2 layers153.5 × 35 mm.kicad_pcb.jpg?size=s&soon)
Audio over Cat5 (XLR Male)
PKCubed/RJ45XLR
A simple, robust PCB that allows a shielded twisted pair category cable (Cat5e, Cat6a, etc.) to take the place of up to four heavy XLR cables.
10 parts
2 layers153.5 × 35 mm
Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female)
PKCubed/RJ45XLRA simple, robust PCB that allows a shielded twisted pair category cable (Cat5e, Cat6a, etc.) to take the place of up to four heavy XLR cables.
- Size
- 153.5 × 35 mm
- Copper layers
- 2
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 10
- Nets
- 9
- Pads
- 72
- Tracks, vias
- 155, 6
- Pours
- 1
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 8.0 (file 20240108)
- Created
- 21 Feb 2025
- Updated
- 19 Aug 2026
Overview
Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female) is an open-source printed circuit board by PKCubed, from the PKCubed/RJ45XLR repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 153.5 × 35 mm with 10 parts on 9 nets, routed with 155 tracks and 6 vias.
It is built around the NCJ6FA-H. It belongs with the audio and music boards of this library.
Main components
1README
README.mdRJ45XLR
A simple, robust PCB that allows a shielded twisted pair category cable (Cat5e, Cat6a, etc.) to take the place of up to four heavy XLR cables. It is designed for transmitting balanced analog audio, digital audio (AES/EBU), DMX lighting data, and other protocol signals over standard Ethernet cabling.
Features
- 4-to-1 Consolidation: Replaces up to four bulky XLR cables with a single lightweight Ethernet cable.
- Preserves Signal Integrity: Routes each balanced XLR connection to its own twisted pair within the category cable to maintain common-mode noise rejection.
- Shared Grounding: The shield between all four XLR connections is shared via the RJ45 shielded housing, ensuring proper grounding across the entire run.
Typical Applications
- Live Sound & Studio: Creating lightweight, modular, low-profile stage snakes for balanced analog audio or AES/EBU.
- Stage Lighting: Running multiple universes of DMX512 data over long distances using a single Cat5e/Cat6a run.
- AV Installations: Cleaning up cable management in permanent installations or mobile racks.
Wiring & Pinout
Note: This board requires shielded category cables (STP/FTP) to ensure Pin 1 (Ground/Shield) is properly connected across the XLR ports.
Each XLR line is mapped to a specific color pair on the RJ45 jack. Below is the standard mapping used on this board (assuming T568B wiring):
| XLR Channel | XLR Pins (Hot / Cold) | RJ45 Twisted Pair (T568B) |
|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | Pin 2 / Pin 3 | Pair 1 (Blue/White-Blue) |
| Channel 2 | Pin 2 / Pin 3 | Pair 3 (Green/White-Green) |
| Channel 3 | Pin 2 / Pin 3 | Pair 2 (Orange/White-Orange) |
| Channel 4 | Pin 2 / Pin 3 | Pair 4 (Brown/White-Brown) |
All XLR Pin 1 connections are tied to the RJ45 shield.
Fabrication
To get this board manufactured:
- Download the
Gerberfiles from the Releases [blocked] page. - Upload the zip file to your preferred PCB manufacturer (JLCPCB, PCBWay, OSH Park, etc.).
- Choose 1.6mm thickness for optimal mounting inside 3D printed enclosures.
- Standard 1oz copper weight is perfectly fine for this application.
Future Ideas
- Add a ground lift switch.
- Add more RJ45 connections on the back side to allow for easier distribution of bus protocols like DMX.
- Use Ethercon connectors rather than standard shielded RJ45 connectors.
- Create PCB versions with some male, some female XLR connectors
Parts
10| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | MountingHole | MountingHole:MountingHole_3.2mm_M3 | H1, H2, H3, H4 |
| 4 | NCJ6FA-H | NCJ6FA-H:NEUTRIK_NCJ6FA-H | J2, J3, J4, J5 |
| 2 | RJ45_Shielded | Connector_RJ:RJ45_HALO_HFJ11-x2450HRL_Horizontal | J1, J6 |
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Questions
How big is the Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female) PCB?
It measures 153.5 × 35 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female) use?
10 parts, built around the NCJ6FA-H. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female) KiCad files?
From the PKCubed/RJ45XLR repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female).kicad_pcb and its schematic Audio over Cat5.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Audio over Cat5 (XLR Combo Female) design in my own project?
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask PKCubed before reusing the design.