Doing so can build up a very bad habit.
That habit remains in place, the amp gets turned up, the cord melts & shorts, the amp is dead.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Instrument cable as speaker cable
- Thread starter Langueta
- Start date
- Status
Doing so can build up a very bad habit.
That habit remains in place, the amp gets turned up, the cord melts & shorts, the amp is dead.
billfitzmaurice
Commercial User
- Sep 15, 2004
- 16,860
- 278
- 76
- Disclosures
- Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design
The possibilities are very high, that's why everyone who knows better is telling you STOP.
Oh, there are 2 of these. C'mon now, once is enough, and heed the advice you've been giving, quit being a ninny.
Well, by all means, blow your output stage and prove everyone right. I can assure you, you won't do it again. Learning in progress.
Cheers,
Mick
bongomania
Commercial User
To the OP, here's a couple of references that might help:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Lloyd Howard
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Lloyd Howard
Well, I might as well join in...
Langueta, you've been a member of TalkBass for two years. By now you must have a feel for when good advice is being given here.
Either:
1) All the folks in this thread who are urging you to use a speaker cable with your amp are doing so out of concern for a fellow bassist, or;
2) They're all part of a growing conspiracy aimed at seeing you squander the price equivalent of a pack of smokes or two on a cable that you don't need.
I can promise you this: if you don't stop using a guitar cord instead of a proper speaker cable to connect your rig's speaker cabinet to its head, you WILL fry your amp sooner or later (a lengthy and loud gig in hot weather should do it).
And if I ever see that you've started a thread titled something like: "HELP!! I just FRIED MY AMP!!! (Because.., well.., you know...)", the assistance that I offer will take the form of my posting a link to this thread.
Subscribed.
If OP chooses to disregard all the emphatic warnings in this thread and ends up frying his amp, I will laugh.
Hm now this has me thinking. I never even thought about the stuff I have right now till I read this thread because everything worked ok...... except for two things. The first thing I resolved, which was on my Sunn 410H the PCB behind the inputs/attenuator knob was broken a bit. Someone tried to take the back plate off before I bought it and pulled out the solders for the input jacks. I repaired that myself in no time and haven't had a problem. I did notice, though, my tweeter in that cab is making some noise it shouldn't be making. I'm not turning it way up or playing it very loud. The speakers are fine very loud (I did do this one time for diagnostic purposes) but the tweeter in the middle is making a bunch of crappy sounds. It could be the cable, but I bought the head and cab together which came with a cable. It appears to be an older cable with no markings, seems to have two wires separated within it. Like any common speakerwire sort of looking. Ends in 1/4 obviously. What are the chances this cable is not the right cable for the job? There's no way to identify what cable this is because when the shop got the 410H they inherited the cable too!
Also I should say, much to my misfortune, the guy also brought in a 115 that went under the 410H, and the head. It was all Sunn stuff, and only thing I got was my cab =( I was very disappointed I missed it.
Thanks for the advice!
Scott
Also I should say, much to my misfortune, the guy also brought in a 115 that went under the 410H, and the head. It was all Sunn stuff, and only thing I got was my cab =( I was very disappointed I missed it.
Thanks for the advice!
Scott
When I started playing bass I used a instrument cable to connect to the speaker and by the end of night I smelled something burning, I looked behind the amp and the cable had melted. Get smart use the right cable.
Time to close this thread, methinks.
OP's question has been asked and answered, multiple times, with consensus.
OP's question has been asked and answered, multiple times, with consensus.
That's why they're called guitards.
Seriously, Langueta, what will it take for you to stop using instrument cable to hook-up your cab to a head? Almost everyone here, from the ones who know a cab and an amp like the back of their hand (like Bill) to the ones (like me) who think ohms are only for yoga classes, has told you lots of reasons to use the right cable for the job. If you need proof positive then crank up your amp head like Beaker would do on an experiment skit on the Muppet Show. Just come back with the results of your experiment (not "experiments" - one is enough).
- Jun 3, 2006
- 780
- 9
- Disclosures
- Endorse:Artus-Basshanger-Dava-EC-Hartke-Orange-InEarz-SHS-Tigi
But I think that it`s not true that if you use instrument cable as speaker cable you will damage your amp....the possibilities of damaging it are very low
you are wrong, very wrong. and there's Already been 2 pages worth of knowledgeable people telling you to not do it. but hey, since you know better go right ahead
you are wrong, very wrong. and there's Already been 2 pages worth of knowledgeable people telling you to not do it. but hey, since you know better go right ahead
Taken out of context my post reads like using an instrument lead is OK, I hope no one thinks that is my opinion. I would never use one for an amp to cab connection. Next time I won't be so polite an just tell him not to be so stupid and use the correct cable!
- Status
