Balanced/Unbalanced I/O confirmation?

    I know this has been discussed on here a few times but I just want to clarify a few Q's I have due some conflicting responses.


    From what I can gather from the manual and other threads is that ALL 1/4" jacks are unbalanced signals and obviously ALL XLR jacks are balanced signals. So therefore if I wanted to send a balanced output from the Kemper to the line inputs in my interface, leaving the mic pres free for microphones, I would need two female XLR (Kemper output) to male TRS (interface line input) cables (for stereo signal). This I am fairly certain of.


    The main question I have is when it comes to re-amping. If I was to send a balanced signal from one of my interface's line level outputs, would it need to go into the XLR input of the Kemper's return section with another converter cable? Or is the 1/4" jack balanced in the return section (cant find that anywhere and don't want to open the Kemper to find out haha). From what the manual says the 1/4" is for line level and the XLR is for mic level, so line level to the XLR might be a bit hot, but it does not say whether the 1/4" in balanced or not. You would think it would be as it is for connecting to external hardware such as mic pres and mixing consoles which output balanced signals.


    If anyone can confirm if the 1/4" return jack is balanced or unbalanced that would be awesome or if someone can see that some of my thinking is wrong please let me know (alternatively I could just wait to get an UAD apollo and use the s/pdif).

    OK, when I posted this a thread came up with the exact answer i wanted in similar threads, don't know why it didn't show up when I was searching the forums. Anyway turns out all 1/4" outputs are unbalanced and the return and alternative 1/4" inputs are balanced. Now if anyone can let me know how to delete this thread that would be great haha.

    Unless you're working in a treated room with pristine speakers, etc, or you have a lot of noisy equipment like fluorescent lights, I doubt you're going to notice much of a difference between balanced and unbalanced. It reduces external noise and keeps the signal a bit cleaner from point A to B, but unbalanced cabling is still going to work just fine.

    Well, a balanced signal is more robust as well.


    On a side note, you can connect a balanced 1/4" plug into an unbalanced socket, because the signal carried by the "tip" is the same. Basically, a balanced 1/4" plug is the same as a stereo plug.


    Also, this is not the case for the Profiler, but often 1/4" and XLR connections are combined into a single socket. In that case, the 1/4" socket is balanced as well (but accepts unbalanced 1/4" plugs as well).

    yes i know about all the advantages and disadvantages of balanced vs unbalanced and the cable connection but i would rather to go bal - bal if possible for the stronger more stable signal, tried using the 1/4" ts to line and it did not compare to the xlr in the output stage and the confirmation from the other thread was from feedback from Kemper support themselves. So my question has been answered but thank you for your input. once again i still cante see where to delete the thread haha