Loose connections on mesa subway cabs

[60bass]

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.

I would also add that you need to be wary of buying off eBay as well. Nowadays you just don't know Where the product is coming from. But definitely Amazon is is just filled with Chinese made goods and knock offs. Even if it has a manufacturer's name on it you can't be assured that it is in reality an actual OEM product.

I have two of the connectors from Sweetwater that have the brown neutrik ends on them And have had no issues with either my GK amps and cabinets nor
my MarkBass amps cabinets. I also have one of the same ones that are linked above that I did buy off eBay. That also has genuine neutrik connectors.

 

[Chuck M]

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.

Typically good advice, however, the connectors that started this mega thread are actually made by Neutrik and are on cables that were (are) sold by Sweetwater. The connectors that have the problem are the Brown Neutrik connectors that can have a questionable connection when mated to speaker cabinets (like the Subway) that have mating Neutrik connectors that accept 1/4" and Speakon connectors. The brown Neutrik cables work fine with cabinets that have connectors that only accept Speakon connectors.

This has been repeated a LOT of times in this thread. Reading for a while is recommended. The answers to your questions have already been posted.

By the way, I bought several cables off Ebay that were reasonably priced and have Neutrik connectors. They are not knock offs.

This one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/267066820585

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Typically good advice, however, the connectors that started this mega thread are actually made by Neutrik and are on cables that were (are) sold by Sweetwater. The connectors that have the problem are the Brown Neutrik connectors that can have a questionable connection when mated to speaker cabinets (like the Subway) that have mating Neutrik connectors that accept 1/4" and Speakon connectors. The brown Neutrik cables work fine with cabinets that have connectors that only accept Speakon connectors.

This has been repeated a LOT of times in this thread. Reading for a while is recommended. The answers to your questions have already been posted.

By the way, I bought several cables off Ebay that were reasonably priced and have Neutrik connectors. They are not knock offs.

This one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/267066820585

Well, if you read the question that I was responding to..... and how do you know that the connectors are genuine? That was the question. Is it because they say Neutrik on them? Yeah, that can't be copied. See, that's the question. How do you know the connectors that you are purchasing are genuine. I'm saying to go with the trusted supply chain.

 

[undercutter]

Yeah, chuck… if I can piggyback of my friend MSM’s piggyback, it seems like you have misunderstood the actual question that I asked. How are we (you guys) determining that these are indeed legitimate neutrik connectors? Is it not possible that JJ Cables from EBay bought a couple thousand bootleg “neutrik” connectors and is just sending out well made fakes?

 

[Substrate]

This one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/267066820585

@MultiScaleMale , @undercutter : You are correct that it's effectively impossible to tell a well made fake from the real thing without a trusted chain of custody. On the other hand, if it's that well made, it might work just as well.

I bought a brown connector Neutrik cable from Guitar Center (LiveWire branded, before this thread existed) and it worked just fine for me. Subsequently, I needed another, and I bought from the eBay storefront listed above. Both sets of connectors appear to be genuine. The blue ones do fit my Subway combo jack a little more snugly. Whether that is a good thing or not, I can't yet say. Maybe, it's too snug?

All I know for sure is that I have worried more about this problem than I should have had to. And I still sweat it every time I connect either cable.

 

[agedhorse]

The blue NL4FC and FX versions are indeed a little more snug fitting.

Once you get into true counterfeit parts, it can be impossible to tell for even experienced customers and engineers. This is where the source matters (assuming they didn't get hoodwinked).

 

[MultiScaleMale]

@MultiScaleMale , @undercutter : You are correct that it's effectively impossible to tell a well made fake from the real thing without a trusted chain of custody. On the other hand, if it's that well made, it might work just as well.

I bought a brown connector Neutrik cable from Guitar Center (LiveWire branded, before this thread existed) and it worked just fine for me. Subsequently, I needed another, and I bought from the eBay storefront listed above. Both sets of connectors appear to be genuine. The blue ones do fit my Subway combo jack a little more snugly. Whether that is a good thing or not, I can't yet say. Maybe, it's too snug?

