M-AUDIO OmniStudio USB - Manual (Page 13)

Plugs and Jacks
In general, a jack is a female connector, and a plug is a male connector. The jack is mounted within the hardware device, and the
plug exists on the cable ends. XLR jacks and plugs, however, may be male or female. Usually, the output is male, and the input is female.
Balanced Cabling & Connections
The acronym “TRS” stands for Tip-Ring-Sleeve. A 1/4” TRS plug can carry a balanced mono audio signal over a two-conductor cable
with a shield, which applies to certain TRS jacks on the OmniStudio USB. This may be considered a standard 1/4” “stereo cable,” though it
carries a mono, balanced signal.
If you are using one of the OmniStudio USB’s jacks for balanced operation, you will need a cable with a 1/4” Tip-Ring-Sleeve plug on
one end (for the OmniStudio USB jack), and a plug on the other end that is appropriate for the device that you are connecting to. This
may be a 1/4” TRS plug, an XLR plug, an 1/8” TRS plug, etc.
Unbalanced Cabling & Connections
The acronym “TS” stands for Tip-Sleeve. A 1/4” TS plug is found on what is commonly referred to as a “guitar cable.” This is a single
conductor cable with a shield, and is generally associated with unbalanced operation.
If you are using one of the OmniStudio USB’s jacks for unbalanced operation, you will need a cable with a 1/4” Tip-Sleeve plug on one
end (for the OmniStudio USB jack), and a plug on the other end that is appropriate for the device that you are connecting to. This may
be a 1/4” TS plug, an RCA plug, an 1/8” TS plug, etc.
Stereo Input and Insert Cables/Connections
Alternatively, 1/4” TRS plug can carry an unbalanced stereo audio signal over a two-conductor cable with a shield, which applies to
the Stereo Aux In and the Insert TRS jacks on the OmniStudio USB. A TRS plug on one end with two mono TS plugs on the other is in
fact a stereo cable, and is sometimes referred to as an “insert cable.” Keep in mind that the Stereo Aux Ins are stereo inputs. A stereo
1/4” TRS plug to two 1/4” mono TS plugs will work for connecting most MIDI sound modules into the OmniStudio USB’s Stereo Aux Ins,
but you may have to purchase a cable for your particular needs. This same cable will work for most outboard gear used with the
OmniStudio USB’s two Inserts. See section 11, "Using the Inserts," for further information.
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