Many thanks.
Yeah you'll be ok to omit the 20k resistor. Maybe bump up the 470ohm resistors to 1K though.
@@TheRasteri Ok, as I said before, I understand why you tie the left and right (T & R) input signals together using 470 ohm resistors. However, what is that 20K ohm resistor between the summed signal and the sleeve on the mono jack output actually there for? May thanks again.
@@mickypoo4622 Honestly I'm not 100% sure what the rationale for it is (the rane document doesn't specify), but it will provide some input attenuation to help avoid clipping, as well as potentially avoiding AC/DC coupling issues with poorly-designed devices.
Thanks a lot. One question please. Where should we put the 20k resistor in case we use TRS to TS ?
Hi there. Thanks for this video.
But i need help.
There's no 1/4 watt available around.
They say they are only selling 1w and above.
Any alternative and suggestions?
I really need this combined signal for my e drums. Thanks
Yeah, when you mix a stereo into a mono mix,well then there is a potential that there’s 2 opposite sounds could cancle out eachother, i was thinkinv abou an advanced algorithm to detect those opposite sounds before the mixing process, this sothat you still can hear all sounds on a mono device.
Brilliantly done.
Can I hire you to make me a cable like this with two male TRS 1/4 inch ends to a single TRS 1/4 inch male?
This would be from my stereo out of my console on my mixer to a single channel input on the back of my crown amp for a mono mix cube.
great video! what would i need to change to use a mono RCA output vs the XLR? thanks!
I tried without the resistors before i saw ur vid 😂if i play "mono" output over 3.5jack it sounds great but if i play "stereo" the sound is soft/caped off bc audio is tryin to filter the mirrored audio as if it was interference i try this one out soon im curious 😁 i realy need to try to make a filter that passes normal stereo to + - and earth mono
Hi, do you still make these? And are they for sale? I dont know how to solder electronics/cables and stuff, so i need to buy one, but none are available for sale in my contry :(
and do you still have a copy of the Ranenote? The link isn't working :( www.rane.com/note109.html
How would you do this for rca(stereo) to 1/4"(Mono)?
Can I also use a 0.1W resistor? I want to use the NP2C 1/4 ts plug and I assume the small resistors help with the smaller housing.
Thank you! What resistance do you use?
I want to take the headphone jack stereo convert to mono to send to XLR male to send to powered monitor. My stereo inears do not have a loopout just the headphone jack
Would the 'mono box to stereo' be fine on a patch panel i.e. mono pre amp out's to power amplifier xlr in?
Sir please help me......
How to soldering Smartphone 3.5mm trrs (4pole) to xlr female shure vp64al dynamic microphone?
Hi, this cable also works bidirectional? I mean, if I would like to send signal from a XLR mic to a jack 3.5 mm input as a camera ? or there is another wiring? thank you
Yeah pretty much - although for the other way you don't even need the resistors. Much simpler cable.
Can u explain the 1/8 side a bit better. It’s hard to see in the video the solder joints on the connector. The connector has 3 sections and I will like to see in more detail where unsolder it.
The shield goes to the shield, and the two other conductors can go to the ring or tip - it doesn't really matter since we'll be summing them anyway.
is the 20k pin soldered to 1 and 3? and the other side pin is soldered to 2?
i don't get the idea of the 20k resistor, when on male pin goes connected to the mixer.
Can I sum up a L&R 1/4" output from a mixers monitor out left and right Jack's to a mono xlr or 1/4" input on a powered monitor?
Sure you can, check the "Balanced Summing Boxes" section of this rane note - www.rane.com/note109.html
What if i am just using a mono TS cable and not an XLR cable with 3 pins.
can I just put the resisters to the tip - and the ground to the shield of by TS cable? - what about that 3rd 20K ohm resistor do i still need that ?
Yeah exactly. You can probably get away without the 20k resistor but if you can fit it in I would.
@@TheRasteri thanks alot. I have just been messing around and it is quite a bit easier to fit everything in the XLR housing I think im gonna go with that afterall
also im using 560R resistors because thats all i have i hope it works okay
@@nyrbsamoht Yeah 560 will be fine
@@TheRasteri I just put the cable together and it works great. I did it pretty much the same as you except its a shorter cable with a female 3.5mm trs to male XLR.
i used the 560R for the L and R channels from the stereo side (housed inside the xlr case) - and bridged the appropriate pins on the the xlr jack with 22k ohm resistor (thats a great trick bridging pins 1 and 3 with the excess leg)
i was worried it might be quiet - but it is actually louder than the (cheap) stereo RCA to 3.5mm TRS cable I was using before.
So now its louder and it has also freed up some inputs on my mixer.
thanks again for the video and the replies its been very helpful
helo, is that configuration can be used if i use it in reverse ? connect from mono output to make stereo, so i can get stereo signal from a mono output ?
No, impossible
Can i use this But with a female xlr conector?
Im trying to send signal to a Behringer headphones amplifier from the aux send from My XR18
So you're trying to come out of a single mono XLR and go to a stereo headphone amplifier? If so you don't even need the resistors, just wire pin2 of the XLR to BOTH the Ring AND the Tip of the TRS connector, then wire the Screen of the TRS connector to BOTH pins 1&2 of the XLR
@@TheRasteri yes, thats the idea.
