How to wire speaker input jacks?

[nsmar4211]

Was debating between this thread and amp thread but we'll see

I'm using a monitor box that was given to me to put a 12" speaker into. The old electronics in the box were basically 2-1/4" jacks (one labeled in, one labeled out) with an attenuator wired in to control volume. No crossover, looks like the tweeter was wired into the attenuator. Tweeter disconnected years ago..

I'm just wanting to hook the two (new) 1/4" jacks straight to the speaker (don't need crossover and attenuator whatnot). What I want to do is to have them wired so that if one side gives me an issue I can just use the other until I can fix it. So basically I guess they need to be in parallel?

Currently, there's a black wire soldered into one leg of 1st input jack (labeled "in"), with a red wire that is soldered onto the other leg of the "in" jack and then it runs over to a leg on the "out" jack and is soldered there, tying them together. Second "out" jack has no black wire. So I'm assuming if I wire the new ones the same way, I'll have an in and an out (to a second monitor perhaps?). What would I do to have two ins? Or better yet, two jacks where I can either use them as ins or outs..... ?

 

[WayneP]

I guess they need to be in parallel?

Yes.

Strange that there is only one black wire. Is the plate the jacks are mounted to metal? If so, that would explain it – the plate provides the continuity between the two jacks for the black wire.

Basically, you already have a parallel connection there. Despite the labeling, either one can be used for in or out, so there’s no reason to change out the jacks, unless they are defective.

When you say you want “two ins,” hopefully you mean so that you can use either jack for an input? Hopefully you’re not talking about using two amplifiers on a single speaker? That's a quick ticket to smoke and flames.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt




Pedulla Club #45

 

[nsmar4211]

Wayne-yes the jack plate is metal I was confused about the lack of a black wire myself! Thanks so much for your post!!

The only reason I'm replacing the jacks is they are rusty, and they are simply ordinary jacks (nothing fancy or long lifed about em), not to mention they were crackling (had to be the rust). I'm going to do the new configuration the same then ..

And yes, I would hook up another speaker (unpowered) if I chained it with anything else, I was thinking of running the other speaker monitor out of this one. I did realize the diff. between unpowered and powered speakers..... and the difference between a monitor out (goes to powered monitor) and the power amp out on the back (goes to unpowered monitor) of our mixer recently .

Alright, going to go fire up the soldering iron later! Thanks!

 

[nsmar4211]

Well, it's a done deal. Three hours later (had to redo everything, not sure why but worked on second try) there's a new speaker and two new jacks on an old monitor cabinet

It'll get fully tested at practice Friday, but i know it makes noise and reproduces guitar at least (my test instrument) ....whooooo! Thanks for the help!