Cables & Connectors
For information on cables for a specific purpose, see the relevant category page - Lighting, Power or Sound.
Cables & Connectors/Jack Cables & Connectors/Phono
Of all the cables we use, XLRs are probably the most versatile. They are used in sound engineering to carry line level, instrument/mic level and speaker level signals, in lighting to carry DMX data and even to carry low voltage electricity. Because of this, they come in many different thicknesses - and it's very important you don't use the DMX cable instead of speaker cable if you don't want to melt them!
To make it less confusing, the first coloured strip of tape at either end of XLR cables tells you what you should use that cable for. This chart, which can also be found on the door of the metal cupboard in the Ents Cupboard, decodes the colours:
| Colour | Use Category | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | Mic/Instrument/Line Level | |
| Sound | Speaker Level | |
| Lighting | DMX Control | |
| LV | Power | Low voltage, eg for Birdies |
XLRs are used to carry balanced signals which are more protected from interference than Jack or Phono cables.