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🔌 Connectors & Cables
Pinouts, link versions, field wiring, and practical notes for AV connectors
Current
Audio Interconnects
Common analog-audio cable mappings. Direction matters when converting balanced outputs to unbalanced inputs; follow the equipment maker’s output-stage guidance.
| Show wiring diagram | From | To | Link | Typical wiring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCA | RCA | Unbalanced | Signal → signal; shield → shield | |
| RCA | 1/4" TS | Unbalanced | RCA signal → tip; shield → sleeve | |
| RCA | 1/4" TRS | Unbalanced to balanced input | Signal → tip; shield → ring and sleeve | |
| RCA | XLR | Unbalanced to balanced input | Signal → pin 2; shield → pins 1 and 3 | |
| 1/4" TS | 1/4" TS | Unbalanced | Tip → tip; sleeve → sleeve | |
| 1/4" TS | 1/4" TRS | Unbalanced to balanced input | Tip → tip; sleeve → ring and sleeve | |
| 1/4" TS | XLR | Unbalanced to balanced input | Tip → pin 2; sleeve → pins 1 and 3 | |
| 1/4" TRS | 1/4" TRS | Balanced | Tip → tip; ring → ring; sleeve → sleeve | |
| 1/4" TRS | XLR | Balanced | Tip → pin 2; ring → pin 3; sleeve → pin 1 | |
| XLR | XLR | Balanced | Pin 1 → 1; pin 2 → 2; pin 3 → 3 |
Never apply phantom power through an unbalanced adapter. Transformer-balanced, impedance-balanced, and cross-coupled outputs can require different unbalancing methods.