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12-11-2010, 07:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metro D.C. and Brooklyn, NY | | | 1/4" to Speakon retrofit successful!
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I bought a bunch of make and female speakon jacks so that I can convert my old cabinets to use speakons...because my new amps have them:
SVT2-Pro and Carvin BX500
My old cabinets are: Goliath II 4x10, Goliath II Jr 2x10, and Avatar Cube 1x12
I put the Avatar up on the cutting table to make sure it'll work before I chop into the SWR's
Pics:
stock jack plate  
After drilling and installing female speakon jacks, plate got a little scratched ont he drill press...  
Since I was pretty much doing away with the 1/4" jacks on the plate, I wanted to use a comination 1/4"-speakon in the cabinet, the same kind Carvin uses in their amps. The one issue with this is that these only come with solder pins for PCB connections...so a bit of creativity and soldering is necessary.
closeup of solder pins  
SO I got a few of these ultra-mini stake-ons that fit snuggly on the pins 
Insert wires and solder the crap out of them: 
All done and ready to go:  
Now I can crank it up with confidence....and the SWR's are next
Party-on, Wayne
Party-on, Garth
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CLUBS: #201 Ampeg, #37 nekkid FB, #144 Fretless, #244 G&L, #66 Stingray
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12-12-2010, 09:30 AM
| | | | Very cool modification.
Do the standard speakon jacks use a connection that doesn't require soldering? |
12-12-2010, 09:35 AM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Appleton | | | Even the solder versions have really tiny lugs with really tiny holes. I wound up with solder blobs a bit large and to close together for comfort. The prevent them from ever ever touching, I placed a blob of JB Weld between them when I was done. Those crimp-on lugs probably would have fit the solder versions as well. Didn't think of that. Looks like a much cleaner install as well. Nice work!
Last edited by Coolhandjjl : 12-12-2010 at 09:37 AM.
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12-12-2010, 09:38 AM
|  | http://greenboy.us/forum/
greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: remote mountain cabin Montana | | Hey hags2k, long time! Seems like forever in fact. Hope all has been well! Quote:
Originally Posted by hags2k  Very cool modification. | Good pics. Yep. And Speakons are so nice. Quote: |
Do the standard speakon jacks use a connection that doesn't require soldering?
| No soldering needed for the majority of Neutrik Speakon stuff. |
12-12-2010, 09:40 AM
| | http://greenboy.us/forum/
greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: remote mountain cabin Montana | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolhandjjl Even the solder versions have really tiny lugs with really tiny holes. I wound up with solder blobs a bit large and to close together for comfort. The prevent them from ever ever touching, I placed a blob of JB Weld between them when I was done. Those crimp-on lugs probably would have fit the solder versions as well. Didn't think of that. Looks like a much cleaner install as well. Nice work! | Hot glue is my usual approach. Got to have it around for crossover and other stuff anyway.
To parallel two Speakon jacks I've also used solid wire rather than stranded a couple times, and that can work nicely. eastcoasteddie
Once you are using spade connectors of the right size, soldering if it's even done at all is not always a plus. Just make sure the spades are well crimped and that they have positive non-wiggle contact. Then some hot glue in the right places assure nothing can come free.
Last edited by greenboy : 12-12-2010 at 09:48 AM.
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12-12-2010, 09:46 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | Great mod, eastcoasteddie.
I did the same thing to my amp's speaker outputs a few months ago: NAMD! (New Amp Mod Day)
~esa |
12-12-2010, 10:41 AM
|  | The "G" is for Gustav | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Maryland | | | You can also get new panels from parts express or reliable hardware that should have the configuration you want without drilling. |
12-12-2010, 03:01 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto Ontario Canada | | | My only comment would be that you should have used the four pole NL4 sockets. A four pole plug will not fit into a two pole socket. You might have some future compatibility problems in the future. Aside from that good job!
