Markbass CMD 102p to traveler 151P question/issue

[Fleafan695]

I’m new to understanding bass cabinets and amps and could use some advice. I’ve got an old Markbass CMD 102p combo from 2007 and recently picked up a used 151P Traveler cab. When I tested the cab before buying, everything worked fine. But when I got it home and connected it to the combo with a SpeakON cable, no sound came out of the 151P.

I switched to a regular 1/4" guitar cable, and it worked perfectly. My main question is: do I need to use a SpeakON cable? Is it safe to keep using the 1/4" cable for connecting the extension cab?

For some context, I’ve tested the SpeakON cable with another cab, and it worked. I also used the CMD combo’s SpeakON output with a different cab, and that worked too. So, both the SpeakON cable and the combo seem fine.

One more question: does the type of SpeakON cable matter? If so, what would be the best kind to get? I picked mine up at Guitar Center without really knowing much about it.

Sorry if these are beginner questions, but I appreciate any advice or insights. Thank you!

I’ve attached some images for reference as well.

 

[agedhorse]

What you did should work just fine. There are three possibilities that I can think of...

1. You bought a "bridging" cable that is wired 1+/2+ at the amp end for use with some pro audio power amps operating in bridge mode

2. Your new speaker cable is defective

3. You have a defect in either the amp or the cabinet input wiring at the jack.

 

[Aloe]

just for the record: don't use an instrument cable instead of a proper speaker one. it might be with 1/4 jacks, but still a speaker, not an instrument cable.

your speakon is surely not a bridged one, as it's nl2 to nl2. it should work. I'd start by checking the cable in question on a tester. I use a 20 euro millenium mct-10 to test my speakons, jacks and xlrs.

another way is to swap the variables in one place. one speakon cable, two cabs, one combo, all at one place and one time. if the cable worked before, it doesn't necessarily work now.

also try the second speakon port on the cab. maybe one works, but not the other.

 

[agedhorse]

Correct, it's not a bridge mode cable. Couldn't see the NL2 on my phone. Therefore it has to be #2 or #3.

 

[Fleafan695]

What you did should work just fine. There are three possibilities that I can think of...

1. You bought a "bridging" cable that is wired 1+/2+ at the amp end for use with some pro audio power amps operating in bridge mode

2. Your new speaker cable is defective

3. You have a defect in either the amp or the cabinet input wiring at the jack.

Thanks for the help! I recently bought a 4-conductor cable from Amazon, but it still didn’t work. Should I have chosen a 2-conductor cable instead? Interestingly, my friend’s cable worked perfectly. His is from a company called Tsunami Cables, but they’re quite expensive. I’m really confused—does the wire gauge make a difference? Could the connector type be the issue? My friend’s Tsunami cable had "NL2FX" on the connector, while my old cable has "NL2FXX-W-S." The Amazon cable didn’t have any markings on the connector but was labeled as a 4-conductor.

 

[Fleafan695]

just for the record: don't use an instrument cable instead of a proper speaker one. it might be with 1/4 jacks, but still a speaker, not an instrument cable.

your speakon is surely not a bridged one, as it's nl2 to nl2. it should work. I'd start by checking the cable in question on a tester. I use a 20 euro millenium mct-10 to test my speakons, jacks and xlrs.

another way is to swap the variables in one place. one speakon cable, two cabs, one combo, all at one place and one time. if the cable worked before, it doesn't necessarily work now.

also try the second speakon port on the cab. maybe one works, but not the other.

Thank you for your input as well. I just responded to agedhorse with an update. Maybe you might have some more insight to this conundrum?

 

[Aloe]

Thanks for the help! I recently bought a 4-conductor cable from Amazon, but it still didn’t work. Should I have chosen a 2-conductor cable instead? Interestingly, my friend’s cable worked perfectly. His is from a company called Tsunami Cables, but they’re quite expensive. I’m really confused—does the wire gauge make a difference? Could the connector type be the issue? My friend’s Tsunami cable had "NL2FX" on the connector, while my old cable has "NL2FXX-W-S." The Amazon cable didn’t have any markings on the connector but was labeled as a 4-conductor.

nl2fx is the older version of the nl2fxx, that was introduced a year ago, so it's the same connector. normally you need a 2-wire cable with a bass amp, a 4-conductor will also work in most cases, but the rest 2 conductors just won't be used. a 16awg cable is enough for your case unless it's really long one, not really much point of a thicker one.

if expensive cable works, but inexpensive doesn't, it returns us back to the hypothesis of a dud cable. it happens, that's why cable testers are a thing.

 

[agedhorse]

Wire gauge doesn't matter for this, there is something wrong with your Amazon cable, and also your original cable.