7 pin XLR male connector.
7 pin XLR female connector.
The 7-pin XLR is a circular multipole connector with a 19 mm nominal shell diameter, defined within the IEC 61076-2-103:2004 family that covers 3- to 7-contact XLR variants. In professional broadcast and theatrical intercom systems, it carries a balanced microphone signal, stereo headphone outputs, and dual push-to-talk (PTT) switch lines on a single locking connector — an arrangement documented for Clear-Com V-Series beltpacks. Outside intercom use, the 7-pin XLR appears on proprietary stage-control and special-effects equipment, such as Rosco smoke machine remotes and Zero88 lighting controllers, each with their own application-specific wiring.
| Pin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Application | 1 | 2 |
| Rosco smoke machine remote | remote on | heater on |
| Zero88 control | ch 1 | ch 2 |
Signals
The Clear-Com V-Series intercom headset assignment for a 7-pin XLR male (XLR-7M) is:
- Pin 1 — Microphone negative (balanced mic signal, cold/return)
- Pin 2 — Microphone positive (balanced mic signal, hot)
- Pin 3 — Ground (common reference for headphone and mic circuits)
- Pin 4 — Left headphone output
- Pin 5 — Right headphone output
- Pin 6 — PTT switch 1 (push-to-talk circuit 1)
- Pin 7 — PTT switch 2 (push-to-talk circuit 2)
Rosco and Zero88 assignments follow proprietary specifications; only pins 1 and 2 are documented in the table above for those applications. Remaining pins vary by manufacturer and should be verified against the specific equipment’s technical documentation before wiring.
Notes
- The 7-pin XLR shell is mechanically identical to 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-pin XLR variants (19 mm nominal diameter with the standard latch), but the 7-pin contact pattern is not backwards-compatible with lower pin-count plugs.
- Pin 1 should connect to chassis ground (not audio signal ground) per AES48-2005 practice, to prevent the “pin 1 problem” and suppress RF interference.
- Wiring conventions above are application-specific; there is no single universal standard for 7-pin XLR pinouts — always verify against the specific equipment manual before making cables.