XLR3 connectors

Left to right: Cannon XLR3-12C (line), Switchcraft X3F (line), Neutrik NC3 ! "anel, Neutrik NC3F! "anel #$% Stan&ar& RS-2'(-% &e)cri*e) the u)e of the XLR3 for *alance& au&io )ignal le+el a""lication):

Pin 1 2 3

Function Cha))i) groun& (ca*le )hiel&) Nor,al "olarit- (.hot.) $n+erte& "olarit- (.col&.) /hen looking at the 0hole)0 of a fe,ale connector, the to" left hole i) 2, to" right i) 1, an& *otto, i) 31 /hen looking at the "in) of a ,ale connector, the to" left "in i) 1, to" right i) 2, an& *otto, i) 31

Mnemonics
2here are )e+eral ,ne,onic) for re,e,*ering the "inout) an& wire color) of an XLR connection1 3ne in+ol+e) writing the nu,*er) 1, 2, an& 3, followe& *- the letter) X, L, an& R, an& ,aking a connection *etween L, .line., an& R, .return.: 11 X 45roun&6 21 L 4Line or Li+e6 31 R 4Return6 For ca*ling with )hiel&, re&, an& *lack lea&), .)oli& rocket *oo)ter.: 11 Soli& 4Shiel&6 21 Rocket 4Re&6 31 7oo)ter 47lack6

For ca*ling with groun&8)hiel&8green, white, an& *lack lea&), .5eorge /a)hington 7ri&ge.: 11 5eorge 45roun& or 5reen6 21 /a)hington 4/hite6 31 7ri&ge 47lack6

Following is a list of the common or standard wiring pinouts for XLR connectors. These are merely suggested pinouts and is no way written in stone as the only way to terminate this connector. Keep in mind that outputs, by convention, are normally male. Inputs, by convention, are normally female. !I" #tandard R#$%&'$" is not adopted by some manufacturers. These manufacturers reverse pin % and pin ()

PL or SO-239 Connectors

PL plug (m)

PL plug, angled

R*$+, R*$+,, Teflon R*$%-(

R*$+, R*$%-(

PL panel jack, flange

PL panel jack, single hole

PL connector, 2x jack (f)

PL connector, 2x plug (m)

PL pass through, 2x jack (f)

PL Tee f/f/f

PL Tee m/f/f

PL reduction

PL plug (m), solderless

PL anle m/f

R*$+,

PL angle m/m

PL quick connectt adaptor

PL cable jack

PL plug (m)

rimp

R*$%-(

R*$+,

Serie mini-UHF

11 Sleeve: u)uall- groun& 21 Ring: Right-han& channel for )tereo )ignal), negati+e "ha)e for *alance& ,ono )ignal), "ower )u""l- for "ower-re9uiring ,ono )ignal )ource) 31 Tip: Left-han& channel for )tereo )ignal), "o)iti+e "ha)e for *alance& ,ono )ignal), )ignal line for un*alance& ,ono )ignal) :1 Insulating rings ;n*alance& 3ut"ut ;n*alance& $n"ut ;n*alance& $n)ert 7alance& Stereo 2i" Signal Signal Sen& or Return )ignal !o)iti+e8.<ot. Left channel Ring 5roun& or No

