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[chriswkingg]

So I am taking a live sound course and I was tasked with soldering an XLR cable together. I didn't think it would be too difficult. My teacher gave me the materials and he just told me to get it done within the week. The issue is the cable has 4 wires in it and an XLR cable only has 3 pins. So what is the 4th wire for and what do I solder it to? Is it a second ground wire or something?

[Ivan Beaver]

So I am taking a live sound course and I was tasked with soldering an XLR cable together. I didn't think it would be too difficult. My teacher gave me the materials and he just told me to get it done within the week. The issue is the cable has 4 wires in it and an XLR cable only has 3 pins. So what is the 4th wire for and what do I solder it to? Is it a second ground wire or something?

That is not cable designed for XLR wiring.  Is there also a shield?

Are any of the pairs twisted together in groups?

What are the colors?

Is this for microphone usage?  If yes, does that mic require phantom?  Or is it general usage?



The answers will help to come up with the best way for that particular cable.

[Rob Spence]

Post a picture of the wire end.



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[chriswkingg]

That is not cable designed for XLR wiring.  Is there also a shield?

Are any of the pairs twisted together in groups?

What are the colors?

Is this for microphone usage?  If yes, does that mic require phantom?  Or is it general usage?



The answers will help to come up with the best way for that particular cable.

Yea there is a shielding, the colors are black, white green and red. I got an answer somewhere else though, I was told to match black + white to pin 2, and red and green to pin3. The shielding goes to ground (pin 1)

[Daniel Levi]

Could this be star quad cable?, as that would explain there being 4 conductors + shield.

[Mal Brown]

Fricken genius...   I like this guy!  Great way to replenish the cable box after the season.  How many students in class ?

I gotta go get me a cert or something so I can participate in this scam ;-)

I’m going big though.... students gather round this is what you call multi-core.  Each of you has a box with 50 feet of 12 pair multi core and everything you need to produce... cause daddy needs some sub-snakes!

[Ivan Beaver]

Could this be star quad cable?, as that would explain there being 4 conductors + shield.

Star quad is usually on 2 colors.  2 of each color so it is easy to match them up.

[Ivan Beaver]

Yea there is a shielding, the colors are black, white green and red. I got an answer somewhere else though, I was told to match black + white to pin 2, and red and green to pin3. The shielding goes to ground (pin 1)

Any color can go to any pin (except 1).  It does not make any difference, as long as they are the same on both ends.

The reasons for my questions, and what you have decided to do  vary in that you could have additional strength/lack of failure if you doubled up on the wires.

How they are twisted matters as to which wires get hooked to each, in terms of noise reduction.

But you can simply leave 2 wires disconnected and it will work.  But it might could work better, but may not be needed.

[Jerome Malsack]

I question the cable could be DMX 5 strands. 

[Jordan Wolf]

Maybe using DMX cable for AES/EBU signal? Didn’t specify XLR model, either.

I still think star-quad is the answer, though.

[ProSoundWeb Community]