Audio cables 6.3 mm to XLR

6.3 mm to XLR

— an accessory equipped on one side with a 6.35 mm Jack connector, and on the other side with an XLR connector.

The XLR has a distinctive round shape and a special latch for the plug. It can feature a different number of contacts, but most commonly, the three-pin version is used, suitable for the so-called balanced connection of an analog audio signal — where one audio channel is transmitted using three wires (two signal plus one ground) instead of two, and interferences occurring in the signal wires due to external disturbances are mutually canceled. This allows for the use of fairly long cables without compromising sound clarity, which is especially important for professional use. The 6.35 mm Jack interface, in turn, is primarily designed for traditional (non-balanced) analog signal, but it can also be used in a balanced format.

These accessories are mainly intended for the latter case. They can have different designs and different types of connectors. The most popular variant is cables and adapters with a 6.35 mm plug (male) on one side and an XLR socket (female) on the other. This is based on the consideration that an XLR cable is initially better suited for balanced signals than a 6.35 mm one, so whenever possible, XLR is best used as the main balanced interface. There are also more specific variants — for example, with plugs (male) on both sides, or with an XLR plug and a 6.35 mm socket (female).