All I know for sure is that I have worried more about this problem than I should have had to. And I still sweat it every time I connect either cable.

I guess the only thing you can do is If you need two cables, take three. Cables that are previously tested, of course. Just don't do what our singer did and plug the amp out from the powered mixer into the line in of the powered speakers he just bought. They were both powered on but no signal yet. Fortunately I saw what was happening and yelled, "Stop!" Pulled the 1/4" speaker cables and showed what was wrong. No smoke, no zzzzt and disaster adverted.

 

[DJ Bebop]

No smoke, no zzzzt and disaster adverted.

 

[Chuck M]

The blue NL4FC and FX versions are indeed a little more snug fitting.

Once you get into true counterfeit parts, it can be impossible to tell for even experienced customers and engineers. This is where the source matters (assuming they didn't get hoodwinked).

I guess that answers the "how do you tell if they are genuine Neutrik" question. I guess you can't.

 

[undercutter]

I guess the real problem to worry about in this situation though is that the fake ones apparently have a significantly higher chance of pulling the innards of your amps output jack out, so if it’s not coming from a “trusted” source with a “trusted source” then it can’t be… trusted. Not fully anyway.

Which is why it is incredibly annoying and disheartening that neutrik chose to start making the jacks in such a way that they are incompatible with some of their other jacks that they should definitely be compatible with.

Oh well. JJ’s eBay wares seem to work well for several people so I guess I’m just going to buy a cable and hope for the best.

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

I guess the real problem to worry about in this situation though is that the fake ones apparently have a significantly higher chance of pulling the innards of your amps output jack out, so if it’s not coming from a “trusted” source with a “trusted source” then it can’t be… trusted. Not fully anyway.

Which is why it is incredibly annoying and disheartening that neutrik chose to start making the jacks in such a way that they are incompatible with some of their other jacks that they should definitely be compatible with.

Oh well. JJ’s eBay wares seem to work well for several people so I guess I’m just going to buy a cable and hope for the best.

I never recall there being much if any drama related to the old standard 1/4” jacks, it’s like smog equipment on cars?

Was this really progress?

: )

 

[agedhorse]

I guess that answers the "how do you tell if they are genuine Neutrik" question. I guess you can't.

Buying from a trusted supplier is your best assurance

I never recall there being much if any drama related to the old standard 1/4” jacks, it’s like smog equipment on cars?

Was this really progress?

: )

There was plenty... the tips coming off inside the jack and shorting the output, over/under-sized sleeve terminals, failed insulator tubes inside the sleeves, failed strain reliefs, shorts to the metal barrel when the barrel sleeve fails, plugs snapping off and/or breaking the guts out of the jack, short circuits when partially pulled out, the barrel/shell having voltage on it (sometimes as much as 100V) when used with bridged amps, etc...

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

Buying from a trusted supplier is your best assurance


There was plenty... the tips coming off inside the jack and shorting the output, over/under-sized sleeve terminals, failed insulator tubes inside the sleeves, failed strain reliefs, shorts to the metal barrel when the barrel sleeve fails, plugs snapping off and/or breaking the guts out of the jack, short circuits when partially pulled out, the barrel/shell having voltage on it (sometimes as much as 100V) when used with bridged amps, etc...

I was lucky then, was also low power. Seems like they got close to good enough with the newer design but missed it by “that much?”

I have older blue end cables and the early brown end ones both from Guitar Center, and no troubles yet.

Thousands into cables, and wishing the issues were not out there.

: )

 

[Mike Caldwell]

I guess that answers the "how do you tell if they are genuine Neutrik" question. I guess you can't.

After working with legit Speakons for a long time you can kind of "feel" the real thing other are such a bad attempt at a knock off you can spot it a mile away.
If outside looks legit enough to pass inspection looking at the inside is were you can tell.

Need to start a topic on knock off microphones!!!! I'm going to guess 30% of everyone here has at least one a knock off SM58.