Soldering XLR Connectors

Posted by: Mick P on 04 January 2004

Chaps

I use NACA5 which is a bulky cable and need to solder a XLR connector onto to it for the Isobarik speakers.

My problem is that neither I, my son who is an ex TV engineer nor my dealer can successfully solder the bloody things on.

Mine has snapped yet again for about the 10th time.

My dealer has suggested a thinner cable which he claims is as good as the NACA, but I do not want to use non standard cable.

The terminals on the end of the XLR connector are small and it is all but impossible to get a good hard soldered joint with the large diameter NACA.

Can anyone think of a solution. Are there adaptors for banana plugs / XLR for instance.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Cut the web of the NACA back for about 8". This will reduce the strain on the joint.

Tin the pin in the XLR and the ends of the NACA first, solder to the side of the XLR pin not the end. Use a clamp or small vice to hold the plug and support the NACA so there is NO movement while the joint cools down. The joint must end up smooth and bright.

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Willy
Mick,

Trick is to get enough heat into the joint.

Clamp teh xlr in a vise with the tab cup horizontal and open side up.

Strip back the web at least 6 inches.

Tin both the the connector and the cable.

Hold the cable in place and apply a flat bladed soldering iron of at least 40 watts to teh back of the connector.

When it all melts push the cable down that last bit onto the connector.

Remove soldering Iron.

Wait 5 seconds or so and remove fingers and spit on them!

Relocate xlr and do the second one.

Hope this helps. Failing that bring them round with a decent bottle of wine and I'll do them for you!

Regards,


Willy.
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by quickie
Odyssey is the same wire guage as NACA5,so will be no easier to terminate.

Paul.
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mr.Tibbs
A5 cable was never intended to be terminated direct to an XLR connector. The very small area of soldered joint is always going to be under a lot of strain – it’s worth remembering that a soldered connection is only an electrical connection, not a mechanical joint.

A good compromise might be to use a short length (approx 5cm) of flexible cable between the XLR plug and the A5 cable, with the joints between the flex and the A5 staggered slightly to prevent short circuit. Finish off the job with some good quality electrical tape or for a more pro finish use some shrink wrap.

Mr Tibbs
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mick P
Chaps

Woe is me.

I had another go at soldering with my little vice etc and I really applied the heat. I had a good joint and duly connected everything up. The LH speaker remained silent as before.

Out of curiosity, I swithed the speaker cables from one 135 to the other and the LH speaker came alive whilst the RH one went dead. I therfore know that the speakers and joints etc are fine.

I have checked all the connections into the 135's, supercaps and 52 and everythings seems in order.

The balance knob works so I am confused.

Any idea whats gone wrong ?

The dealer is shut tomorrow so I am stuck.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Sounds like the leads may have shorted when the connections broke off before. I'm not familiar with 135s, do they have output fuses ?

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Tibbs:
or for a more pro finish use some shrink wrap.

Mr Tibbs


I think you mean heat shrink or did you have your mind on something else Wink

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mr.Tibbs
"I think you mean heat shrink or did you have your mind on something else"

LOL, what sort of 'stuff' are you getting up to in your spare time then?

Mr Tibbs
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
LOL Big Grin

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mick P
Both of the 135's are lit up.
I suppose that means the fuses are ok.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Laurie Saunders
Mick

when I soldered NACA5 into XLR connectors, I stripped the insulation back and then used heat shrink. It was a bit tight and I would advise using a 100W iron, but it works, just.it sounds as if you have a short somewhere.Which "type" of XLR plug are you using? I found the best to be the Neutrik ones (obtainable from RS for about £2-£3 each I recall)

Do you have some sort of continuity tester? A battery & bulb with some croc clips will do. Test each cable seperately BEFORE connecting to your amps....save shorting the output of your 135s

LaurieS
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Mick,

As I understand it you have eliminated the leads and speakers, correct?

I don't know if the 135 has any kind of output protection as opposed to the mains fuse?

Some amps have output fuses or some kind of electronic protection against shorts on the speaker outputs.

Have you tried switching the offending amp off for a couple of minutes to see if this 'resets' any output protection?

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mick P
I have just switched both amps off and will switch them back on in an hours time.

Many thanks

Mick
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Fingers crossed !

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Arthur Bye
Mick:

It's a bit rough, but this is the best way to solder the XLR connectors to Naca5. Essentially what James says is correct. I just install a twist of a single strand of wire all around the whole thing to hold it together when you solder. I you look closely you can just see it. Make sure everything is tinned up first though.

Arthur Bye
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
I wouldn’t be happy with that great blob of solder on the near wire Wink and the back one doesn’t seem to have flowed properly but it may just be the photo.

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Paul Ranson
The surface area inside the XLR is similar to the 4mm plug, so there should be no problem once the joint is made.

Paul
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Arthur Bye
Graham wrote:
quote:
I wouldn’t be happy with that great blob of solder on the near wire


I wasn't happy with this either. It's one of my rejects. It shows the general idea though.

Arthur Bye
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Mick P
Chaps

Its going

Many thanks for you help.

Reagards

Mick
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Arthur,

No offence intended Smile

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by London Lad
Mick,

Glad you were not 'blown up'

Graham.

Not a lad any longer and not from London!
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by Basil
Just out of interest.

Does anyone know why Linn used XLR Connectors, apart from making it harder for users of Naim equipment to use them?
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by NaimDropper
Basil-
I think it had to do with how the VAT was assigned to equipment. If it had "pro" connectors on it (i.e. XLR) then it was assigned a different tax than that of consumer equipment.
Doesn't apply any more and it's been some time since Linn used the XLRs AFAIK.
Note the use of the XLR for input on the back of the 250 (at least the chrome bumper version...).
This is what I was told many years ago and I've only visited your fair green isle a couple of times so I'm no VAT expert.
David
Posted on: 04 January 2004 by NaimDropper
Oh and those XLR connections with '5 are a bear. My cable runs through plastic conduit in the walls and I had one helluva time pulling it through (replacing my '4) and then terminating it while laying on the floor was no picnic either.
Was all worth it though!
And glad Mick's sorted.
David