Strange speakon cable/cabinet jack connection issue

[mrpackerguy]

I'm at the gig Saturday and using a relatively new heavy duty (I mean heavy duty) speakon cable from monoprice. Heavy 12 gauge cabling and heavy metal connectors. Connected the cable up to my Subway 15" from my Streamliner 900. Sound kept cutting out. I jiggle the cable at the Streamliner and then at the Subway. At the Subway jack the sound cut in and out. Turns out, the monoprice speakon with heavy metal connector and cable is so heavy, that as it sags down under the weight of the metal connector and its cable at the speaker jack, something either in the cabinet or the cable becoming disconnected enough to cause it to cut out. Funny it didn't do that at the Streamliner, but then the cable was supported by the Subway and there wasn't much sag there. At the Subway, it was probably 1 pin or something coming out of connection with the sagging, but it was enough to cause a major headache for that 1st set. For the rest of the 1st set I propped a gig bag underneath the cable to support the cable connector so it went "straight in" to the speakon jack of the Subway instead of sagging under the cable's weight. At the break I used a much cheaper, lighter weight speakon cable with the lighter blue and black plastic connector. No issues after that. My lesson - heavy duty ain't necessarily better.

 

[blr2]

Use Neutrik SpekOn connectors ONLY.

 

[agedhorse]

This goes to me earlier comments about MonoPrice SpeakOn cables being a major source of issues. Hopefully the plug didn't damage the jack (that happens too). If it did, message me. I have a service program that addresses this.

@Bassamatic - this is exactly the reason why I am so down on this brand of speaker cable. I see it all the time.

​

 

[jTrolt]

^This^
Speak-on connectors are just not to be messed with. Your post explains why we must pay the toll.

 

[blr2]

And why on Earth someone would use 12 gauge speaker wire to connect head to cab?! What power? How long? Did you run several kilowatts over 100 feet?

 

[agedhorse]

And why on Earth someone would use 12 gauge speaker wire to connect head to cab?! What power? How long? Did you run several kilowatts over 100 feet?

Marketing. more-more-more, bigger-bigger-bigger syndrome.

 

[blr2]

Marketing. more-more-more, bigger-bigger-bigger syndrome.

And priced accordingly, I suppose. That's the main purpose of marketing.

 

[mrpackerguy]

And why on Earth someone would use 12 gauge speaker wire to connect head to cab?! What power? How long? Did you run several kilowatts over 100 feet?

It's a 4 ft cable.

 

[mrpackerguy]

And priced accordingly, I suppose. That's the main purpose of marketing.

I don't think I paid more than $20 for it. Hard to tell what you're getting from pictures. It's going in the garbage

 

[blr2]

It's a 4 ft cable.

4 ft. of 12 gauge cable can safely and with low loss pass at least 2 kW of RMS power, a lot more peak.
Get a 14-16 AWG cable and two Neutrik SpekOns. They are easy to mount, solderless.

 

[agedhorse]

It's a 4 ft cable.

It could be a 40' cable and it would still be overkill.

 

[blr2]

It could be a 40' cable and it would still be overkill.

Providing it's copper. More often than not this ridiculously thick short cables are made of Cu clad Al (much cheaper and less conductive). Even then, it would still be an overkill though.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

After becoming better informed here by @agedhorse - about 5 years ago:

-I switched out all my heavy 12 ga speakon cables (re-purposed from PA cables where 12ga made sense) to 16ga.
(I had always just bought the Neutrik Speakon ends and make my one)
When I converted to 16ga, I just bought a 50' speakon cable and just keep cutting off lengths I need
(for 1/4" to Speakopn, I'd just replace one end of an "old" 1/4" speaker cable)

- I switched all my IEC Power cables to 18ga. (usually no longer than 10' to the amp, otherwise 14ga min extension cords)

Much less strain on the equipment.

