# Neutriks Combo Jack



## Edrick (Sep 6, 2011)

I've got a Neutriks combo jack that's got XLR and 1/4 in the Female version with one of the screw down terminal blocks. Says NCJ-FK on the jack and 94V-0 2198 ECG-1 on the board. Can't figure out what the method of wiring is as I'm new to sound. the Screw down board has 1|2|3|T|R|S|TS|RS|SS|G

Now my guess would be that the 1|2|3 is the XLR part and T|R|S is the 1/4 part but what is TS|RS|SS plus the additional ground for? 

If I was to say wire this for a single input but that will accept either XLR or 1/4 would I just jumper the 1|2|3 and T|R|S?


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## Chris15 (Sep 7, 2011)

The ground connection I would assume to be XLR shell.
Likely the additional contacts you have identified are switching / switched contacts, like the old switch to disable the speakers in your HiFi when you plug headphones in...


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## derekleffew (Sep 7, 2011)

This PDF might help with the switching/normalling question: View attachment neutrik-combo-series-circuit-instructions-technical-document.pdf

As best I can tell, Neutrik makes the connector, but someone else makes the PC board with the terminals for easy wiring.


Edrick said:


> ...If I was to say wire this for a single input but that will accept either XLR or 1/4 would I just jumper the 1|2|3 and T|R|S?


Yes.


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## Footer (Sep 7, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> This PDF might help with the switching/normalling question: View attachment 5497
> 
> As best I can tell, Neutrik makes the connector, but someone else makes the PC board with the terminals for easy wiring.



I knew there were more reasons why I hated those things!

Good luck there bud. There is also always the option of just plugging in a connector and taking a continuity checker to it. I always figured that it was just wired 1-2-3 on the back just like any XLR and the 1/4" connector just dumped into the standard XLR pin out. Guess I was wrong. It makes sense, but not really worth it in my opinion.


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## mstaylor (Sep 7, 2011)

Edrick said:


> I've got a Neutriks combo jack that's got XLR and 1/4 in the Female version with one of the screw down terminal blocks. Says NCJ-FK on the jack and 94V-0 2198 ECG-1 on the board. Can't figure out what the method of wiring is as I'm new to sound. the Screw down board has 1|2|3|T|R|S|TS|RS|SS|G
> 
> Now my guess would be that the 1|2|3 is the XLR part and T|R|S is the 1/4 part but what is TS|RS|SS plus the additional ground for?
> 
> If I was to say wire this for a single input but that will accept either XLR or 1/4 would I just jumper the 1|2|3 and T|R|S?


I am not a sound guy either but this is my guess. You solder the 1/2/3 for the XLR, then jumper to either T/R/S for a balanced 1/4 in or T/S for an unbalnced 1/4 in. It is my understanding that you have to go to the XLR first so it carries phantom power. I am interested to see if I am following correctly.


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## museav (Sep 7, 2011)

I don't know that particular model but it sounds like like a switching combo jack, a -9 model in the info Kyle provided. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are likely the XLR pins 1, 2 and 3. T, R and S are probably the 1/4" Tip, Ring and Sleeve, respectively. The TS, RS and SS connections are most likely what would be TN, RN and SN in Neutrik's labeling which are the 1/4" 'switched' connections that normal through from the T, R and S until a 1/4" jack is inserted. The G is probably the connection for an inserted XLR shell, not a connection to the receptacle shell as might be expected since that is plastic but rather to the outside of an inserted XLR connector.

As far as phantom power, these receptacles are not necessarily for microphone connections. You could use both the XLR and 1/4" for microphone signals but that could easily lead to several problems so in my experience it is not that common. It is much more common to use them for line level connections or as a true combination jack with line level on the 1/4" and microphone level on the XLR, sort of a mic input and tie line in one jack.

The switching function can be handy in some applications. For example, wire a line level source to the TRS normals and the TRS terminals into a mixer and you effectively have a normalled patch, plugging a TRS or TS jack into the connector breaks connection from the normal source and sends the source you connect in its place. In that case the XLR has no function and simply helps identify that it is a switching jack.

I've learned that when I use the Neutrik combo jacks on a project I have to be sure to clearly identify the wiring desired as not only are they flexible in the potential wiring but people can also apply rather creative solutions if you don't tell them how you want them wired.


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## TimmyP1955 (Sep 12, 2011)

Do NOT use these on any line that might inadvertently have phantom power on it. The result could be damage to the connected device (even some wireless mic units act up if phantom power is applied - which in the case of some mixers is on every channel if it's on any channel).


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