XLR Balanced interconnects question

It really depends on the equipment you're connecting.

In many instances, you don't need to connect the two pin 1's. In some instances you do in order to serve as a low impedance connection between component grounds.

se

yep, but that is so incredibly rare that you probably already know about it if its needed. pin 1 is a pet peeve of mine, it definitely causes more problem than its worth

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp 

yep, but that is so incredibly rare that you probably already know about it if its needed. pin 1 is a pet peeve of mine, it definitely causes more problem than its worth

Yup. And the situation's usually complicated by another pin; the third pin on the mains power cord. Grrrrrrrr!

se

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Eddy 

Yup. And the situation's usually complicated by another pin; the third pin on the mains power cord. Grrrrrrrr!

 

se

 

 

and complicated even more for those wishing to inform of its uselessness by certain well read and otherwise well erm ....grounded (though hopelessly out of date) websites supplying information on proper system grounding that recommend connecting it at one end only, the idiotic assertion that it is. grrrrr also

sound like a familiar argument ha

Oh, you mean where they say to only use the safety ground on the source component and then use "cheater plugs" on everything else, which relies on your interconnects (as well as thin circuit board traces) to handle any fault currents?

se

no, I mean where they actually recommend to float the shield at one end of balanced interconnects to avoid ground loops, on the rane site system grounding chart, probably the single most recommended site for such enquiries. my best info from RF engineers and my own experiments is both ends or not at all (thats why the comment about a familiar story given the other thread). the funniest one is where people say to do the same with RCA where shield and ground are directly connected no matter what you do. cheater plugs are just wrong, i think ive seen your example around too, the fact that lift switches still exist on some gear shouts the fact that people still dont have a handle on grounding. actually the article over at diya is pretty decent imo, much better than the rane pages

Yeah, it's really one hell of a mess, isn't it?

And it's not helped by the so-called "high end" manufacturers slapping 3 pin IEC's on everything even if it may in fact qualify as Class II and not need a safety ground. But they slap 'em on or else people will perceive them as "low quality."

I've seen people with Class II gear asking how to ADD one. I always tell them to be thankful they DON'T have one as the safety ground is the single most common source for ground loop problems. And of course most folks think the safety ground has something to do with the proper grounding of their audio gear when it has absolutely no relevance to that at all. Along with those who go pounding rods into the ground in order to give their audio systems a "dedicated ground." You might just as well ground it to the tip of your nose as some copper rod out in the yard.

*sigh*

se