Incidentally, many of the power cables are monoprice... 20 years ago, I sourced a lot of pc & longer HDMI cables from them. Never had an issue with any of those cables, but would never order anything MI related from them.

@mrpackerguy : Where was the gig?

 

[Mike Caldwell]

This is becoming an almost weekly topic!!!

While were talking about bogus "Speakon" connectors let's not forget bogus "Powercon" connectors that are out there as well. A Powercon is basically the same design as a Speakon that is keyed differently. Lots of lighting fixtures use them, I use them to connect power to some some smaller amp racks.

 

[Adjectives]

I guess I'm guilty of overkill but I'm alright with it. A v4b I bought years ago came with a Divine Noise 12awg 4ft speaker cable and I've been beyond impressed with the quality. That same cable was sticking straight out the back of a 100lb 80's Acoustic 115 combo(a 136) when it was knocked over backwards mid show by a drunk. No sound loss or damage to the cable. I had to re-seat the jack plate on the amp though! haha

Since then I've got a handful of their speaker cables in a number of configs. Have a few cheapo extras and they don't click in nearly as nicely as the Neutriks.

 

[mrpackerguy]

And priced accordingly, I suppose. That's the main purpose of marketing.

I don't think I paid more than $20 for it. Hard to tell what you're getting from pictures. It's going in the garb

 

[mrpackerguy]

I didn't know Acme made a 4X10. Or do you mean two B2s?

The play calling on that last play was suspect, IMO. Love threw into double coverage. Terrible.

After becoming better informed here by @agedhorse - about 5 years ago:

-I switched out all my heavy 12 ga speakon cables (re-purposed from PA cables where 12ga made sense) to 16ga.
(I had always just bought the Neutrik Speakon ends and make my one)
When I converted to 16ga, I just bought a 50' speakon cable and just keep cutting off lengths I need
(for 1/4" to Speakopn, I'd just replace one end of an "old" 1/4" speaker cable)

- I switched all my IEC Power cables to 18ga. (usually no longer than 10' to the amp, otherwise 14ga min extension cords)

Much less strain on the equipment.

Incidentally, many of the power cables are monoprice... 20 years ago, I sourced a lot of pc & longer HDMI cables from them. Never had an issue with any of those cables, but would never order anything MI related from them.

@mrpackerguy : Where was the gig?

The Oaks Golf course in Cottage Grove in a huge corporate tent

 

[FearNoEvil65]

I recently bought a Pro Co SpeakOn cable 3 foot with 12awg cables, seems like overkill but I believe the connectors are neutrik?
It seemed to be the most popular cable selling on SweetWater, there was the same 3 ft with 14awg maybe I should have bought that instead.
There were no other options for a smaller gauge cable wire than the 14 for the 3ft cables.
Are these Pro Co speaker cables good quality? Wasn't cheap (for me) at 30 something $$.

 

[agedhorse]

I recently bought a Pro Co SpeakOn cable 3 foot with 12awg cables, seems like overkill but I believe the connectors are neutrik?
It seemed to be the most popular cable selling on SweetWater, there was the same 3 ft with 14awg maybe I should have bought that instead.
There were no other options for a smaller gauge cable wire than the 14 for the 3ft cables.
Are these Pro Co speaker cables good quality? Wasn't cheap (for me) at 30 something $$.

All ProCo cables use Neutrik SpeakOns.

 

[J Wilson]

Good cables with proper connectors are money well spent. Cheap cables, sooner or later, will bite you in the ass at the worst times, or in the case of the bogus Neutrik cables, cost you a lot of money for someone like @agedhorse to fish them off the back of your amp.

Andy: Does Mesa's warranty cover bogus cable-induced failures, or do most manufacturers?

Not worth rolling the dice.

You want to take your cue from recording, broadcast, and pro tour sound: Do you REALLY think that a big tour is willing to roll the dice on losing a mic or guitar send to a packed house, interrupting a network broadcast, or causing an extra take in a record date?

NO. And you shouldn't either.