MSA-1 Stereo: All regular connector options

We have listed here all of the reasonably common connector requests we receive for MSA-1 Stereo Audio Cables. If you need something other than the options we list here, by all means drop us a note -- we do keep a lot of connectors on hand, and can order others, if need be.

Wiring Notes:

Unless we are otherwise instructed by you, the standard wiring for the connectors offered will be:

• For a 1/8 or 1/4 stereo plug at the two-channel end: Left channel (white) to tip, right channel (red) to ring, both grounds to sleeve.
• For an RCA or 1/8 or 1/4 plug, mono (TS) at a single-channel end: signal to tip, ground to sleeve.
• For a 1/8 or 1/4 plug, stereo (TRS) at a single-channel end: signal to tip, ground to sleeve, ring unconnected.
• For any female connector: same wiring as male.
• For an XLR at a single-channel end: Pin 1 ground, pin 2 hot, pin 3 unconnected.
• For an XLR at the balanced end of a phase-splitting cable: Pin 1 both grounds, Pin 2 red ("plus") center conductor, Pin 3 white ("minus") center conductor.

Y-Cables:

While there's a bit of ambiguity in the manner in which some people use the expression "Y-cable," what we mean by the term is simply -- and only -- a cable which takes a single-channel unbalanced audio connection and connects it to two outputs (or, of course, combines it from two inputs, though that's less common in home audio). If you need a balanced Y-cable for an XLR-type connection, see our balanced audio department; MSA-1 is not suited for that application.

Signal Level Loss from Y-Cables: Almost Nothing

It's common for people to assume that if one splits an output into two inputs, the level of the signal at those inputs will be halved. That's true in impedance-matched circuits, but most consumer unbalanced audio connecctions are a low-impedance output running into a high-impedance input. In such a situation, the amount of signal level lost is negligible (exactly how negligible will depend on the particular impedance characteristics of the circuits involved). Think of it a bit like water pressure: when you turn on your garden hose, it causes a pressure drop throughout the system, but the supply capacity of that system is so high relative to the load you are placing on it that your next-door neighbor's loss of pressure will be too low to notice. Because of the high input impedance, the load devices draw very little current, which results in very little voltage drop.

Phase-Splitting Cables:

This is a rare application, but we list it here because we do get the occasional request for it.

A phase-splitting cable is an odd way of handling a balanced audio signal. Every true balanced line with a ground has, in effect, two unbalanced lines within it, in opposite phases. A phase-splitting cable puts the "plus" side and ground out as one unbalanced output, and the "minus" side and ground out as another. As we've said above: if you don't already know that this is what you need, it almost certainly isn't.