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by Kevin Becka
How many times have you thought your XLR cables are in fine working order and been surprised to discover something wrong? The Rat Pack lets you know whether your cables will let you down and even which pin (or pins) is the culprit.
The Rat Pack ($49.95) comes in two pocket-sized pieces, the sender and the sniffer. The sender is the width of an XLR connector and about 4.5" long. At one end is a female XLR connector and at the other, a screw-on cap that houses the 12 V battery (MN21, A23 or GP23A). In the absence of phantom power, the sender acts as a power supply for the sniffer (with phantom present, the sniffer can work alone).
The sniffer is 3" long, has a male XLR at one end and a recessed well that houses three two-color LEDs at the other end. By attaching the sender and sniffer to opposite ends of a cable, you can check it quickly by simply noting the status of the LEDs in the sniffer. There are nine combinations that tell you whether the cable is OK, or if any of the pins are swapped or shorted. There's a small, handy reference card to tell you which lights correspond to which cable status.
Operation couldn't be simpler - I was able to test my own cables quickly and easily. I wish I'd had this years ago - it's a great feeling being cable infallible! Be sure to keep the reference card handy unless you have a great memory. I'd copy it, laminate it and keep it in my wallet and in other strategic spots in the studio. The Rat Pack is a great tool to have at the soldering station, in the studio or at live gigs.
Contact: AudioControl Industrial at 425-775-8461
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