We have created this page to give
detailed information, opinions, and comparisons on some of the
connectors we offer. We have tried to include all the common
connectors, but there may be others in specialty applications not
included here. We have grouped the connectors into these
categories: |
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XLR Connectors |
The XLR is one of the most common connections in professional
analog and digital audio and lighting controls. Most commonly
used is the 3 pin configuration; it is available in 3 to 7 pins.
Typical uses are 3 pin for audio and lighting, 5 pin for
lighting, 4-6 pins for power supply connections. On the standard
3 pin the pinout is pin 1 ground/shield, pin 2 high, and pin 3
low.
Most cables use a male on one end and a female on the other
end making it easy to daisy chain cables. For audio the male
connector is typically the output or sending connector.
The XLR is the best typical connection. It has pins so unlike
the 1/4" connector they do not short or contact the other
contacts on insertion or extraction, plus they are enclosed in
its housing for protection. Most are latching so you don't
have to worry about them being disconnected, forming a very solid
reliable connection.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these XLR
connectors: 3-pin standard straight, Gold, Right Angle, Gold
Right Angle, female switched (silver and gold) and 5-pin standard
for lighting control. The switched XLR is intended for use on a
microphone without a switch so it can be turned on and off. We
can customize anything you might need even if you don't see
it on the site. |
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The XLRs we use are by Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black & Gold |
Female 3 pin |
NC3FX |
NC3FX-B |
Male 3 pin |
NC3MX |
NC3MX-B |
Female 5 pin |
NC5FX |
Male 5 pin |
NC5FX |
Female 3 pin Right Angle |
NC3FRX |
NC3FRX-B |
Male 3 pin Right Angle |
NC3MRX |
NC3MRX-B |
Switched 3 pin |
NC3FXS |
NC3FXS-B |
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All XLRs (except switched) are
available with an optional colored boot (see options info page),
black is standard. |
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TRS 1/4" (stereo) Connectors |
The TRS 1/4" connector is also one of the most common
connectors in pro audio. Its uses include line level signal,
insert in/out, head phones, instruments (infrequently) and more.
It has 3 contacts: Tip, Ring, Sleeve (thus TRS), the tip being
high or left, ring being low or right and the sleeve being
ground/shield.
Most TRS cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
The TRS is a less reliable and more troublesome connector than
most. With the exposed contacts it leaves greater possibility for
grime from handling, they have a tendency to pop on insertion or
extraction because you can cross contact the contacts and short
them and the jacks have a higher failure rate due to wear and
dirt. With all that said, they are still great connectors, but if
you have a choice between XLR and 1/4" I would recommend
XLR.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these TRS
1/4" connectors: standard straight, gold, right angle, gold
right angle, and female inline. We can customize anything you
might need even if you don't see it on the site. |
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The TRS connectors we use are by
Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Standard straight |
NP3C |
NP3C-B |
Right Angle |
NP3RX |
NP3RX-B |
Female |
NJ3FC6 |
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All TRS are available with an
optional colored boot (see option info page), black is
standard. |
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Euro Connector |
This is a fairly uncommon connector and can be called by
several names like Phoenix (which is a brand), Euro (there are
other connectors called this too), Pluggable terminal block, and
probably more. These come in many sizes and configurations from 2
to 16 pins, and have screw terminals to connect the wires. These
are often used on gear intended for permanent installation.
In audio applications Euro connectors are typically 3 pin
connectors allowing connection of high, low, and ground. They
make a good reliable connection between connectors, although
sometimes the wires can be pulled out of the connector (I wish
someone made a solder version).
At EHS we stock what seems to be the most common size, though
if you order these on one of our cables we'll often request
from you what they are connecting, to make sure they are the
correct size. Since gear that uses these often comes with them,
we can also use your connectors to build the cable if you send
them to us, just contact us for details. We can customize
anything you might need even if you don't see it on the
site. |
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TRS 1/8" (mini, 3.5mm) |
This is a fairly common connector in consumer audio and video
lines and somewhat in pro lines. It is most commonly used as a
headphone connector but also as a microphone connector on
cameras. It is very similar to the 1/4" connector just a
smaller size. It has 3 contacts: Tip, Ring, Sleeve (thus TRS),
the tip being high or left, ring being low or right and the
sleeve being ground/shield.
