Appendix B Connections, XLR Connectors, RCA Plugs and Jacks

800R

Appendix B: Connections

XLR Connectors

1/4" TS Phone Plugs and Jacks

ONYX

Channels 1-8 use 3-pin female XLR connectors on the MIC inputs. They are wired as follows, according to stan- dards speciﬁed by the AES (Audio Engineering Society).

SHIELD 2

HOT

COLD 3 1

SHIELD 1

COLD 3 2

HOT

1SHIELD

3COLD

“TS” stands for Tip-Sleeve, the two connection points available on a mono 1/4" phone jack or plug. They are used for unbalanced signals like the high-impedance instrument inputs on the Onyx 800R.

SLEEVE

SLEEVE TIP

TIP

SLEEVE

1/4" TS Unbalanced Wiring:

Sleeve = Shield

XLR Balanced Wiring:

Pin 1 = Shield

Pin 2 = Hot (+)

Pin 3 = Cold (–)

HOT

Tip = Hot (+)

RCA Plugs and Jacks

1/4" TRS Phone Plugs and Jacks

“TRS” stands for Tip-Ring-Sleeve, the three connection points available on a stereo 1/4" or balanced phone jack or plug. TRS jacks and plugs are used for balanced sig- nals and stereo headphones. Neither of these are used on the Onyx 800R, but we’re including them anyway, for your reference.

Balanced Mono

RING SLEEVE

SLEEVE RING TIP

TIP

RING

TIP

SLEEVE

1/4" TRS Balanced Mono Wiring:

Sleeve = Shield

Tip = Hot (+)

Ring = Cold (–)

Stereo Headphones

RING SLEEVE

SLEEVE RING TIP

TIP

RING

TIP

SLEEVE

1/4" TRS Stereo Unbalanced Wiring:

Sleeve = Shield

Tip = Left

Ring = Right

RCA-type plugs (also known as phono plugs) and jacks are often used in home stereo and video equipment, and to make S/PDIF connections on consumer digital audio devices. They are unbalanced and electrically equiva- lent to a 1/4" TS phone plug.

SLEEVE TIP SLEEVE TIP

RCA Unbalanced Wiring:

Sleeve = Shield

Tip = Hot (+)

Unbalancing a Line

In most studio, stage, and sound reinforcement situ- ations, there is a combination of balanced and unbal- anced inputs and outputs on the various pieces of equipment. This usually will not be a problem in making connections.

•When connecting a balanced output to an unbal- anced input, be sure the signal high (hot) connec- tions are wired to each other, and that the balanced signal low (cold) goes to the ground (earth) connection at the unbalanced input. In most cases, the balanced ground (earth) will also be connected to the ground (earth) at the unbalanced input. If there are ground-loop problems, this connection may be left disconnected at the balanced end.