What gauge wire for Rack Mount Speakons?

troy mcclure · #1 03-22-2011, 05:18 PM

I am in a cover band and have a PA with 4 amps and am going to panel mount speakons so I don't have to work so hard at each gig hooking it up ( the amps are of varying depths and too much thought has to go into which is which).

Does it matter what type of wire I run in between the amp and the speakons? can it be solid wire or should it be braided?

Thanks

Zooberwerx · #2 03-22-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troy mcclure

I am in a cover band and have a PA with 4 amps and am going to panel mount speakons so I don't have to work so hard at each gig hooking it up ( the amps are of varying depths and too much thought has to go into which is which).

Does it matter what type of wire i run in between the amp and the speakons? can it be solid wire or should it be braided?

Thanks

I use 13 g braided speaker wire; 14 g will be fine. Braided wire is preferred as it can be crimped securely...no need to tin the ends. Here's a couple of pics:

Riis

troy mcclure · #3 03-22-2011, 05:41 PM

It looks like you put terminal ends on them, is that correct?

Zooberwerx · #4 03-22-2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troy mcclure

It looks like you put terminal ends on them, is that correct?

That's correct. On the amp end, you can even go bare wire and use the binding posts if available. There's no need to solder, the connections are tight as a tick. AAMOF, I've seen attempts to solder result in melting and / or deformation of the Neutrik housing. Looking at the rear of the panel, the two on the left are +1 / -1 monitor outs, the middle is a +1 / +2 bridged mono for the subs, and the two on the far right are full-blown bi-amp outs for the mains (technically, it's a tri-amped system).

Riis

Hopkins · #5 03-22-2011, 06:21 PM

12 or 14 awg should be fine

TimmyP · #6 03-22-2011, 10:19 PM

I use 12, but for the short lengths involved, 14 is fine.

I solder mine, and have never damaged one.

I believe they now have one with screw terminals as used on the cable-mount Speakons (which I also solder, because I've seen too many come apart because the screws weren't tight enough).

Mjury02 · #7 03-22-2011, 10:39 PM

Zooberwerx, where did you get that panel from?

Zooberwerx · #8 03-23-2011, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mjury02

Zooberwerx, where did you get that panel from?

Got it from Parts-Express.com sells Speakers, Replacement Speakers, Speaker Building Parts plus HDMI Cables, Home Audio and Video, Pro Audio and Commercial Sound. We offer services for Speaker Reconing, Speaker Refoaming, Speaker Repair. Great selection of Elect. Here's the link:

Middle Atlantic UNI-1 Universal Connector Panel 1U

For that fact, I got everything in the pic from partsexpress. I hate to solder when not absolutely necessary, so all the components chosen are quick-connect compatible. Same holds true for the Speakon cable ends which are screw-down type. Partsexpress also carries 13 g (weird!) speaker cable which, as per their claim, is the largest I can comfortably squeeze into the respective connectors.

Riis

steveksux · #9 03-23-2011, 07:00 AM

13GA should be more than enough for nearly any application you're likely to have. I bet its much larger wire than is used inside the speakers...

Randy

ddhm · #10 03-23-2011, 08:20 AM

If I put terminal ends on a cable (I'm an A/V installer by trade), I put a little solder on the connector (where the terminal end goes) and when I mate the 2, I heat the solder and push the terminal end on so that they stay connected until I reheat the solder to remove them. They sometimes pop off in a touring rig situation if they aren't soldered.

The quick answer is on subs, I use 12ga and on mids and high end drivers, I use 14. Both are braided wire. I have seen solid core (thhn) wire in P.A. installs from time to time but I usually replace it and chuckle to myself.

There has been discussion about how the electrons move over solid core vs. braided. From what I hear, high end stuff moves better over braided wire. It's something about there is more surface area on the conductor itself (being a bunch of small wires "braided" together) and that low end stuff moves better over solid core. I think that the physics of that might be true, but we as listeners would have a time hearing it.

Also, if it's larger wire than is inside the cabs, I might replace that too. I mean, if you buy an AWESOME speaker cable but after your speaker's input jack the cable is crappy, you've just wasted your $ on the "awesome" cable. Speaker cable is all about thru-put.

BTW: 13 ga wire is what is used in Vertec (JBL) P.A. systems these days... for the low end drivers (not the subs).