Most cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
The TRS is a less reliable and more troublesome connector than
most. With the exposed contacts it leaves greater possibility for
grime from handling, they have a tendency to pop on insertion or
extraction because you can cross contact the contacts and short
them and the jacks have a higher failure rate due to wear and
dirt. With all that said, they are still great connectors.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these TRS
1/8" connectors: gold straight, nickel right angle, gold
right angle, and gold female. We can customize anything you might
need even if you don't see it on the site. |
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The TRS connectors we use are by
Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Straight |
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NYS231BG |
Right Angle |
NTP3RC |
NTP3RC-B |
Female |
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NYS240BG |
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XLR Mini |
The XLR Mini connector is often used in microphone
connections, often a lapel mic to a body pack. The two main
configurations used are 3 pin and 4 pin.
Typically it is the female connector found on a cable end and
you almost never see a male to female cable. The XLR Mini is a
fairly reliable connection and is latching like its big
brother.
Here at EHS we stock 3 and 4 pin female connectors (TA3FL and
TA4FL). The most typical request is for adapter cables. We can
customize anything you might need even if you don't see it on
the site. |
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Fork Terminals |
The Fork Terminal is for use on screw terminals or barrier
strips. The screw terminals/barrier strips are common on older
gear and gear for permanent installation. The fork terminal is
for easy connecting to the terminals. These form a very solid and
reliable connection, although it does not allow quick tool-free
wiring changes.
Here at EHS we use high grade lugs and solder them on for long
term reliability. |
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TT |
The TT connector is similar to the 1/4" connector, but
smaller in diameter and shorter in length. It is primarily used
on patch systems in studios and live sound. It has 3 contact
points, Tip, Ring, Sleeve (TRS), the tip being high or left, ring
being low or right and the sleeve being ground/shield.
The TT is a very solid connection that will provide years of
trouble free use when quality products are used. The TT patch bay
is far superior to 1/4" patch bays and often worth the extra
cost in the long term.
Here a EHS we offer TT connectors with Mogami 2552 wire in our
specialty cables. We can custom make any snake or other cable
with them but due to the lack of demand we don't have them on
the site. |
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TS 1/4" (mono) Connectors |
The TS 1/4" connector is also one of the most common
connectors in pro audio. Its uses include line level signal,
instruments and more. It has 2 contacts, Tip and Sleeve (thus
TS), the tip being high, and the sleeve being ground/shield.
Most TS cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
The TS is a less reliable and more troublesome connector than
most. With the exposed contacts it leaves greater possibility for
grime from handling, they have a tendency to pop on insertion or
extraction because you can cross contact the contacts and short
them and the jacks have a higher failure rate due to wear and
dirt. With all that said, they are still great connectors they
can just be a little more trouble.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these TS 1/4"
connectors: standard straight, gold, right angle, gold right
angle, gold silent, gold silent right angle and female inline.
The silent connector is used typically on instruments and shorts
the contacts when unplugged to prevent popping the amp or PA. We
can customize anything you might need even if you don't see
it on the site. |
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The TS 1/4" connectors we use
are by Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Standard straight |
NP2C |
NP2C-B |
Right Angle |
NP2RX |
NP2RX-B |
Female |
NJ3FC6 |
Silent straight |
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NP2X-AU-SILENT |
Silent Right Angle |
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NP2RX-AU-SILENT |
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All TS are available with an
optional colored boot (see option info page), black is
standard. |
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TS 1/8" (mini, 3.5mm) |
This is a fairly uncommon connector in consumer audio and
video lines and pro lines. Its most common uses are control
voltage in/out, contact closures, and IR controllers. It is very
similar to the 1/4" connector just a smaller size. It has 2
contacts, Tip and Sleeve (thus TS), the tip being high, and the
sleeve being ground/shield.
Most TS cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these, we stock
black and gold TS 1/8" but do not have them listed on the
site due to lack of demand. We can customize anything you might
need even if you don't see it on the site. |
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The TS 1/8" we stock are by
Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Straight |
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NYS226BG |
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RCA (Phono) |
The RCA is probably the absolute most common connector in
audio and video. It is used for line level audio (typically
-10dbv consumer level), video (composite or component), and
Digital SPDIF. It has 2 connecting areas, a center pin for the
signal and an outer ring for the ground.
