1/4" Tip-Ring-Sleeve Connectors
Professional equipment often uses 1/4" tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) audio connectors with
+4 dBu line level. 1/4" TRS connectors connect to three wires in an audio cable—hot,
neutral, and ground—and usually carry a balanced audio signal. In some situations, the
three wires may be used to send left and right (stereo) signals, making the signals
unbalanced.
Note: Tip-sleeve and tip-ring-sleeve connectors look almost identical. Some audio
devices (especially mixers) accept a TS connector in a TRS jack, but you should always
check the equipment documentation to be sure. Remember that most 1/4" TS
connectors connect to –10 dBV line level equipment, whereas 1/4" TRS connectors
usually expect a +4 dBu line level.