Cable question

[Bruce B]

O'kay... I'm showing my stupidity.

Why does balanced headphone cables have Male XLR (output) instead of Female XLR (input) ends?

 

[Vincent Kars]

Applies to unbalanced headphones as well (male TRS).
If a box has an output it is in general female to avoid unwanted contact (short circuit)

 

[Bruce B]

If a box has an output it is in general female to avoid unwanted contact (short circuit)

Well pre-amp and DAC outputs have male XLR's.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Had a look at my DAC, the XLR (analog line) out is male indeed and the input of my amp female.
If I look at this: http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=822
The XLR headphone out is female.
Just a convention?

 

[Bruce B]

The XLR headphone out is female.
Just a convention?

Yeah, weird... it's the only thing I know of where an output is female instead of male and I haven't found the reason why??

 

[fas42]

Perhaps purely to make it easy in the heat of the moment, with low lighting, to make sure the headphone is plugged into the right socket ...

Frank

 

[amirm]

I have heard the Japanese standard for XLR was reverse of US/AES standard (14). So perhaps the Japanese being dominant in headphone manufacturing in early years led to that.