If you need some cables for transferring sound, then you’ll immediately come across audio cables. But what kind of cables do you actually need? XLR? Jack? RCA …? And do they really need to be expensive? In this Guide, we answer all of the most important audio cable related questions. If you can’t find the answer to your question, feel free to contact us!
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1. What is a Jack Cable?
A jack cable is an audio cable that’s connected via a jack plug. These are also often seen fitted to a set of headphones. Jack plugs comes in two sizes: 3.5mm (mini-jack) and 6.3mm (standard jack). Mini-jacks are generally used to connect headphones or speakers to smartphones, tablets, portable speakers, or stereo and home cinema systems. Standard jacks, on the other hand, are commonly used to connect instruments or active speakers to equipment like a mixing desk or audio interface. For guitarists, there are specific guitar jack cables that are specially designed for hooking up electric guitars.
Please note: The jack cables described above are normal signal cables, but there are also dedicated speaker cables that can also come fitted with jack plugs. Speaker cables have a thickness that’s specifically designed for connecting passive speakers to an amplifier (or a speaker cabinet to a guitar or bass amplifier). Normal signal cables should never be used to do this! Also see Question 5.
2. What Does TS Jack, TRS Jack, and TRRS Jack Mean?
TS jacks are generally used to connect instruments with a mono-output, like a guitar and audio gear with a separate socket for the left (L) and right (R) channel of a stereo signal. An example of one of these pieces of equipment is a mixing desk.
TRS jacks are used for various devices including those with a stereo input or output, such as a small speaker that you want to connect a smartphone to, or the output of some keyboards. In studios, these kinds of cables are also used for balanced mono-signals. This is because, when a cable has to stretch over a long distance, the chance of signal interference is increased. Say you have a pair of studio monitors, both with a jack output, plus an audio interface with jack outputs. First check if both the speakers and interface have balanced or unbalanced sockets. This is usually indicated next to the socket or in the user manual. If they’re balanced, then you can use TRS cables and be assured of a clean signal. If you don’t find this so important, or can’t actually hear the difference, then you can, of course, use normal TS cables. If there are are XLR ports fitted, then see Question 3.
‘T’ stands for the Tip of the jack, ‘S’ stands for Sleeve, and ‘R’ for Ring. In the case of a TS plug, the Tip and Sleeve are separated by a black strip and both are connected with a wire. A TRS plug has an extra black strip, or Ring, the middle part between the two strips is connected by a third wire. TRRS has three black strips or Rings, and this is to separate and connect features like the built-in microphone or remote control of a set of headphones.
An XLR cable is a cable that’s connected by an XLR plug. The XLR output through which the signal of an audio device leaves, has three pins (this is called a male socket), and can be found fitted to microphones. An XLR input where the signal is literally ‘put into’ a device, like a mixer, has three small holes (this is called a female socket). An XLR cable is usually fitted with a male plug at one end and a female plug at the other end and inside the cable, three wires are connected to each of the three poles or holes. XLR cables are generally used for balanced mono signals. Using an XLR cable reduces the chance of signal interference, especially when the cable needs to be long. XLR sockets can be found on microphones, speakers, mixing desks, and studio equipment. In essence, it doesn’t really matter if you use an XLR or TRS jack cable (see Question 2). However, XLR cables do offer an advantage. Since the plugs are more robust and usually click securely into a socket, they’re in less danger of coming loose. Some ‘combi’ inputs are compatible with both XLR and jack plugs and an example of this can be seen on the far right in the image.
RCA, Tulip, or Phono are all names for the same audio plug. These plugs can be recognised by a pin surrounded by a ring of metal (male plugs), or a wide edge with a hole in the middle (female plug). RCA plugs and cables are used a lot when hooking up DJ gear or home audio installations. A single RCA plug sends a mono signal, but pretty much every RCA cable is a double cable with two plugs fitted to both ends and combined, these are compatible with stereo signals. One of the plugs is almost always coloured red while the other is coloured white. This makes it much easier to tell the left stereo channel (white) from the the right stereo channel (red). RCA cables are always unbalanced (see Question 2), but as long as the cable you’re using isn’t too long, this shouldn’t cause any problems.
