Speakon Cable Question

MycooLeeyun · #1 07-15-2010, 06:29 PM

Hey, I just got my first cab, I was wondering where I could pick up a good quality speakon cable to connect to the amp. Also, where is a good place online to buy good instrument cables? Thanks!

Steveaux · #2 07-15-2010, 06:33 PM

Try the "AMPS" section.

BurningSkies · #3 07-15-2010, 06:36 PM

Make your own! They're super easy and you don't need to know how to solder. Head over to Redco or to Parts Express or one of the other hundreds of places that carry cable and Neutrik speakon connectors and you're good to go...but for half the price that you'd pay at your local music stores (that all probably carry them too

).

OldHack · #4 07-16-2010, 12:33 AM

Just make sure you know whether you need the four pole Neutrik or the 2 pole. Just went through this today, didn't know there were the two kinds. I don't want to try to explain this to you as someone else here can probably chime in and explain it better but you might not get the right connections if you use a four pole connector on a two pole Neutrik cab, even though it will plug in just fine. Something new Speakon developed over the last while...

RFord04 · #5 07-16-2010, 12:39 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the four pole Neutrik cables are for bi-amping cabs and amps. If you're running a full range output (not splitting the power between highs and lows), you'll probably need 2 pole. At least that's how I understand it IME.

Munjibunga · #6 07-16-2010, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFord04

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the four pole Neutrik cables are for bi-amping cabs and amps. If you're running a full range output (not splitting the power between highs and lows), you'll probably need 2 pole. At least that's how I understand it IME.

The four-pole works fine in full-range applications. If there are only two conductors in the cable, they should be attached to 1+/1- in the plug. If there are four conductors in the cable, the ones in 1+/1- will carry the current, while the ones in 2+/2- will do nothing. All but a couple of my cables with Speakon plugs are 4-pole. Bottom line, for a simple connection between your amp and cab, either a 2-pole or 4-pole will work fine without modifcation.

OldHack · #7 07-16-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

The four-pole works fine in full-range applications. If there are only two conductors in the cable, they should be attached to 1+/1- in the plug. If there are four conductors in the cable, the ones in 1+/1- will carry the current, while the ones in 2+/2- will do nothing. All but a couple of my cables with Speakon plugs are 4-pole. Bottom line, for a simple connection between your amp and cab, either a 2-pole or 4-pole will work fine without modifcation.

My problem came about when using a bi-amp setup. I'm using an SVT 4 Pro and an SVP 1600 to power two cabs. Right now I've got the highs (SVT 4) into an SVT 810E and the lows (SVP 1600) going to an Avatar 410. Both are 4 ohm 1000 watt cabs. Both heads are stereo and I'm using the bridged power out on each amp. Connecting the SVT 4 head with a 4 pole cable to the Avatar, I was only getting a very low output distorted sound. When I switched to a 2 pole cable, I got normal full power. The SVT cab was fine with the 4 pole cable.

The explanation I got was the 4 pole Neutriks are designed to work with crossovers.

Then there is the split SVT 810E cab where I can bi-amp it so I still need to figure out exactly how to run just it and the SVT 4 Pro head. It looks like I can do it with just the one 4 pole cable..??

I gots some homework...

billfitzmaurice · #8 07-16-2010, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldHack

The explanation I got was the 4 pole Neutriks are designed to work with crossovers.

They're designed to work with any application that needs four conductors.

Munjibunga · #9 07-18-2010, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

They're designed to work with any application that needs four conductors.

Yes, and they work fine for applications that need two conductors, as well. It gets a little squirrelly when you are using them for bridged mono on some power amps. Typically, the amp puts out a bridged signal on 1+/2+. So let's say you have a red conductor and a green one in the cable. At the amp end, the red conductor goes into 1+ and the green one goes into 2+. Then, at the cabinet end, the red conductor goes into 1+ and the green one goes into 1-. You have to be careful to make sure you plug the correct cable end into its corresponding component.

For biamping, the input signal goes into a crossover and is divided into separate high-frequency and low-frequency signals. The high frequency signal is fed into one channel (let's say Channel 1) and the lows are fed into Channel 2. Then, switches are set on the amp to make it so both outputs go into one output jack, usually Channel 1. A four-conductor cable and corresponding Neutrik Speakon then deliver the highs to 1+/1- and the lows to 2+/2-. The speaker is internally wired to route the split signal to its corresponding driver.

The above is based on a QSC PLX amp. YMMV for other brands and models.

Clear as mud, right?