2. cables
  3. 1099714738

Sex and the balanced interconnect.

Caught your eye, didn't it.

I am contemplating a new line level crossover, and it comes with XLR balanced outputs. My power amps have XLR balanced inputs, so I thought...why not give balanced a try. The problem is that both the crossover and the amps have female connectors, so that the interconnect needs to be male on both ends (just like an rca interconnect). I find cables offered with a wide variety of connector configurations, but I can't find any XLR cables configured male-to-male, although I could put in a special order and have them made.

Is it unusual to require male-to-male configuration?
eldartford
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
check out www.A2Zcables.com
eldartford OP
4,262 posts
 
I have the power amps, CarverPro zr1600, and the manual and inspection of the hardware confirms that a male plug is necessary on the input cable. The connectors on the chassis accept XLR, TRS, or TS 1/4 phone plugs, all male. (TS are used for single ended operation). The circuit is truly a differential input for balanced interconnects, as one can check on the schematic available on the web site.

I do not physically have the crossover: an Ashley is what I am considering. However, I do have the manual which clearly states that the interconnect needs a male connector.

Industry standards don't seem to be universally followed. In reading the Ashley manual I learned that JBL drivers pull the cone IN for a positive input. OUT is standard for other brands. I discovered this for myself when I wired up my subwoofer systems. (Actually I thought I had mixed up the connections at the drivers and didn't unscrew them from the enclosure to check).
rockvirgo
587 posts
 
On most preamps all the RCA's are females. But industrial strength XLR's tell you at a glance which are the inputs and which the outputs. Otherwise, fault finding while in front of a bank of components with speaker arrays roaring could be disconcerting, pun intended. Could Ashley be stating the obvious, that you'll need a male at the other end of the interrconnect? Let us know once the suspect is in custody.
eldartford OP
4,262 posts
 
Unclejeff...Thanks for the A2Zcables.com info. Looks like good stuff.
drrdiamond
671 posts
 
Any cable company will configure the cable anyway that you want, if you pay for it and it may not cost anything extra.

But, I too would be very surprised that you need such an interconnect. I have never heard of such a situation, and would be leery of a company that required this strange hookup. If you can afford it, Krell probably make the best electronic crossover and will configure it for virtually any speaker....and it uses the standard setup.

Your electronic crossover should require two types of XLR interconnect ends, both male and female. One is for the input and one for the output.

Richard
More to discover