XLR voltage test

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Hi , i havent had much experience on xlr connexions , i recently repaired a Graphic EQ and want to test audio but i am confused on witch pin is witch and how do i test voltage and continuity here is a picture of the owners manual

but wikepedia has diffrent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR_connector

how can i test using a multimeter
thanks
 

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What do you mean different?

In the image you linked, the upper design is female, and shows the same number pattern as the WIKI, and the lower image is male and also agrees.

Not sure what continuity you want to check, but pins 2 and 3 are the balanced signal lines. Pin 1 is always common. The output of the circuit is between pins 2 and 3. Your image shows how to unbalance it. The left side is the unbalanced version. Notice they drew a wire from pin 2 to pin 1 before it leaves. They grounded pin 2. That leaves pin 3 as hot. You can use it that way. In fact you could ground pin 3 instead and use pin 2 as hot if you want a phase reversal. (polarity reversal)

So if you put a signal into the unit, wire the input by that unbalanced example to apply a signal. If you have a balanced signal, then send it into pins 2 and 3.

Note the output, they did not short pins 1 and 2 together, they took the hot from pin 3 and ground from pin 1. That tells me they have two opposite polarity output drivers for the two pins. So either pin 2 or pin 3 and ground would provide an unbalanced signal. That applies to YOUR unit. Not all units have separate drives for the pins. In a unit with a transformer output, you would still have to ground pin 2 or pin 3 to get an unbalanced output.
 
What do you mean different?

In the image you linked, the upper design is female, and shows the same number pattern as the WIKI, and the lower image is male and also agrees.

Not sure what continuity you want to check, but pins 2 and 3 are the balanced signal lines. Pin 1 is always common. The output of the circuit is between pins 2 and 3. Your image shows how to unbalance it. The left side is the unbalanced version. Notice they drew a wire from pin 2 to pin 1 before it leaves. They grounded pin 2. That leaves pin 3 as hot. You can use it that way. In fact you could ground pin 3 instead and use pin 2 as hot if you want a phase reversal. (polarity reversal)

So if you put a signal into the unit, wire the input by that unbalanced example to apply a signal. If you have a balanced signal, then send it into pins 2 and 3.

Note the output, they did not short pins 1 and 2 together, they took the hot from pin 3 and ground from pin 1. That tells me they have two opposite polarity output drivers for the two pins. So either pin 2 or pin 3 and ground would provide an unbalanced signal. That applies to YOUR unit. Not all units have separate drives for the pins. In a unit with a transformer output, you would still have to ground pin 2 or pin 3 to get an unbalanced output.
Thanks really apreciarte seems i was looking at the image the wrong way but i get it know , i tested voltage between pins at the output and i got mixed up but i was seeing around 1.5v ac , the EQ has a de balance stage on the input but no output transformers (optional) but seems to me it is outputting both "hot" and "cold"
I got confused since i am using xlr to Rca adapters witch have a unbalanced signal , so a wired thing happend where i was getting no sound on the output but i discovered if i slowly pull the adapter on the output side i suddenly get sound seems the adapter has internal bridged pins 2 and 3 so it cancels the sound but when one looses contact i get it back just the adapter fault
thanks for the help
 
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When you get an adaptor from XLR to something unbalanced like RCA or 1/4", there is more than one way to wire the XLR pins to the other end. In fact I used to buy Switchcraft XLR-1/4" adapators and they came with wires inside that were not yet soldered to anything. I had to wire them up as needed.

So they can come wired "wrong" for your needs, as you found. Or not wired at all as I found. Some guys are lucky, and the adaptors are wired just as they need them to be.
 
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