This is from the
DIY wiring diagrams at vandenhul.com
(
http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/wiring1.htm)
Drawn for line level connections; See remarks below.
Remarks:
If the cable is to be used for microphone or non mains powered musical instrument connections, i.e. with low (non line level) signals, the cable shield should also be linked to the signal sending side connector’s ground pin. There are two reasons for this:
1. To extend the shielding function to the microphone or instrument’s housing.
2. And also with phantom powered condenser microphones: To provide a phantom power supply current return path.
In all other cases (i.e. line level connections) leaving the cable shield disconnected at one side of the cable (drawn above) is safe practice. This to avoid ground loops with non properly internally grounded equipment.
If with these “one side disconnected shield” connections RF interference problems are experienced, reconnecting the shield at the side where it was disconnected by means of a series network of a 47 Ohm resistor and a 10 nanoFarad ceramic disc capacitor is advised. Latter may be standardly applied for all balanced line level interconnections.
Reference: K.R. Fause. Fundamentals of Grounding, Shielding and Interconnection. Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, Vol. 43, No. 6, June 1995, p. 498-516.
Note: Van den Hul ready made balanced cables standardly have the cable shield connected at both ends allowing correct functionality with microphones and electrical instruments as well as with line level audio and AES/EBU digital connections, latter two assuming properly grounded equipment.
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Edit to Add: van den Hul Mic cable has three conductors / three shields. The factory-terminated set we originally purchased had the braided, outer shield joining the third conductor on the ground pin at both ends.
Chris