XLR (5-Pin)
Direct Answer
5-pin XLR is the standard connector for DMX512 digital lighting control -- though 3-pin XLR is commonly, and per the DMX512 spec itself non-compliantly, substituted in practice. 5-pin XLR is also used for some stereo microphones and modular professional audio equipment.
Source: ANSI E1.11 (DMX512-A)
Specs
| Shell | Same as standard 3-Pin XLR (5 pins) |
| Primary Use | DMX512 Digital Lighting Control (per spec) |
| Common Non-Compliant Substitute | 3-Pin XLR (prohibited by DMX512 Section 7.1.2) |
The Standard Nobody Fully Follows
5-pin XLR is the connector the DMX512 lighting-control standard specifies -- but 3-pin XLR has become common in practice anyway, despite the DMX512 spec itself explicitly prohibiting 3-pin connectors in section 7.1.2. The substitution persists because 3-pin XLR cable and connectors are cheaper and more widely available, having already been standard for analog audio. That creates a real compatibility hazard: 3-pin DMX cables are physically identical to 3-pin analog audio XLR cables, so there's no way to tell by looking whether a given 3-pin XLR run is carrying DMX lighting-control data or 48V phantom-powered microphone audio -- accidentally feeding phantom power into DMX-only lighting equipment is a documented risk of the mismatch.
Beyond lighting, 5-pin XLR also shows up on some dual-element or stereo/mid-side microphones, which need the extra conductors to carry two independent balanced audio signals over one cable and connector, and on modular professional audio equipment (such as API-format rack gear) for combined multi-rail DC power distribution. Unlike DMX512's pinout, no single universal pin assignment is documented for the stereo-microphone use case -- it varies by manufacturer.