What’s with these “Speakon” jacks?

robobass · #1 09-09-2006, 03:20 PM

Why do a lot of newer cabinets have “Neutrix“ or “Speakon” connectors instead of the good old ¼”? Here in Germany it has become pretty standard to have only these, and no ¼” jack at all. I’m a bass player. I just want to show up, plug in, and play. Now I have to carry an extra patch cord to be sure I can do this. I admit I’m a luddite, but what is the point of this?

Robobass

vindy500 · #2 09-09-2006, 03:21 PM

i think its to do with new european safety specifications

fdeck · #3 09-09-2006, 03:32 PM

I still use 1/4" speaker cables. But if the 1/4" jack were invented today, nobody would use it for speaker connections. Like vindy500 says about safety regulations, the 1/4" plug has an exposed contact, or two exposed contacts if the amp is bridged. The output of a powerful amp is considered to be "high voltage" in some countries. But there are other problems:

The exposed contacts can create a short circuit if they touch something conductive.

There is a momentary short circuit when the plug is pulled out of the speaker.

The current rating is not very high.

A Speakon connector handles higher current, and has no exposed contacts on either the plug or socket side. It has four conductors, allowing convenient biamp hookups. It is rugged, and not too expensive.

vindy500 · #4 09-09-2006, 03:36 PM

as i said im pretty sure i read in nass player european manufacturers are not allowed to use 1/4" jacks, which makes sence.

robobass · #5 09-11-2006, 11:37 AM

Thanks.
The explanations make sense, although I find it hard to believe anyone has ever been injured because of 1/4" jacks. I suppose amps and speakers have been damaged though.
robobass

Chasarms · #6 09-11-2006, 02:20 PM

I have actually witnessed 10" wedge monitor get knocked off the stage and be be saved from a 6' drop because it was hanging by the cable secured with a speakon connection.

The old 1/4" can't do that!

Vandelay · #7 09-11-2006, 02:26 PM

Yes, Speakons are nice because they stay connected to the speaker -- no risk of it accidentally get pulled out.

In fact, I'm thinking that someone needs to invent a locking INSTRUMENT cable. I can't count the number of times that a cable has gotten pulled loose from my bass or from the amp during gig.

hdiddy · #8 09-11-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

In fact, I'm thinking that someone needs to invent a locking INSTRUMENT cable. I can't count the number of times that a cable has gotten pulled loose from my bass or from the amp during gig.

Too late, it's already done. Maybe they just haven't caught on yet. Also a Neutrik product.

vindy500 · #9 09-11-2006, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

Yes, Speakons are nice because they stay connected to the speaker -- no risk of it accidentally get pulled out.

In fact, I'm thinking that someone needs to invent a locking INSTRUMENT cable. I can't count the number of times that a cable has gotten pulled loose from my bass or from the amp during gig.

id rather my cable comes out than a chunk of my bass...

Peck_Time · #10 09-11-2006, 05:05 PM

Just make sure you use real Speakons!

My amp (EA iamp 500) was connected to my cab (EA whizzy 12) by a couple of 'no name' Speakon copies. They looked fine, but could not hold the wires securely.

I went to my gig at a small bar and plugged in... no sound. I took the fake speakons apart - they were badly designed on the inside. I could not fix them.

Luckily, I could do the gig acoustically (even with two guitarists and a drummer!), but the next day I bought two real Speakons. The difference is all on the inside, real Speakons are not going to come loose, and are easily repairable 'in the field'.

It was a lucky break that I had to do that gig with no amp, because I realised that it sounds much better, especially if you are after an 'old skool' vibe. The bass IS audible, and when the band gets louder I just get 'submerged' in the sound.

-Daniel Y

drurb · #11 09-11-2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vindy500

id rather my cable comes out than a chunk of my bass...

My thoughts exactly. If my instrument cable is tugged, I'd like it to pull loose. That holds true for both ends!

PB+J · #12 09-11-2006, 09:53 PM

I have a dingwall bass with a neutrik locking connector--it's sort of cool looking but otherwise I could do without it.

Speakons are better all around, although for most applications they are kind of overkill. I like that with speakons I don't ever mistake an instrument cable for a speaker cable!

mchildree · #13 09-12-2006, 07:20 AM

...and IF the Speakon cable is damaged on a gig somehow...you can repair it without solder. You only need a screwdriver. Any of us who have had to solder stuff on a bar table during a break can appreciate that.

fish slapper · #14 09-12-2006, 03:15 PM

Someone tried to tell me recently that speakon is better because you are getting more metal to metal connection that 1/4 phone. True?

PB+J · #15 09-12-2006, 03:36 PM

yes it's true--speakons, as I understand it, were developed for really high wattage applications, like big concert PA systems, where I guess the superior constant point and locking ring is really useful. They're more common in bass amps because bass players tend to want more power. Not so much double bass, but slab players--for a while I was bridging 1200 watts on electric bass gigs--not for loudness, but for clean headroom

Espidog · #16 09-12-2006, 03:47 PM

I agree that in nearly every aspect, speakons are superior to the old jack plugs - except one, but it's one that could be fixed by a bit of extra stuff on the speakon socket.

I'm talking about spring contacts that "make" when there's no plug in the socket. With jack plugs/sockets, it's possible to wire a cab with two sockets for series chaining, so that when only one socket has a plug in it, the other one completes the circuit. Can't do that with speakons. Yet.

I'm sure it won't be too long before they're available with extra switch contacts built in, activated by the presence of a plug.

mje · #17 09-13-2006, 01:45 PM

The single best feature of Speakons (IMHO) is that you cannot short the contacts when removing or inserting a plug. That's one of the reasons, I'm sure, that AI uses them. An output short will immediately destroy many amps. A secondary benifit is that you'll never confuse your shielded instrument cable with your unshielded speaker cable ;-)

robgrow · #18 09-13-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mje

The single best feature of Speakons (IMHO) is that you cannot short the contacts when removing or inserting a plug. That's one of the reasons, I'm sure, that AI uses them. An output short will immediately destroy many amps. A secondary benifit is that you'll never confuse your shielded instrument cable with your unshielded speaker cable ;-)

Very true. Plus Speakon connectors have a much higher current rating and lower contact resistance than 1/4-inch phone plugs which are far from ideal for high-power audio use and were never intended for high current applications.

Fuzzbass · #19 09-13-2006, 02:55 PM

In short (no pun intended): Speakon connectors are slightly more inconvenient than 1/4", but aside from that are a far superior connector.

Maybe someone can post the photo of the 1/4" plug that arced when it was yanked out during a gig.

mje · #20 09-14-2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robgrow

...Plus Speakon connectors have a much higher current rating and lower contact resistance than 1/4-inch phone plugs which are far from ideal for high-power audio use and were never intended for high current applications.

They were originally intended for telephone switchboard applications, although the modern 1/4" jack is a bit larger than the telephone version.