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xlr question

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(@cheesehead54)
Trusted Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

I couldn't help myself. I walked away at least a dozen times, but I kept coming back to the same guitar. I bought it and a new amp. oh well, my wife is still talking to me. It is an Ibanez electric acoustic and it has an xlr output. Is this for pluging into the computer? I feel like my dad not knowing what all this new fangled stuff is. I was getting into a rut and I was going to buy a fender strat thinking a new solid body would bring me out of it. I sat down and plugged into a Roland cube-30x and played around with the effects. I bought the amp and now I feel like all my old guitars are new again. I get so many diffrent sounds out of them that it has me completely out of my guitar funk. Sorry I got off track. If anyone could explain xlr to me I would be gratefull. Thanks.


   
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(@kcfenderfan)
Honorable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 472
 

Cool guitar. Here is a link for wikipedia regarding XLR... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR

I am pretty tired and kind of breezed through the article, but it sounds like the XLR connection is for running through a PA system. I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.

BTW, how do you like your Godin?

Jim


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

Yes, XLR is a balanced, shielded medium impedance (originally 600 ohm, IIRC) interface, typically used on mics and for interconnecting pro audio equipment. Most PAs and mixing boards will accept an XLR input in some channels and assume it will be a mic, though the guitar or other device is perfectly reasonable if level and impedance specs are met. Some modern equipment with XLR jacks do provide high impedance inputs. And in most pro audio equipment, it's become standard to assume low driving (source) impedance and high >1k ohm, usually 10 kohm input (load) impedence. Of course a typical electric guitar amp is >500 kohm. But no problem: For use in a guitar amp, it is possible to convert a (balanced) XLR signal (plug) to an unbalanced 1/4 in high Z compatible phone plug using a sub-$20 transformer adapter or an active (amp based) converter.

The authority on audio interfaces, wiring and grounding is a company called Rane -- excellent app notes on all audio connector and cable wiring and grounding. Visit http://www.rane.com .

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

From a practical point of view, treat it as if your guitar has a built-in DI.

A DI normally is used for 2 things:
1) convert high impedance to low.
2) convert unbalanced signal to balanced.

If the guitar has an XLR output, I would guess like the guitar is performing both of those functions.

I just checked Ibanez's web site. It says the 1/4 output is balanced too. To take advantage of that, use a t-r-s plug. Normal people call it a "stereo 1/4" "but it would have to be wired as a balanced cable (tip = pin 3 of XLR, ring = pin 2, sleeve = pin 1).

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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(@cheesehead54)
Trusted Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

Thanks for the help. I will have to work with it some.

kc I like the Godin but it needs to be set up by someone that knows what there doing. I try but can't seem to get the feel I would like. It is a good and solid guitar.


   
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(@lee-n)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 142
 

I just checked Ibanez's web site. It says the 1/4 output is balanced too. To take advantage of that, use a t-r-s plug. Normal people call it a "stereo 1/4" "but it would have to be wired as a balanced cable (tip = pin 3 of XLR, ring = pin 2, sleeve = pin 1).

The common way to wire TRS to XLR is
Tip - pin 2 (hot)
Ring - pin 3 (cold)
Sleeve - Pin 1 (ground)


   
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(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

Dangit, I knew that too.

I spent several years hunched over a soldering iron fixing cables (and other things) at an assortment of radio stations.

I stand corrected.

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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