Is there anyway to convert a xlr male to a xlr female?
- Thread starter ArcAk
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ashcat_lt
Well-known member
Plus I don't remember which ones were questionable last time they were plugged in...
Oh! We did that a lot! We also had cables with a plug one end and bare, tinned wires the other. Known as, e.g. "XLR to FA".
Dave.
witzendoz
Senior Member
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Several places I've worked had a system that when encountered a dodgy cable you'd tie a knot in it. Of course, what this means is that I now have a cupboard full of knotted cables awaiting the time I decide to spend an afternoon with a soldering iron.
I can't believe you guys are still talking about cables
Alan
Hey! Cables are like the blood vessels of an audio system...
...though that might not make this a bloody interesting topic!
I'll get my coat...
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
Boy, that's almost like thinking ahead! I just yank them out and tell myself I'll deal with it later, but then lose track of which one I was supposed to be dealing with. In some rare cases when I knew for sure that it was the cable that was the problem, I'll just rip one end off of it so there isn't any question.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Yeah...I'll do the knot...or if I know it's a problem in the cable...possible broken connection...
...these days I just cut the connectors off, as they can be reused, and I toss the cable in my shit cable for when I need a piece or what have you.
I just have WAY more cable and connectors these days then I'll ever need/use, that it's the simplest. easiest thing to do.
I would rather just wire up a new one from a fresh piece of cable.
I can't believe you guys are still talking about cables
Alan
Yeah!"? Fascinating! Now, I am OCD about NEVER modifying a made up cable. I will resist until death. Result? I have shedloads of odd cables!
But truly seriously, I REALLY need to have a massive clear out. If anyone wants to meet me at a local pub in Northampton I will fill their boot (trunk) with cables I am now never going to use...Promise!
Dave.
Just before we leave this!
Can I have a word about "sacrificial" adaptors/cables?
If you have a piece of gear such as a really expensive* high end pre amp it is worth considering XLR-XLR "stubs" of about 200mm on each channel. Thus the mic cables only connect to the stubs and the pre amp conns' do not get worn or damaged.
Not so costly gear but stuff that that gets a lot of "pluggeratin" (my GWBush-ism!) such as cable testers can benefit as well. Such boxes positively bristle with connectors, soldered I bet directly to a PCB and would be a sod to change.
*Expensive is of course in the pocket of the owner! YOUR AI might only sell for $150 in US but it might have cost YOU dear and been hard to obtain in your locale. Repair of such an item would also be very difficult to get, even impossible in some cases.
There is of course the "minimal audio path" concept? Bollox IMO for short runs of decent quality connectors.
Dave.
Can I have a word about "sacrificial" adaptors/cables?
If you have a piece of gear such as a really expensive* high end pre amp it is worth considering XLR-XLR "stubs" of about 200mm on each channel. Thus the mic cables only connect to the stubs and the pre amp conns' do not get worn or damaged.
Not so costly gear but stuff that that gets a lot of "pluggeratin" (my GWBush-ism!) such as cable testers can benefit as well. Such boxes positively bristle with connectors, soldered I bet directly to a PCB and would be a sod to change.
*Expensive is of course in the pocket of the owner! YOUR AI might only sell for $150 in US but it might have cost YOU dear and been hard to obtain in your locale. Repair of such an item would also be very difficult to get, even impossible in some cases.
There is of course the "minimal audio path" concept? Bollox IMO for short runs of decent quality connectors.
Dave.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I don't have a problem with re-soldering the connectors....and I save the duct tape for other duties.
I just run all my gear to my patch bays...everything...so all the pluging/unplugging happens there.
I mean...even getting in behind my gear isn't all that simple...I can roll out the racks if really needed for extensive work at the back, but otherwise, the patchbays are key to the whole studio.
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
I guess it's more critical for cables with molded ends. The duct tape thing is for like in the heat of the moment. I've never carried soldering equipment to gigs, and usually don't have a whole lot of time to get things set up.I don't have a problem with re-soldering the connectors....and I save the duct tape for other duties.
Most of my stuff is on patchbays, too. Don't have any XLR bays, though. These connectors - jacks (sockets) and plugs both - are self cleaning. The act of plugging them in and out is supposed to help scrape away any corrosion or oxidation that might develop. Leaving them plugged in for years on end kind of defeats that. It's only a problem if it's a problem, but when it is...
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
On the road...at a gig...you do what you have to, to quick make it work, but during band days, we use to carry a soldering kit, and I've soldered a few times in-between sets. 
I do use XLR bays only for my mic pre inputs. The pre outputs and I/Os for all my other gear are on my TT/Bantam bays.
Whenever I roll out my racks or the console, I'll do some basic cleaning of all the connectors...but usually I don't screw with them until I have an issue. I always clean my gear I/O when first connecting stuff, and I apply some Caig Gold, which is supposed to maintain/preserve the metal to metal contact.
