[sdiy] 3pin xlr for power - wireing convention?

[Steve Ridley]

> Is there any standardised way of wireing 3pin xlrs for power?  

Yes, the standard is "don't do it".  (C:  There are standards for
phantom power and AB power (T power) for mics down an XLR3, but 
anything else is asking for trouble.  

Some damn fool has already decided that XLR3s are a "second standard" 
for DMX lighting gear - "lets run our lighting data down the sound 
man's mic mult - why have all the mics started buzzing"!

Or is it only 4 pin that really get used for power?

For XLR4s, the standard is pin 1 0v, pin 4 +12v, used on a wide
variety of broadcast and pro audio gear (especially Sony).  
Pins 2 & 3 are not usually specified AFAIK but seem to get used in 
an arbitrary fashion.

Pin 5 XLR is standardised for stereo audio and I think DMX.

I'm not sure there's a standard for 6 & 7 pin XLRs - I guess if
you can afford them you can do what you like with them.



Steve