<s>
The	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
is	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
primarily	O
used	O
in	O
professional	O
audio	O
,	O
video	O
,	O
and	O
stage	O
lighting	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
cylindrical	O
in	O
design	O
,	O
with	O
three	O
to	O
seven	O
connector	O
pins	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
often	O
employed	O
for	O
analog	O
balanced	B-Protocol
audio	I-Protocol
interconnections	O
,	O
AES3	O
digital	O
audio	O
,	O
portable	O
intercom	O
,	O
DMX512	O
lighting	O
control	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
low-voltage	O
power	O
supply	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
included	O
to	O
the	O
international	O
standard	O
for	O
dimensions	O
,	O
IEC	B-Device
61076-2-103	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
is	O
superficially	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
smaller	O
DIN	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
,	O
with	O
which	O
it	O
is	O
physically	O
incompatible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
(	O
also	O
Cannon	B-Device
plug	I-Device
and	O
Cannon	B-Device
connector	I-Device
)	O
was	O
invented	O
by	O
James	O
H	O
.	O
Cannon	O
,	O
founder	O
of	O
the	O
Cannon	O
Electric	O
company	O
,	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
,	O
California	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
originated	O
from	O
the	O
Cannon	O
X	O
series	O
of	O
connectors	O
;	O
by	O
1950	O
,	O
a	O
latching	O
mechanism	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
connector	O
,	O
which	O
produced	O
the	O
Cannon	O
XL	O
model	O
of	O
connector	O
,	O
and	O
by	O
1955	O
,	O
the	O
female	O
connector	O
featured	O
synthetic-rubber	O
insulation	O
polychloroprene	O
(	O
neoprene	O
)	O
,	O
identified	O
with	O
the	O
part-number	O
prefix	O
XLR	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
,	O
the	O
ITT	O
Cannon	O
company	O
manufactured	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
in	O
two	O
locations	O
:	O
Kanagawa	O
,	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
Melbourne	O
,	O
Australia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
the	O
Switchcraft	O
corporation	O
manufactured	O
compatible	O
connectors	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
Neutrik	O
company	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
improvements	O
to	O
the	O
connector	O
,	O
and	O
produced	O
a	O
second-generation	O
design	O
(	O
the	O
X-series	O
)	O
that	O
had	O
only	O
four	O
parts	O
for	O
the	O
cable	O
connector	O
,	O
and	O
eliminated	O
the	O
small	O
screws	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
models	O
of	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
made	O
by	O
Cannon	O
and	O
Switchcraft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
available	O
in	O
male	O
and	O
female	O
versions	O
in	O
both	O
cable	O
and	O
chassis	O
mounting	O
designs	O
,	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
four	O
styles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
female	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
designed	O
with	O
a	O
longer	O
metal	O
sleeve	O
to	O
first	O
connect	O
pin	O
1	O
(	O
the	O
earth	O
pin	O
)	O
,	O
before	O
the	O
other	O
pins	O
make	O
contact	O
,	O
when	O
a	O
male	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
is	O
inserted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
ground	O
connection	O
established	O
before	O
the	O
signal	O
lines	O
are	O
connected	O
,	O
the	O
insertion	O
(	O
and	O
removal	O
)	O
of	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
in	O
live	O
equipment	O
is	O
possible	O
without	O
hearing	O
an	O
annoying	O
static	O
pop	O
(	O
as	O
usually	O
happens	O
with	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
RCA	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
2016	O
,	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
available	O
with	O
up	O
to	O
10	O
pins	O
,	O
and	O
mini	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
with	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
from	O
different	O
manufacturers	O
will	O
intermate	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
six-pin	O
models	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
