Yamaha P2200 - XLR/RCA plugs - How to wire connects?

[Hifibythekg]

Hi all,
My restored Yamaha P2200 is to be connected to a preamp.
The preamp has RCA sockets for output. (It's a NAD 3020A fully recapped and WIMA films etc restoration.)
For the new Neutrik XLR plugs is the attached wiring diagram going to be correct?
Please can someone advise whether pin 1 should be connected to Pin 2 ?

 

[Hifibythekg]

The plugs are NC3MRX-B.
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDet...9lUDQLutF9w==&countrycode=GB&currencycode=GBP
I've read somewhere that despite mention of balanced inputs, the P2200 operates with an unbalanced connection, hence my uncertainty about how to wire these plugs... many thanks for any advice..

 

[Mrvintage]

Your best guy here at AK is Avionics he is the Yami Guru.

 

[Mrvintage]

I have a couple of them myself pics were taken before sending the to fellow AK’r to be recapped

 

[Semanon]

Only connect pin 1 to pin 2 if you don’t like sound.

For the balanced XLR:
1 is Ground/shield
2 is High +
3 is Low -

For the unbalanced RCA low - and ground/shield use the same conductor.

Wire high + conductor from RCA to XLR pin 2
Wire shield from RCA to XLR pin 1
Strap XLR pins 1 and 3 together

or get a balancing transformer if you have lines more than 3 or 4 feet.

 

[Semanon]

Sure enuf, unbalanced. And made at a time when pros were undecided if pin 2 or 3 was high+. That wasn’t finalized until the 90s.


Still, practice good habits...pin 2 high. Strap 1 and 3 together.

 

[Semanon]

The pin 2 high/pin 3 high discussion got so heated that the Audio Engineering Society made fun of it with this little spinner game that they gave out at their convention in 1990.

 

[damacman]

Or just use the 1/4” inputs and get a pair of 1/4 to RCA female adapters.

 

[Hifibythekg]

Thanks everyone. @avionic has ridden to the rescue so many times on my repairs, quietly hoping that he may do so again to confirm or reject the wiring diagram in the OP.
Semanon, thanks for the potted history, interesting. So it would appear the wiring diagram above is correct?
And Damacman, many thanks, I’m currently connected with RCA/XLR adapters and would prefer not to use adapters. Will my ears be able to discern the difference? Probably not, but it’s nice to feel that every link in the chain is the best one can do. Would be interesting to hear whether some folks favour 1/4” vs XLR, could there be a difference in SQ with regard to a P2200?

 

[Hifibythekg]

Nice set of P2200’s Mrvintage.., no wonder they’re getting harder to come by ; )
May I ask what they’re connected to and... can you hear much of a difference between just having one on duty? Not sure I want to hear the answer as I’m incredibly happy with my recently recapped one.

 

[Mrvintage]

Good morning Hifibythekg
I have an addiction to the P-2200. I bought my first one in 1978 for my DJ business when I was 17 and it’s still running strong. In recent years I buy them as soon as I spot them for sale. I’m using mine for my quad- amp JBL system the other two Yami’s on the top of the stack are driving separate speakers on same system running through a Nikko beta 30 preamp and a DBX 260 driverack. Pic below is the system before I built my wife approved rack to house everything she’s the best.

 

[mrk229]

Thanks everyone. Would be interesting to hear whether some folks favour 1/4” vs XLR, could there be a difference in SQ with regard to a P2200?

As other have said the P-2200 XLR connection is not truly balanced so sound "quality" will/should not change.

But IMO the XLR connector itself is superior to the 1/4 inch jacks and plug system. XLR jacks typically have much more contact surface in play than the 1/4 system.

Most 1/4 jacks have a small single point of contact with the hot side(s) of the plug. Tip for mono/unbalanced or Tip and Ring for stereo/balanced.

XLR jacks usually have multiple contact points inside the female sleeve and they make contact over a larger surface area. Therefore a superior connection which should offer better transmission of the audio signal.

 

[Semanon]

As other have said the P-2200 XLR connection is not truly balanced so sound "quality" will/should not change.

But IMO the XLR connector itself is superior to the 1/4 inch jacks and plug system. XLR jacks typically have much more contact surface in play than the 1/4 system.

Most 1/4 jacks have a small single point of contact with the hot side(s) of the plug. Tip for mono/unbalanced or Tip and Ring for stereo/balanced.

XLR jacks usually have multiple contact points inside the female sleeve and they make contact over a larger surface area. Therefore a superior connection which should offer better transmission of the audio signal.

The 1/4” and XLR will sound the same. While @mrk229 is correct that the XLR has more contact area, either has more than enough for the line level job you are doing. XLRs are WAAAYYYY more robust and will take quite a beating. Be sure your cable is securely grabbed by the strain relief.

 

[Hifibythekg]

Thanks guys, appreciated!
So, prior to my doing some soldering, we’re all in agreement with this connection illustration?
Any naysayers please speak forth...

 

[Semanon]

Thanks guys, appreciated!
So, prior to my doing some soldering, we’re all in agreement with this connection illustration?
Any naysayers please speak forth...
View attachment 2202483

Yes. That is the right way to do it. However, with the switches and interconnection options on the amp, I don’t think you can do it wrong unless you shorted all the pins together!

 

[Hifibythekg]

A couple of questions:

On the XLR plug...
Positive is soldered to pin 2,
Ground is soldered to pin 1,
Braided copper shielding is soldered to pin 3. Pin 1 and 3 are connected with a short soldered wire.

1. Is this correct?
2. On the end with the RCA plug the positive lead is soldered to the pin but ...do both the shielding copper wire and the negative wire get soldered together onto the ‘sleeve’ part of the RCA plug? (Or is the copper braiding left unattached to the sleeve?)

 

[Semanon]

A couple of questions:

On the XLR plug...
Positive is soldered to pin 2,
Ground is soldered to pin 1,
Braided copper shielding is soldered to pin 3. Pin 1 and 3 are connected with a short soldered wire.

1. Is this correct?
2. On the end with the RCA plug the positive lead is soldered to the pin but ...do both the shielding copper wire and the negative wire get soldered together onto the ‘sleeve’ part of the RCA plug? (Or is the copper braiding left unattached to the sleeve?)

Valid questions.

1. Yes, solder as you note. You can solder as a straight-thru cable, as the amp already ties the conductors together.

2. This implies a fully executed grounding plan. If you don't have a grounding plan, then don't lift grounds unless you encounter a problem.

 

[Hifibythekg]

Hey Semanon, thanks again for your help on this.
For your answer on Question 2, please could you rephrase it as I'm still not entirely sure in which manner I should solder the wires.
I don't have a 'grounding plan.' However, can say that all my amps and audio devices are plugged into mains with 3 pin plugs incorporating positive, neutral and Earth. Based in the UK.

 

[avionic]

Hi all,
My restored Yamaha P2200 is to be connected to a preamp.
The preamp has RCA sockets for output. (It's a NAD 3020A fully recapped and WIMA films etc restoration.)
For the new Neutrik XLR plugs is the attached wiring diagram going to be correct?
Please can someone advise whether pin 1 should be connected to Pin 2 ?
View attachment 2201623

My Neutrik XLR (F) to RCA (F) adapter is wired like your diagram..

 

[slow_jazz]

There was a guy on this forum who made me some. Forget his name.