6 pin XLR male connector.
6 pin XLR female connector.
The Switchcraft-compatible 6-pin XLR connector follows the circular multipole format defined by IEC 61076-2-103:2004, which covers XLR connectors with a 19 mm nominal shell diameter and three to seven contacts. The Switchcraft design (e.g. A6M/A6MB series) adds a centre pin to the standard 5-pin contact pattern and retains backward mechanical compatibility with 5-pin male plugs, unlike the Neutrik NC6 layout which uses a different contact arrangement and is not interchangeable. The 6-pin variant appears in professional intercom beltpacks, talkback backbone wiring, and lighting-control systems such as ETC Link. Both the Switchcraft and Neutrik 6-pin connectors share the same outer shell and latch format but differ internally, so the two types should not be mated.
| Pin | |
|---|---|
| Application | 1 |
| Clearcom 2 circuit beltpack | earth/scr |
| ETC Link | B2 |
| ETC Remote Focusing Unit | data out + |
Notes
- The Switchcraft 6-pin XLR (A6M male, A6F female) places a sixth contact at the centre of the standard 5-pin ring; a standard 5-pin male plug can mate with a Switchcraft 6-pin female, leaving the centre contact unmated.
- The Neutrik NC6MX (black insert, standard) and NC6MSX (grey insert, non-standard) 6-pin connectors use a different contact layout and are not mechanically interchangeable with the Switchcraft pattern.
- Both 6-pin variants conform to the outer-shell and latch dimensions of IEC 61076-2-103:2004 but must not be cross-mated.
- Pin 1 should be connected to chassis earth/screen in accordance with AES48-2005 practice (low-impedance bond to chassis ground) to avoid the “pin 1 problem” with induced noise on the cable shield.
Signals
- earth/scr — Cable shield/screen, connected to chassis earth; suppresses induced interference on the cable.
- B2 — ETC Link bus signal (circuit B, second channel); part of ETC’s proprietary control/data link protocol.
- data out + — ETC Remote Focusing Unit positive data output.