How To Release A Stuck XLR Connector?

[Nazard]

Neutrik female chassis sockets have 'Neutrik' written on the upper part of the socket plus the logo in between the female receptors. I was going to ask whether your HEDD speakers had Neutrik sockets, but you may not have looked specifically and it's too late now.

Another problem with difficult to remove male XLR plugs is that very often the female socket is soldered to the PCB and although the socket is screwed in by two self-tapping screws, the resultant extra force needed to remove the plug may, if you're unlucky, damage either the solder joints to the socket, the PCB, or both.

[ef37a]

This is recent problem to ancient duffers like me (I remember the GIANT XLRs, just!) but it seems we are stuck with it (sorree!) so here are couple of 'fitter's'' tricks.

Dismantle the cable plug and insert just the casing, upon removal(!) you should be able to see 'witness marks' where the metal has made hard contact. Attack those gently with a fine file. If you cannot see the marks, try again but first cover the inside and outside of the barrel with a black felt tip.

If you don't feel confident with the above you can try a dry lubricant. There are three options.

Graphite, i.e. pencil 'lead'. Problem. Graphite is a conductor!
PTFE. Available in spray forms that drys and coats the article. Problem with that is it wears off.
Molybdenum Disulphide. Mos2. Available from gun shops as "Dri-Slide". This is applied to the part then allowed to dry. You then polish the surfaces with a rag and the MolyD actually alloys with the metal and forms a very long lasting slippery surface.

Dave.

[James Perrett]

Or Marbury could just replace the cable with one that uses decent connectors that are the correct size.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I have fitted the replacement kindly send by HEDD and before I fitted it, tried the cable in the socket. Managed to release it, but still a bit difficult. Fitted it and put it all back together and the cable is very hard to release again.

Why would you do that?

You knew that cable wasn't compatible with the original socket. You proved it wasn't compatible with the replacement socket. You still use it and reinstate the same problem that caused this entire tale of woe! All for the sake of investing a few quid on a pukka cable connector.

It genuinely beggars belief...

[shufflebeat]

Next time you’re in the bath, don’t under any circumstances put your toe up the spout of the tap.

This should be fun.

[Marbury]

I have fitted the replacement kindly send by HEDD and before I fitted it, tried the cable in the socket. Managed to release it, but still a bit difficult. Fitted it and put it all back together and the cable is very hard to release again.

Why would you do that?

You knew that cable wasn't compatible with the original socket. You proved it wasn't compatible with the replacement socket. You still use it and reinstate the same problem that caused this entire tale of woe! All for the sake of investing a few quid on a pukka cable connector.

It genuinely beggars belief...

Because I can release this one, albeit with some extra force and as I said above, I will be the only person using these monitors for the life of them so the cable won't need to be released. They sound excellent and I am happy with that. It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem.

[Marbury]

Next time you’re in the bath, don’t under any circumstances put your toe up the spout of the tap.

This should be fun.

Funny enough (and I am serious) I actually do that from time to time. Don't ask me why.

[Marbury]

Neutrik female chassis sockets have 'Neutrik' written on the upper part of the socket plus the logo in between the female receptors. I was going to ask whether your HEDD speakers had Neutrik sockets, but you may not have looked specifically and it's too late now.

They don't, they have no brand name on them at all.

[Nazard]

It is , and the warranty is still in operation but I would rather go through HEDD direct as the company CEO responded swiftly in the forum and offered help. I contacted their help email and told me they know the issue is a faulty run of dsp's they have since rectified. I didn't want to have to send the whole cabinets back to Scan for them to send replacements with probably the same problem, which doesn't become apparent after months, and I don't want the gamble of going through it again.

HEDD have assured me it will not void the warranty.

Did you install them? I wouldn't have, but contacted the retailer for a full refund and perused the Neumann catalogue.

[ef37a]

" It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem."

Quite so. Those monitors are in the £1000 bracket so 'very good budget' models and every penny counts in such a competitive market. Unlike a mixer or even an AI, monitors will have their connections moved very rarely and so there really is no need to fit 'the best and most expensive' parts available. Then, though I very sure messrs HEDD specified a very good quality part we are all prey to the old "switcharoony' made by factories in far away places!

This was not a problem 30+ years ago but now everybody and his far eastern uncle is banging out audio connectors and so there are bound to be instances when tolerances build up the wrong way. Way ago there was Cannon, RS comps did XLRs and then I remember those new boys Switchcraft coming onto the scene!

Dave.

[Marbury]

It is , and the warranty is still in operation but I would rather go through HEDD direct as the company CEO responded swiftly in the forum and offered help. I contacted their help email and told me they know the issue is a faulty run of dsp's they have since rectified. I didn't want to have to send the whole cabinets back to Scan for them to send replacements with probably the same problem, which doesn't become apparent after months, and I don't want the gamble of going through it again.

HEDD have assured me it will not void the warranty.

Did you install them? I wouldn't have, but contacted the retailer for a full refund and perused the Neumann catalogue.

Yes, it wasn't hard and as I am happy with the incredibly detailed sound quality, and the option for closed or open monitors in one cabinet. Why would I want to switch to Neumann ? HEDD told me that installing them myself would not invalidate the warranty.

[Marbury]

" It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem."

Quite so. Those monitors are in the £1000 bracket so 'very good budget' models and every penny counts in such a competitive market.
Dave.

I wouldn't call them budget, and I'm pretty sure Heinz Klaus wouldn't.

SOS review:

Pros
Exceptionally high fundamental electro‑acoustic performance.
Adaptability through EQ and port options.
Lineariser option.

Cons
None.

