Loose connections on mesa subway cabs

[lug]

Been using the Browns w/o problem fro a while now but my situation is different. My amp (Peavey MiniMax) has the combo plugs and my speakers are speakon only.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

There is a very uncommon solder cup type SpeakOn, they are difficult to work with (even for me) outside of a factory production environment.

I've used some of the NLT4MXX connectors to make Y cables and extension cables. Yea the solder lugs are thick and it takes a high watt soldering iron to heat them up quick to get in and out fast. I tin up the cable and solder cups first

 

[eniac]

I wonder if the "big boys" like RS and Mouser are seeing these fakes. Or are their supply chains direct enough, short enough, and secure enough that the answer is no?

 

[agedhorse]

I wonder if the "big boys" like RS and Mouser are seeing these fakes. Or are their supply chains direct enough, short enough, and secure enough that the answer is no?

Generally they are robust enough.

 

[Bassdirty]

Annoying that they haven't addressed this publicly. (that I've heard).

I just got a new 'Brownie' from Sweetwater the other week.

If they just 'address it quietly, it's not gonna help, as everyone's gonna 'keep away from the brown ones". (even if they correct and start filtering them in).

At least they chose a 'Fitting" color..
Ok, "fitting" is probably not the best word in this case (NOT Fitting Well).


Luckily, I still have Some ol 'Speakon' to 1/4, from when I had Epifani 12" cabs ('olde Timey'1/4" only).

• Hopefully they, Adress this.
• Resolve this.
• Make the new ones a new color, so we can easily tell. (Like "Manly Pink", or Markbass 'yel-orange', or Neon Green, Ohh, maybe a Fancy 'Deep Wine Red' )

T$

 

[TomB]

You’d think there would be room for another mfr to compete with a superior product. Are patent limitations too restrictive?

 

[Thumpin6string]

I find it interesting that the update was for fire retardancy of the material the plugs were made of, not the design. My question is why they redesigned the plug rather than just changing the material they were made of? German engineering?

 

[tom-g]

I find it interesting that the update was for fire retardancy of the material the plugs were made of, not the design. My question is why they redesigned the plug rather than just changing the material they were made of? German engineering?

Not German, Liechtenstein.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Not German, Liechtenstein.

Same thing.

 

[tom-g]

Same thing.

Tell that to somebody from Liechtenstein.

 

[Aloe]

You’d think there would be room for another mfr to compete with a superior product. Are patent limitations too restrictive?

it's been a long time since 1987, so they've probably expired.
Amphenol makes 2-pole and 4-pole plugs and they're pretty nice.

 

[agedhorse]

It's not the patents, though the new models may be covered under some new IP, but while there are manufactures who compete with clone parts, most are of worse quality and built purely to a price point.

One of the biggest challenges to these parts is holding tolerances while the plastic shrinks back after molding. All of this type of tooling has to account for shrinkage in the 3 dimensions, and changes in the plastic change these tolerances.

 

[TomB]

It's not the patents, though the new models may be covered under some new IP, but while there are manufactures who compete with clone parts, most are of worse quality and built purely to a price point.

One of the biggest challenges to these parts is holding tolerances while the plastic shrinks back after molding. All of this type of tooling has to account for shrinkage in the 3 dimensions, and changes in the plastic change these tolerances.

I guess that’s why I added “superior quality” to my suggestion. It’s clear by now there are a wealth of poor-quality imitations. Thanks for explaining why. It does create a quandary though, meaning we’re kind of stuck. To me it begs the age-old question: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

 

[agedhorse]

I guess that’s why I added “superior quality” to my suggestion. It’s clear by now there are a wealth of poor-quality imitations. Thanks for explaining why. It does create a quandary though, meaning we’re kind of stuck. To me it begs the age-old question: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

There was a legitimate regulatory requirement because of changes to IEC 62368 safety regulations (flame spread, materials).

 

[rickdog]

Is there any news on this topic? Any acknowledgement from Neutrik that there's a problem? Any solution?

 

[60bass]

A very pertinent question.

Exactly and when you twist them are you 100% sure that they are actually locking in place? I've seen some cables where when you twist them they actually don't lock you have to physically check it and make sure.

 

[60bass]

I bought 2 new cables and the have the brown Neutrik connectors. I have had no problems.

Ditto for me no issues with the brown brown neutrik connectors On either my GK or markbass gear. Got mine from Sweetwater

 

[Chuck M]

Ditto for me no issues with the brown brown neutrik connectors On either my GK or markbass gear. Got mine from Sweetwater

I did eventually have problems with the brown Neutrik connectors. They can be intermittent when mated to the Neutrik Speakon/1/4" connectors used in some cabinets...like the Subway cabinets.

I found a supplier on Ebay that had cables with the older blue Neutrik connectors and bought several of them. The brown Neutrik connectors seem to work fine with the connectors in the amps and with Neutrik Speakon connectors in the cabs that accept only Speakon connectors. It is the combination Neutrik speaker connector that accepts Speakon and 1/4" connectors that has problems with the brown Neutrik Speakon connectors.

The place on Ebay where I bought cables with blue Neutrik speakon connectors (not knock offs)..............https://www.ebay.com/itm/267066820585

 

[undercutter]

I did eventually have problems with the brown Neutrik connectors. They can be intermittent when mated to the Neutrik Speakon/1/4" connectors used in some cabinets...like the Subway cabinets.

I found a supplier on Ebay that had cables with the older blue Neutrik connectors and bought several of them. The brown Neutrik connectors seem to work fine with the connectors in the amps and with Neutrik Speakon connectors in the cabs that accept only Speakon connectors. It is the combination Neutrik speaker connector that accepts Speakon and 1/4" connectors that has problems with the brown Neutrik Speakon connectors.

The place on Ebay where I bought cables with blue Neutrik speakon connectors (not knock offs)..............https://www.ebay.com/itm/267066820585

Not asking to be a smartass, but how can you be sure that they are not knock off connectors? Genuinely asking because I want to buy one if they can be confirmed to be legit.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Not asking to be a smartass, but how can you be sure that they are not knock off connectors? Genuinely asking because I want to buy one if they can be confirmed to be legit.

Yeah, same question here. My answer was to just buy the good stuff from known supply chains - basically trust that Sweetwater isn't buying knock-offs and avoid Amazon.