Also sprach Brian Becker
Just as a comment...balanced is required to have a ground and a shield to be defined as balanced. Of course much of the audio gear can survive if the ground and shield are the same signal, but it is not part of the spec and all major recording studios will utilize separate and distinct paths for the ground and the shield to reduce the level of noise to its minimum.
I'm still skeptical that ground and shield are required for a signal to be considered balanced, although I don't doubt that they are used pretty much without fail in analog audio work. I believe, however, that I misstated what my uncle said earlier (having gone back and re-read his messages to me). I think his point was that there are seperate ground and shield lines, but he said that the shield is at ground potential...I made the (erroneous) mental jump of thinking that ground and shield were the same line.
I am "Artist Formerly known as Brian Becker" with Benson Music Group, Nashville, (Christian Rock) and spent many hours working with top studios in Nashville & Houston...they would laugh at the thought of combining ground and shield.
Man...all these years, the name "Brian Becker" was tickling the back of my mind somewhere...but the lack of context prevented me from ever making the connection. -- Jeff McAdams Email: jeffm@iglou.com Head Network Administrator Voice: (502) 966-3848 IgLou Internet Services (800) 436-4456