XLR Cables - Technical Discussion: Difference between revisions

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For this "antenna effect" to work, the cable must only have its shield connected at one end, not both. This *is* common practice with most good XLR cables, but it is far less common with 1/4" cables. That's why XLR cables are generally preferred for long distance runs ... even if being used for an "unbalanced" signal. Unless you take apart the 1/4" connectors at both ends to see how the shielding is connected (or not), you really can't reliably depend on mixing-and-matching 1/4" cables ... but you can (generally) depend on good XLR cables to be properly shielded.

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There are a lot more subtleties about cabling, but that's the (non-pictorial) essence of the wiring terms "balanced/unbalanced" and "shielded".

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'''''If the ground is common to both pieces of connected equipment, why would it matter if both ends of a shield were connected? Now I'm confused.'''''

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Ideally, the external shell is connected to the cable shielding at both ends, and is connected to an independent "shield ground path" on the equipment at both ends, so that the "antenna" (induced) currents from that cable shield never enter the "reference ground" (signal ground) used by the circuitry at each end of the cable. All three pins on the connecter are connected; if pin 1 is not connected, that could be an unsafe cable to use!

However, as a user -- do you know what the manufacturer has done with the "shell/chassis" ground and the "signal ground"??? Not knowing that ... and knowing that manufacturers disagree on the best ~~practices~~ for doing so ... one can get all sorts of variations of grounding, as in Figure 5 in that [http://www.rane.com/note151.html Rane article].

However, as a user -- do you know what the manufacturer has done with the "shell/chassis" ground and the "signal ground"??? Not knowing that ... and knowing that manufacturers disagree on the best practises for doing so ... one can get all sorts of variations of grounding, as in Figure 5 in that [http://www.rane.com/note151.html Rane article].

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So, other than throwing up one's hands in frustration, what can we non-wiring-technician end-users do?

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Here is a pointer to a commentary on the standards -- even the professionals don't agree on the best and safest way to handle XLR connections, grounding, and shielding. [http://www.aes.org/standards/b_comments/comments-draft-aes48-xxxx.cfm (Comments on shielding/grounding standards.)]

[[Category:Reference]]

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 For this "antenna effect" to work, the cable must only have its shield connected at one end, not both. This *is* common practice with most good XLR cables, but it is far less common with 1/4" cables. That's why XLR cables are generally preferred for long distance runs ... even if being used for an "unbalanced" signal. Unless you take apart the 1/4" connectors at both ends to see how the shielding is connected (or not), you really can't reliably depend on mixing-and-matching 1/4" cables ... but you can (generally) depend on good XLR cables to be properly shielded.
-=======================
+----
 There are a lot more subtleties about cabling, but that's the (non-pictorial) essence of the wiring terms "balanced/unbalanced" and "shielded".
-=======================
+----
 '''''If the ground is common to both pieces of connected equipment, why would it matter if both ends of a shield were connected? Now I'm confused.'''''
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 Ideally, the external shell is connected to the cable shielding at both ends, and is connected to an independent "shield ground path" on the equipment at both ends, so that the "antenna" (induced) currents from that cable shield never enter the "reference ground" (signal ground) used by the circuitry at each end of the cable.  All three pins on the connecter are connected; if pin 1 is not connected, that could be an unsafe cable to use!
-However, as a user -- do you know what the manufacturer has done with the "shell/chassis" ground and the "signal ground"???  Not knowing that ... and knowing that manufacturers disagree on the best practices for doing so ... one can get all sorts of variations of grounding, as in Figure 5 in that [http://www.rane.com/note151.html Rane article].
+However, as a user -- do you know what the manufacturer has done with the "shell/chassis" ground and the "signal ground"???  Not knowing that ... and knowing that manufacturers disagree on the best practises for doing so ... one can get all sorts of variations of grounding, as in Figure 5 in that [http://www.rane.com/note151.html Rane article].
-=======================
+----
 So, other than throwing up one's hands in frustration, what can we non-wiring-technician end-users do?
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 Here is a pointer to a commentary on the standards -- even the professionals don't agree on the best and safest way to handle XLR connections, grounding, and shielding.  [http://www.aes.org/standards/b_comments/comments-draft-aes48-xxxx.cfm (Comments on shielding/grounding standards.)]
+{{:Balanced vs Unbalanced}}
 [[Category:Reference]]