Which XLR plugs do you prefer?

[stevekane]

Hi, Im quite happy making up cables, but we started out with a whole lot of cheap and cheerful ebay offerings, some of which Ive shortened and generally there alright. I read a very interesting post online where a guy who seemed to know his stuff had compared cheap and expensive leads and concluded there was little difference in sound quality,,maybe thats debatable, but for live sound I expect they are okay,,,,my concern is how robust they are (most of ours seem to have been alright) and specifically the crappy xlr plugs they tend to come with. The Male plugs seem fine but were now getting problems with the females getting slack,,,,,,,anyway, the issue is that the metal sockets have opened up and there does not seem to be a way of opening up the the plastic housing they are sitting in, Ive got over it by picking up the edges of each terminal but its not a real fix. Could anyone point me towards a make of xlr plugs that are reasonably well made without a gold plated prices please?
Steve.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I think you get what you pay for.

I use Neutrik exclusively. Have done for 40+ years.

The designs have evolved over the years, but I've never had to replace or repair a single one. Ever. I still use cables made 40 years ago and they still perform perfectly.

As for cable, as long as it has good shielding and tough outer cover I dont think it matters. I've used either Van Damme or Canford Audio — mostly the latter because the make and supply cables to BBC specs. Again, many are 40+ years old and still perfect.

There are other good cable brands, but avoid the silly expensive ones with pseudo-scientific claims!

[Kwackman]

If you're in the UK, Canford do a "remainders" list for their cables.
https://www.canford.co.uk/CableOddments
They also do a "Clearance list" where sometimes XLRs appear.
https://www.canford.co.uk/ClearanceList

(and no, I'm not an employee! )

[Bob Bickerton]

Neutrik here too, haven’t been in the game as long as Hugh, so I only have Neutrik connectors which are still fully functional after 30 years - again no failures.

Cable wise I’ve used some Canford but it’s expensive to ship out here. For sometime I’ve been using Sommer Cable which is available locally and is priced competitively. They’re a German company, but not sure where the cable is actually made.

Bob

[AlecSp]

Neutrik & Van Damme - they just last for ever.

You won't find any audible difference between cables - just forget that.

What makes the difference for live use is resilience, flexibility, ease of coiling, ease of termination. Those are why people are prepared to pay for Neutrik & Van Damme (or Canford).

I work in a busy venue who, during a refurb, made the mistake of buying a bundle of cheap cables. The owners were hard to persuade that additional spend was required. After many of the cheap cables failed within the first couple of months, and some £600 later, we have a decent stock of Neutrik/VDC cables. The cheapo cables sit, abandoned and unused, in a dark corner.

[Drew Stephenson]

The cheapo cables sit, abandoned and unused, in a dark corner...

...plotting their revenge.

[Luke W]

Another Neutrik user here. Aside from their reliability, I find that the design also makes them a lot easier to solder than many of the alternatives, which is nice if you're making up a load of them at once.

[resistorman]

The cables I made with Switchcraft connectors and Belden wire decades ago still work great. US brands, but same principle These days I go with Nuetrik, much easier to use.

[Sam Spoons]

Neutric here too, though I have a couple Cannon/Switchcraft cables that must be over 40 years old and still fine.

[Nazard]

I've used Amphenol at RF and they are very good quality connectors.

I'd say that inexpensive TRS plugs are OK, it is XLRs where the inner/outer shell diameter tolerances can cause problems with cheaper options. I always used Neutric for XLR.

However, I still have 2 Cannon XLRs plus cable from 1972 that work fine. As do the D202E1s they were plugged into.

[AlecSp]

I'd say that inexpensive TRS plugs are OK

Balls to that.

Most cheap TRS / TS plugs use rubbish crimp cable restraints - almost impossible to use effectively and without damaging cable. Back to Neutrik...

I made the mistake years ago of thinking that CPC's chunky jack plugs with Neutrik-style strain relief looked good. Sadly, when using slimmer cables, the way the strain relief worked meant that on inserting the plug, a chunk of the barrel would recede into the shell - complete junk. Tragically, a mate of mine knocked up some headphones cables using the same connectors earlier this year. Just as rubbish. Back to Neutrik...

In a low end venue, where things kept walking, CPC's XLR leads weren't bad, and were less painful to lose. But the latches on the females would bend and stop working over time. A cheap fix was to have some spares and just swap out the shell - easy and cheap to do. But I'd still rather have something reliable. Back to Neutrik...

[shufflebeat]

Neutrik - +35.

[Nazard]

Balls to that.

My inexpensive TRS are Rean NYS228, which are fine for semi-permanent installations.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Balls to that.

Most cheap TRS / TS plugs use rubbish crimp cable restraints - almost impossible to use effectively and without damaging cable.

I loathe those fold-over crimp cable clamps too, but for a fixed installation cable clamping isn't even slightly critical, whereas the plug cost might well be.

[Dave Rowles]

Neutrik with me too. And Van Damme cable.

Made all my cables myself, and they've never let me down.

