Spakon vs. Jack

[Barcza]

I have a new rig an Aguilar AG 500 SC head with GS 112 cab. I haven't got speakon cable so, I use a 1/4 speaker cable yet, the rig sounds very good with it.
The question is: the rig will sounds better with speakon than with a quality 1/4 jack speaker cable, or there's other differences in the performance?

 

[iamdenialNJ]

No, continue to use your speaker cable it is just as good as any speakon cable.

 

[nicoli]

You probably won't notice a difference between the two as far as sound quality goes. The speakon connector locks it into place which a 1/4" plug doesn't do, that's probably the only advantage you would notice.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

The question is: the rig will sounds better with speakon than with a quality 1/4 jack speaker cable, or there's other differences in the performance?

It won't sound different. The point of Speakons is that they're designed to be used as high current speaker connectors, not on telephone switchboards, and as such eliminate all the problems that 1/4" jacks can cause, up to and including blown amps.

 

[Barcza]

It won't sound different. The point of Speakons is that they're designed to be used as high current speaker connectors, not on telephone switchboards, and as such eliminate all the problems that 1/4" jacks can cause, up to and including blown amps.

What other problems can cause 1/4" jacks?

 

[aledeville]

I like the speakons more because you can't pull them out by an accident and they seem more stable. That's all.

 

[jazzblade]

Worst case the jack is poorly insulated, or made or it gets kicked and the two speaker wires INSIDE the jack touch and create a short.

Remember Speakons are relatively new. The do make a better positive contact that gets locked in place. People have been using 1/4 jacks for decades for the amp wiring and with care and good construction, should not be a problem for you. You should inspect then every time you go to plug them in when setting up though. Never a bad idea to check them first.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Speakons are superior in every possible way over phone jacks. Please do a search and you'll find hundreds of posts on this subject.

Paul

 

[jazzblade]

Speakons are superior in every possible way over phone jacks. Please do a search and you'll find hundreds of posts on this subject.

Paul

His question was Will It Sound Better. The answer is no. Better constructed for our use, yes

I have always made my own cables and never had a 1/4 fail on me yet.

Although, there are people the say they can hear the difference between 12 gauge and 10 gauge wire too.

 

[fdeck]

What other problems can cause 1/4" jacks?

1. Exposed high voltage could exceed safety standards in some countries.

2. Exposed contacts could be shorted together.

3. Pulling the plug out of the speaker while the amp is turned on shorts out the amp.

4. If the amp is bridged, then the cap of the plug carries voltage. Most of the newer "micro" heads have bridged outputs that are not ground-referred, meaning that both output terminals carry voltage at all times, even when there is no signal.

5.Possibly mixing up speaker and signal cables.

No mainstream engineer would choose 1/4" connectors for this purpose today if they weren't already in widespread use.

 

[DrSmaggs]

It won't sound better, but it's a more stable connection. I currently use a regular 1/4" jack speaker cable.

Speakon cable is also more expensive.

 

[BassmanPaul]

His question was Will It Sound Better. The answer is no. Better constructed for our use, yes

I have always made my own cables and never had a 1/4 fail on me yet.

Although, there are people the say they can hear the difference between 12 gauge and 10 gauge wire too.

I too have never had a failure due to a 1/4" jack however I've had amps go into protect many times due to a cable being pulled out with the amp on. ALL my speaker cables are now speakon.

I look at it like this, if you've never had an accident in a car should you bother to wear your seat belt?? I hope the answer is obvious. Do you really want to wait for an amp failure at a gig before you replace a poor connector?

Paul

 

[jazzblade]

I too have never had a failure due to a 1/4" jack however I've had amps go into protect many times due to a cable being pulled out with the amp on. ALL my speaker cables are now speakon.

I look at it like this, if you've never had an accident in a car should you bother to wear your seat belt?? I hope the answer is obvious. Do you really want to wait for an amp failure at a gig before you replace a poor connector?

Paul

Yes Paul as always your right. And what do you suggest for those people that have amps without speakons?????

 

[BassmanPaul]

Yes Paul as always your right. And what do you suggest for those people that have amps without speakons?????

It's a simple job to retrofit a speakon into a cabinet. For an amplifier I'd not bother. What I don't get is folks who have the choice but stubbornly insist on using phone jacks. This is especially true for those who are bridging their amps. Speakon plugs can be had for not much more than the price of a GOOD phone plug so why wait?

Paul

 

[jnewmark]

It's a simple job to retrofit a speakon into a cabinet. For an amplifier I'd not bother. What I don't get is folks who have the choice but stubbornly insist on using phone jacks. This is especially true for those who are bridging their amps. Speakon plugs can be had for not much more than the price of a GOOD phone plug so why wait?

Paul

You could also use banana plugs to bridge, no re-wiring needed. Speakon on the other end and you are good to bridge !

 

[Munjibunga]

It's a simple job to retrofit a speakon into a cabinet. For an amplifier I'd not bother. What I don't get is folks who have the choice but stubbornly insist on using phone jacks. This is especially true for those who are bridging their amps. Speakon plugs can be had for not much more than the price of a GOOD phone plug so why wait?

Paul

Yes, I stubbornly insisted on using phone jacks all through the '70s, '80s and '90s. Not once did I blow an amp. Now I use Speakons for reasons you and others have articulated, but the answer to the OP's question still remains "no." His rig will not sound better if he uses Speakons.

 

[Gus Borden]

I don't think it's a difference you'll notice without serious scrutiny. But as it's been said - the benefits of not pulling out, shorting - are good to have. I also feel (whether I'm wrong or right, someone will let me know, I'm sure) that the speakon cables are more durable and will hold up better against a 1/4 cable.

 

[BassmanPaul]

the answer to the OP's question still remains "no." His rig will not sound better if he uses Speakons.

I agree fully Munji but it may well last longer.

Paull

 

[aborgman]

Speakons are superior in every possible way over phone jacks.

In EVERY way?

That is going a little far.

Two ways speakons don't beat 1/4" -

1) Cost
2) Cable switching times

That being said - the benefits of speak-on greatly outweigh the minor benefits of 1/4"

 

[blackba]

To the OP, just pick up a speak-on cable the next time you get a chance. Until then the 1/4" cable will work fine.

I wish guitar amps and cabs would switch to speak-ons. They are still stuck permantently it seems with 1/4". I read all the time of people using an instrument cable for speaker cable.