available	O
in	O
two	O
incompatible	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
most	O
XLR	O
,	O
plugs	B-Protocol
are	O
male	O
and	O
sockets	O
are	O
female	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLR	O
are	O
unusual	O
as	O
,	O
at	O
least	O
in	O
audio	O
applications	O
,	O
all	O
four	O
combinations	O
of	O
male	O
and	O
female	O
,	O
plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
sockets	O
are	O
equally	O
common	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
common	O
misnomer	O
is	O
that	O
'	O
plugs	B-Protocol
 '	O
are	O
free	O
connectors	O
and	O
'	O
sockets	O
 '	O
are	O
panel-mounted	O
,	O
but	O
XLR	O
uses	O
many	O
free	O
female	O
sockets	O
and	O
panel-mounted	O
male	O
plugs	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
circumference	O
of	O
an	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
at	O
the	O
widest	O
point	O
is	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
by	O
far	O
the	O
most	O
common	O
style	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
an	O
industry	O
standard	O
for	O
balanced	B-Protocol
audio	I-Protocol
signals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
great	O
majority	O
of	O
professional	O
microphones	B-Application
use	O
the	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLR	O
could	O
accept	O
14AWG	O
(	O
)	O
wire	O
with	O
a	O
current-carrying	O
capacity	O
of	O
15	O
amps	O
,	O
suitable	O
for	O
most	O
loudspeakers	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
have	O
been	O
superseded	O
by	O
the	O
Speakon	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
for	O
professional	O
loudspeakers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Speakon	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
accepts	O
larger	O
wire	O
and	O
carries	O
more	O
current	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
provides	O
a	O
better	O
shield	O
for	O
the	O
contacts	O
,	O
which	O
may	O
carry	O
dangerous	O
voltages	O
when	O
connected	O
to	O
an	O
amplifier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
used	O
to	O
interconnect	O
powered	O
speakers	O
with	O
line-level	O
signals	O
used	O
for	O
PA	O
system	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rechargeable	O
devices	O
exist	O
that	O
use	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
obsolete	O
use	O
for	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
was	O
for	O
MIDI	O
data	O
on	O
some	O
Octave-Plateau	O
synthesizers	O
including	O
the	O
Voyetra-8	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
is	O
commonly	O
used	O
for	O
DMX512	O
,	O
on	O
lighting	O
and	O
related	O
control	O
equipment	O
,	O
particularly	O
at	O
the	O
budget	O
/	O
DJ	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
using	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
for	O
DMX512	O
is	O
specifically	O
prohibited	O
by	O
section	O
7.1.2	O
of	O
the	O
DMX512	O
standard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
used	O
in	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
pins	O
are	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
mono	O
headphone	O
signal	O
and	O
two	O
pins	O
for	O
the	O
unbalanced	O
microphone	B-Application
signal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
desk	O
microphones	B-Application
with	O
LEDs	O
use	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
fourth	O
pin	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
power	O
the	O
LED	O
indicating	O
that	O
the	O
microphone	B-Application
is	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Five-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
the	O
standard	O
for	O
DMX512	O
digital	O
lighting	O
control	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
common	O
uses	O
are	O
for	O
dual-element	O
or	O
stereo	O
microphones	B-Application
(	O
two	O
balanced	B-Protocol
audio	I-Protocol
signals	O
with	O
a	O
common	O
ground	O
)	O
and	O
stereo	O
intercom	O
headset	O
(	O
three	O
pins	O
for	O
the	O
stereo	O
headphone	O
signal	O
-	O
left	O
,	O
right	O
,	O
and	O
ground	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
pins	O
for	O
the	O
unbalanced	O
microphone	B-Application
signal	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Six-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
