Xlr Microphone

Xlr Microphone

A Very Quick Guide to Audio Cables

As you could imagine as there are so many different electronic applications there comes an awful lot of different cables. Due to this selecting the right cable can be tricky unless you know what you are doing. One of the most difficult cables to buy are audio cables. Audio cables can come ready to use for most applications however they also come in bulk for customisation. All these cables vary differently which makes it all the more difficult.

In the most basic forms cables tend to vary in gauge number and the types of conductors they use. The gauge number determines the size of the conductor –the lower the gauge number the higher the conductor.
Cables are also labelled depending on how where they will be used for example ‘in-wall’ UV-Resistant ‘outdoor’ etc. You may come across cables without any label in which case these are for indoor purposes.

Some of the audio cables you may come across are as so:
•  Shielded Audio Cable – The simplest of all audio cables and is used for connecting microphones and other audio equipments.
•  Twisted-pair Audio Cable –This cable allows different applications to be connected to different audio equipments.
•  Coaxial Cable – These cables are used for test equipments and for connecting radio communications devices and antennas.
•  Optical Digital Audio Cable – This type is primarily for digital audio connections.
On top of all this you will also have a choice of Audio Connectors. Audio connectors can determine the quality of the sound and can differ in installation method metal plating and body type. Audio connectors very in shape and can come as straight, right-angled (Very Good for restricted  spaces) and piggy-back types which can be used for applications that need more than one jack. Some of the typical audio connectors are as follows:
•  Phono (RCA) Connector – This is the standard in audio/video connections.
•  Phone connector – this is used primarily for connecting microphones and headphones
•  Xlr Connector – These are used for more professional custom audio connections like linking microphones to mixers.
•  Optical Connector – these types are used to connect audio equipments with optical ports.
•  Banana, Spade and Ring Terminal Connectors – These are primarily used for speaker connections and test equipments
So this about wraps up audio cables. Of course if you need to know more or are unsure you should always ask people in the know. However this should give you the grounding in how many types there are and help you when you are choosing an audio cable.

About the Author

Dan Price is an experienced retailer of audio cables as well as other electrical cables. For more information visit http://www.futureshop.co.uk

Is there a cheap way to Convert Xlr to USB?

I have a nice microphone that I would like to connect to my computer. It has an Xlr Plug. Is there any way to connect it to my computer via USB or 3.5mm? I've looked at the Icicle adapters that cost around 35 bucks, and the Shure adapters that are somewhere above a hundred dollars. Is there any cheaper way to convert XLR to USB while preserving sound quality?

go to target they are 40 and the quality is great.

Blue Icicle XLR Microphone and USB Converter