Connections!

Anyone care to contribute (hopefully including a pic or link), some information on different types of connections, plugs, and sockets?

I wasn't aware there were two different Toslink sizes till today!

So anyone case to explain what the funk BNC XLR AES EBU DIN etc are? And where are they likely to be used? Advantages/Disadvantages?

I'm sure there's a few others I've not mentioned either.

Cheers.

 

If anyone fancies expanding to computer connections too that'd be useful

 

xlr-[
normally a 3 pin(but other sizes are avaliable) locking conector very commmon on pro audio gear,faily large contact area ,

BNC- ]
Invented by and named after Amphenol Engineer Carl Concelman and Bell Labs Engineer Paul Neill ,mainly used for hi frequency stuff
DIN-something in german thats simler to the british standards institute,avaliable in 2 to 14 pin circuler conector,a real pain to solder

 

Great idea for a thread.


Computer connections - Quite ironic for me to post this after todays cock up

Any

USB - Universial Serial Bus, came out in the mid 1990's and offered a much faster alternative to the slow RS323 and Parrrel LPT ports

RS323 - (or it 232 I'm tired) The IEE industrial standard for connection serial devices, these were very common in early 1990's PCs. Used to connect modems and mice.

PS/2 the small DIN style sockets which IBM invented for thier PS/2 computer in 1987. Now the defacto standard for mise and keyboards

LPT - Otherwise known as hte parrerel port, used to interface electronic products with computers, now been phased out by USB but still used in professional situations. Printers used this connector before USB.

MIDI - **falls alseep** Musical Instrunment Digital Interface.

 

Analogue Connections

Dealing with line level only, there are three (relatively) common analogue connections in hifi.

RCA phono. These we all know (and love?). De facto for the vast majority of components out there.

DIN. Little used these days outside of salisbury. Can somone else post a pic please? I have no access to DIN stuff...

XLR. Three pin connection as described ably by tmh above. Largely the preserve of higher end and studio kit (with a few exceptions). Worth noting that XLR cables have different connections at each end, and that XLR inputs and outputs are different. See pics:







Digital

Digital has a couple more options. The connector types are mostly common.

RCA phono makes another appearance, this time as the most common connector for S/PDIF coaxial electrical digital connections. However, as AT discovered, this connection can also be made using BNC connectors:



XLRs make another appearance, this time for AES/EBU electrical digital connections. Again, this is largely used in higher end and studio gear.



Our third digital connection as seen above is the TOSlink optical connector. Very widely used.



Another optical connection scheme is the AT&T glass optical. Wadia use it, but no one else that I know of in audio. It's an industrial telecoms connector.

Firewire is also starting to make an appearance as a digital audio transmission medium.

 

Loudspeakers

Binding Posts. We all know them...



Into these we can put banana plugs...



...or spades.



Some amplifiers (notably Cyrus, but probably others too) use BFA terminals, as shown below, for their speaker outputs. BFA terminals can also accept 4mm banana plugs. A BFA connector is essentially a sheathed 4mm plug.



Another connection very occasionally used is the Neutrik Speakon. I do not have an image for this. Dynaudio used to use a Coaxial connection for their speakers and OCOS leads. Perhaps michaelab can supply an image?

Mains

We all know what a wall socket in our local vicinity looks like, so I won't bother with that. Mainly we're interested in the IEC connector:





Some pieces of equipment use the non-polarised, ungrounded figure 8 connector also (unpictured). Many pieces of equipment have captive mains leads.

 

this is starting to look like a cdp readers wives.

very interesting though

 

I use BNCs all the time at work but have never known why it was called that! So it's Bell Neill Concelman eh? Cheers TMH.

 

Isaac, nice work....you really are bored aren't you?

On the AT&T Glass Optical, there are a few other high end digital companies that use it. A mate of mine has a Conrad Johnson CD transport which has AT&T output and I've heard of others too.

Michael.

 

Yup.

A few non-hifi pics there, but still the same connections.... BNC (oscilloscope), BFA (bench DC psu), IEC (computer PSU).

Feel free to rehost/resize pics as you feel appropriate.

 

aye? the conections are mirrored,but so are alot of other connecters
one thing to watch with xlrs is that alough the stadard is pin 1 ground pin 2+ and pin 3- some manufacters (mainly american) reverse pins 2 and 3 not a problem if everying is wired this way but can give some "intresting" effects if part is wired correct and the rest the american way

some din connectors