[Martin Walker]

Another happy Neutrik user on the XLR front, with Van Damme and now Sommer cabling.

On the TRS jack front, yes I do mostly like Neutrik again, but some jack sockets on my gear are spaced just too close together for those fatty Neutrik plugs to fit side by side, so some of my jack plugs are from Switchcraft or Sommer.

EDIT: I'm referring to Neutrik C series jack plugs with 16.2mm maximum width:



I see that Neutrik have now discontinued these and replaced them with the PX series, which have a slimmer 14.5mm shell:

[tacitus]

I can only claim my Neutriks have been good for 30 years so far. I used to make up spare cables when I was flush; every now and then I shorten a few more of the longer ones and make them into multiple shorter ones to use with snakes.

I’ve used various cables, mostly Sommer, a few Klotz and again, no problem though Klotz doesn’t coil as nicely as Sommer.

I also use Neutrik TRS, again durable, convenient and re-usable.

[AlecSp]

My inexpensive TRS are Rean NYS228, which are fine for semi-permanent installations.

Nasty crimp cable clamps - not for me...

I loathe those fold-over crimp cable clamps too, but for a fixed installation cable clamping isn't even slightly critical, whereas the plug cost might well be.

I rarely use anything that's fixed installation. Even in racks, I wouldn't want connectors with that risk. They'll get disturbed - I'd rather be able to rely on them.

On the TRS jack front, yes I do mostly like Neutrik again, but some jack sockets on my gear are spaced just too close together for those fatty Neutrik plugs to fit side by side, so some of my jack plugs are from Switchcraft or Sommer.

I see that Neutrik have now discontinued these [C series] and replaced them with the PX series, which have a slimmer 14.5mm shell:

Neutrik introduced NP2X and NP3X 20 years ago! And yes, introduced to address exactly the problem you mention.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I rarely use anything that's fixed installation. Even in racks, I wouldn't want connectors with that risk. They'll get disturbed - I'd rather be able to rely on them.

I understand your preference, and I rarely use anything other than Neutrik myself.

But where cost is an issue I have used and will specify Rean plugs with crmp cable clamping for genuinely fixed installation connections that I know won't be moved or stressed — including in portable racks when necessary.

Sometimes you have to compromise, and that's a fair compromise in my experience.

[mick.n]

Only neutrik here.

Been using them since 1980 & still good as new.

[stevekane]

Goodness, Ive been away for a few days and come back to two pages of recommendations,,many thanks to you all, its much appreciated. Im really surprised that the Rean xlr plugs have a crimp cable restraint, even our cheap unbranded ebay ones have a cable clamp which looks identical to the “triple lock” ones that one of the top makers advertise,,thats a shame because there are some good Rean offers on with one supplier, and as I understand it, though Im happy to be corrected, that the Rean ones are based on an older Neutrik model, now made on a budget in China but still to a good standard?
If the Reans are no go then it looks like Neutrik.
Steve.

[AlecSp]

Im really surprised that the Rean xlr plugs have a crimp cable restraint, even our cheap unbranded ebay ones have a cable clamp which looks identical to the “triple lock” ones that one of the top makers advertise,,thats a shame because there are some good Rean offers on with one supplier, and as I understand it, though Im happy to be corrected, that the Rean ones are based on an older Neutrik model, now made on a budget in China but still to a good standard?

Here's the whole range of Rean jack plugs.

Looks like the RP2C is the only one with a non-crimp strain relief. It does, indeed, look like a remake of the old NP2C (even the name...), but obviously not slimline - which may or may not be significant to you. However, price-wise, they don't look hugely cheaper than NP2X - I know which I'd buy, given the choice.

[stevekane]

Hi Alec(?) Ive just looked at the Rean website and whilst I cannot be certain that the XLR connectors are the ones Ive seen on offer, it does seem that all the XLR connectors they show have a regular tapered three jaw strain relief fitted,,however I see that they do offer 1/4 jack plugs with a crimp fitting and these might be the ones your referring to? Many thanks for the heads up though, I would certainly double check any connector, XLR or Jack before buying, esp as I have once fitted an old 1/4 Jack plug with a crimp and without proper crimping tools its a struggle to make a tidy job of it.
Steve.

[resistorman]

I don't have a problem making up 1/4" cables with crimp strain reliefs, it's undoing them that gets my goat

[ef37a]

"Sometimes you have to compromise, and that's a fair compromise in my experience."
You do indeed Hugh and for the golly handed here who damage cables when using the (admittedly poor) clamp, squeeze it up in a small table top vice! An invaluable aid to cable making in any case.
BUT! Before assembling the plug slip a piece of heat shrink sleeving over the cable and slide over the crimp and cook! The result is a really solid job (and you don't need to go to mad pressures with the clamp) The sleeve can also extend outside the cover and works as strain relief. You can even colour code the cables that way as well.

Undoing the plugs???I never do that except in a dire emergency and I need to lash up a 'special'. But then I do have an awful lot of odd cables!

Dave.