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Fixed wing headset plugs?

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scubabri

Junior Mint
Joined
Jan 8, 2003
Posts
550
I got a pair of Telex airman 750's on ebay for cheap. The bad part is it's got an XLR plug. Anyone know where I can get fixed wing plugs and a schematic to change it back over?

B
 
I'm a telex dealer and decieded to call for ya. According to Telex the answer is no. If you change the headset over you void the FAA's TSO for that headset.
 
out of luck

The only thing telex suggested was trying to find an adapator that you plug in. Telex makes those headsets to the specific standards. They will not convert them.

Sorry. I think your out of luck unless you know someone with cables and do it your self. I doubt the feds would say anything about the headset.
 
From what I got from Telex the XLR plug is a single cord plug instead of the dual cord plug that we all know and love.

My contact said something about them being used with Airbus, but it didn't go any further than that.
 
The XLR, or as it used to be known, the "Cannon Plug" for it's original manufacturer, is primarily an audio and broadcasting microphone plug. It is used for mics and balanced lines, and has three terminals inside a large metal sleeve or shell, one of which is attached to the sleeve and the braided shield of the cable. The signal is carried on the two conductors that are connected to the two remaining pins.

There are other versions of the XLR that have more pins, but they are for very specialized applications. Perhaps this is one of those applications. I'd have to see it.

You can created your own adapter with two pieces of shileded, unbalanced mic cable, an XLR female connector, and the two familiar tip and ring plugs that we are familiar with in airplanes.

Finding which pins on your headset connector are used for which function will be a little more difficult, since this is not a standard use for the XLR. I'd start by turning in the little screw on the shell clockwise, and sliding the shell back to reveal the wires. Note the color of the wires and the pins they are attached to. Then you have to find a way to examine the wires in the headset and mic boom. That part will be more difficult. You might try and find a friend who is into electronics to help you do this. Carefully.

Good luck.
 
First, go to the newark site link that was posted above. Use the search function under "microphone connector". There are 54 pages of connectors. The special 5 pin connectors I mentioned are on the first page, along with the more familiar 3 pin types. You can buy the 3 pin types at Radio Shack and save some money. Search the other pages for the more specialized mic plug used in aircraft. It is thinner than the standard plug that feeds sound to your ears in the airplane. The larger plug for the sound feed is also available at Radio Shack.
 
Last edited:
True.

To avoid voiding the TSO, you need an adapter, and that starts with the opposite gender XLR plug. In this case, you have a male plug on your cable, and you need a female to begin to construct the adapter.
 

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