I found some good prices for speakon connectors

[beans-on-toast]

I buy two and three conductor cable from Home Depot. I wipe it with acetone to remove the white lettering from the rubber jacket.

If the speakon isn't a genuine Neutrik, I don't buy it.

 

[bopeuph]

While we're at it, what's recommended for instrument cables?

 

[bassmeknik]

My prefered source for Neutrik: Invalid Link Removed

 

[bassmeknik]

While we're at it, what's recommended for instrument cables?

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I use Mogami W2319 for instrument cables.

Here are Neutrik 1/4"

Neutrik NP2X X-Series 1/4in Phone Plug Nickel Contacts & Nickel Shell

 

[beans-on-toast]

While we're at it, what's recommended for instrument cables?

I buy whatever decent quality cable I can find with good connectors. Often Neutrik. The last cable that I bought was D'Addario Planet Waves American Stage. I don't buy expensive cables.

It's important to not buy cables that are longer than you need. Don't coil unused lengths on stage, lie it flat and snake it back and forth. This will help reduce inductance. It is easier to get way with this with the lower frequencies of a bass (at lot of bass players use curly cords, I'm guilty of that as well), but still a good rule to follow.

 

[B-string]

While we're at it, what's recommended for instrument cables?

Personally I prefer Switchcraft or G&H.

 

[bopeuph]

Yeah, I do mean the wires. There's a local surplus company that sells some 1/4" connectors for $3/piece. They look like Neutrik ripoffs, but they are solid.

I've actually learned to solder to repair the 20 something cables I've acquired over the years. Debating on chopping up one to make a number of short cables for my preamps/DIs.

 

[agedhorse]

Switchcraft, Neutrik or G&H.

No cheapie knock offs or counterfeits please... I have recently had to repair 2 amps where the tip separated from the rest of the plug getting stuck in the jack. In one case the insides of the jack was damaged, the other wasn't damaged but no way to get the tip out without damaging it so both amps had their input jacks replaced at a cost much greater than the savings that the cheapie cables brought to the table.

I think both were TB members as well.

[edit: correct of auto-correct]

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Yeah, I know how difficult it is to get to that jack in my tube amp & I would not fancy that job!

 

[Bassmec]

These guys from Florida saved a bundle on some cheap low temperature silicone O Rings.:-(

 

[bopeuph]

Well, it's how we do in the Sunshine State.

 

[B-string]

Switchcraft, Neutrik or G&L.

No cheapie knock offs or counterfeits please... I have recently had to repair 2 amps where the tip separated from the rest of the plug getting stuck in the jack. In one case the insides of the jack was damaged, the other wasn't damaged but no way to get the tip out without damaging it so both amps had their input jacks replaced at a cost much greater than the savings that the cheapie cables brought to the table.

I think both were TB members as well.

Did you mean G&H or George Ls connectors? Never tried the George Ls, I would need to see those solderless in hand.

 

[Gizmot]

I'm kind of for & against the Neutrik 1/4" plugs. Some other brands have a hole drilled in the shielding side of the connector, so it's easier to solder to. I guess you could drill your own on the Neutrik.

The Amphenol might be the best 1/4".

Invalid Link Removed

I'm already using mostly Neutrik for SpeakOns though, and they just seem to dominate the market.

Neutrik invented the Speakon connector and they still make them in Lichtenstein, a country in the middle of Europe . Their quality is phenomenal and they give you your money's worth with rveryone of their products. In my experience if you pay less you get less.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Yes, but I don't particularly like the design of their 1/4" plugs.

 

[agedhorse]

Did you mean G&H or George Ls connectors? Never tried the George Ls, I would need to see those solderless in hand.

Grrrr, darn auto-correct... yes it should have been G&H. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[agedhorse]

Yes, but I don't particularly like the design of their 1/4" plugs.

You don't have to put the shield in the hole, a lap to the sleeve structure is how most quality assemblers do it.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I tacked it to the sleeve, but I like having the hole.

 

[johnpbass]

Agreed, very easy to make Speakon cables up yourself. Even a mechanically challenged guy like me can put one together in a short time. I get the Neutrix Speakons at GC. They usually have them in store. Recently found a couple of Banana to 1/4" cables in my closet that I converted to Speakon to 1/4". Literally took about 15 minutes each to do.

 

[Red Planet]

Reminds me of the cheap fuel pump I purchased for my Tahoe. After purchasing three the final OEM version one worked and the two knockoffs didn't. What a valuable lesson to learn on that. After removing the fuel tank three times and putting it back three times I was back on the road. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The guy at the parts store had told me he doesn't normally recommend this but "buy the most expensive fuel pump available", he was correct.