Pro Sound Web: Wye-connectors (or “Y”-connectors, if you prefer) should never have been created. Anything that can be hooked up wrong, will be. You-know-who said that, and she was right.
A wye-connector used to split a signal into two lines is being used properly; a wye-connector used to mix two signals into one is being abused and may even damage the equipment involved.
1 comment:
I do understand this person’s objection to why connecters. In my experience, the majority of people who hook something up don’t really think about what happens to the signal electrically, they only care if the connectors match up to create an uninterrupted pathway. However, particularly with audio equipment, signals shouldn’t be summed together with a why connector. But this holds true for digital signaling as well. There’s a reason that you never see a 5 pin why connecter in a theatre, and it’s because if such a monstrosity were to be made it would be putting several fairly sensitive and expensive components at risk. DMX standards require signal to be split optically, so that if there is a short in the cable, it won’t damage any electronics that require low voltage. Replacing this component with a wye cable not only jeopardizes the signal, but jeopardizes the life of the equipment.
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