I?m designing my first piece of home brew audio equipment that uses balan ced (XLR) input and output connectors. Is there a standard for gender sele ction for the input and output chassis connectors? I?ve seen equipment t hat uses male for both inputs and outputs. I?ve also seen equipment that uses male for outputs and female for inputs. Is there a preferred gender assignment?
I?m designing my first piece of home brew audio equipment that uses balanced (XLR) input and output connectors. Is there a standard for gender selection for the input and output chassis connectors? I?ve seen equipment that uses male for both inputs and outputs. I?ve also seen equipment that uses male for outputs and female for inputs. Is there a preferred gender assignment?
** The standard goes like this:Microphones have 3 pin male XLRs on the bottom.
Mic and equipment signal leads have one male and one female - so you can chain them.
Mixers and the like have female inputs and male outputs.
Speaker boxes use males only.
Speaker leads use females only.
BTW:
Pin 1 on an XLR mates first when you plug in - so it gets used for ground.
.... Phil
(XLR) input and output connectors. Is there a standard for gender selection for the input and output chassis connectors? I?ve seen equipment that uses male for both inputs and outputs. I?ve also seen equipment that uses male for outputs and female for inputs. Is there a preferred gender assignment?
The nice thing about standards is that there are *so* many to choose from.
When I was working with those things daily I had a potfull of male and female connectors soldered back-to-back because there was no standard. Our equipment had both sexes on the back so they could loop through and the connector sex didn't matter.
Now, figure out which pins are which. We supported three standards, there, with a potfull of relays. It's a mess.
** Many decades ago - right ?
** The rules I posted are followed by all professional audio gear that one is likely to find still in use.
Pin 1 is always ground too.
.... Phil
anced (XLR) input and output connectors. Is there a standard for gender se lection for the input and output chassis connectors? I?ve seen equipment that uses male for both inputs and outputs. I?ve also seen equipment th at uses male for outputs and female for inputs. Is there a preferred gende r assignment?
Thanks for the information (and sad stories). I guess I'll stick with male output, female input, since the device is all electronic.
Jon
The big question is Pin 2. Is it [+] or is it [-]?
Ma Bell says it's minus or Tip, most (but not all) others say Pin 2 is plus [+]
"dave the TROLL "
** Meaningless - like all your f****it posts.FOAD idiot.
... Phil
If that was me making the rule on that I would follow the standards... +/- etc... Meaning the positive number is first and then the negative..
Also, you'll find that in terminal lay outs, well most of what I've seen and implemented, the + terminal is first, (-) second and if there is a ground? That comes after the (-) terminal..
But that is me and me is me, and there is no other "me" on this planet. :)
Jamie
Wrong. Modern stuff, still being manufactured.
Yes, I haven't seen a counterexample but there are three more pins that can be anything.
** Not pro audio gear, for sure.
Post proof if you still disagree.
** LOL - math is not you strong suit.There are **2 more pins ** that can be a few things, in pro audio.
... Phil
Your strong suit is ignorance.
They are available with more than three pins. Switchcraft makes 3, 4,
5, 6, and 7 pin versions.As usual, you judge everything by what little you know. I know of some radio & TV stations that use 4 pin on everything, so people don't steal their cables at remotes. The earlier audio connectors they used were large, oddball, expensive and a royal PITA to assemble without losing parts.
MrTallyman wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
I can too. James H. Cannon designed several series of connectors, including the XL and, later, the XLR.
The IEC spec you refer to was created many years after the XLR-3 had become the de facto standard in pro audio. Go tally me bananas.
-- Bob Q. PA is y I've altered my address.
"Mr Wallyman"
** Nonsense.** This Wiki has it pretty much spot on.
" The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins. They are most commonly associated with balanced audio interconnection, including AES3 digital audio, but are also used for lighting control, low-voltage power supplies, and other applications. "
Wallyman is an utter IDIOT !!
.... Phil
"Bob Quintal"
** Hello Bob, have not heard from you in a while.Despite what the mind readers here may say, I am very familiar will the XLR and XLP series of connectors. Since the 1960s, there was a plant making them in Australia and there is still one making them under the Alcatel name.
XLPs came first and were used for many jobs, including microphones. I think Shure were the first to put a 3 pin XLP style male socket on the bottom of a mic. Then everyone followed.
The XLR series has some soft material surrounding females pins - mainly so that when mated with a male version, there is no looseness or movement. Important with hand held mics to prevent unwanted noises.
Switchcraft had the same idea for microphones, they but used sprung steel balls instead to eliminate movement plus a very smooth external contour for user comfort. Overkill really.
The only places I see 4 pin XLRs or XLPs being used is on headsets for talkback stations and a few PSUs for mixing desks - the later sometimes having 5 pins versions. So I keep a few of each on hand.
BTW: I think the Neutrik versions are mostly flimsy and horrible.
.... Phil
"Phil Allison" "Bob Quintal"
** Seems the XLR series dates from 1955 or so:... Phil
"Phil Allison"
See pic:
The outer shell and body are made of stainless steel (ie non magnetic) and only the actuator is die cast.
You can just see one of the two spring-loaded steel balls that stabilise the plug in the socket.
AFAIK, the exact same connector has been on sale for over 40 years.
The above retailer is asking $3.99 each.
Not too shabby.
.... Phil
Then, it is NOT "stainless", idiot. Not at that price. Much more likely to be MAG. which is injection molded magnesium.
Plated, cast zinc was the old way. The mag needs no plating, but often also gets it.
"Mr Wallyman" :
** I have one in my workshop, exactly like in the pic.It is rather heavy, made of quite hard steel and magnets have no effect.
Do you not get what FOAD means ?
I sincerely hope your is a long and very painful death.
... Phil
"Michael A. Terrell = PSYCHO SCUM "
( snip heaps of mindless abuse)
** This net stalking MORION need to be dealt with.Complain to his ISP and get him booted off.
.... Phil
All of it was yours anyway, you pathetic ass.
No one is stalking your useless carcass, you illiterate geek. The only reason anyone would come looking for you is to piss on your grave on 'Pauper's Hill'.
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