The name says it all. Speaker cables are used to connect up speakers or monitors. In this case, we’re referring to passive speakers or passive subwoofers. These are speakers that cannot be powered by connecting to a power socket, but which take their power and audio signal from the amplifier they are connected to. Since it needs to carry a power supply as well as an audio signal, these cables are specially made for the job and are extra thick to insulate the strong signal it needs to carry. Sometimes jack cables can be used to do the job (see Question 1), but you’ll also often see locking speaker sockets (the well-known maker, Neutrik calls this a SpeakOn). These sockets can be 2-pin or 4-pin. 2-pin connections can be use for most standard situations and will work perfectly, byt if you need more options are you’re using a few amplifiers, then a 4-pin cable connection will be needed. These two types can also be used interchangeably.
Please note: Never use a standard jack signal cable to connect a speaker or guitar speaker cabinet to an amplifiers. Only ever use specific speaker cables.
An adapter cable is fitted with a different kind of plug at either end. For example, you can get a cable with a mini-jack at one end and a standard jack at the other. Since not all equipment comes with the same inputs and outputs, this can be an easy way to connect them up. Using adapter cables is always recommended over using adapter plugs, since every adapter that’s added can decrease the signal quality and increase the chance of interference. However, adapter plugs can be endlessly useful in certain situations. For instance, if you’re on location and provided gear is fitted with inputs or outputs that don’t match up with those of your gear, you’ll be glad of an adapter plug. If you can’t find the right kind of cable for a specific job, you can always construct one yourself, or order a cable from Bax Music and we’ll cut it to your preferred length (see Question 10).
The longer the cable is, the weaker the signal ultimately gets. It’s generally the rule that longer cables are more exposed to wear and tear since they tend to get stood on a lot, and kinks appear after repeated coiling and uncoiling.
If you’re using your cables in one place, then you can, of course, simply calculate the length of cabling that you need. For example, if you’re placing your speakers on a desk, or completing the sound installation for a venue, or even using a mini-jack cable to hook up your smartphone. It’s always a good idea to get more than you need, so you don’t have any nasty surprises later, since you might find that once you have your speakers all set up, you actually want them a little further away but the cable won’t allow it.
If you’re using your gear on a different location every night, then the length of cable you’re going to need is also likely to be different every night. If you have your own mobile setup, like a set of speakers besides your DJ booth, that’s the same every time you use it, then you’ll have no problem figuring out the length your cables are going to need. But even this can be different every time (maybe it’s a much smaller club, or a massive theatre, etc), then it’s better to be safe then sorry and kit yourself out with a few options. In any case, if you find yourself booked to play a large space and need a longer cable, make sure it’s of good quality to minimise any problems with signal interference (also see Question 9).
Tip: When browsing cables, you can use the filters found on the left of the page to specify the cable length you need.
8. Whats the Difference Between Male and a Female Connectors?
Almost all cables are available with male (M) or female (F) plusg, or both. The kind you need naturally depends on the equipment you’ll be using it for. Usually, male plugs are fitted with one or more pins that slot into a hole, while female plugs are fitted with the matching amount of holes for pins to slot into. In most cases, a cable will have a male plug at both ends so that they can be connected to the female sockets fitted on a piece a equipment. An XLR cable is an exception to this rule, since it has a male plug at one end and a female plug at the other end (see Question 3).
Tip: When browsing cables, you can use the filters found on the left of the page to specify if you need male or female plugs.
9. Why Are Some Cables More Expensive Than Others?
The same type of cables can have very different prices. For example, a gold-plated plug ensures better signal transfer than a nickel-plated plug, but gold naturally costs a bit more. Also, more expensive plugs will usually have a more hard-wearing housing and are designed for intensive use, or where the cables are regularly connected and disconnected as part of something like a mobile installation. This kind of housing is less important when the cables remain connected for a long time. More expensive cables also tend to be thicker. This can be due to the use of thicker copper wire, but also the amount of insulation used to protect the wires. A thicker cable does minimise the chance of signal loss. In a professional studio or any pro set up, stable and superior signal quality is an obvious must. As such, the prices for some cables can get fairly high. But for the average home studio, this is not really required.
Tip: When browsing our cables, you can use the filters on the left of the page to specify how much you want to spend.
In the Bax Music range, you can also find a lot of cabling available to buy per metre or by the roll. This cabling has not yet been fitted with plugs, so that you can buy exactly the right length. This does mean that the audio plugs then need to be soldered on yourself but the result is a literally made-to-measure cable. A little knowledge is needed here, so, unless you’re already in the know, just buying ready-made cables is by far the easiest option.
