Bridging newby..are stock speakon cables stereo or mono?

armybass · #1 04-02-2011, 02:55 PM

I just got an Ampeg B4R and am trying to run it bridged into my SWR 810. I have the amp set right but is says to use a mono bridged cable. I just have a regular speak-on that I have been using with my other amps and cabs. Do I need another speak-on to run the amp bridged?

GrowlerBox · #2 04-02-2011, 03:14 PM

Yes, and the manual should tell you how to re-wire it.

billfitzmaurice · #3 04-02-2011, 03:16 PM

Mono/stereo refers to 2 versus 4 conductor. To bridge you use four conductor plugs with two wire conductors wired per the instructions that should be in the Ampeg manual. It's a half-assed arrangement but it saved Ampeg three bucks on adding a dedicated bridged output jack that would work without dicking around, and hey, three bucks is three bucks. And yes, you need a dedicated cable clearly marked so you don't mix it up and use the wrong one.

Phendyr_Loon · #4 04-02-2011, 03:17 PM

If your cable has two leads its mono, same as a regular 1/4" speaker cable. If you have a 4 lead cable I believe they are mono also, probably two hits and two grounds, although it never made sense to me to have double the leads. I suppose it just increases power handling.

steveksux · #5 04-02-2011, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Mono/stereo refers to 2 versus 4 conductor. To bridge you use four conductor plugs with two wire conductors wired per the instructions that should be in the Ampeg manual. It's a half-assed arrangement but it saved Ampeg three bucks on adding a dedicated bridged output jack that would work without dicking around, and hey, three bucks is three bucks. And yes, you need a dedicated cable clearly marked so you don't mix it up and use the wrong one.

My solution was to get a speaker cable with 2 conductor speakons, and then swap one connector with another 4 conductor speakon to 1/4" cable I had.

Its pretty obvious there's something special about a cable with 2 different kinds of speakon connectors, so I won't mix it up with a stock wired cable.

Because crown also decided saving three bucks was worth it by not providing a bridged connector....

Randy

armybass · #6 04-02-2011, 03:32 PM

OK, thanks so much fellas. I got the amp used and will download the manual from the Ampeg site and see what I can do.

Can anything be damaged by running the wrong cables in either scenario?

**mikeddd** · #7 04-02-2011, 03:37 PM

One of the great things about the almighty Speakon connector is how easy it is to build your own, no matter what type of connection you're looking for.

Just make sure you lable the cable so obviously, giagantically, stupidly, obscenely...you get the idea. Make sure you lable the cable on both ends so that anyone picking it up knows it's not a standard Speakon cable. One way is to use brightly colored shrink wrap around the last 2-3" before the Speakon (on both ends) and write on it with permanent marker something like "Bridged Mono Wired!" or something like that.

On a related note; I also wish EVERY bass amp and power amp manufacturer would add a dedicated Mono Bridged output (rear panel space permitting). I understand the liability issues with that. They can cover their butts by covering it with a cover that must be unscrewed to be removed. Print on the cover "Removal of this cover is acknowledgment that you understand what Bridged Mono means" or some legal-ese crap like that.

steveksux · #8 04-02-2011, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeddd

One of the great things about the almighty Speakon connector is how easy it is to build your own, no matter what type of connection you're looking for.

Just make sure you lable the cable so obviously, giagantically, stupidly, obscenely...you get the idea. Make sure you lable the cable on both ends so that anyone picking it up knows it's not a standard Speakon cable. One way is to use brightly colored shrink wrap around the last 2-3" before the Speakon (on both ends) and write on it with permanent marker something like "Bridged Mono Wired!" or something like that.

On a related note; I also wish EVERY bass amp and power amp manufacturer would add a dedicated Mono Bridged output (rear panel space permitting). I understand the liability issues with that. They can cover their butts by covering it with a cover that must be unscrewed to be removed. Print on the cover "Removal of this cover is acknowledgment that you understand what Bridged Mono means" or some legal-ese crap like that.

I had a 4pole speakon => 1/4" cable laying around. So I bought a 2pole speakon => 2pole speakon.

Swap one 4pole with the 2pole, wire the 4pole end +1 +2 and you have a speakon to speakon with VASTLY different looking ends, hard to mix that up with a normally wired speakon cable. Just have to remember which end goes into the power amp, and since there's no way to use a 2pole speakon to go into a bridged speakon connector, it has to be the 4pole side at the power amp, and the 2pole must go to the speaker.

Easy peasy, no labels to fall off, no markings to wear off.

Randy

**mikeddd** · #9 04-02-2011, 03:49 PM

Damn, that's hot.

It sounds idiot-proof. (no disrespect, just stating fact). Even I, under the influence, couldn't mess that up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveksux

I had a 4pole speakon => 1/4" cable laying around. So I bought a 2pole speakon => 2pole speakon.

Swap one 4pole with the 2pole, wire the 4pole end +1 +2 and you have a speakon to speakon with VASTLY different looking ends, hard to mix that up with a normally wired speakon cable. Just have to remember which end goes into the power amp, and since there's no way to use a 2pole speakon to go into a bridged speakon connector, it has to be the 4pole side at the power amp, and the 2pole must go to the speaker.

Easy peasy, no labels to fall off, no markings to wear off.

Randy

carvinbassplyr · #10 06-09-2011, 03:19 AM

Do you need a dedicated bridged mono cable for the the bridged mono out on a SWR SM900? No where in the manual does it state whether the bridged mono out is wired +1, -1 or +1, +2. I was told that the way they have it setup it doesn't matter either way, the amp can "sense" either setup and adapt accordingly...after reading this though I'm inclined NOT to believe that.

UPDATE: I ended up calling SWR (Fender) to find out for sure. Unfortunately, they only have records/schematics back to when Fender took over and my amp is pre-Fender. They suggested I just pull the lid off to take a look for myself. When I did I saw that the stereo out wires were set right next to each other like a speakon with +1, -1 wiring, but the bridged mono out wires were set directly across from each other like a +1, +2 wired speakon. So while the newer Fender SWR amps might use the +1, -1 wiring for their dedicated bridged mono out my pre-fender uses the +1, +2 setup. Just an FYI to any SM (or similar) series SWR guys out there...you might need a +1, +2 amp side speakon setup for proper bridged mono output.