Using a 9 Pin D Sub connector to transfer audio and power

[Axkoa]

Past week or so I've been brainstorming some ideas for a pedal organisation system as a sort of hobby thing. You don't really need to know much about that for what I'm asking.

So theoretically, I would be able to use one of these: http://au.rs-online.com/web/p/solder-d-sub-connectors/5443727/

To transfer audio and power, right?

My University has soldering stations, 3D printers, a laser cutter, tons of wiring that is free to use for Engineering students so I might as well make use of it...  :dontknow:

 

[mayfly]

Well, sure - but it's not really a shielded part is it?  And how noisy will those power lines be? (they're not AC are they?)  And how much of a PITA will it be to constantly tighten/loosen those little screws from gig to gig?  or watch it fall off at that critical note in that critical solo...

If it were me, and I could ensure that those power lines were fairly quiet, I'd just use a 4 pin XLR.

IMHO and all that.

 

[Axkoa]

The essential idea is to have an audio input and output, as well as power in and out, and a ground. So essentially I'm making something you connect to the bottom of a pedal and then that connects to the parts of the pedal as well as the power. So would DC power create noise in the input and outputs?

 

[mayfly]

Depends.  How noisy is the DC?  What's the impedance of the inputs and outputs?

I still don't think that the connector is suitable because of non-shielding and (very) inconvenient locking.  Not to mention that you can't put a strain relief in any of the d-shells out there.

 

[Axkoa]

That makes sense now...So it would be better to have separate connectors for my power and my signal?

And would that 9 way connector be alright for just the signal?

 

[swarfrat]

Shielding matters more for signal. You don't really care about shielding on power lines as they're relatively high current (compared to signal, plus they have gobs of filtering).  Plus, since these are guitar effects, they're not even balanced - and you need to take every precaution you can.

 

[Axkoa]

Thanks guys. I've decided I'm going to use an XLR input and output audio now. That should work well for my audio signal now?