Balanced out and ground lift

[xconverge]

I am building the sludgehammer (sansamp bass driver clone) and it has a balanced out with a ground lift

https://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/_folders/BassSeries/pdf/SludgeHammer24.pdf

I am just a bedroom player and don't plan on using the balanced out, let alone the ground lift, so this is purely for my curiosity, but I did have a question about it.

I happen to have an insulated (all plastic/doesn't touch the metal enclosure) TRS jack for the balanced out, and looking at the schematic, it seems the ground lift is basically just altering the ground connection to the TRS balanced output.

I only have non-insulated jacks (inherently make gnd contact with enclosure) for the input/output/directout, and am going to use them, but my question is, is there any reason why these would even matter/be related to the balanced out and ground lift functionality?

The build doc calls for all insulated (including the input/output/directout) if using balanced out, but I don't understand what the coupling is between the balanced out and the in/out/directout. I could replace them in a future tayda order, but I don't think it is worth the $ realistically for my use, although I do like the idea of having the equipment have all of the capability it should in case I do end up needing it/rehoming it someday...

[madbean]

If you aren't playing live with 100' of instrument cable or in a studio with a lot of patching and routing then the BAL/Lift is not something you need, most likely. The BAL and lift switch accomplishes two things: the drive long cables without capacitance loading and to eliminate any ground loops should they occur. You can use non-isolated jacks and the BAL out, but you'd need to jumper the Lift switch in that case (maybe I did not explain that in the doc, I don't remember).  With non-isolated jacks, the DC and chassis ground will always be connected, but no so with isolated ones.

For a bedroom player situation, the effect out and dry out is all you'll ever need. If I'm not answering your questions correctly, please let me know.

[xconverge]

All sounds good to me, thanks! I had to place a tayda order for another project so threw in some insulated jacks just because I could as well

[xconverge]

Thanks bean, it all came together with no issues! This was the enclosure I drilled (besides the LED) for the old rev too, no real issues. This was my first board from you, and the board is laid out very nicely. I should probably use vias more when doing layouts

We will see if I bother swapping out the non-isolated jacks I left the wires long for it