I allready Made that cable. I'm using it. I was looking For a better option and i Saw your video. Thanks a Lot!
My XR18 aux send to Behringer P2, Donner EM2, others, have required nothing but a standard cable. The aux outs on the XR18 are mono, and all my headphone/wired IEM amps can take mono in, though they drive standard stereo headphones. Switch on amp selects mono or stereo input. At least it's worked for me for a while.
What stops phantom power blowing up your headphone socket of your computer if someone accidentally switches fantompower on on that channel do the resistors stop the flow of volts back up the cable some consoles have global phantom power and this is unavoidable
I wouldn't recommend using this cable with phantom powered inputs. It's unlikely to cause much damage but better safe than sorry.
Thank ! Thats what i thought there is a chance of 48v back up the line
Great video though
I am making this cable for myself... Can i use a 22k ohm resistor instead of a 20k? I have the 470 ohms but couldn't manage to get 20k
Yeah you absolutely can, just the signal will be a little bit louder. In fact if you look closely at the video I'm actually using a 22k resistor myself, haha.
@@TheRasteri I've seen similar solution on the internet that are identical but without the 20k resistor. Is it a problem to not have it?
@@Tom-sd2vi Yeah you're probably fine without the 20k resistor for most devices, it will be a bit louder though.
@@TheRasteri Thank you for your reply! I made mine without the 20K resistor, but with but the 470 ohm resistors and use them to connect 4 stereo TRS monitor outputs from the mixer to the mono XLR input from passive monitor speakers. Do you think it is ok like this?
@@Tom-sd2vi Right. The 20k resistor is probably not necessary IMO.
Oh i forgot to mention that I'm using a 1/4 inch stereo jack and not a 3.5mm...
that is a great teaching video. I have a question : why are you combining the 2 stereo tracks into 1 mono track if the cable has stereo XLR and TRS plugs, and you are coming from an stereo and going into an stereo active speaker ? can not you maintain separete stereo tracks at both ends ? thank you
It's a mono (balanced) XLR, and a mono speaker.
Bravo🔥
Thanks man!
I need a similar guide for making a stereo to mono cable using regular RCA plugs at either end. Anyone have one?
If I was doing that I'd put the 470ohm resistors in the stereo end and the 20k resistor at the mono end, just to save space.
Ok. Can I just ask what the purpose of the 20k resistor is because I have seen others do this with a mini jack to a regular jack and in those examples the resistor you are using is not part of the equation yet the diagrams otherwise remain the same. I assume it has some function related to grounding if I understand the diagram you linked to correctly.
NB: Forgive me if I have completely misinterpreted something. My knowledge of electrical engineering is very basic and essentially dates back to an intro electronics class at university several years ago.
Some examples of other guides I have found creating a similar stereo to mono cable/converter: ruclips.net/video/kL94do8x1-g/видео.html or ruclips.net/video/bJ3AS5EwOCk/видео.html
@@aBoogivogi You can certainly omit the 20k resistor with no problems, I only include it because of the Rane guide. I'm guessing it's to insure that capacitively-coupled signals remain near ground, or termination for transformer inputs, or for a (negligible) amount of input attenuation.
Ended up making a cable where the 470 Ohm resistors was in the joint and the 20k resistor was hidden in the plug that vent into the amplifier like you suggested. They work great. So thanks for answering my follow up questions and the link to the Rane article :)
Do you sell this, where?
Perfect!
Yiu are great. But i cannot make it..
4:32 I am confused "....Pin 1 & 3 also be connected together....."? & 4:52 diagram shows 2 & 3 connected. My query is for third resister(20K) connection
2&3 are connected via a resistor, 1&3 are connected directly. In this case I've connected 1&3 together using the spare length of one of the resistor's legs, just to keep things tidy.
@@TheRasteri Thanks. I think this customise cable might solve another issue. Regular XLR to 3.5 mm cable mic input given to video camera records the audio but Right & Left chanel inverted. so does not have any issues playing back on stereo device i.e. desktop speakers or on mobile using headphones but there will be no audio while playing on mobile via its speaker(most of the mobile has mono speaker out). Although this could be resolved in post production by audio editing software but it could be time saver for many RUclipsrs/podcasters with this customized cable. Please correct me if I am technically wrong.
Not quite. Converting a mono balanced XLR signal into a stereo unbalanced signal is even easier - you don't need the resistors. Just wire pin2 of the XLR into the Tip and Ring of the 3.5mm TRS, and pins 2&3 of the XLR into the Shield of the TRS.
The reason for your issue is that XLR mics give a MONO balanced signal, which has the normal signal AND an inverted copy of the same signal. Wiring this straight into a STEREO 3.5mm plug will put the normal signal in the left channel and the inverted signal on the right channel. The cable I just described will wire the normal signal into both the left and right channels of the 3.5mm TRS, eliminating this problem.
Yeah this done me over! Couldn’t understand why it wasn’t working. Thanks! I had it like the drawing but had the resistor between 1 and 2.
Dual XLR
Bl Boki asa
Sawl-der...hehe