used	O
for	O
dual	O
channel	O
intercom	O
systems	O
and	O
stage	O
lighting	O
control	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
common	O
use	O
is	O
professional	O
stereo	O
headset	O
with	O
balanced	O
microphone	B-Application
(	O
headphone	O
left-pin	O
4	O
,	O
headphone	O
right-pin	O
5	O
,	O
headphone	O
common-pin	O
3	O
,	O
mic	O
high-pin	O
2	O
,	O
mic	O
low-pin	O
1	O
,	O
mic	O
ground-pin	O
6	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Seven-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
used	O
to	O
connect	O
some	O
valve	O
(	O
tube	O
)	O
condenser	O
microphones	B-Application
to	O
their	O
power	O
supplies	O
(	O
carrying	O
signal	O
,	O
polarisation	O
voltage	O
,	O
heater	O
and	O
HT	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
obsolete	O
use	O
for	O
seven-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
was	O
analogue	O
lighting	O
control	O
signals	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
for	O
wired	O
intercom	O
in	O
broadcast	O
studios	O
,	O
specifically	O
with	O
Ward-Beck	O
intercoms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
section	O
contains	O
more	O
technical	O
information	O
relating	O
the	O
most	O
common	O
applications	O
of	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
EIA	O
Standard	O
RS-297-A	O
describes	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
three-pin	O
XLR	O
-	O
known	O
as	O
XLR3	B-Device
-	O
for	O
balanced	B-Protocol
audio	I-Protocol
signal	O
level	O
applications	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
capability	O
can	O
be	O
built	O
into	O
a	O
fixed	O
jack	O
or	O
a	O
cable	O
terminated	O
with	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
standard	O
signal	O
flow	O
for	O
audio	O
in	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
is	O
that	O
the	O
output	O
is	O
a	O
male	O
connector	O
and	O
the	O
input	O
is	O
female	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Where	O
microphone	B-Application
power	O
also	O
flows	O
through	O
the	O
connector	O
,	O
it	O
originates	O
from	O
the	O
socket	O
and	O
flows	O
into	O
the	O
plug	O
,	O
(	O
the	O
opposite	O
direction	O
to	O
the	O
signal	O
and	O
the	O
normal	O
direction	O
for	O
power	O
circuits	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
voltages	O
of	O
microphone	B-Application
and	O
line	O
level	O
audio	O
signals	O
are	O
not	O
hazardous	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
male	O
XLR	O
is	O
usually	O
incorporated	O
in	O
the	O
body	O
of	O
a	O
microphone	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
equipment	O
often	O
requires	O
an	O
input	O
on	O
a	O
TRS	O
phone	O
jack	O
or	O
an	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
,	O
Neutrik	O
and	O
Amphenol	O
offer	O
several	O
models	O
of	O
combination	O
connector	O
that	O
accept	O
both	O
XLR	O
and	O
TS	B-Device
or	I-Device
TRS	I-Device
phone	I-Device
plugs	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Clear-Com	O
,	O
Telex	O
,	O
RTS	O
and	O
many	O
other	O
production	O
intercom	O
systems	O
use	O
four-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
for	O
attaching	O
monaural	O
intercom	O
headsets	O
or	O
handsets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
standard	O
pinout	O
for	O
four-pin	O
XLR	O
headsets	O
is	O
:	O
Pin	O
1	O
=	O
Microphone	B-Application
ground	O
(	O
screen/shield	O
)	O
;	O
Pin	O
2	O
=	O
Microphone	B-Application
signal	O
(	O
"	O
hot	O
"	O
)	O
input	O
;	O
Pin	O
3	O
=	O
Headphone	O
ground	O
(	O
return	O
)	O
;	O
Pin	O
4	O
=	O
Headphone	O
signal	O
(	O
"	O
hot	O
"	O
)	O
output	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
increasingly	O
common	O
instead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
using	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
for	O
DMX512	O
is	O
specifically	O
prohibited	O
by	O
section	O
7.1.2	O
of	O
the	O
DMX512	O
standard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
also	O
used	O
by	O
Slate	O
Digital	O
for	O
the	O
VMS1	O
microphone	B-Application
preamp	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Where	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
used	O
for	O
DC	O
power	O
,	O
the	O
genders	O
are	O
reversed	O
with	O
respect	O
to	O
their	O
standard	O
