[DJ Dr. Drax]

I agree any noise added get's passed on down the line. No doubt, BUT that doesn't negate using balanced lines as much as possible. BTW the noise is never heard at volume, even low volume with program material. It is in the absence of program material that you hear it.

I have designed systems to operate in VERY noisy environs, try keeping a clean signal around a high energy, high voltage pulsed laser. Balanced signal lines accomplishes more than any other single thing you can do.

On the Nevada Test site Pre RS485 days, we ran cable for miles, balanced, yet the input was from an unbalanced source converted thru a balancing stage. but the input was unbalanced.

The issue is with the additional antennae that is provided downstream. Ideally the whole system should be. If you buy better gear, & demand it from them they will supply it. It is one of the reasons that many better decks & mixers are now offering digital I/O.

I have more than enough actual real world electronics engineering & application experience to validate my viewpoint. Both in Studio, out, & in other industries. I have spent the better part of almost 3 decades involved with electronics signal processing, both using & designing & debugging.

I could build all my own gear at the component level if I chose to if that gives you any idea where my experience comes from.

[ December 04, 2002, 01:30 PM: Message edited by: DJ Dr. Drax ]