jacks

[coupon]

when you guys buy the hardware set, what jack sets do you usually get? 1/4, speakon, or both? im not really familiar with subs in terms of audio set up.

[bassmonster]

Speakon is widely considered the best for pro audio. The jack can be completely sealed airtight which is especially important in Bill's cabs. Plus, it's almost idiot-proof (although nothing is completely drunk idiot-proof ). You can't just trip over it and it pulls right out of the jack, and you can't just reach up and yank it out of the jack. You have to know how to do it first to disconnect it.

Copied this from a thread on TalkBass:

Speakons are safer than 1/4" jacks and banana plugs because:

1. They lock in place and cannot be yanked free accidentally if someone tripped over the cables.

2. You cannot momentarily short the cable when inserting it like a 1/4" jack does. Every time a 1/4" jack is inserted, the two conductors are shorted for an instant. Very hazardous and potentially damaging to your gear if the power is on. For example, a soundguy crawling behind your gear to adjust a drum mic, he trips on your speaker cable, yanks it out, then plugs it back in without turning your amp off first. That "pop" can blast your cones when your amp is playing at gig volume.

3. Speakon connectors CANNOT ELECTROCUTE YOU. You cannot physically touch, when operating normally, the metal contacts inside the connectors, either male or female ends. You can, however, electrocute yourself by touching the 1/4" jack's contacts at the same time, or touching one contact and grounding yourself. The same is absolutely true for banana plugs as well, for their contacts are also exposed.

4. Speakons are made of electrically insulated plastic. You cannot electrocute yourself by using them under normal usage. Almost all 1/4" jacks have metal sleeves that are, in fact, conductive to the shielding (return) of the cable, and CAN ELECTROCUTE YOU. This runs true for signal-level cables AND speaker-level cables. Unless you've got some insulating wrapping over your jacks, you are prone to electrical hazard.

5. Speakons have 4 times the surface area contact of a 1/4" jack. If you run a very strong amp into a single cab, there is a heat damage risk. I have in fact used gear that warmed up the speaker cab's jack and the cable's plug that was in it, and it was nearly hot enough to burn skin.

[coupon]

thanks for the info. so ill just order my jacks with speakon only!

[AntonZ]

Once you go speakon you don't look back. Beware of fake connectors: real Neutrik only for me. I have found other makes to be hit or miss, not as good a fit (either loose or too tight) and not as durable. The Neutrik plugs are perfect fit and near bomb proof.

The 4-pole Neutrik sockets will take either a 2-pole or a 4-pole plug. The 2-pole sockets take 2-pole plugs only. I therefore use 4-pole sockets on my cabs even though my cables are currently all 2-conductor. This way any 2- or 4-pole plug will always fit the sockets.

If used like this: wire +1 and -1 to the drivers in the cab.
If only one socket on the cab: leave +2 and -2 unconnected
On cabs with two speakons: daisy chain +2 on one connector to +2 on the other, same for -2 to -2.

[Tom Smit]

The 4-pole Neutrik sockets will take either a 2-pole or a 4-pole plug. The 2-pole sockets take 2-pole plugs only. I therefore use 4-pole sockets on my cabs even though my cables are currently all 2-conductor. This way any 2- or 4-pole plug will always fit the sockets.

Great wisdom here.

[Grant Bunter]

The 4-pole Neutrik sockets will take either a 2-pole or a 4-pole plug. The 2-pole sockets take 2-pole plugs only. I therefore use 4-pole sockets on my cabs even though my cables are currently all 2-conductor. This way any 2- or 4-pole plug will always fit the sockets.

If used like this: wire +1 and -1 to the drivers in the cab.
If only one socket on the cab: leave +2 and -2 unconnected
On cabs with two speakons: daisy chain +2 on one connector to +2 on the other, same for -2 to -2.

AntonZ, would you please clarify? Your response confuses me (which is easy enough to do).
2 core conductor goes to +1 and -1 in. Don't you then parallel +1 and -1 to the next plug in the same cab to daisy chain? Otherwise your cab patch leads would be +2 and -2 on one end and +1 and -1 on the other? Or another set of leads?

[AntonZ]

AntonZ, would you please clarify? Your response confuses me (which is easy enough to do).
2 core conductor goes to +1 and -1 in. Don't you then parallel +1 and -1 to the next plug in the same cab to daisy chain?

Yes, that's what I meant. Sorry if it wasn't entirely clear.

Don't connect 2+ and 2- to anything in the cab except for daisy chaining through to 2+ and 2- on the other plug in the cab.

[Gregory East]

Huh? Your daisy chaining speakon should be +1 -1 . Afaik the 2 connections are used for biamping.

[AntonZ]

Just passing on what comes in was my thought. And tapping into the +1 and -1 for the cab itself.

An alternative use is 4-wire cable for monitors daisy chained accross stage. With every monitor having a DPDT switch so you can have two monitor mixes on one cable, each wedge switchable to tap into either the nr 1 or nr 2 monitor mix. I don't use that many monitors myself currently, but the thought has crossed my mind in case I ever go up to 4 wedges. But that scheme is not relevant for coupon's jacks.