In many areas - from home cinema to event projects - there are frequently situations in which signals need to be duplicated or split without compromising their quality. In these cases, the use of Y-adapters is the appropriate and highly reliable solution. Depending on the respective application, you can choose from a broad range of solutions.
In its extensive product portfolio Cordial offers high-quality shielded cables, which are equipped with the fitting connectors, plugs and sockets (jack, RCA, XLR) depending on the intended use.
Here are a few sample applications:
- If, as is the case with computers, tablets or smartphones, only one stereo signal is available and this is to be split into two mono signals (signal separation), an adapter with a stereo mini jack/socket to 2x RCA male is used. Cordial offers you two appropriate products, our models CFY WCC or CFY YCC.
- A common challenge in the XLR field is connecting devices featuring stereo mini-jack outputs such as laptops or smartphones directly to balanced inputs common with certain FOH consoles, power amplifiers, or audio interfaces. In these particular cases you need a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack plug connection to 2x XLR male connectors like Cordial's CFY WMM.
- Typical insert cables are, for example, Cordial's CFY VFM featuring the connection of 1x 6.3 mm stereo jack plug to 2x XLR (1x male + 1x female) or the CFY VPP (1x 6.3 mm stereo jack plug to 2x 6.3 mm mono jack plug). Sound engineers need so-called “insert cables” to loop analog outboard equipment into a PA or the microphone pre-amp of an audio interface via the insert jack (hence the name). The devices are used to tap and return signals from individual channels in order to process them without having to use 2 jacks in the mixing console (output and input). It is important that the connectors are color-coded to facilitate orientation with regard to "send signal" and "return signal". (Most commonly black and red markings are used for color-coding.)
- Finally, an almost "daily" routine: the connection of 2 headphones to only one output of a stereo system, an electric piano or in a studio and test station environment (splicing of signals). The solution is obvious: Y-adapter cables, which are also available with a wide variety of plugs and jacks. For example, a 6.35 mm jack stereo male to 2x 3.5 mm stereo jack female (Cordial CFY VYY) or a 6.35 mm jack stereo male to 2x 6.35 mm stereo jack female cable (Cordial CFY WYY). The Cordial CFY WYY offers the connection option of a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack to 2 x 3.5 mm stereo jack sockets.
As mentioned earlier, these are just a few solutions representative of the broad Y-cable product portfolio Cordial can offer its customers.
What else might be interesting for users? Before the split, the length of the cable is usually 15 cm. For circumstances in which longer distances are to be bridged from the split, Cordial also offers the "LONG" variant with a particularly long split for some Y-adapter products, such as the CFY WMM-LONG or the CFY VPP-LONG. By the way, the various Y-adapters from the Cordial Essentials series are each assembled with high-quality REAN made by Neutrik® connector options (hand-soldered).
It quickly becomes clear: there are lots of situations in which Y-adapters embody small but important tools with a big impact. Versatile helpers that should be included in any equipment set - and should always be right at hand.