Most RCA cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
When quality components are used the RCA is a very good
connection. They lack a latch, but often good connectors will
seat tight enough to not need it. They have a tendency to pop
when plugged in so care must be taken to protect gear.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these RCA
connectors: gold straight connectors in 10 colors, gold right
angle and gold female. We can customize anything you might need
even if you don't see it on the site. |
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The RCA connectors we use are by
Neutrik (except as noted): |
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Description |
Black Gold |
Male straight |
NYS373 |
Female |
NYS372P-BG |
Right Angle (Switchcraft) |
3502RABAU |
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The list below contains some of the connectors have been
listed prior, although some of the information has been rewritten
to be more specific to data/video connectors. |
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RJ-45 |
The RJ-45 connector is a very common connector used in network
and phone applications. Sometimes referred to as a CAT-5
connector, Ethernet connector, etc. (As I Google to see if there
is any other pertinent information I might be forgetting I see
that the RJ-45 I use might not really be an RJ-45 but actually a
8P8C connector, but everyone and my vendors call it an RJ-45 so
we'll stick with that). It is an 8 pole connector with a
latch. It is of relatively low durability, the biggest problem
being the latch that can break off easily if bent backwards. When
everything is in good condition it makes a good solid connection,
though as jacks age they can be problems. |
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EtherCON Neutrik connector |
This is an add on to the RJ-45 connector, it is an
XLR-connector-sized housing that the RJ-45 fits into offering a
protective metal shell, a replaced latch, and a cable grip and
strain relief. These must be matched with the EtherCON panel
connector to use. An EtherCON panel connector will accept a
standard cable and the EtherCON but a standard panel connector
will only accept a standard cable. These are very nice additions
to a CAT-5 cable especially when used in the field in a live
sound or studio environment. I just wish more manufacturers would
start using it on their gear so that we can use it on our
cables.
Here at EHS we offer/stock the NE8MC-B-1 black housing which
uses the standard XLR boot, so you have 10 colors options. We can
customize anything you might need even if you don't see it on
the site. |
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RCA |
The RCA in digital and video is typically used for a 75 ohm
connection of SPDIF digital audio, composite video, or component
video. It has 2 connecting areas, a center pin for the signal and
an outer ring for the ground.
Most RCA cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
When quality components are used the RCA is a very good
connection. They lack a latch, but often good connectors will
seat tight enough to not need it. They have a tendency to pop
when plugged in so care must be taken to protect gear.
Here at EHS we offer custom cables with these RCA connectors:
gold straight connectors in 10 colors, gold right angle and gold
female. We can customize anything you might need even if you
don't see it on the site. |
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The RCA connectors we use are by
Neutrik (except as noted): |
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Description |
Black Gold |
Male straight |
NYS373 |
Female |
NYS372P-BG |
Right Angle (Switchcraft) |
3502RABAU |
Compression fit RCA for RG6 |
(not Neutrik) |
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BNC |
The BNC is typically used for clock and video applications as
a 75 ohm connection. It is similar to the RCA in connection and
often used for the same type of signals, although for clock and
video applications it is a higher quality connection. It has 2
connecting areas, a center pin for the signal and an outer ring
that spins and works as a latching mechanism for the ground.
Most BNC cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
Here at EHS we offer custom cables with two styles of BNC: a
soldered connector that has gold contacts used for Mogami and
Horizon and a compression connector used for RG-6. |
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MIDI (5-pin DIN) |
The MIDI connector refers to the 5-pin DIN connector with 180
degree pin span. There are 9 connector pin arrangements (at least
common ones) ranging from 2 to 8 pins with 2 5-pin connectors
that have 180 degree and 240 degree pin spans. As stated earlier
it has 5 pins though for most applications only 3 are used.
We use the best available MIDI connector; they are durable and
fairly solid. I consider them to be fine quality, although I wish
someone made a better one (one built more like a Neutrik XLR
connector with a cable chuck and a larger boot).
Most MIDI cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
Here at EHS we offer custom cables with these MIDI connectors:
Neutrik (Rean) connectors NYS322 silver pins and NYS322G gold
pins, both with nickel housing. |
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XLR (DMX and AES) |
The XLR is one of the most common connections in professional
analog and digital audio and lighting controls. Mainly used is
the 3 pin configuration; it is available in 3 to 7 pins. Typical
uses for 3 pin is audio and lighting, for 5 pin is lighting, and
for 4 to 6 pins is power supply connections. On the standard 3
pin configuration the pinout is pin 1 ground/shield, pin 2 high,
and pin 3 low.
