Another big reason professional microphones have widely adopted the XLR connector is that XLRs provide protection from electrical damage. For this protection, it is critical to ensure your XLR cables are wired properly and not damaged. So how does this protect microphones from electrical damage?
Active microphones require external power to function. When dealing with active mics with XLR outputs, this external phantom power is most often supplied with phantom power. Microphones that require phantom power are designed to accept and utilize this DC voltage on pins 2 and 3 relative to pin 1. Similarly, most microphones that do not require phantom power some vintage dynamic mics have issues are designed to block the DC voltage on pins 2 and 3 relative to pin 1.
Electrical shorting issues would arise if pin 2 was connected before pin 3 or vice versa. Similar issues would arise if pin 1 ground was not connected before pins 2 and 3. XLR solves this with its design. XLRs connect pin 1 first, followed by pins 2 and 3 simultaneously, protecting our microphones from electrical damage and allowing for safe and effective phantom powering.
This is, again, due to the cleverness of the aforementioned balanced audio. Note also that other balanced lines do not provide the same amount of protection. Tip-Ring-Sleeve TRS , for example, is a common balanced audio connection and is even used with some cheaper consumer mics but does not provide the same protection.
They are:. Though 3-pin XLR is the most common connection for professional microphones, other variations of the XLR connector are also used for microphones.
For example:. USB microphones have been increasing in popularity. Mic Output Designs. Whereas XLRs are the most common connectors for professional-grade microphones, phone connectors are the more common type with consumer-grade microphones. Phone connectors for microphones come in the following sizes and arrangements:. Multi-pin circular connectors are screw-on connectors that have been used with microphones. There are no standardized wiring designs for these multi-pin connectors, and models range from 2 to 8 pins.
Forgot your password? Get help. Password recovery. By Chakrasthitha. Let us take the example of a standard microphone connection that has three devices in use. Pin 2 This is the positive or hot wire that carries a copy of the audio signal in positive polarity.
Pin 3 This is the negative or cold wire that carries a copy of the audio signal in reverse or negative polarity. How does XLR Cable Work The audio signal delivered by XLR Cables is balanced, which means the cable filters out any interference that is picked up by an audio signal, thus reducing the overall noise level.
The positive and negative audio signals are the same, just that they have opposite polarities. These identical audio signals travel across the balanced XLR Cable to reach the next audio device.
These signals are completely out of phase with each other. If there is any electrical interference, the noise enters the positive audio as well as the negative audio signal. The noise signals are not out of phase with each other. This pre-amplifier has a Differential Amplifier. The Differential Amplifier at the receiving end of the device inverts back one of the signals so that the positive and negative signals are not cancelling each other out.
At this point, the original audio signal is now in phase while the noise is out of phase. This results in cancelling out any noise that was picked up on the way, leaving the original signal intact. Additionally, due to the recombination of both sides, the original signal gets strengthened. This helps in compensating for any loss of signal strength while running through a long cable.
Advantages of XLR Cables The advantages are: XLR Cables provide balanced audio, which protects the cable from external audio interferences from devices like mobile phones , etc. For sending audio signals over long distances, XLR Cable is very effective. They provide protection from electrical damage since pin 1 ground pin always connects first while the other two pins connect simultaneously. Because of this, the usage of unbalanced cables is not recommended for all applications that need long cables.
The recommended length for the balanced cables is 25 feet to 30 feet at present. You can also get a digital audio snake cable to connect to a digital mixer. There are as many as three wires that come with the balanced audio cables which function as conductors, namely, negative, positive, as well as ground.
The audio signal is carried by both the positive as well as negative wires having opposite polarities. This implies that any noise resulting from any external interference source is going to be nullified. Audio applications requiring long lengths in excess of 25 to 30 feet will find these balanced cables to be ideal for them. The XLR cables happen to be balanced cables that have circular connectors along with as many as three pins — positive, negative, as well as ground.
However, there is one significant difference which is that these cables actually appear similar to standard-jack cables. A positive audio signal along with a ground signal plus a negative audio signal will be delivered by the XLR cable once 2 balanced devices are connected. Apart from being inverted, both the positive as well as negative audio signals are similar to each other. In case of any electrical interference, that noise enters both the negative audio signal as well as the positive audio signal.
However, these two signals are similar to one another in every possible way. Nevertheless, the noise which was on the audio signal is now inverted.
In fact, these are going to cancel out one another once the original noise is combined with the inverted noise. In that case, only the original audio signal is going to be left. Low impedance microphones typically utilise the standard 3 pin xlr for both the connection to the mic itself and for connecting to mic inputs on a mixing desk or other audio equipment.
Apart from recording instruments and other audio sources impeccably, the low impedance microphones are excellent for podcasting as well as voice recording as well.
Being less sensitive as compared to the condensers, the dynamic microphones are an automatic choice while recording more than one individual in the same room or in case you lack a tranquil recording area. Moreover, you need to be extremely close to the microphone as well.
Dynamic microphones are usually used by the live performers so as to avoid picking up any other instrument while performing. On the contrary, being more precise and sensitive, the condenser microphones will prove to be helpful while recording solo in a quiet ambience.
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