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What are the advantages to using speakon versus typical speaker cable?

#43
Killed_by_Death said:
12 awg is going to be tough to fit into the connector
and 14 awg is already overkill

14 awg can handle 18 amps of current
If you really wanted to max out the amount of power you can send through it at 4 Ohms

P = E x I
or
P = I (squared) x R

P = 18 (squared) x 4

P = 324 x 4 = 1,296 watts

where P = Power (Watts)
I = current (Amps)
R = Resistance (Ohms)

So, a pair of 14 awg wires can handle almost 1,300 watts at 4 Ohms, and twice as much at 8 Ohms
Click to expand...

14 gauge is plenty fine for anything bass guitar oriented (other than very few high powered 2 ohm loads) because the voltage drop is the most important spec which is a function of gauge (cross-sectional area) plus length of cable. For a 6' cable, which is pretty long for a bass amp application, the total resistance is so low that it just doesn't matter going larger than 14 gauge, and for cable heating limitations, this falls under average power which is not under any circumstances going to be greater than 1/2 of the rated RMS power and generally between 1/8 and 1/3 rated power.

And, 14 gauge cable can handle a lot more than 18 amps (non-continuous) which is why the voltage drop calculation is so important.
 
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#44
One thing I've noticed is that many high-end amps, especially those made in Europe, use Speakon jacks exclusively. It reminds me of SAE vs. metric; seems like the rest of the world is moving toward Speakon. My Glockenklang had only Speakons, and the HandBox R-400 I just got has them too. Interestingly, Bergantino went Speakon for their B|Amp too.
I kinda hope all amps and cabs go this way, so I don't have to keep 2x as many cables around. I have one 1/4"-to-Speakon cable for my Mesa Walkabout, but if I sell it, I'll be 100% Speakon with my gear. Works for me.
 
#45
Kahrmine said:
I had no idea that high wattage bass heads could give you a shock in that way. I'm glad I made this thread.
Click to expand...
Note that it's not just a matter of shock hazard. What the speaker "sees" is the voltage difference between its two terminals. As a result, the terminals could both be held at a non zero voltage when there is no signal, so long as it's the same voltage for both terminals. Well, as it turns out, there are bass amps where the design is simplified by operating in bridge mode with both terminals at a nonzero offset voltage. In such a case, there will always be a voltage (say, roughly half of the power supply voltage) on both terminals. If the metal cap of a phone plug were to touch ground inadvertently, such as being pushed up against some other piece of equipment, now the amp is feeding a large voltage into a dead short. This could be an unpleasant surprise, and damage either the amp or whatever the plug touches.

Another example of a differential line carrying a DC voltage is phantom power.

Notice that on a Speakon, the contacts on both the plug and the jack are shrouded, so they can't accidentally touch anything. The regulations actually talk about how small the opening has to be -- there is a "standard finger" for testing openings in connectors and enclosures.
 
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#46
Pros:
1. No exposed connectors.
2. You can't confuse them with the signal jacks and plug them into the wrong place.
3. You can't confuse them with the signal jacks and use the wrong cable.
4. More robust.

Cons:
1. The connectors are bigger.
2. You need to get new wires.

I remember going into Maplins to buy a Speakon connector a while back when a member of staff approached:
Assistant: "Can I help you, Sir?"
Me: "Yes, I'm looking for a Speakon connector - do you do them?"
Assistant: "Did you mean a speaker connector, Sir?" (In that quizzical voice sales folks use.)
Me: "No, l mean a Speakon connector, which is a brand of speaker connector."
Assistant: "Well, our speaker connectors are over here..."
Me: "Ah yes, this is the Speakon connector I was looking for; thanks!"
 
#48
Wow! Very educational! Bought a Vietnam Marshall stack years ago that sounded kinda fartty cranked..read a review that suggested upgrading to twistlock and boom! What a difference over wimpy included cables
 
#51
Kahrmine said:
Just curious what advantages there are to using a speaking cable between your amp and cab versus a traditional speaker cable.
Click to expand...

The main benefit - although I don't particularly like the design of speakon connectors - is that there are plenty of musicians who don't understand why it is wrong to use an instrument cable as a speaker cable.
 
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#56
On a big amp, the shock can bite pretty good. The danger isn't as much from the shock is pulling away and banging into something, or tripping over something.
 
#58
iamprowla said:
Pros:
1. No exposed connectors.
2. You can't confuse them with the signal jacks and plug them into the wrong place.
3. You can't confuse them with the signal jacks and use the wrong cable.
4. More robust.

Cons:
1. The connectors are bigger.
2. You need to get new wires.
Click to expand...

Just about any speaker cable, new or used, can be fitted with Speakon adaptors. !3 g is the largest that I can fit comfortably. Also, when tightening the terminal clamps, use a Pozi tip screwdriver.

Here's a trick I learned here years ago: If you have a questionable / compromised speaker cable, don't toss it. Cut the connectors and 8" of the cable off each end and replace with new connectors (Speakon, banana, phono). 9 times out of 10, you'll be back in business.

Riis
 
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