What are 5-pin XLR cables used for?
Five-pin (XLR5) Other common uses are for dual-element or stereo microphones (two balanced audio signals with a common ground) and stereo intercom headset (three pins for the stereo headphone signal – left, right, and ground, and two pins for the unbalanced microphone signal).
What is a 5-pin XLR?
Hosa Technology DMX-525 Overview This Hosa DMX 5-Pin XLR Male to 5-Pin XLR Female Cable is a 25′ (7.6 m) long extension cable ideal for use with sound and lighting control boards. Shielded, with durable connectors.

What is the difference between 3 pin and 5-pin XLR?
3-pin is usually for balanced mono lines – a single balanced mic, etc. 4-pin can carry a mono signal to a headset & a mono unbalanced mic return. 5-pin can carry stereo to a headset & a mono unbalanced mic return. 6-pin can carry stereo to a headset & a mono balanced mic return.
How many pins does XLR cable use?
The XLR Cable has a circular design having three to seven pins. For audio purposes, there are three pins; one is for the positive polarity, the second one is for negative polarity, and the third one is used as a cable shield (chassis ground).
Are there different types of XLR cables?

XLR connector variants
- XLR 3 Pin: The most popular style for the XLR connector is the three pin variant.
- XLR 4: The XLR 4 or 4 pin connector is used in a number of applications.
- XLR 5: The five pin XLR connector is the standard connector for the DMX512 digital lighting control system.
What is the difference between 3 pin and 5 pin DMX?
The key difference between 3-pin and 5-pin DMX is the size and layout of the pins. Because the two extra pins on 5-pin DMX are rarely used, many DMX cables on the market today actually leave them unconnected and only wire the main three pins.
Can I use DMX for XLR?
Though DMX cables and XLR cables are often both three-pin cables and look the same, they should not be used interchangeably, especially along longer cable runs. DMX cables and XLR cables are engineered to handle different types of information at different impedance.