Amp rack breakout panel

[monekh]

Apologies for some more novice questions...

The plans mention the use of an amp rack breakout panel, so I just wanted to clairfy what is meant by this. Is it simply a panel with speakon sockets mounted on it, to which amplifier outputs are wired using speaker wire, so that speakon cables can then be run from this panel on the amp rack to the cabinets, and so that the only exposed connections are between the back of amp and breakout panel? If so, what gauge of speaker wire is best to run from amp to breakout panel – the same gauge as is running from speakon socket to driver at the other end, inside the cabinet?

also, a further slightly related question - when connecting two speakons together inside the cabinet to enable daisy chaining of multiple cabinets, is this best done using the same gauge speaker wire as whatever is running to the drivers? Assuming so but wanted to double check.

Thanks!

[Grant Bunter]

It can include more.

It can also have XLR connectors so that one is not forever digging in around the amp case trying to connect signal.
Of course, everything needs to be properly labelled.

Wire from the amp to the speakons on the panel shouldn't end up being more than a few feet, at most. Still, these wires end up being part of the total length of the cable to the speaker cab.
So I would use say 12G wire to connect from amp to speakon on the panel.

If so, what gauge of speaker wire is best to run from amp to breakout panel – the same gauge as is running from speakon socket to driver at the other end, inside the cabinet?

This depends a lot on how long the cable is, or, how much output you're prepared to lose.
The longer the cable, the greater the loss.
So a heavier guage cable of equal length will lose less.
There are a number of different sources on the net (that suggest different figures) for various cable gauge and loss over distance, so check that out.
I use 13G cable for every speaker lead. That allows 50' leads with minimal loss.
I only use 16G wire from cab speakon to filters or driver.

also, a further slightly related question - when connecting two speakons together inside the cabinet to enable daisy chaining of multiple cabinets, is this best done using the same gauge speaker wire as whatever is running to the drivers? Assuming so but wanted to double check.

Again, this depends somewhat on application.
If you're asking for mains cabs and daisy chaining say 50', then I would use 13G from speakon to speakon in the one cab, but 16G from speakon to filters/driver.

However, if you're building some wedgehorns, and the maximum distance you're daisy chaining is a few yards, you could get away with 16G cable from speakon to speakon in the one cab.

Here's a couple of guides:
http://www.audioholics.com/audio-video- ... able-gauge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_wire

Please note that as impedance lowers, maximum distance is roughly halved.
Hope that helps...

[DJPhatman]

Photo courtesy of Bruce Weldy

A picture is worth a thousand words...

[Bruce Weldy]

This one is easier to see....

I built this one for a band I work with. This is their rack...

[escapemcp]

You can buy panels with pre-cut holes if you don't fancy doing it yourself (like me!) or want a neater install:



As for wire gauge to use, I just used the same thickness as the speaker wire itself. Having purchased 20m of speaker cable, it was simple to chop off a metre from the end and use that inside the rack and cabs - it seemed a bit too much of a faff to purchase a thinner bit of cable just to save the odd quid.

[Bruce Weldy]

I use the vinyl covered speaker install-type speaker cable for inside the rack - 14ga is plenty for that short of a run. Rubber jacketed speaker cable it too big for inside the rack. If that's what you have an want to use, strip off the jacket and just go with the two wires.

As far as the signal cable, same thing - use install cable with a vinyl jacket. It's easy to fit and route and it's really cheap. Stick with 22ga. if you can get it.

And don't scrimp on connectors - use Neutrik all the way around. Switchcraft are good, but harder to use and usually cost more. Have heard good things about Amphenol, but haven't used them yet.

[jswingchun]

The worst part of making connection panels is getting the tiny little nuts on the tiny little screws that hold the connectors into the panel.

[BrentEvans]

The worst part of making connection panels is getting the tiny little nuts on the tiny little screws that hold the connectors into the panel.

Thats what pop rivets are for.

[Bruce Weldy]

The worst part of making connection panels is getting the tiny little nuts on the tiny little screws that hold the connectors into the panel.

That's why I try to drill the hole a little oversized - to get a little wiggle room.

The other thing to do is position the nut on the connector, then put in the screw.

But, even then - once in a while, you get a tough one.

[Rune Bivrin]

The worst part of making connection panels is getting the tiny little nuts on the tiny little screws that hold the connectors into the panel.

That's why I try to drill the hole a little oversized - to get a little wiggle room.

The other thing to do is position the nut on the connector, then put in the screw.

But, even then - once in a while, you get a tough one.

That's why Neutrik created these:

http://www.neutrik.com/en/phono-rca/pho ... sories/mfd

[NukePooch]

The worst part of making connection panels is getting the tiny little nuts on the tiny little screws that hold the connectors into the panel.

Thats what pop rivets are for.

+1

[escapemcp]

That's why Neutrik created these:

http://www.neutrik.com/en/phono-rca/pho ... sories/mfd

+10000 - I use them everywhere They are dirt cheap and stop a lot of - unless of course you forget to put them on the wire before connecting up the neutrik connector (similar to forgetting to put the heatshrink on before a solder, or the screwy bit before a speakon/XLR) You can slip them on from the other end if you use XLRs, but speakons don't fit through the hole.

Rubber jacketed speaker cable it too big for inside the rack. If that's what you have an want to use, strip off the jacket and just go with the two wires.

Yeah, I meant to say that

[Bruce Weldy]

That's why Neutrik created these:

http://www.neutrik.com/en/phono-rca/pho ... sories/mfd

Ok...I guess I'm not smart enough to figure it out....how does that attach to the panel? Looked at the technical drawings and still don't get it.

Does it just go behind the rack panel? If so, you still have the issue of getting the small holes just right or it will rack the screw....and that it what makes getting the nut on complicated.

[Rune Bivrin]

That's why Neutrik created these:

http://www.neutrik.com/en/phono-rca/pho ... sories/mfd

Ok...I guess I'm not smart enough to figure it out....how does that attach to the panel? Looked at the technical drawings and still don't get it.

Does it just go behind the rack panel? If so, you still have the issue of getting the small holes just right or it will rack the screw....and that it what makes getting the nut on complicated.

Yup. Right behind the panel. I suppose if you've got lumberjack hands it might be tricky, but I never really noticed. Getting separate M3 nuts there is much harder, but since these position the threads at the correct angle by default it is really quite trivial.

[Bruce Weldy]

Yeah, I've never had any of the M3 screws. Guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Although, a pre-punched panel would sure save a lot of time and effort over all the drilling I have to do.