to eight. XLR connectors from different manufacturers will intermate, with the exception of six-pin models, which are available in two incompatible designs. The older Switchcraft six-pin design adds a center pin to the standard five-pin design, whereas the newer Neutrik design is a different pattern. The Switchcraft six-pin female will accept a standard five-pin male plug whereas the Neutrik six-pin design will not. Neutrik offers connectors in both six-pin designs. The terminology for labeling the corresponding members of a pair of mating connectors follows the usual rules for the gender of connectors: a 'male' connector is the one with pins on the smallest element, 'female' has corresponding receptacles. A 'plug' connector enters the 'socket' connector, judged by the largest element. For most XLR, plugs are male and sockets are female. XLR are unusual as, at least in audio applications, all four combinations of male and female, plugs and sockets are equally common. A common misnomer is that 'plugs' are free connectors and 'sockets' are panel-mounted, but XLR uses many free female sockets and panel-mounted male plugs. There is a loose convention for audio work that signals are generated by equipment with male pins and transmitted to those with female receptacles. The circumference of an XLR connector at the widest point is . Current patterns and applications Three-pin (XLR3) Three-pin XLR connectors are by far the most common style, and are an industry standard for balanced audio signals. The great majority of professional microphones use the XLR connector. In previous years, they were used for loudspeaker connections, for instance by Trace Elliot in its bass enclosures. The XLR could accept 14 AWG () wire with a current-carrying capacity of 15 amps, suitable for most loudspeakers, but they have been superseded by the Speakon connector for professional loudspeakers. The Speakon connector accepts larger wire and carries more current, and it provides a better shield for the contacts, which may carry dangerous voltages when connected to an amplifier. Three-pin XLR connectors are used to interconnect powered speakers with line-level signals used for PA system applications. Rechargeable devices exist that use three-pin XLR connectors. These can be found on electric powered mobility wheelchairs and scooters. The connectors carry from 2 to 10 amps at 24 volts. An obsolete use for three-pin XLR connectors was for MIDI data on some Octave-Plateau synthesizers including the Voyetra-8. The three-pin XLR connector is commonly used for DMX512, on