Pinout
XLR (3-pin, balanced audio) pinout
Pins
- 1: Ground/shield
- 2: Hot (+, in phase)
- 3: Cold (−, inverted phase)
Specifications
| Contacts | 3 |
|---|---|
| Pinout | 1 shield, 2 hot (+), 3 cold (−) per AES14 / IEC 60268-12 |
| Signal | Balanced, differential |
| Phantom power (P48) | 48 V ± 4 V through 6.8 kΩ, up to 10 mA |
| Pro line level | +4 dBu (≈ 1.23 V RMS) |
| Gender convention | Output male, input female |
| Locking | Push latch |
| Digital audio | AES3 over 110 Ω cable |
Notes
- Pin 1 is the cable shield. On a balanced line pins 2 and 3 carry the same signal in opposite polarity and the receiver subtracts one from the other, which cancels noise picked up equally on both. The AES14 / IEC 60268-12 convention makes pin 2 the positive leg; older gear that swaps 2 and 3 only inverts the phase.
- Phantom power (48 V from a mixer to a condenser microphone) rides on pins 2 and 3 together, referenced to pin 1 through matched 6.8 kΩ resistors. A balanced dynamic microphone ignores it, but a miswired or unbalanced cable can short it.
- Equipment outputs are normally male and inputs female, so a signal always runs from a male plug into a female socket.