Connection 5roun& or No Connection Return or Sen& )ignal Negati+e8.Col&. Right channel Slee+e 5roun& 5roun& 5roun& 5roun& 5roun& Balanced audio i) a ,etho& of interconnecting au&io e9ui",ent u)ing i,"e&ance*alance& line)1 2hi) t-"e of connection i) +er- i,"ortant in )oun& recor&ing an& "ro&uction *ecau)e it allow) for the u)e of long ca*le) while re&ucing )u)ce"ti*ilit- to e=ternal noi)e1 7alance& connection) u)e three-con&uctor connector), u)uall- the XLR or 2RS >ack "lug1 XLR connector), for in)tance, are u)uall- u)e& with ,icro"hone) *ecau)e of their &ura*le con)truction, while 2RS >ack "lug) are u)uall- u)e& for ,i=er in"ut) an& out"ut) *ecau)e of their ),aller "rofile1 $n teleco,,unication) an& "rofe))ional au&io, a balanced line or balanced signal pair i) a tran),i))ion line con)i)ting of two con&uctor) of the )a,e t-"e, an& e9ual i,"e&ance to groun& an& other circuit)1 416 7alance& line) are often o"erate& with &ifferential )ignal), one of which i) the in+er)e of the other1 #=ternal interfering )ource), when "re)ent, ten& to in&uce a co,,on ,o&e )ignal on the line1 2he *alance& i,"e&ance) to groun& ,ini,i?e) interference "icku"1 2he con&uctor) are )o,eti,e) twi)te& together to en)ure that each con&uctor i) e9uall- e="o)e& to an- e=ternal ,agnetic fiel&) that woul& in&uce unwante& noi)e1 2he line i) ca"a*le of *eing o"erate& in )uch a wa- that when the i,"e&ance) of the two con&uctor) at all tran)+er)e "lane) are e9ual in ,agnitu&e an& o""o)ite in "olarit- with re)"ect to groun&, the current) in the two con&uctor) are e9ual in ,agnitu&e an& o""o)ite in &irection1 2ran),i))ion line) are generall- un*alance& or *alance&1 Unbalanced are u)uallcoa=ial ca*le while balanced are twin-lea& for ra&io fre9uenc- )ignal) or twi)te& "air for lower fre9uencie)1 % *alun ,a- *e u)e& to connect the two kin&)1 2he wire) are al)o twi)te& together, to re&uce interference fro, electro,agnetic in&uction1 2wi)ting ,ake) the loo" area *etween the con&uctor) a) ),all a) "o))i*le, an& en)ure) that a ,agnetic fiel& that "a))e) e9uall- through a&>acent loo") will in&uce e9ual *ut o""o)ite current), which cancel out1 Monaural (often )hortene& to mono) )oun& re"ro&uction i) )ingle-channel1 2-"icallthere i) onl- one ,icro"hone, one lou&)"eaker, or, in the ca)e of hea&"hone) or ,ulti"le lou&)"eaker), the- are fe& fro, a co,,on )ignal "ath, an& in the ca)e of ,ulti"le ,icro"hone), ,i=e& into a )ingle )ignal "ath at )o,e )tage1 onaural )oun& ha) *een re"lace& *- )tereo )oun& in ,o)t entertain,ent a""lication)1 <owe+er, it re,ain) the )tan&ar& for:

Phantom po er (la*ele& a) !"# $ on )o,e au&io e9ui",ent) i) a ,etho& that )en&) a @C electrical +oltage through ,icro"hone ca*le)1 $t i) *e)t known a) a co,,on "ower )ource for con&en)er ,icro"hone), though ,an- acti+e @$ *o=e) al)o u)e it1 !hanto, "ower )u""lie) are often *uilt into ,i=ing &e)k), ,icro"hone "rea,"lifier) an& )i,ilar e9ui",ent1 $n a&&ition to "owering the circuitr- of a ,icro"hone, in tra&itional (@C-"olari?e&) con&en)er ,icro"hone) the "hanto, "owering &irectl- or in&irectl- )u""lie) the +oltage u)e& for "olari?ing the ,icro"hone0) tran)&ucer ele,ent (.ca")ule.)1

Technical in%ormation
!hanto, "owering con)i)t) of &irect current a""lie& e9uall- through the two )ignal line) of a *alance& au&io connector (in ,o&ern e9ui",ent, u)uall- an XLR connector)1 2he )u""l- +oltage i) reference& to the groun& "in of the connector (A "in 1 of an XLR), which nor,all- i) connecte& to the ca*le )hiel& or a groun& wire in the ca*le or *oth1 /hen "hanto, "owering wa) intro&uce&, one of it) a&+antage) wa) that the )a,e t-"e of *alance&, )hiel&e& ,icro"hone ca*le that )tu&io) were alrea&u)ing for &-na,ic ,icro"hone) coul& *e u)e& for con&en)er ,icro"hone) a) wellBin contra)t to +acuu,-tu*e ,icro"hone), which re9uire& )"ecial, ,ulti-con&uctor ca*le) of +ariou) kin&)1 /ith "hanto, "ower, the )u""l- +oltage i) effecti+el- in+i)i*le to *alance& ,icro"hone) that &o not u)e it: e.g. ,o)t &-na,ic ,icro"hone)1 % *alance& )ignal con)i)t) onl- of the &ifference) in +oltage *etween two )ignal line)C "hanto, "owering "lace) the )a,e @C +oltage on *oth )ignal line) of a *alance& connection1 2hi) i) in ,arke& contra)t to another, )lightl- earlier ,etho& of "owering known a) ."arallel "owering. or .2-"owering. (fro, the 5er,an ter, 2ona&er)"ei)ung), in which @C wa) o+erlai& &irectl- onto the )ignal in &ifferential ,o&e1 Connecting a &-na,ic ,icro"hone (e)"eciall- a ri**on ,icro"hone) to an in"ut that ha& "arallel "owering ena*le& coul& +er- well &a,age the ,icro"hone )e+erel-, *ut thi) i) not nor,all- )o with "hanto, "owering unle)) the ca*le) are &efecti+e or wire& incorrectl-1 an- &e)k) ha+e a )witch for turning "hanto, "ower off or onC in ,o)t high-en& e9ui",ent thi) can *e &one in&i+i&uall- *- channel, while on ),aller &e)k) all channel) are either off or on at once1 $f it i) &e)ire& to &i)connect "hanto, "ower fro, one channel onl-, thi) can *e &one *- u)ing a 1:1 i)olation tran)for,er or *locking ca"acitor)1 !hanto, "owering can cau)e e9ui",ent ,alfunction or e+en &a,age if u)e& with ca*le) or a&a"tor) that connect one )i&e of the in"ut to groun&, or if certain e9ui",ent other than ,icro"hone) i) connecte& to it1 $n)tru,ent a,"lifier) rarel- "ro+i&e "hanto, "ower1 2o u)e e9ui",ent re9uiring it with the)e a,"lifier), a )e"arate "ower )u""l- ,u)t *e in)erte& into the line1 2he)e are rea&il- a+aila*le co,,erciall-, or alternati+el- are one of the ea)ier "ro>ect) for the a,ateur electronic) con)tructor1

