Audio Connectors Quiz
Level 1 · Open Level 2 · Free account
What it teaches
Match XLR, TRS, TS, RCA and Speakon connectors to their correct signals and uses.
How it works
- Press Start activity to load the quiz — six written questions about connectors and signals.
- Choose the connector (or the reason) that fits each situation.
- Read the explanation with each answer — the "why" matters more than the score.
The theory
Every connector implies a signal. XLR carries balanced mic and line level (and phantom power) — balanced wiring cancels interference, which is why long stage runs stay clean. The 6.35mm TS jack is unbalanced instrument level; add a ring (TRS) and you get balanced line or stereo headphones. RCA is unbalanced consumer stereo. Speakon is the locking high-current connector between power amps and passive speakers — never confuse it with an instrument jack. Plugging the wrong level into the wrong input is how gear and hearing get damaged.
Answer explanations
- Standard microphone cable
- XLR — balanced, locking, and carries phantom power. Balanced wiring is why long runs reject interference.
- Electric guitar to amp or DI
- 6.35mm TS (mono jack) — unbalanced instrument level.
- Power amp to passive speaker
- Speakon — locking and high-current; never confuse speaker level with instrument or mic level.
- Three contacts on a jack (tip-ring-sleeve)
- TRS — balanced mono, or unbalanced stereo like headphones.
- Why balanced wiring for long runs
- Both conductors pick up the same interference; the differential input subtracts it. Noise cancels, signal survives.
- Red and white RCA pair
- Unbalanced consumer stereo line level — hi-fi and DJ gear.
No audio / accessibility
Fully text-based: every question describes a connector or scenario in words with written answers and explanations.
The activity
Six questions on the connectors every studio and stage runs on — what each one carries, and why the wrong one costs you.