Sometimes an additional conductor is needed such as for carrying a stereo signal, a balanced signal, or when connecting a voltage divider such as in an expression pedal. The tip carries the signal and the sleeve is the return path and also usually the ground. TRRS Jack PlugĪ TS cable is fine for carrying a mono instrument signal such as from a guitar pickup to amp. There are other types, most commonly a TRRS which has two rings, and four conductors in total. TRRS jacks are often used for stereo headsets with microphones where four conductors are needed for ground, left channel, right channel, and mic. The three conductors are separated by two black insulation bands. It has a metal ring in the middle which is the third conductor. It’s easy to look at a TS jack and assume the black insulation ring is the ‘R’ in TRS but it’s not. The TRS jack is at the bottom. The black band between them is an insulator preventing the two parts of the jack from shorting together. The pointed metal bit at the end, is logically enough, the tip, and the long metal shaft is the sleeve.

A guitar cable is a TS, or Tip Sleeve cable. A TRS cable has three conductors vs the two on a standard guitar cable. The letters TRS stand for Tip, Ring, and Sleeve, and refer to the parts of the jack plug that the different conductors are connected to. What are these, and why do they frequently cause confusion? Let’s find out. Pro-Audio devices sometimes call for TRS cables.

6.3mm trs-trs loopback cable