Balanced or unbalanced?

[slap5string]

I recently read a thread regarding balanced and unbalanced patch cables and their appropriate use. Many people stated that the gear being connected should dictate the type of cable needed but what if the gear doesn't have these jacks labeled as "balanced out" or unbalanced out"? In my particular case - this is what I'm trying to connect:

My signal chain:

Bass > Sansamp RPM (input 2 - back of unit) > 700rbII input(from sansamp output (affected)

700rbII effects send > dbx 160a (bal / unbal input)
unbalanced output > effects return

Should the cable from the sansamp to the 700rbII and both effects send / return cables be "balanced"????

[MuzikMan]

Don't worry about balanced or unbalanced if you're not running long cable lengths. In your case it is irrelevant anyway because you need gear at all ends of the chain that are capable of balanced input/output and you don't have it.

[wcriley]

The input and effects send/return of the 700RBII are not balanced.

Edit: MM beat me to it.

[uhdinator]

Sends/returns on amps are unbalanced. Manuals should tell you. Looks like all should be reg quality guitar type instr cables. One way to tell if a jack is TRS/balanced is pop a reg guitar cable in the jack. If it's balanced it will click/ stop before it's all the way in. And click a second time when in all the way.
If it goes all the way in with one click it's unbalanced.

[slap5string]

Originally Posted by MuzikMan

Don't worry about balanced or unbalanced if you're not running long cable lengths. In your case it is irrelevant anyway because you need gear at all ends of the chain that are capable of balanced input/output and you don't have it.

Thanks for the info MM!

[billfitzmaurice]

In a perfect world there would be no such thing as unbalanced connections, as they're the main source of system noise. Anyplace where you can use balanced, do. But where bass amps and peripherals are concerned you seldom have a balanced option anyway. If you don't know if it is an option RTFM.

[bassmeknik]

I had to google RTFM

Thanks Bill you made my day