Why are XLR cables only locked on one side?

[sejarzo]

It is not hard defined as such indeed. But most time it is connected to... Since "Ground" is by itself undefined most time in reality and can have many different flavours, this will be a never ending debate.

That's why I posted the diagram from Rane. Balanced cable in and of itself always has a shield, but I don't recall ever seeing Pin 3 on input or output jacks on gear defined as "shield" but rather ambiguously as "ground."

That tech note was originally from 1985 and updated in 2015...so yeah, a long-standing debate.

 

[sejarzo]

I guess Neumann is still confused, too.

 

[Piere]

They have a somewhat political solution: "Audio GND"

 

[sejarzo]

With which the Finnish competition concurs.

 

[Ifrit]

In Neutrik too.

Interesting. I guess, I always considered that difference a wiggle room for the pins as they have some.

 

[Philbo King]

If using a phantom powered microphone, it's best practice to turn off phantom power and wait 2 minutes before disconnecting. And to make sure phantom power is off before plugging them in. Failure to do this can be hazardous to the health of the microphone, especially ribbon mics.

 

[Piere]

Found a nice historical overview about those audio connectors: https://coutant.org/xlrhist/index.html (You have to download the PDF.)