&edit' (istor)

!hanto, "owering wa) u)e& in tele"hone )-)te,) for ,an- -ear) *efore it wa) a""lie& to con&en)er ,icro"hone)1 2he fir)t known co,,erciall- a+aila*le "hanto,"owere& ,icro"hone wa) the Schoe") ,o&el C 2 2D, which ca,e out in 1'E:, *uilt to the )"ecification) of French ra&io with '-12 Folt @C "hanto, "owerC the "o)iti+e "ole of thi) "owering wa) groun&e&1 icro"hone "rea,"lifier) of the Nagra $F-)erie) ta"e recor&er) offere& thi) t-"e of "owering a) an o"tion for ,an- -ear) an& Schoe") continue& to )u""ort .negati+e "hanto,. until the C 2 )erie) wa) &i)continue& in the ,i&-1'(D), *ut it i) o*)olete now1 $n 1'EE, Neu,ann 5,*< of 7erlin, 5er,an-, "re)ente& a new t-"e of tran)i)tori?e& ,icro"hone to the Norwegian 7roa&ca)ting Cor"oration, NRG1 Norwegian Ra&io ha& re9ue)te& "hanto,-"owere& o"eration1 Since NRG alrea&- ha& :HF a+aila*le in their )tu&io) for their e,ergenc- lighting )-)te,), thi) +oltage wa) therefore u)e& for "owering the new ,icro"hone) (,o&el G H:), an& i) the origin of :H-F !hanto, !ower1 2hi) arrange,ent wa) later )tan&ar&i?e& in @$N :II'E1 2he "re+ailing international )tan&ar&, $#C E1'3H, &efine) :H-Folt an& 12-Folt "hanto, "owering1 2he )ignal con&uctor) are "o)iti+e, *oth fe& through re)i)tor) of e9ual +alue (for :H+olt "hanto, "owering, the )tan&ar& +alue i) E1H1 kJ), an& the )hiel& i) groun&1 % 2:-Folt +er)ion of "hanto, "owering, "ro"o)e& 9uite a few -ear) later, wa) al)o inclu&e& in the @$N )tan&ar& for )e+eral -ear), *ut it wa) ne+er wi&el- a&o"te& *e9ui",ent ,anufacturer)1

