Is this a safe use of xlr cables?

[b to g is yummy]

Could it be harmful to plug our mixer output into a speakers xlr out instead of xlr in?? We've been doing it quite a bit due to male/female issues with the plug ends.

Also, is there a danger in running cables xlr male(or female) on both ends (adaptors)? I ordered a snake on ebay, and whata you know he messed up my order and i got one with returns the opposite gender i wanted.

Can you buy xlr cables that have the same gender on both ends??

Hopefully someone can make sense of my questions and help me out.

Thanks.

[theshadow2001]

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

Could it be harmful to plug our mixer output into a speakers xlr out instead of xlr in?? We've been doing it quite a bit due to male/female issues with the plug ends.

Also, is there a danger in running cables xlr male(or female) on both ends (adaptors)? I ordered a snake on ebay, and whata you know he messed up my order and i got one with returns the opposite gender i wanted.

Can you buy xlr cables that have the same gender on both ends??

Hopefully someone can make sense of my questions and help me out.

Thanks.

I'm thinking there might not be much issue with it because, I would imagine that the speaker out is directly connected to the speaker in. Although I'm not 100% on that.

No danger in using having the same type of gender on both ends of a cable.

If you can't buy XLR's with same gender ends you can certainly buy adpaters.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Not entirely sure what You mean, but generally yes, with almost all passive cabs and with active cabs that have daisy chainable inputs (/passive outputs) that can be done. The two connectors are just wired in parallel.

By Your wording I'd imagine that You have a powered mixer and passive cabs? You have been using speaker cables, right? Not microphone cables with adapters?

The XLR input of a passive cab is male for 2 reasons AFAIK.

1: No way of accidentally shorting the speaker outputs if the cable is disconnected from the cab end.

2: As the cable have males on both ends, that can't be used in any other MI connection if the standards are being followed.

Any MI store should have XLR speaker cables. Better yet, You can make your own A LOT cheaper. Just remember to stick with Neutrik or similar for connectors and rubber for insulation as opposed to plastic. The rubber usually smells a lot worse, and costs more, but is more wear resistant and is more comfortable to handle.


Regards
Sam

[b to g is yummy]

We're actually running a non-powered mixer into powered cabinets.

And yes, I do have some adaptors, it seems a little cumbersome, all that extra weight on the end going into the mixer tho. Hence why I'm after cords that don't need adaptors. Also, it's less things to break and stuff....

So if you go male on both ends the information won't get sent the wrong way or something crazy??

My snake does have 1/4 returns as well as xlr female inserts. Would i be better off getting a 1/4 to xlr male cable, or go xlr male to xlr male (in which case i'd prolly need adaptors)? My speakers just have xlr m(output) and xlr f (input) jacks, no 1/4 plugs. What's my best option here? I doubt there would be much difference in audio quality since one way ur going to 1/4, and the other way ur using an xlr adaptor.

Thanks again

[theshadow2001]

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

We're actually running a non-powered mixer into powered cabinets.

And yes, I do have some adaptors, it seems a little cumbersome, all that extra weight on the end going into the mixer tho. Hence why I'm after cords that don't need adaptors. Also, it's less things to break and stuff....

So if you go male on both ends the information won't get sent the wrong way or something crazy??

My snake does have 1/4 returns as well as xlr female inserts. Would i be better off getting a 1/4 to xlr male cable, or go xlr male to xlr male (in which case i'd prolly need adaptors)? My speakers just have xlr m(output) and xlr f (input) jacks, no 1/4 plugs. What's my best option here? I doubt there would be much difference in audio quality since one way ur going to 1/4, and the other way ur using an xlr adaptor.

Thanks again

I'm starting to get confused. Why don't you tell me what you plug into the snake and what you plug the snake into.

Then say what inputs and outputs that you require that aren't on the snake.

A link to the snake would also be useful.

[anderbass]

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

We're actually running a non-powered mixer into powered cabinets.

You should be able to safely use the input jack of your powered cabs with a standard XLR cable. If your cabs are also equipped with the other gender of XLR jack, their most likely just parallel inputs (simply wired together inside) intended for daisy-chaining the mixers preamp signal to a second set of powered cabs. Its sounds like either your reading the cabs labeling wrongly or possibly these two M/F XLR jacks are incorrectly located/labeled on yours.

If you tell us exactly what brand/model of powered P/A cabs you use, we might be able to look them up on the manufacturers web site and give you more definitive answers.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by anderbass

You should be able to safely use the input jack of your powered cabs with a standard XLR cable.

If you tell us exactly what brand/model of powered P/A cabs you use, we might be able to look them up on the manufacturers web site and give you more definitive answers.

+10 for both counts.


What the OP is describing isn't possible AFAIK, providing that both the mixer and the cabs are standard equipment. I've yet to see an unpowered mixer with a female XLR main outs or an active cab with male XLR in for that matter. That obviously doesn't mean there's no such equipment around, it just doesn't make any sense to connect them that way.

Regards
Sam

[b to g is yummy]

Sorry for all the confusion. I've got standard equipment, it's just the snake that's weird. the xlr returns ON THE SNAKE are female which switches things around. Speakers are Mackie SRM 450's and JBL Eon 15's. However the snake also has 1/4" returns. Would we be better off using a 1/4-xlr cable from the snake to the speakers, or xlr cables with adaptors..ie xlr m - xlr m.

maybe i should just make a new post on this and try and keep things really simple....