Most cables use a male on one end and a female on the other
end making it easy to daisy chain cables. In AES the male
connector is the output (sending connector) and in DMX the female
is the output (sending connector).
The XLR is the best typical connection. They are locking so
you don't have to worry about them being pulled apart,
forming a very solid reliable connection.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these XLR
connectors for 3-pin: standard straight, Gold, Right Angle, Gold
Right Angle, female switched (silver and gold); and for 5 pin we
offer: 5-pin standard for lighting control. We can customize
anything you might need even if you don't see it on the
site. |
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The XLR connectors we use are by
Neutrik: |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Female 3 pin |
NC3FX |
NC3FX-B |
Male 3 pin |
NC3MX |
NC3MX-B |
Female 5 pin |
NC5FX |
Male 5 pin |
NC5FX |
Female 3 pin Right Angle |
NC3FRX |
NC3FRX-B |
Male 3 pin Right Angle |
NC3MRX |
NC3MRX-B |
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All XLRs are available with an
optional colored boot (see options info page), black is
standard. |
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TS 1/4" |
The TS 1/4" connector for speakers is one of the most
common speaker connectors in pro audio. It has 2 contacts: Tip
and Sleeve (thus TS), the tip being positive (red), and the
sleeve being negative (black).
Most TS cables have male connectors and panels have female
connectors. Because most cables only have male connectors you
need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it, although since also both ins and outs on a
panel use the female connector you do have to be watchful which
you hook up to.
The TS is a less reliable and more troublesome connector than
most. With the exposed contacts it leaves greater possibility for
grime from handling, they have a tendency to pop on insertion or
extraction because you can cross contact the contacts and short
them and the jacks have a higher failure rate due to wear and
dirt. With all that said, they are still great connectors, they
can just be a little more trouble.
This is the same TS connector used for line level and
instrument cables except the housing for speaker cables is bigger
and heavier duty to support the larger speaker cable.
Here at EHS we offer our custom speaker cables with these TS
1/4" connectors: nickel and gold in all jumbo, mid sized and
large straight and large right angle. We can customize anything
you might need even if you don't see it on the site. |
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The TS 1/4" connectors we use
are by G&H (except as noted): |
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Description |
Nickel-Silver |
Black Gold |
Jumbo straight |
MF2P-NNN |
MF2P-BGG |
Mid sized straight |
BF2PS-NNN |
BF2PS-BGG |
Large straight |
BF2P-NNN |
BF2P-BGG |
Right Angle |
RF2P-NNN |
RF2P-BGG |
Large Female (Switchcraft) |
128 |
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Banana |
The Banana connector is probably the greatest and simplest
speaker connector. It offers a large contact area for high power
demand, and usually a fairly solid connection. A banana connector
is a one contact connection, though there are dual banana
connectors that contain 2 contacts. They offer a quick
connect/disconnect method, and if you are using a dual banana
they are moderately safe from shorting out.
The dual banana is typically the safest pick to protect
equipment from shorts, though some amps and speakers have a wider
spacing on the jacks so that you must use split banana
connectors. The dual connectors have a 3/4" (.75")
spacing center to center.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with these banana
connectors: single gold, dual nickel with black housing, dual
nickel with red housing, and dual gold. We can customize anything
you might need even if you don't see it on the sight. |
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Spade lugs |
The Spade lug or fork is for special applications typically
involving really high current or very large wire. Often used when
a banana connector is not available, it offers similar contact
benefits to bananas. While it is slower to connect and
disconnect, it is also almost impossible to accidentally
disconnect a properly terminated connection.
Here at EHS we stock and offer our custom cables with top
quality gold heavy duty lugs. There are many styles of screw
terminals, so we can also terminate cables with special lugs as
needed. We can customize anything you might need even if you
don't see it on the sight. |
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Speakon |
The Speakon is one of the most convenient and safest speaker
connectors around. It comes in 2, 4, and 8 poles (contacts), has
a latch to prevent accidental disconnect and has a cable clamp to
help prevent the cable from being pulled out of the connector.
Its contacts are completely enclosed and the connector is keyed
to be mated only one way making it almost impossible to cause a
short and damage an amp even when hot swapping. The majority of
gear uses the 4 pole connector.
Most Seakon cables have female connectors and panels have
male connectors. Because most cables only have female connectors
you need an adapter to daisy chain or extend a cable. Because the
cable has the same connector on both sides it doesn't matter
which way you run it.
