[Waker]

Question:  In and XLR connector, with all three pins wired in the same way, including the ground pin, does the ground wire share in carrying the signal in any way like the other two? This would be with using the ground just like the other two, and not shunted off, shielded, etc, just wired directly one to the other, just  like the others.  Thanks!

[mgalusha]

I don't entirely understand the question.

Pin 1 should be wired to the chassis as close as possible to the connector.

Rane App Note 110 is highly suggested reading. http://rane.com/note110.html

[Speedskater]

As above, the XLR Pin 1 is only the shield. In some cases it's not even connected at the receive end of the cable. It's only a shield, it's not part of the audio circuit ground. Although the shield, the chassis and the audio circuit ground often have continuity to each other.

In the past this was often mis-understood. It was (and is) referred to as the 'pin 1 problem'.

[Waker]

I should have said that I want to make an interconnect using XLR connectors.  As I am wiring the male and female connectors, I want to make a run between pin one, ground, on each connector.  I don't want to make a floating shield, just want to make the same run as pins 2 and 3 that carry the signal.  Question:  Does the ground connection figure into the signal in any way, or is it just there to complete a ground?  This is for Wadia CD to ARC monoblocks,  between which I am currently using balanced interconnects.  Thanks for your advice.

[Speedskater]

If we are talking about a balanced interconnect with XLR connectors:
Use a shielded two conductor (core) cable.
The two signal wires a connected to pins #2 & #3.
The shield is connected to pin #1.
The shell is not connected to anything,  but that's a pro audio situation.

There is no audio ground connection in the cable.