XLR Cable

[treb311]

My audio recording teacher wants an essay on the history of an XLR cable, I found some info on it, but can anyone break the barrier of all shit that people already have?

 

[littledog]

I don't understand your question.

 

[Wil Davis]

I fully understand the first two parts of the sentence, but I don't understand the question.

- Wil

PS: Welcome to Home Recording dot com (yes, you're quite welcome to it - ha! ha! )

 

[Rochey]

Why not start off by explaining WHY we choose XLR cable.

Explain that normal jack to jack doesn't really take care of the noise, and that this was (and still is) a great issue when dealing with electronic signals.

Then explain the noise rejection advantages of a balanced system, and it's advantage in terms of maintaining the quality of the signal.

As for the socket itself, well, I can't help with that.

good luck

R

 

[xiaoken]

I think he wants to know about the history of the XLR cable, how it was invented, technical progressions and how it came to be the industry standard.

 

[sjoko2]

Once upon a time I met this cable. On one end it had a plug wiith a metal jacket and three pins arranged in a triangle. His name was Fred he told me, Fred XLR. On the other side was another plug, she introduced herself as Elsie XLR. Fred explained that Elsie and him had been married, and forever soldered together, by cable. He further went to explain that the ceremony had been undertaken by monsters somewhere in China, far away.
My first impressions of the XLR family were twofold. In the first place it was immediately apparent the they had an easy flow between them. Second, I was jealous of the three pins and three holes, which made me wonder if the XLR's also experienced three simultanious orgasms.
After sitting down with the XLR's, they continued to tell me their livestory. From their manufacture by the monsters, their trip on a big container vessel to the USA, their experiences while hanging on the wall at the Guitarcenter in Hollywood, and their subsequent removal, sale to a guy names Tommy Lee Jones, who took the XLR's home with him in his raincoat pocket...........

Is that sort off along the lines your teacher had in mind??

 

[Wil Davis]

Ah, you want details...

Well, let's see now - check out "Handbook For Sound Engineers" (edited by Glen Ballou) - there's actually a whole paragraph on XLRs - (p. 1047, para. 26.8.5.2) which tells the reader what, but not why - I would speculate that durability, reliability, standardisation might feature in the reason why, but I'm just guessing...

Hope this helps -

- Wil

Actually, I think I prefer sjoko2's story - it has more "human interest", is easier to identify with, and has much more potential as a regular feature, perhaps even, (dare I say it...) a miniseries...

PS: Are you sure your teacher didn't say hysteresis ?