Audio interconnection 21
Common leads and their uses
Level of challenge Easy
- Video
- Script
Welcome to this tutorial on common leads and their uses.
Here’s a round-up of the primary studio audio leads with example uses ..
| Lead | Signal format | Balanced? | Connectors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital | ||||
| SPDIF coaxial digital | SPDIF stereo digital electrical | no | male to male phono | consumer digital stereo interconnect used to connect hi-fi separates used as digital interface option on cost effective audio interfaces, and often offered as an alternative connector on AES3 enabled devices such as professional CD recorders and hardware effect processors |
| AES3 digital | AES3 2 channel digital electrical | yes | male to female XLR | used for professional 2 channel interconnection, for example between a digital interface and an effect processor, or a mixing console and stereo recorder |
| Toslink fiber optic digital | SPDIF stereo digital optical signal ADAT light-pipe digital 8 channel optical signal |
- | Toslink to Toslink | used for consumer and professional digital interconnections such as hi-fi separates or .. 8 channel audio between a digital mixing desk and ADAT enabled PCI interface card unlike analogue audio leads, Toslink cables don't suffer from ground loop or RF interference problems |
| D-sub 25 / AES59 | 8 channel bi-directional (in and out) digital electrical | yes and no | D-sub 25 / AES59 connector (both ends) | originally used for connecting digital 8 track tape recorders to mixers there are 2 pinout arrangements, Yamaha (unbalanced) and Tascam (balanced) |
| D-sub 25 / AES59 breakout to 8 AES3 | 4 x 2 channel pairs digital electrical | yes | D-sub 25 to 8 XLRs | used for a variety of applications including AES59 to AES3 breakout looms |
| Word clock | word clock digital electrical | no | BNC to BNC | used for any professional master clock digital synchronisation |
| Analogue | ||||
| Phono | line level electrical | no | male to male phono | commonly used in pairs to interconnect hi-fi separates (eg CD players to amplifiers) |
| Jack to jack instrument | line level electrical | no | male to male mono 1/4" jack | used to connect the output of line level electronic synthesisers, drum machines, and keyboards etc to audio interfaces and mixers |
| Guitar instrument lead | guitar level electrical | no | male to male mono 1/4" jack | used to connect a guitar to an amplifier of DI box |
| Amp head to cab | speaker level electrical | no | male to male mono 1/4" jack | used for electric guitar and bass stacks |
| Headphone extension | headphone level electrical | no | male to female TRS 1/4" jack | |
| GPO patch bay | line and mic level electrical | yes | male to male B gauge GPO jack | |
| Bantam patch bay | line and mic level electrical | yes | male to male bantam jack | |
| Mic | mic level electrical | yes | male to female XLR | used to connect microphones to stage boxes and mic pre-amps, and DI boxes to mic-pre amps and mixers |
| TRS (installation) | line level electrical | yes | male to male TRS 1/4" jack, or male TRS 1/4" jack to patch bay | used for static studio installation wiring / looms |
| Professional installation | line level electrical | yes | male to female XLR, or male or female XLR to patchbay | used for static studio installation wiring / looms |
| Loudspeaker | speaker level electrical | no | Speakon, mono 1/4" jacks, bare wire terminals | used for connecting power amps to passive loudspeakers |
| D-sub 25 | line level electrical | yes | D-sub 25 connector | used for looms |
Caption - D-sub locking screws
The D-sub 25 / AES59 connector can use two types of incompatible screw thread, 4/40 and M3. So when two connectors with differing threads meet they can't be secured! The AES59 standard dictates that the 4/40 standard should be used.
Caption - Thanks for watching
The script for this video, with accompanying images, can be found at projectstudiohandbook.com
We suggest you subscribe at our YouTube channel, and join our mailing list at our website to receive notification of new videos, blog posts and subscriber only extras.
Thanks for watching.
The copyright in this site's design and content is owned by Matt Ottewill © 2013 to the present day. Unauthorised duplication, redistribution, publishing, copying, hiring, lending, broadcast and public performance of all site content for commercial gain is prohibited. Use for non-profit educational purposes is freely allowed, please reference this site.