Summary
The HEDD Type 07 Mk2 is a seriously high‑performance nearfield monitor that incorporates some genuinely useful and interesting extras. Apart from the other models in the Type Mk2 range, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

[ef37a]

" It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem."

Quite so. Those monitors are in the £1000 bracket so 'very good budget' models and every penny counts in such a competitive market.
Dave.

I wouldn't call them budget, and I'm pretty sure Heinz Klaus wouldn't.

SOS review:

Pros
Exceptionally high fundamental electro‑acoustic performance.
Adaptability through EQ and port options.
Lineariser option.

Cons
None.

Summary
The HEDD Type 07 Mk2 is a seriously high‑performance nearfield monitor that incorporates some genuinely useful and interesting extras. Apart from the other models in the Type Mk2 range, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

I am quite aware of that SoS review but they are listed at £1000 a pair and considerably less at some vendors. Obviously they have had the money concentrated in the right areas but they do not belong in the £5k+ bracket where cost is almost no object.

I mean no disrespect to HEDD, but in the cut throat world of audio engineering, design decisions have to be made, it is perfectly reasonable that they took the specification of an XLR socket at face value. It is even very possible that most of the XLRs fitted will NOT jam with the majority of XLR plugs but 'it'appen. Suppliers can change spec at the drop of a hat and not tell you!

Dave.

[Marbury]

" It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem."

Quite so. Those monitors are in the £1000 bracket so 'very good budget' models and every penny counts in such a competitive market.
Dave.

I wouldn't call them budget, and I'm pretty sure Heinz Klaus wouldn't.

SOS review:

Pros
Exceptionally high fundamental electro‑acoustic performance.
Adaptability through EQ and port options.
Lineariser option.

Cons
None.

Summary
The HEDD Type 07 Mk2 is a seriously high‑performance nearfield monitor that incorporates some genuinely useful and interesting extras. Apart from the other models in the Type Mk2 range, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

I am quite aware of that SoS review but they are listed at £1000 a pair and considerably less at some vendors. Obviously they have had the money concentrated in the right areas but they do not belong in the £5k+ bracket where cost is almost no object.

I mean no disrespect to HEDD, but in the cut throat world of audio engineering, design decisions have to be made, it is perfectly reasonable that they took the specification of an XLR socket at face value. It is even very possible that most of the XLRs fitted will NOT jam with the majority of XLR plugs but 'it'appen. Suppliers can change spec at the drop of a hat and not tell you!

Dave.

I think you will find that you can not buy a pair of these monitors for £1000. They are listed at the cheapest for £1499. You can get them refurbished as a pair for £1200 on Ebay if you want to take a risk.

[ef37a]

" It also could be the socket that isn't quite right, not the cable. Getting a "pukka cable" won't necessarily be guaranteed to cure the problem."

Quite so. Those monitors are in the £1000 bracket so 'very good budget' models and every penny counts in such a competitive market.
Dave.

I wouldn't call them budget, and I'm pretty sure Heinz Klaus wouldn't.

SOS review:

Pros
Exceptionally high fundamental electro‑acoustic performance.
Adaptability through EQ and port options.
Lineariser option.

Cons
None.

Summary
The HEDD Type 07 Mk2 is a seriously high‑performance nearfield monitor that incorporates some genuinely useful and interesting extras. Apart from the other models in the Type Mk2 range, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

I am quite aware of that SoS review but they are listed at £1000 a pair and considerably less at some vendors. Obviously they have had the money concentrated in the right areas but they do not belong in the £5k+ bracket where cost is almost no object.

I mean no disrespect to HEDD, but in the cut throat world of audio engineering, design decisions have to be made, it is perfectly reasonable that they took the specification of an XLR socket at face value. It is even very possible that most of the XLRs fitted will NOT jam with the majority of XLR plugs but 'it'appen. Suppliers can change spec at the drop of a hat and not tell you!

Dave.

I think you will find that you can not buy a pair of these monitors for £1000. They are listed at the cheapest for £1499. You can get them refurbished as a pair for £1200 on Ebay if you want to take a risk.

I DO beg your very pardon! The prices I found were confusingly for single units . This is something one often has to be careful of and I wasn't in this instance.

So, the monitors really belong firmly in the 'proper' monitor arena, no quibble there. However, at £1600 ish the pair they are at the lower end of the monitor market and to produce speakers of such high audio quality, which they certainly are, 'something has to give' and it might well be that the connectors were not of the very highest quality and/or there was not the budget to check that they mated (and UNmated!) with every XLR plug that might be used.

These are the perils of mass production.

Dave.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I know a few people with Hedds and none have complained of sticking XLRs. Not seen any complaints here either, other than this one.

[Wonks]

I thought we were looking at the lead’s shell as being the probable culprit here rather than the speaker socket? Just because it’s not showing signs of being a Neutrik socket doesn’t automatically mean that it’s a low quality socket.

[ef37a]

I thought we were looking at the lead’s shell as being the probable culprit here rather than the speaker socket? Just because it’s not showing signs of being a Neutrik socket doesn’t automatically mean that it’s a low quality socket.

I am trying to tip toe through my descriptions of component "quality" here Wonks! I do not want to offend anyone.

We all know that XLRs and other audio connectors come in a variety of 'forms'. Few AIs for instance use XLRs with the latch. Some are even largely plastic!. This does not matter for a connector that will be used rarely, the EM out of a guitar amp say or, as in this case the 'set and forget' situation of an active monitor. In around ten years I have probably moved the XLRs in my Tannoys three times?

I am sure we have all experienced a 13A mains plug that was a total B****D to get out! Or in!

Dave.