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1/4 to SpeakON??
- Thread starter GabyJV
- Start date
Just curious what tinning the wires might do. I recently split a 1/4" to 1/4" 6' cable into two 3' sections and added Speakon connectors to the split ends. The gauge of the wire was a little too large to fit in the screw socket with the metal fins. I pulled the fins out, tinned the wires and just screwed them into the terminal tightly. It seemed to work for me but I'm guessing this doesn't pass muster based on what you said.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,978
- 5
- 220,734
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
What happens is the solder cold flows and the screw displaces the solder and the connection loosens. I see it pretty regularly, especially without the little screw saddle. This is also why I recommend no larger than 14 gauge unless you are an experienced connector assembler.
I have seen a few speakon connections come loose and the wire pull out, so, on some of mine, I have soldered the wire and the screw to the rest of the connector.
It won't come loose or pull out any more.
It won't come loose or pull out any more.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,978
- 5
- 220,734
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Maybe the wire won't come loose, but with that amount of heat, the plastic housing's contact retainer is almost certainly damaged, which can cause the contact assembly not to sit tight to the housing and get caught on the mating male connectors contact fingers. When that happens, usually both connectors are destroyed.
Really bad idea to solder these, they were never designed to be soldered and the assembly info (for the NL4FC) specifically states not to do so or the connector warranty is void.
Thank-you for the great info although it looks like I've got more cables to make.
I think ridiculing the ridiculous is OK, though. Who was it, Jon Stewart, who said, "If you smell something, say something"?
Speakons have been around for IIRC, 25 years or so and there's still a debate? But then I know quite a few people who think I live in Czechoslovakia 
If all else fails, here are the Speakon NL4 assembly instructions: Invalid Link Removed
Available on the Neutrik instructions page: Invalid Link Removed
They specify a Pozidriv #1 and not a Philips screwdriver. This will allow you to torque the screw properly. Use stranded twisted wire, do not tin the strands.
Available on the Neutrik instructions page: Invalid Link Removed
They specify a Pozidriv #1 and not a Philips screwdriver. This will allow you to torque the screw properly. Use stranded twisted wire, do not tin the strands.
Last edited:
Even more than connector surface area, another advantage of Speakon is the distance BETWEEN the conductors.
On a 1/4" plug, your tip and sleeve are only separated by maybe 1/16" -- and that's an insulator that is easily bridged, especially if the cable isn't fully inserted.
Plus, anyone who has ever been shocked by a doorknob knows that electricity can jump gaps--the distance is directly proportional to the voltage.
Speakon fixes a lot of issues, they aren't that expensive, and they just look like they mean business.
On a 1/4" plug, your tip and sleeve are only separated by maybe 1/16" -- and that's an insulator that is easily bridged, especially if the cable isn't fully inserted.
Plus, anyone who has ever been shocked by a doorknob knows that electricity can jump gaps--the distance is directly proportional to the voltage.
Speakon fixes a lot of issues, they aren't that expensive, and they just look like they mean business.
For the last time - I *never* said anything about power cables. That was brought up... I don't know why that was brought up. I think it was pure BS. Refer to the wiki I have quoted above. Speakons are BETTER than 1/4 cables for speaker connections. Fact.
I however, would be willing to bet a week's salary that ten people blindfolded could not hear the difference. They might think they could, and stand a 50/50 chance of picking the right one, but sonically, there is no difference. Hell you could solder a cable directly from the amp output to the speaker terminals, and there still would be no sonic difference.
Would you bet a week's salary that they couldn't hear a difference? What about a week's salary that 10 seasoned musicians couldn't hear a difference, in a very loud high gain application, even if the difference was only in SPL?
No but that was trotted out as some sort of straw man argument as to why the assertions on the Eden forum that speakons sounded better in high current applications was pure bunk.
Let's do the test, then make assertions, is all I am saying. Just pooh-poohing the possibility that the known to be superior technology doesn't actually sound better is just as arbitrary and anecdotal as saying it does - even if better in this case only means louder for a given setting on the amplifier.
Also, people seem to overlook the fact that anecdotal evidence from experienced practitioners is sometimes actually valuable. I would never dismiss it out of hand, while realizing it isn't as valuable as more thorough research, it still can have value.
So you don't know.
Because basic knowledge of physics would say the coupling that handles more current would allow for higher SPL in a high-current application. That is pretty basic.
Please explain how that would not be the case.
