INVGROUP
INVGROUP

// News item

DMX Cable vs. Jack Adapter – Which One Should You Use?

DMX Cable vs. Jack Adapter – Which One Should You Use?

Sometimes you have to choose between a cable and a tiny adapter – even though they seemingly have nothing to do with each other. The IPCDMX standard DMX cable and the Invotone AD150 jack adapter represent two completely different worlds, yet both are fundamental tools in professional audio/lighting work. Let’s see when to use which, and why!

IPCDMX – The DMX Backbone That Holds Everything Together

The IPCDMX is a 120-ohm impedance DMX cable that precisely meets DMX512 standard requirements. This isn’t just a number: without proper impedance, the control signal becomes distorted, fixtures behave erratically, and the system becomes unstable. The cable core consists of two 0.25 mm² cross-section, Class 5 fine-stranded copper conductors, arranged in concentric layers, shielded with mylar foil and filling compound. The shielding is tinned copper braid with over 90% coverage, plus a separate drain wire – this ensures that the DMX signal arrives clean at every device, even over long cable runs.

The soft PVC jacket is 5.4 mm diameter, matte black, easily coilable, and Italian-made – which in the cable world always means quality assurance. Packaging: 100-meter spool, which is just about enough for a complete medium-sized stage cabling system. Applications: moving lights, LED systems, fog machines – it carries the control signal between all DMX512 devices. Of course, it needs to be terminated with proper XLR connectors, and the line must be closed with a 120-ohm terminator at the end point.

Invotone AD150 – The Tiny Adapter That Solves Everything

The Invotone AD150 is a bidirectional jack adapter: on one side a 6.3 mm stereo jack, on the other a 3.5 mm. Its operation is so simple it would almost be boring – if it weren’t so useful. It doesn’t matter which direction you need to use it: fully reversible, meaning you can plug in a 6.3 mm plug and use it as a 3.5 mm output, or vice versa. For headphones, mixer monitoring, instrument cable ends – anywhere you need to switch between the two standards.

Important to know: this is a stereo adapter, so it carries two channels. If you plug in a mono cable, it stays mono – it won’t magically turn the signal into stereo. Metal housing, compact size, fits in any cable bag. It’s the kind of tool you don’t miss until you need it once – then it becomes indispensable.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you’re building a DMX512 control system – cabling for stage lights, moving heads, effect machines – then IPCDMX is the only right choice. This isn’t an audio cable, not a power cable, but a conductor specifically optimized for the DMX protocol, providing stable, interference-free signal even over long distances. You’ll appreciate every meter when your fixtures do exactly what you set on the console.

If, however, you need to connect audio devices and the connector sizes don’t match – headphones, mixer, mobile device, music player – then the Invotone AD150 is the solution. Small, inexpensive, reliable, and always there when you need it. It doesn’t work miracles, it simply connects two standards.

Two Worlds – One Bag

The IPCDMX and the Invotone AD150 are perfect examples of how there are no unnecessary tools in professional work. One speaks the language of lights, the other of audio – but both are indispensable in their own domain. Without the DMX cable there’s no light show, without the adapter you won’t hear what you’ve done. Both are worth keeping in stock, because when you need them, you really need them.

Featured Products