Audio XLR (XLR connector) is a connector commonly used in professional audio equipment. It is widely used in microphones, speaker cables and other occasions that require balanced transmission. The correct wiring method is crucial to ensure sound quality and system stability. The following are detailed steps and precautions for audio XLR wiring:
1. Prepare tools and materials
XLR: Make sure to choose a reliable model that is suitable for your equipment.
Audio cable: Usually use a two-core shielded cable, and choose the appropriate specification according to your needs.
Wire strippers: Used to strip the cable sheath.
Wire crimping pliers: Used to tighten the metal clip on the XLR to fix the cable.
Solder and soldering iron (optional): If you use welding to connect, you need to prepare these tools; there are also XLRs that do not require welding.
Insulating tape or heat shrink tubing: Used to protect the exposed wire part to prevent short circuits.
2. Wiring steps
1. Determine the cable color and function
Common color assignment: red for positive (Hot), white or black for negative (Cold), bare copper or braided layer for ground (Shield/Ground).
Please check whether your equipment and cables follow this standard, which may sometimes be different.
2. Strip the cable
Use wire strippers to carefully strip the outer sheath of the cable about 1-2 cm to expose the internal wire.
Keep the stripped part clean to avoid damaging the internal conductor.
3. Prepare the wire
Strip a small section of the insulation layer at the end of the positive, negative and ground wires to prepare for connection.
If soldering is used, you can wrap the solder wire around the wire before this step to preheat and melt it to increase conductivity and firmness.
4. Connect to the XLR head
Pin 1 (Tip, +): Connect to the positive pole (red).
Pin 2 (Ring, -): Connect to the negative pole (white or black).
Pin 3 (Sleeve, GND): Connect to the ground wire (bare copper or braided layer).
Note: Some XLRs are designed with a grounding ring (Shell) between pins 1 and 2. This is usually an additional protection measure for connecting the outer shielding layer. Make sure it is also connected to the ground wire.
According to the structure of the XLR, insert the wire into the corresponding hole and fix it with screws or wire crimping pliers. If it is a solderless XLR, just insert the wire and clamp it.
5. Protection treatment
After all connections are completed, wrap each wiring point with insulating tape or heat shrink tubing to ensure that no bare metal parts are exposed to prevent short circuits.
For the entire XLR and cable connection, you can also wrap an additional layer of insulating material for added protection.
3. Precautions
Correct polarity: Make sure the positive and negative poles are connected correctly, otherwise it may cause sound distortion or no output.
Tightness: The wire should be firmly fixed on the XLR, but avoid over-tightening to cause damage.
Shielding layer treatment: Good grounding is the key to reducing noise interference. Be sure to ensure that the ground wire is connected correctly and continuously.
Test: After completing the wiring, use a multimeter or other tool to check the connectivity between the pins, and test whether the audio signal is normal in actual use.
Through the above steps, you can correctly connect the audio XLR head to provide a stable and reliable connection for your professional audio system.
