TS, TRS and TRRS are abbreviations for Tip/Sleeve, Tip/Ring/Sleeve and Tip /Ring /Ring /Sleeve. These often refer to the amount of contacts on the end of an Auxiliary cable or Quarter Inch cable.
A TS cable is often thought of as mono, as it only has one contact and is only going to give one solid sound signal.
A TRS is often though of as stereo, as the addition of the ring gives us two contacts allowing us a left and right audio channel.
Finally, a TRRS cable is usually going to include both a left and right channel as well as a microphone channel. These TRRS cable are often found at the end of headset or earbud sets that include an inline controller and allow You to speak using a small built in microphone.
The easiest way to identify the three of these is to count the number of black rings on the head of the cable. One ring for TS, two for TRS and three for TRRS.
If you want to know which cable to use you are on the correct page.
TR to TR cables can be used for Guitars, Musical Keyboards, Violin or any other instrument which has a mono output.
TR to XLR cables can be used for Dynamic Microphones , connecting your amp to a mixer , few guitars which has an XLR output or any other device/ Instrument with a balanced output.
XLR to XLR cables are best used for condenser microphones , for balanced connection between 2 or more devices as the can carry sound as well as provide a power support for a condenser microphone to work.
TRS to TRS/ Double TR to TRS can used to have a balanced output for higher grade keyboards/ synthesizers , for amplifiers for better quality output, Headphones or any device which has a balanced output .
TRRS cable are normally used only with a microphone or any such device which is carry out microphone’s effects to process it with input as well as output.
