I’ve just had a thought and was looking for conformation:
My audio interface has 2 unbalaced 1/4’ ts inputs
the preamp i have on order (vtb1) has a balanced xlr output.
if i connect the balaced xlr output to the 21/4’ ts inputs
via a xlr -> 2ts Y cable, record the input as stereo and perform a phase shift on
the left or right channel, that should perform the same as a balaced input, no?
it would be a software polarity reverse rather than a hardware one.
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just use the 1/4 in. output with a simple 1/4 chord into your audio interface.
I don’t see what there is to be gained by splitting a mono XLR output into two signals and recording two mono tracks of the same thing, that is not stereo it is two identical mono tracks.
Stereo would be something different coming out of each side, which in this case would require something different going into each side to be recorded, like say if you bi-amped a guitar and sent one of the amps to the left and the other to the right hard panning them for playback.
IN this situation being limited to two inputs on the interface if I were recording guitar or vocal I would use one input to capture the clean sound and the other with the FX’s.
Guys? Am I missing something obvious here?
keep shinin
jerm 
yeah i’m planning on using a good old 1/4->1/4
but its just a thought,
my thought was that it WOULDNT be two identicle mono tracks, as one channel would be inverted via the balaced output, so that the stereo track would in fact be mostly inaudiable untill one channel was phase reversed, effectivly giving me one mono (software) balanced input instead of 2 unbalanced inputs.
sounds like a long way to go to get “one mono (software) balanced input”…you will get one mono input from the interface just connecting a 1/4 cable to it from the vtb1.
You might be over thinking this just a bit, XLR is not stereo, whether it is balanced or unbalanced it is what it is, a mono signal, the balanced just means it will travel a further distance in a line (provided you are using balanced cables) without gaining noise (I know that is simplifying it a bit but that is one of the advantages).
keep shinin
jerm
I’m just thinking about it from a technical point of veiew.
i know xlr is not stereo but it does carry 2 signals one of which is the polarity inverse of the other.
the two signals could be recored to a stereo track, then one channel inverted (left or right, it dosnt matter).
The resulting stereo track when played in mono, would have any noise picked up on the Y cable, cancelled.
end result would be the same as a fully balanced mono input.
i was wondering if this is technically correct. i know there is virtually no advantage in doing it.