Here at EHS we stock the most commonly needed Speakon
connectors. We can customize anything you might need even if you
don't see it on the site. |
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The Speakon connectors we use are by
Neutrik: |
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Description |
Model |
Female 4 Pole |
NL4FC |
Male 4 Pole with black metal housing |
NLT4MX-BAG |
Female 4 Pole with black metal housing |
NLT4FX-BAG |
Female 4 Pole Right Angel |
NL4FRX |
Female 8 Pole |
NL8FC |
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EP/AP |
The EP/AP connector is a pin style speaker connector, it is
sort of like a large XLR looking connector. It is not a very
common connector, often used on older high end cabinets and
touring cabinets. Pinouts and configurations vary by manufacture
so if you need a cable we'll often need to confirm what is
being connected. EP and AP are compatible connectors EP being a
heavy duty metal connector and AP being a plastic housing
connector.
At EHS we keep a very small stock the most commonly need
connectors, if it is time critical please check with us before
ordering. We can customize anything you might need even if you
don't see it on the site. |
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The standard lines we use are, all
Amphenol: |
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Description |
Model |
4 Pole Male |
EP-4-12 |
6 Pole Male |
EP-6-12 |
8 Pole Male |
EP-8-12 |
4 Pole Female |
EP-4-11P |
6 Pole Female |
EP-6-11P |
8 Pole Female |
EP-8-11P |
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D-Sub |
The D-Sub is a very common connector. For audio typically we
are using the 25 pin connector, referred to as a DB-25,
D-subminiature, and D-sub 25pin. You might also see the 15 pin
for some less common layouts. The standard 25 pin in audio is
used for an 8 channel balanced analog, 8 line AES/EBU, and TDIF.
Other signals are sometimes done but are uncommon.
For the analog connection it is normally one standard pinout,
which I've heard called the "Tascam pinout", the
"Mackie Pinout", etc. It is used for both in or out,
and sometimes in and out on the same connector.
For use as a digital connection with AES/EBU it gets much more
complicated. There are several major pinouts used by major
manufacturers. Often it is used as 4 lines in and 4 lines out,
but then is complicated by things like 8 channel A/D converters
that just have 4 lines out.
TDIF seems to be a dying format, it has a standard pinout that
as far as we can tell everyone uses.
Here at EHS we offer our custom cables with a large selection
of D-sub options. We have the most common options on the site and
are working to list more, although there are so many possible
ways to build a D-sub snake we will never be able to cover them
all on the site. We can customize anything you might need even if
you don't see it on the site. |
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DL |
The DL is a ZIF (zero insertion force) connector. These are
slowly becoming a very uncommon connector. It comes in a variety
of connector sizes, 96 pin being one of the more common. These
are often found on Analog SSL (Solid State Logic) consoles and
some analog cue systems, and built custom for machine rooms in
studios. It is typically a black connector with an actuating
handle that turns about 90 degrees to connect the pins and latch
down.
Here at EHS we stock a small stash of these for our studio
clients; we don't currently have any offered on the site, but
if you need something please contact us. |

Male 96 pin DL (unpinned) |
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ELCO |
The ELCO (aka EDAC) connector comes in five pinouts of 20, 38,
56, 90 and 120, so it can support up to 40 channels of balanced
analog signal. These are more common that the DL connector but
their use is dwindling too. These are often found on (perhaps
older) Neve, Amek, Soundcraft and other consoles. Also used on
some gear and in machine rooms for studios. It is typically a
gray or green connector with a gray metal hood. They are defined
as either having a "screw" or a "nut". If it
has a screw, it will have a knob or handle in the center back of
the connector hood that is used to mate and seat the connectors
together. Because the pins fit so tight together, often a fully
or nearly fully loaded connector will require the force of the
screw to completely seat the connectors together. A properly
constructed ELCO in good condition forms a very good connection
that is very reliable.
Here at EHS we offer our custom snakes with an optional ELCO
disconnect, which is great to disconnect a mixer from the stage
snake for quick setup and tear down. We can customize an ELCO for
anything but because there are so many options it is best to
contact us for information. |

Female ELCO with Nut (unpinned) |
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Other Multi-pin |
There is a endless variety of other multi-pin connectors out
there, we have listed the ones we most commonly use. If you have
interest in a different type of connector please contact us to
discuss options. |