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Paul
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12-12-2010, 03:10 PM
| | http://greenboy.us/forum/
greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: remote mountain cabin Montana | | | Those are Combis, Paul. |
12-12-2010, 03:10 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by greenboy No soldering needed for the majority of Neutrik Speakon stuff. | Just bought a bunch of heavy-duty Neutrik 4-poles which have substantial quick-connect spade lugs.
Riis
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"20% of the money will buy you 90% of the sound..another 30% of the money will buy you another 5% of the sound..you can't buy the remaining 5% of the sound because nobody can agree about what it is." |
12-13-2010, 08:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Glendale, CA (LA County) | | | Not to dis you; I just wanna promote safety. What happened on the drill press? Uni-bit, or big bit? Clamped, or hand-held?
Nice mod BTW. I've done the same thing to my cabs.
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Ulrich
DoD #732, U.S. Peavey Club #107, Redneck Bassist Club #14
"On a motorcycle, every sortie is a combat sortie." Gen Lord USAF |
12-13-2010, 09:14 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | Nicely done.
I took a less labor intensive path and bought a couple of Speakon to 1/4" adapters so I could use old cabs with my Genz head...just in case. 
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"...awesome as a monkey wearing a tuxedo made of bacon, riding on a unicorn!'"
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12-21-2010, 07:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metro D.C. and Brooklyn, NY | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ulrich Not to dis you; I just wanna promote safety. What happened on the drill press? Uni-bit, or big bit? Clamped, or hand-held?
Nice mod BTW. I've done the same thing to my cabs. | big-bit....I clamped the plate in the press' vice, but not too tight as I didn't want to bend the plate. the bit caught and took the plate right out of the vise and flung it 10 feet away. I wear heavy leather gloves when working the press for this very reason....sometimes even a face shield.
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CLUBS: #201 Ampeg, #37 nekkid FB, #144 Fretless, #244 G&L, #66 Stingray
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12-21-2010, 07:53 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metro D.C. and Brooklyn, NY | | SWR Goliath II 4x10 speak-on retrofit complete...!
installed slightly beefier wiring, too.      
I'll need to clearance the cabinet a bit int he corner to make room fot he speak-on jack to fit on the inside opening.
One more cab left to go, Goliath II Jr. 2x10...
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CLUBS: #201 Ampeg, #37 nekkid FB, #144 Fretless, #244 G&L, #66 Stingray
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12-25-2010, 12:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | For those who are intimidated by the thought of using a soldering gun, here's an alternate plan of action using Neutrik / Speakon heavy duty 4 pole outs:
This is a pseudo patch bay built by your's truly to support a triamp application. The outs (not labeled) L>R are: mains / left, mains right, subs, monitor #1, monitor #2. 
Pretty simple, eh? Now let's take a look at the business side: 
It's a little confusing but there's really not that much going on. Here's the deal moving R>L:
1) Mains / Left: +1/-1 are fed by a single 450 watt amp channel (15" mids).
2) Mains / Left: +2/-2 are fed by a single 280 watt amp channel (HF drivers)
3) Mains / Right: same as above.
4) Subs: +1/+2 duplicates the bridged mono ouput from an RMX 2450.
5) Monitor #1: +1/-1 are fed by a single amp channel.
6) Monitor #2: same as above.
All the fittings are spade-type 1/4" quick connects; not a solder joint in the bunch. The crimps are all clean and the quick connects are tight...they're not going anywhere. One reviewer on partsexpress.com had attempted soldering the joints but his experience was less than satisfactory as the heat began to soften / melt the plastic casing. The components cost a buck or two more but the ease of installation was worth the expenditure IMO.
Riis
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"20% of the money will buy you 90% of the sound..another 30% of the money will buy you another 5% of the sound..you can't buy the remaining 5% of the sound because nobody can agree about what it is." |
03-02-2011, 10:19 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: 29621 | | | Very cool mods EASTCOASTEDDIE! I'm going to do something similar with my 810 Mesa Road Ready cab which has only one 1/4" jack now.
I just bought the high current 4-pole version Speakon chassis mount NL4MP-UC. I'm assuming I'll just use one and use the +1 / -1 tabs to wire up just like the 1/4 jack was wired. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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