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•1/4(Quarter-Inch) (TRS/TS)- This cable is called quarter-inch cable (represented by a 1/4). It comes it two form TRS (Stands for Tip Ring Sleeve) and TS (Stands to Tip Sleeve). TRS is balanced, the 3 cables are laid out over 2 sections on the cable connector. The TS cable is unbalanced, and only has 2 sections on it's connector. The cable has two male ends, and the female ends are on the equipment that you're plugging them into.
•RCA- This is not too common in pro audio set-ups, and it more found in home entertainment centers. But although it is usually found on mixing boards and is sometimes used to connect devices such as laptop/cd players/iPods, I'll go over it.
RCA is an unbalanced cable, and like the 1/4 above, it has two male ends, and the female ends are on the equipment your a plugging to into.
RCA is an unbalanced cable, and like the 1/4 above, it has two male ends, and the female ends are on the equipment your a plugging to into.
•3.5mm/ 1/8- Similar to the 1/4 cable above, the 1/8 cable looks very alike. It is the exact same thing, just 1/2 the size, it is also referred to as 3.5mm(millimeter) cable. This is usually used as a headphone connector (yes, this is the connector that your headphone use). It can have a TRS balanced or TS unbalanced configuration. Pretty much the only place this is found is on headphones, they use TRS balanced to carry a stereo signal up to the headphones.
The last 3 types of cable of Speaker Cable.
When dealing with speaker cable, you will hear something called gauge. This is simply the capability of the cable. The smaller the number, the more the cable can handle.
•Speak-On-
In pro audio situations, this may be the most common connector for speakers, simply because it's idiot proof. Usually your speakers are the closest thing to the audience, and people like to walk on the cables and little kids like to play with the speaker cable that is connected to the speaker, and can pull it out. Well not with Speak-On this type of cable locks into the connector, and you have to pull and twist to get it out, something that must people don think to do.
In pro audio situations, this may be the most common connector for speakers, simply because it's idiot proof. Usually your speakers are the closest thing to the audience, and people like to walk on the cables and little kids like to play with the speaker cable that is connected to the speaker, and can pull it out. Well not with Speak-On this type of cable locks into the connector, and you have to pull and twist to get it out, something that must people don think to do.
•Banana Plug
This cable and its funny name are probably the 3rd most common way of speaker connection. It is popular because of its way of connecting one connection directly into another. The two connections correspond to positive and negative signal.
This cable and its funny name are probably the 3rd most common way of speaker connection. It is popular because of its way of connecting one connection directly into another. The two connections correspond to positive and negative signal.
•Bare-Wire-
This type of wire in like banana plugs because it has two connectors per cable, and positive and a negative. Banana plug is usually favored because it is a bit easier to use in pro audio applications.
This type of wire in like banana plugs because it has two connectors per cable, and positive and a negative. Banana plug is usually favored because it is a bit easier to use in pro audio applications.
•Quarter-Inch Speaker Wire-
1/4 Inch TS cables also can come in speaker cable form. You must identify a 1/4 cable as a speaker cable or line-leven cable, because if one is used for an incorrect application, it could result in degraded performance. Look on the side of the cable casing for this information.
1/4 Inch TS cables also can come in speaker cable form. You must identify a 1/4 cable as a speaker cable or line-leven cable, because if one is used for an incorrect application, it could result in degraded performance. Look on the side of the cable casing for this information.
Connection Tools
Snakes:
You may be thinking... well if I have 32 microphones on stage... am I really supposed to run 32 microphone cables back to the mixing board? Well yes and no. You will have to have 32 microphone cables going to your mixer... however they can be in the form of a snake. A snake is a long cable that has a ton of smaller cables inside of it. Looks something like this:
You may be thinking... well if I have 32 microphones on stage... am I really supposed to run 32 microphone cables back to the mixing board? Well yes and no. You will have to have 32 microphone cables going to your mixer... however they can be in the form of a snake. A snake is a long cable that has a ton of smaller cables inside of it. Looks something like this:
The majority of the cables are carrying signals to the sound booth. However, in some snakes there are some cables that take signals from the sound booth back to the stage. This is useful for connecting things like monitor systems and amplifiers.
Snakes have 2 ends: A stage end, and a mixer end. On the stage there is a "box" that you can plug all your mics into. On the other ends is just a bunch of loose end connectors that you can plug into your mixing board or whatever you need to.
Snake "boxes" also come in rack mountable versions, so you can store the cable in the back of the rack when your not using it.
Looks something like this:
Snakes have 2 ends: A stage end, and a mixer end. On the stage there is a "box" that you can plug all your mics into. On the other ends is just a bunch of loose end connectors that you can plug into your mixing board or whatever you need to.
Snake "boxes" also come in rack mountable versions, so you can store the cable in the back of the rack when your not using it.
Looks something like this:
In addition to those types, snakes can come on reels.
All of these types of snakes come in forms called "Splitter snakes" all this means is that it has 1 stage box and 2 mixer ends. This is for when you have a separate monitor mixer. 1 signal will go each mixer.
Insert Snakes:
These are used whenever you have a lot of outboard gear and want just one cable to connect all of it to your mixer's inserts.
Insert Snakes:
These are used whenever you have a lot of outboard gear and want just one cable to connect all of it to your mixer's inserts.
Regular Snakes:
Of course you just have straight snakes.
Of course you just have straight snakes.
Adapters and Conversion Cables
It is important when you are choosing adapters and conversion cables that you watch if the adapters are keeping forwarding the signal correctly.
For example, if you have a 1/4 female-to-famle adapter, make sure that it is balanced to keep a balanced signal running through it balanced. Of course of your signal in unbalanced you don't need a balanced connector. IF you do have a balanced adapter and an unbalanced signal running through it, it's ok because as we mentioned before balanced cables can card un balanced signals.
For example, if you have a 1/4 female-to-famle adapter, make sure that it is balanced to keep a balanced signal running through it balanced. Of course of your signal in unbalanced you don't need a balanced connector. IF you do have a balanced adapter and an unbalanced signal running through it, it's ok because as we mentioned before balanced cables can card un balanced signals.