How to test XLR cables and adapters?

Richard Crowley · January 9th, 2015, 12:12 PM

I strongly suspect that the design did NOT originate with either Ebtech or with Behringer.
They are both just ordering custom paint on a generic Chinese OEM gadget.

No, I don't think the Ebtech is worth the extra $$.

Jay Massengill · January 9th, 2015, 02:47 PM

My only complaint with the Behringer that I have is the tone generator "sounds" awful. It works, but in the event I actually need to record tone or use tone extensively in a large setup, I'll drag along an old Shure portable mixer that I keep for no other reason than to generate nice, clean 1k tone at either Mic or Line level output.

If the Ebtech has a better tone generator, that would be nice and probably worth the extra money. I've never tried the Ebtech tester although I have several of their other products that are great.

I've also never tried a 2nd Behringer unit, it could just be the one I have, but the tone generator is not as important as the electronically latching cable fault detection for finding intermittent problems...

Gary Nattrass · January 10th, 2015, 03:49 AM

I agree the tone is horrible and very square wave but that can be a huge bonus on outside broadcasts as they always know that it is me on the end of the that horrible buzz, the 400hz is just as bad but so is my Q-box. ;0)

Paul R Johnson · January 10th, 2015, 06:06 AM

72-8785 - TENMA - CABLE TESTER, AV, UNIVERSAL | CPC
This product is available in numerous 'brands' - these types of products are very rarely made by the name on the box, it's not cost effective, they are just OEM products and the brands can be well known or simply made up. There is a rather nice version of this one with the capability to test cat5 cables too, which is even nicer. For the price, the notion of testing with a meter becomes a bit futile and time wasting.

January 9th, 2015, 12:12 PM	#16
Richard Crowley Trustee Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,238	Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters? I strongly suspect that the design did NOT originate with either Ebtech or with Behringer. They are both just ordering custom paint on a generic Chinese OEM gadget. No, I don't think the Ebtech is worth the extra $$.

January 9th, 2015, 02:47 PM	#17
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters? My only complaint with the Behringer that I have is the tone generator "sounds" awful. It works, but in the event I actually need to record tone or use tone extensively in a large setup, I'll drag along an old Shure portable mixer that I keep for no other reason than to generate nice, clean 1k tone at either Mic or Line level output. If the Ebtech has a better tone generator, that would be nice and probably worth the extra money. I've never tried the Ebtech tester although I have several of their other products that are great. I've also never tried a 2nd Behringer unit, it could just be the one I have, but the tone generator is not as important as the electronically latching cable fault detection for finding intermittent problems...

January 10th, 2015, 03:49 AM	#18
Gary Nattrass Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cornsay Durham UK Posts: 1,992	Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters? I agree the tone is horrible and very square wave but that can be a huge bonus on outside broadcasts as they always know that it is me on the end of the that horrible buzz, the 400hz is just as bad but so is my Q-box. ;0) __________________ Over 15 minutes in Broadcast Film and TV production: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044352/

January 10th, 2015, 06:06 AM	#19
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,044	Re: How to test XLR cables and adapters? 72-8785 - TENMA - CABLE TESTER, AV, UNIVERSAL \| CPC This product is available in numerous 'brands' - these types of products are very rarely made by the name on the box, it's not cost effective, they are just OEM products and the brands can be well known or simply made up. There is a rather nice version of this one with the capability to test cat5 cables too, which is even nicer. For the price, the notion of testing with a meter becomes a bit futile and time wasting.