I think one of the main problems with oxidation stems from humidity issues. The moisture speeds up the oxidation.
My studio is pretty consistent, and even in the most humid months, it only sees a small increase...so I've been lucky, and haven't really had any oxidation issues to speak of over the years.
I do use XLR bays only for my mic pre inputs. The pre outputs and I/Os for all my other gear are on my TT/Bantam bays.
Whenever I roll out my racks or the console, I'll do some basic cleaning of all the connectors...but usually I don't screw with them until I have an issue. I always clean my gear I/O when first connecting stuff, and I apply some Caig Gold, which is supposed to maintain/preserve the metal to metal contact.
I think one of the main problems with oxidation stems from humidity issues. The moisture speeds up the oxidation.
My studio is pretty consistent, and even in the most humid months, it only sees a small increase...so I've been lucky, and haven't really had any oxidation issues to speak of over the years.
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
I had studios in FL and NOLA without much if any climate control for years, and never really had problems that I could say for sure were caused by oxidized connectors, but I could well have just been lucky, or maybe I moved (and rewired the whole damn mess) just often enough... Idk, most times even if it does get a little weird, plugging in and out a few times will clear it up (for a while anyway). Plus, it makes Beavis laugh.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Well...it;s just my suspicion that humidity acts as a accelerator. I think also if you are right by the oceans, the salt air will make things even worse.
It's like when you go into a house basement, where it's always humid...and a lot of the metal stuff in the basement is showing excessive oxidation and even rust, compared to stuff not in the basement.
At anny rate...there's always some point where the connectors just need a some cleaning or movement action to self-clean.
It's like when you go into a house basement, where it's always humid...and a lot of the metal stuff in the basement is showing excessive oxidation and even rust, compared to stuff not in the basement.
At anny rate...there's always some point where the connectors just need a some cleaning or movement action to self-clean.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Interesting...some of my oldest (home made) cables are over 30 years old and oxidation has never been an issue for me. Maybe part of it is using reliable (almost always Neutrik) connectors but also that I have nothing permanently plugged in so the tend to get the "scraping" action fairly often.
As for soldering out on the road, I carry a small, cheap soldering iron (rather than my bulking solder station) with me. It's only used rarely (I generally have enough spares that I can just swap things out rather than repair them) but it has bailed me out of a fix on a few occasions. Frankly, it's more often been a boon for lighting DMX cables and pyro control cables than for audio!
As for soldering out on the road, I carry a small, cheap soldering iron (rather than my bulking solder station) with me. It's only used rarely (I generally have enough spares that I can just swap things out rather than repair them) but it has bailed me out of a fix on a few occasions. Frankly, it's more often been a boon for lighting DMX cables and pyro control cables than for audio!
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
Yeah, I didn't really mean to overstate the problem. Oxidation of connectors can theoretically be a problem, but like I said, even in pretty much worst case scenario (high humidity near the ocean where cars and guitars rust in days), I could never say for sure that it caused a problem. I have had issues with connectors over the years, but when the gear has been known to be in smoker-friendly environments, it's really hard to say if which what caused who.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Speaking of humidity...an engineer/mic designer once told me that when too much humidity gets on the connector pins, it can cause some very mild electrical signal arcing (not talking about sparks flying 
)...so he said if you ever encounter intermittent crackling with a mic...clean/dry off the connectors first if you happen to be in a higher humidity situation, and see if that cures it.
Most problems I've ever encountered always end up being a loose wire or loose solder connection...etc...but as I said, oxidation hasn't been an issue in my environment over the years.
)...so he said if you ever encounter intermittent crackling with a mic...clean/dry off the connectors first if you happen to be in a higher humidity situation, and see if that cures it.Most problems I've ever encountered always end up being a loose wire or loose solder connection...etc...but as I said, oxidation hasn't been an issue in my environment over the years.
Speaking of humidity...an engineer/mic designer once told me that when too much humidity gets on the connector pins, it can cause some very mild electrical signal arcing (not talking about sparks flying
Most problems I've ever encountered always end up being a loose wire or loose solder connection...etc...but as I said, oxidation hasn't been an issue in my environment over the years.
Well yes, if you have an electrolyte (sea water) and dissimilar metals, lead/tin/nickel/brass you have a voltaic cell! This will surely make a noise, not a lot but with 60dB+ mic gain after it?...
I have mics and XLR couplers outside all year round and get very little trouble (just had to replace one XLR mic lead, must have a look at the buggered one!) . About once a month everything gets a good soak of WD-40.
If you REALLY want to proof an XLR, after soldering, pump in silicone grease then heat sleeve the pins and then more grease. But, fekkin' shit job if you need to repair it!
Dave.