How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

I have had problems in the past with miswired cables and such. How do I test all my XLR cables and adapters to make sure they are properly wired?

Hey Mike,

I would suggest you check out google.com or this site for archival help....

Steph

Although you could use a multimeter(ohmeter) to do basic tests a cable tester is a better way to go.By loading the circuit it can check crosstalk etc. rather than a simple connection test.Behringer makes one that is inexpensive.

Behringer, Whirlwind, Rapco, Horizon, just about every cable company makes an inexpensive cable tester. I find it a lot more useful than my VOM, just because of speed. Takes 3 times as long to test a cable with a VOM, because you have to check all 3 pins. Even then, you don't always get the full story. Cable checkers only can tell you if the integrity of the connection is good at that moment, but you could have an intermittent short, so be sure to 'bounce' the cables while you test them, and see if the lights go out/come on the cable tester.

The Behringer cable tester will also latch onto an intermittent fault, as well as giving you a tone generator. It's a great tool to have handy.

The Behringer looks like it was reverse engineered from the Ebtech device.

http://www.ebtechaudio.com/swizzdes.html
http://www.behringer.com/CT100/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Oh hey, they didn't even bother to change the silk screening.

I'm not just saying you should boycott Behringer (doubt it would be effective), but maybe something should be done about this.

2- It may be that Behringer didn't copy the Ebtech design. But given the similarity of their products with their competitors, and the lawsuit they got into with Mackie... I doubt it.

[QUOTE=Glenn Chan]The Behringer looks like it was reverse engineered from the Ebtech device.

http://www.ebtechaudio.com/swizzdes.html
http://www.behringer.com/CT100/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Oh hey, they didn't even bother to change the silk screening.

I'm not just saying you should boycott Behringer (doubt it would be effective), but maybe something should be done about this.

QUOTE]

personally, I won't use Behringer products for the simple reason that it seems like ALL they do is copy Rane, Mackie, Samson, Peavey, Rolls, and other companies with innovation...but, that's also political, so not much gets said about it here, at least not from me. I just don't like the way they blatantly piggyback on other companies, their advertising, look, and features.

Maybe we can setup a website here on dvinfo showing similarities between behringer products and other products, and ask behringer why their products are so similar (i.e. email them).

I think getting the word out would be the best thing to put an end to reverse engineering practices. Of course, maybe Behringer should be given a chance to explain themselves first.

Good idea, Glenn, but two comments:
1. it would detract/divert energy from what DVinfo.net is really about.
2. It could invite legal hassles for the KennelMaster.

Behringer has had the opportunity to explain themselves, and they continue to do so. In fact, they have threatened to sue at least one BBS that I'm aware of, and because the UK court found in their favor, citing that while the design circuits were indeed effectively clones, that Mackie had messed up on how they registered the patent. This is what Behringer seems to hang their hat on, that they got away with it once. I know when they were accused of copying the EBTech, they responded with "There is no property protection filed by EBTech, and we'll sue you if you say another word."
Google Behringer, legal, or Behringer, Aphex, or other similar Googles, you'll find lots of case law. But...it really shouldn't be heavily discussed here out of respect for the site, and avoiding hassle, even though I happen to agree with you 100%.

Thanks everyone for the tips on cable testers. I didn't think this would become such a political issue... :)

-Mike

On second thought - I don't know if a cable tester would catch this. We actually had XLR cables (expensive ones) that had the shield and hot wires switched, thus sound was being recorded through the shield and any nearby electrical device added hum to the sound. Since all wires were wired through, a cable tester might show that the cable is fine. Can any of these testers detect something like that?

Yup.Have a look at a few from the manufactures site or popin to your local audio guru shop.

I've been using an Ebtech Swizz Army 6 in 1 Cable Tester

Checks XLR, 1/4 in., RCA, 1/8 in., TT, and MIDI cables for continuity and/or intermittent connections. Also detects opens and shorts for each pin. Other features include test tone generator (+4, -10, Mic), phantom power detector, grounded XLR shield detector and cable wiring display.

http://www.ebtechaudio.com/
http://www.synthtopia.com/items/Ebtech/EBTSWIZZCT.htm

Takes a beating in the field and hasn't failed for the three years in service here.

Best,

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

I know this is old... found it in some searches or something.

I found another thread in another forum that made a great observation.

We hammer on Behringer for copying EBTech and I don't disagree... BUT... how much can we really defend EBTech when they named their product "Swizz Army" thereby trying to ride the coat tails of a well established brand and circumventing copyright by using Z's instead of S's.

Just saying... kind of ironic in the end.

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

Are they the same? One is $29, the other $98.

In any case it is not unusual for one company to private label a product produced by another for them.

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

I strongly suspect that the design did NOT originate with either Ebtech or with Behringer.
They are both just ordering custom paint on a generic Chinese OEM gadget.

No, I don't think the Ebtech is worth the extra $$.

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

My only complaint with the Behringer that I have is the tone generator "sounds" awful. It works, but in the event I actually need to record tone or use tone extensively in a large setup, I'll drag along an old Shure portable mixer that I keep for no other reason than to generate nice, clean 1k tone at either Mic or Line level output.

If the Ebtech has a better tone generator, that would be nice and probably worth the extra money. I've never tried the Ebtech tester although I have several of their other products that are great.

I've also never tried a 2nd Behringer unit, it could just be the one I have, but the tone generator is not as important as the electronically latching cable fault detection for finding intermittent problems...

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

I agree the tone is horrible and very square wave but that can be a huge bonus on outside broadcasts as they always know that it is me on the end of the that horrible buzz, the 400hz is just as bad but so is my Q-box. ;0)

Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters?
 

72-8785 - TENMA - CABLE TESTER, AV, UNIVERSAL | CPC
This product is available in numerous 'brands' - these types of products are very rarely made by the name on the box, it's not cost effective, they are just OEM products and the brands can be well known or simply made up. There is a rather nice version of this one with the capability to test cat5 cables too, which is even nicer. For the price, the notion of testing with a meter becomes a bit futile and time wasting.