DC power is used by many third-party module and chassis developers such as BAE Audio and JLM Audio. It is also used by Slate Digital for the VMS1 microphone preamp. Typically the pin configuration is: Pin 1: Chassis Ground Pin 2: Power Ground Pin 3: Positive Voltage (Typically +15 volts or +16 volts) Pin 4: Negative Voltage (Typically -15 volts or -16 volts) Pin 5: Phantom Power Voltage (Typically +48 volts) Where XLR connectors are used for DC power, the genders are reversed with respect to their standard use for line-level and mic-level audio. Typically, audio signals on XLR connectors "follow the pin," such that a male connector is an output and a female connector is an input. In most power applications (not just XLR connectors) the female connector is the output and the male connector is the input. This makes accidental contact with live parts less likely. In audio devices it also prevents accidental application of DC power to signal inputs. Additional usage information At one time three-pin XLR connectors were also used extensively on loudspeaker cables, as when first introduced they represented a new standard of ruggedness, and economical alternatives were not readily available. Often, two-conductor loudspeaker cable had three-pin female connectors on both ends, to distinguish it from a three-conductor shielded signal-level cable, which has a female connector at one end and a male at the other. Either pin 2 or 3 was live, depending on the manufacturer, with pin 1 always the 'earthy' return. This usage is now both obsolete and dangerous to equipment but is still sometimes encountered, especially on older equipment. For example, some loudspeakers have a built-in male connector as an input connector for speaker-level signal. This use was superseded in professional audio applications by the Neutrik Speakon connector. Three pin XLR connectors are now popular power connectors for charging ebike batteries (24V, 36v and 48v). https://www.electricbike.com/ebike-connectors/ Phantom power Some microphones such as condenser microphones require power. An alternative to battery power is phantom power, which consists of direct current applied equally through the two signal lines of a balanced audio connector, usually a three-pin XLR connector. The supply voltage is referenced to the ground pin of the connector (pin 1 of an XLR), which normally is connected to the cable shield or a ground wire in the cable or both. Phantom power is usually supplied at a nominal 48 volts DC, although