The Hosa CBT-500 Cable Tester makes testing a wide range of cables commonly encountered in the music / pro audio environment a snap. The compact, handheld unit is capable of testing the following cable terminations:
- XLR (3-pin and 5-pin)
- Balanced and unbalanced phone (standard guitar-type cable)
- Phono (RCA)
- speakON® (with support for 2-pole, 4-pole, and 8-pole connectors)
- DIN (multi-pin, including 5-pin DIN commonly used for MIDI equipment)
- Ethernet (RJ-45)
- USB Type A to Type B (standard USB to the square USB connector found on most audio interfaces)
In addition to providing the necessary connectors to test the various cable types, the Hosa CBT-500 Cable Tester is also easy to use, consisting of a front panel rotary knob and two rows of 8 LEDs-one row amber coloured, the other row green. These LED’s facilitate easy checking of the individual pins found in any of the supported cable types. The rotary knob enables one to switch from one pin to the next. As an example, by connecting both ends of an XLR cable to the unit, one can systematically check pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2, and pin 3 to pin 3. If both LEDs illuminate, the connection is passing signal. If not, the connection is broken.
The new CBT-500 is also equipped with removable leads-commonly referred to as test probes-to verify the continuity of additional connectors and jacks. This capability is particularly convenient when making cable repairs, as it enables one to check the actual replacement connector.
The Hosa CBT-500 Cable Tester is constructed of metal to withstand field abuse and operates with a standard 9-volt battery (included). The device also provides a battery check function to ensure proper working condition prior to use.