use	O
for	O
line-level	O
and	O
mic-level	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Typically	O
,	O
audio	O
signals	O
on	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
"	O
follow	O
the	O
pin	O
,	O
"	O
such	O
that	O
a	O
male	O
connector	O
is	O
an	O
output	O
and	O
a	O
female	O
connector	O
is	O
an	O
input	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
most	O
power	O
applications	O
(	O
not	O
just	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
)	O
the	O
female	O
connector	O
is	O
the	O
output	O
and	O
the	O
male	O
connector	O
is	O
the	O
input	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
one	O
time	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
were	O
also	O
used	O
extensively	O
on	O
loudspeaker	O
cables	O
,	O
as	O
when	O
first	O
introduced	O
they	O
represented	O
a	O
new	O
standard	O
of	O
ruggedness	O
,	O
and	O
economical	O
alternatives	O
were	O
not	O
readily	O
available	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
use	O
was	O
superseded	O
in	O
professional	O
audio	O
applications	O
by	O
the	O
Neutrik	O
Speakon	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
are	O
now	O
popular	O
power	O
connectors	O
for	O
charging	O
ebike	O
batteries	O
(	O
24V	O
,	O
36v	O
and	O
48v	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
microphones	B-Application
such	O
as	O
condenser	O
microphones	B-Application
require	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
alternative	O
to	O
battery	O
power	O
is	O
phantom	O
power	O
,	O
which	O
consists	O
of	O
direct	O
current	O
applied	O
equally	O
through	O
the	O
two	O
signal	O
lines	O
of	O
a	O
balanced	B-Protocol
audio	I-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
,	O
usually	O
a	O
three-pin	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Phantom	O
power	O
is	O
usually	O
supplied	O
at	O
a	O
nominal	O
48	O
volts	O
DC	O
,	O
although	O
lower	O
voltages	O
are	O
permissible	O
and	O
modern	O
microphones	B-Application
will	O
often	O
operate	O
over	O
a	O
wide	O
range	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLD	O
connector	O
is	O
a	O
proposed	O
keyed	O
variant	O
of	O
the	O
XLR	B-Device
connector	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
XLD	O
plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
sockets	O
are	O
used	O
mostly	O
in	O
professional	O
audio	O
and	O
video	O
electronics	O
cabling	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XLD	O
connector	O
is	O
proposed	O
by	O
the	O
Audio	O
Engineering	O
Society	O
AES42	O
digital	O
microphone	B-Application
interface	O
standard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
connectors	O
are	O
similar	O
to	O
XLR	O
but	O
with	O
an	O
extra	O
coding	O
key	O
and	O
groove	O
that	O
allows	O
control	O
over	O
the	O
intermating	O
of	O
XLD	O
plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
XLR	O
sockets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
suitably	O
keying	O
connectors	O
,	O
analog	O
microphones	B-Application
can	O
be	O
protected	O
from	O
damage	O
by	O
the	O
high	O
current	O
digital	O
phantom	O
power	O
supply	O
provided	O
for	O
digital	O
microphones	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mini	O
XLR	B-Device
Connector	I-Device
,	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
TQG	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
TA3	O
"	O
/	O
"	O
TA4	O
"	O
connector	O
(	O
number	O
depending	O
on	O
number	O
of	O
poles	O
)	O
,	O
is	O
used	O
on	O
compact	O
items	O
such	O
as	O
UHF	O
wireless	O
microphone	B-Application
beltpacks	O
,	O
some	O
studio	O
and	O
field	O
recording	O
headphones	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Audio	O
Technica	O
condenser	O
microphones	B-Application
,	O
but	O
is	O
not	O
in	O
general	O
use	O
on	O
major	O
items	O
such	O
as	O
mixing	O
desks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mini	O
XLR	B-Device
Connector	I-Device
was	O
first	O
devised	O
by	O
Switchcraft	O
and	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
from	O
Rean	O
,	O
and	O
various	O
other	O
sources	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
yet	O
,	O
the	O
Mini	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
do	O
not	O
appear	O
to	O
be	O
covered	O
by	O
any	O
ISO	O
or	O
national	O
standard	O
.	O
</s>