&edit' *autions
So,e ,icro"hone) offer a choice of internal *atter- "owering or (e=ternal) "hanto, "owering1 $n )o,e )uch ,icro"hone) it i) a&+i)a*le to re,o+e the internal *atterie) when "hanto, "ower i) *eing u)e& (i.e., *e-on& the nor,al concern a*out "o))i*le leakage of corro)i+e che,ical) fro, *atterie))1 3ther ,icro"hone) are )"ecificall&e)igne& to )witch o+er to the internal *atterie) if an e=ternal )u""l- fail), which ,a*e u)eful1 !hanto, "owering i) not alwa-) i,"le,ente& correctl- or a&e9uatel-, e+en in "rofe))ional-9ualit- "rea,"), ,i=er), an& recor&er)1 $n "art thi) i) *ecau)e fir)tgeneration (late-1'ED) through ,i&-1'(D)) :H-+olt "hanto,-"owere& con&en)er ,icro"hone) ha& )i,"le circuitr- an& re9uire& onl- ),all a,ount) of o"erating current (t-"icall- le)) than 1 ,% "er ,icro"hone), )o the "hanto, )u""l- circuit) t-"icall- *uilt into recor&er), ,i=er), an& "rea,") of that ti,e were &e)igne& on the a))u,"tion that thi) current woul& *e a&e9uate1 2he original @$N :II'E "hanto,"ower )"ecification calle& for a ,a=i,u, of 2 ,%1 2hi) "ractice ha) carrie& forwar& to the "re)entC ,an- :H-+olt "hanto, "ower )u""l- circuit), e)"eciall- in low-co)t an& "orta*le e9ui",ent, )i,"l- cannot )u""l- ,ore than 1 or 2 ,% total without *reaking &own1 So,e circuit) al)o ha+e )ignificant a&&itional re)i)tance in )erie) with the )tan&ar& "air of )u""l- re)i)tor) for each ,icro"hone in"utC thi) ,a- not affect low-current ,icro"hone) ,uch, *ut it can &i)a*le ,icro"hone) that nee& ,ore current1 i&-1'(D) an& later con&en)er ,icro"hone) &e)igne& for :H-+olt "hanto, "owering often re9uire ,uch ,ore current (e1g1 2K: ,% for Neu,ann tran)for,erle)) ,icro"hone), :KI ,% for the Schoe") C C (.Colette.) )erie) an& Lo)e"h)on ,icro"hone), IKE ,% for ,o)t Shure GS -)erie) ,icro"hone), H ,% for C%@

#9uitek) an& 1D ,% for #arthwork))1 2he $#C )tan&ar& gi+e) 1D ,% a) the ,a=i,u, allowe& current "er ,icro"hone1 $f it) re9uire& current i) not a+aila*le, a ,icro"hone ,a- )till "ut out a )ignal, *ut it cannot &eli+er it) inten&e& le+el of "erfor,ance1 2he )"ecific )-,"to,) +ar- )o,ewhat, *ut the ,o)t co,,on re)ult will *e re&uction of the ,a=i,u, )oun&-"re))ure le+el that the ,icro"hone can han&le without o+erloa& (&i)tortion)1 So,e ,icro"hone) will al)o )how lower )en)iti+it- (out"ut le+el for a gi+en )oun&-"re))ure le+el)1 o)t earth lift )witche) ha+e the unwante& effect of &i)connecting "hanto, "owerC there ,u)t )till *e a "ath for "in 1 of the ,icro"hone to reach the negati+e )i&e of the :H +olt )u""l- if current i) to flow1

&edit' +ther mic po ering techni,ues

%n alternati+e to "hanto, "owering which i) fa&ing into o*)ole)cence i) 2-"ower, al)o known a) %-7 "owering or 122, &e)cri*e& in @$N :II'I1 $n thi) )che,e, M12 +olt) are a""lie& through a 1HD-oh, re)i)tor to a ,ic0) .hot. ter,inal (XLR "in 2) an& -12 +olt) are a""lie& through a 1HD-oh, re)i)tor to a ,ic0) .col&. ter,inal (XLR "in 3)1 2hi) re)ult) in a 12-+olt "otential &ifference acro)) "in) 2 an& 3 which woul& likel- cau)e "er,anent &a,age if a""lie& to a &-na,ic or ri**on ,ic1 2he low-current 3 to I F )u""l- "ro+i&e& at the ,icro"hone >ack of )o,e con)u,er e9ui",ent, )uch a) "orta*le recor&er) an& co,"uter )oun& car&), i) )o,eti,e) calle& ."hanto, "ower1. <owe+er, it i) connecte& in a co,"letel- &ifferent wa- an& i) )uita*le onl- for "owering ,icro"hone) )"ecificall- &e)igne& for u)e with thi) t-"e of "ower )u""l-1 @a,age ,a- re)ult if the)e ,icro"hone) are connecte& to true "hanto, "ower1 So,e con&en)er ,ic) can *e "owere& with a 11I +olt *atter- containe& in a ),all co,"art,ent in the ,ic it)elf or in an e=ternal hou)ing1 2he)e alternati+e "owering )che,e) are )o,eti,e) i,"ro"erl- referre& to a) ."hanto, "ower. an& )houl& not *e confu)e& with true :H-+olt "hanto, "owering &e)cri*e& a*o+e1

Stereo &e+ice) which u)e ."lug-in "ower.: the electret ca")ule) are wire& in thi) wa-