Back to Blog
The ¼" jacks are called "phone" jacks because they were invented for use on telephone switchboards. Why are there so many formats with so many odd names? The connectors' origins are usually historical. MIDI and USB cable photos courtesy Hosa Technology, Inc. Multichannel computer audio connections, Yamaha mLAN and other studio equipment Synthesizer and control surface connections Pro connections (more common in video than audio), cable TV connectionsīare-wire connections for speakers, secured with a screw or spring-loaded attachment (shown) S/PDIF digital connections, digital surround TOSLINK (FO5 (as in Fiber Optic 5mm), "optical") Portable equipment, consumer equipment and headphones, computer audioĬonsumer equipment (particularly home stereo), DVD and CD digital and analog connections, S/PDIF digital connections, consumer digital surround, computer audio Microphones, AES/EBU pro digital connections, general-purpose pro audio/video use (variants with different pin numbers for single-jack stereo, etc.) XLR (Mic connectors, cannon/canon plugs, symmetrical connectors) Guitars, instruments, headphones, general-purpose equipment connections (line inputs) ¼" (Guitar cables, phone plugs, jack plug, patch cord) Table 3.1 indicates the major connectors you're likely to encounter. Connector TypesĪ variety of different plug types for connecting audio equipment has evolved over the years your studio probably already has several types. Once you learn the basics of these connector types, you'll no more try to plug your S/PDIF digital input into your analog aux than you would your toaster into your phone jack. Stereo versus mono, multichannel: How many channels of audio are you transmitting? If you try to transmit stereo signal over a mono cable, you'll lose a channel because you'll be missing the electrical connection for that channel.Voltage level (analog): If the signal is transmitted as analog voltage, what's the level of the signal? Different equipment uses different levels.Multiple channels can be transmitted compactly, as in ADAT Optical, which transmits eight uncompressed audio channels over a single fiber-optic cable. If a device isn't set up for that signal, it won't work.ĭigital signal advantages: Audio transmitted digitally doesn't suffer fidelity degradation or added noise the way analog audio does. Digital signals require that the receiving device speak the correct digital language. Digital versus analog: What kind of data are you sending? Analog signals can be understood by any analog input or output, though noise and other problems can be caused by level mismatches.Optical cables transmit digital data as light, not electrical voltage, and are exclusively digital. The voltage on the hot lead can be an analog or encoded digital signal in some cases, analog and digital cables are interchangeable, even though the signals aren't. Coaxial versus optical cabling: Most cables are coaxial or "coax," meaning they're shielded wire cables that carry voltage on the center ("hot") lead, around which is wrapped a braided shield that connects to ground.Adapters won't convert one type of signal to another, however. If a connection doesn't fit, you may be able to buy an adapter. You won't need to buy all new cables, though. You'll want to match up the physical connectors so you're not literally trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Generally speaking, a plug (the "male" side of the connection) has protruding pins and is found at the end of a cable, while the jack (the "female" side) is found on a panel and has one or more recesses into which the plug's protrusions fit. Physical connector types: Jacks and plugs are differently shaped connections on your equipment.Here are some specific factors to pay attention to: Fortunately, these connectors, despite their physical differences, do the same thing: they carry signals between equipment. Audio cables come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If you don't have experience connecting audio equipment, your first glimpse at a professional's collection of cables can be daunting. Learn More Buy Connecting Physical Hardware
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |