RED XLR > MiniQ

[Anders Holck]

I'm wondering what the story is behind the construction of the RED XLR > TA3 cables.

I was a bit surprised to find a resistor bridge in the XLR end of the cable.
The wiring is like so:

It seems to boost the signal.

Anyone knows what this circuit does exactly, and why it's there?

(Edit: It does not reverse the polarity. Apparently TA3 connectors have pins 2 and 3 swapped campared to a XLR3)
(Edit2: The Red manual pictures a XLR3 connector without the swapped connectors, not a TA3. This must be a mistake)

 

[Craig Bowman]

Without this setup your audio would come out phase reversed. People who are making their own cables are already wondering why their audio signals are mirrored. Its because you can't just make a pass through adaptor.

 

[Anders Holck]

Sure, but why put it in the cable and not inside the Red body?

 

[Georg Misch]

At least this should be documented somehwere. And yes, this looks very strange. The Mini-xlr connectors are available on many pieces of audio equipment such as the SoundDevices Recorders, where they are used for the Channel 3+4 Input on the 744T for instance. I am not aware that there is any special wiring in those.

A clarification from RED wold be great.

Georg

 

[Alexis Hanawalt]

What is "mini Q"? I just bought some mini-xlr to xlr adaptors from a music store - please tell me they'll work...

 

[Anders Holck]

Sorry.
TA3=MiniXLR=TinyQ

MiniQ was just me misspelling TinyQ

 

[Kevin Halverson]

I'm wondering what the story is behind the construction of the RED XLR > TA3 cables.

I was a bit surprised to find a resistor bridge in the XLR end of the cable.
The wiring is like so:

It seems to boost the signal while it also seems to reverse the phase.

Anyone knows what this circuit does exactly, and why it's there?

Your depiction of the mini XLR connector end is incorrect (see attached photograph). You have the label for pins 2 & 3 swapped on the mini XLR end.

This is a common misconception, mini XLR connectors have a different relationship between their physical pin and the numeric assignment when compared to full sized XLRs.

 

[Anders Holck]

So the "phase flip" is just because the pin configuration is different on the Mini xlr? Makes sense. I edited the original post.

Any clue to the use of resistors?

 

[Anders Holck]

Hmm....from the RED manual:

Doesn't show pins 2 and 3 swapped as per TA3 spec

 

[Anders Holck]

Anyone from RED want to chime in? Stuart?
If this is important, shouldn't it be in the manual or something?
Also that schematic in the Manual, is that wrong? Shouldn't pin 2 be at the bottom?

Switchcraft TinyQ Manual

I'm glad I did the research on a RED cable before soldering my 12 short cables and two 4 channel snakes. But I know a few guys that didn't get to see the RED cable before making their own...

 

[Wes Printz]

AND, there appears to be a 20dB pad included for the price.

 

[Harry Clark]

Maybe it's a Red prank...
Harry

 

[Michael Morlan]

I really don't understand this. Has RED violated the XLR/Tiny-Q wiring standard requiring a custom cable?

I bought six "standard" cables from a third party. As I understand it, they won't work with the camera?

Michael

 

[Joel Kaye]

I bought six "standard" cables from a third party. As I understand it, they won't work with the camera?

Possibly not. At least when it comes to using Phantom Power from the camera you need RED's miniXLR adapter cable (Jarred confirmed this to me). Perhaps cables wired as indicated in this thread would be fine too.

 

[Michael Morlan]

Possibly not. At least when it comes to using Phantom Power from the camera you need RED's miniXLR adapter cable (Jarred confirmed this to me). Perhaps cables wired as indicated in this thread would be fine too.

So, color me confused. Despite non-standard connectors, R.D.C. has managed to conform to an amazing array of industry standard protocols. Why would they fail in the analog audio chain?

Michael

 

[Anders Holck]

Possibly not. At least when it comes to using Phantom Power from the camera you need RED's miniXLR adapter cable (Jarred confirmed this to me). Perhaps cables wired as indicated in this thread would be fine too.

That IS the new type RED XLR cable pictured in post #1

Michael. Check the the third party cables you got. Simply open the XLR3 connector and see if the resisters are in place. If not they wont work as intended.

 

[Anders Holck]

The final XLR3 end should look something like this:

But WITH isolated wires

 

[Joel Kaye]

The final XLR3 end should look something like this:

But WITH isolated wires

I bet someone's going to come out with a right side of the camera upgrade where you send it in and they swap the whole thing out with all this kind of stuff in place.

 

[Michael Morlan]

Nope. Mine are simple end-to-end connections. Looks like it's time to whip out the box o' resistors and soldering iron.

What a mess.

Michael

 

[Adrian Sims]

Was ordering mini-XLR adaptors and noticed this over at http://www.finalcutuser.com/ regarding the return of phantom power and the new cable arrangement -

"Note: Regarding re-activation of +48V Phantom Power. Use of +48VPhantom Power not recommended unless using the new RED XLR-to-mini-XLR cable adaptor (single cable with integrated adaptor). Use of XLR-to-mini-XLR adaptor and mini-XLR-to-mini-XLR cable (an adaptor and a cable) should NOT be used. If you need this new XLR-to-mini-XLR cable adaptor, please contact RED for a replacement."

I'm planning to tether four Samson wireless microphone receivers (mini-XLR outputs on all of them) to my Red One, so this is important info. I won't be using phantom power, so does anyone know if the new RED XLR-to-mini-XLR cable adaptor (single cable with integrated adaptor) affects a non-phantom audio feed into the camera?