Loudspeakers Speaker cabling

[Jay Ashworth]

I'm about to break down and build myself some speaker cables out of these connectors I bought 5 years ago.

I assume I want to use 12 gauge bulk cable, but what type do we like for movable speaker cable? SJT? Can I use 12/3 and run two speaker channels off of that? 12/4 is ridiculously more expensive?

Black? Orange? Green?

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[lakota651]

What are the connectors you are referring to? TS, NL2, NL4? How long of runs? What's the maximum amount of watts you could be sending down them?

 

[JD]

Is it a single way system? Bi-amped? Tri-amped?
If it is a single way system then all that is needed is 12/2. It's hard to beat some of the prices on the pre-made cables. Example: the following is 100 foot 12/2 (nice grade) with the NL4 connectors already installed.
Horizon NS0212/100 HORIZON 100' DUAL SPEAKON SPEAKER CABLE - All Pro Sound
Shop around a bit. It's almost not worth the effort and expense of making them yourself.

12/2 works good up to about 1000 watts RMS into 4 ohms. Most single-way cabinets are equipped with one or two NL4's. If they are 8 ohms each and you were running 4 cabinets, you would typically run from the power amp to SL and then run a jumper between the two there, then do the same for SR.

 

[techieman33]

Monoprice.com has great prices for stuff like that.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

My main amp for my small mobile rig is a Carver PM-300. That will likely become a -600 and relegate the 300 to monitors.

But I do like to plan ahead. Specifically, I'd prefer to build stereo stage to booth cabling, though I know that costs a bit more.

I have a batch of 4-pole plugs and chassis sockets that I bought off ebay to do the conversion (my cheap SHS main and mon cabs are 1/4 TS)...

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[JD]

If it's a long run in a fixed location, consider running 1/2 conduit and pulling THHN through it. When you run the numbers, it ends up being dirt cheap when running 4 or more conductors. Simply mount NL4s on cover plates at either end.
I would avoid 1/4 TS at all cost. They short when not fully seated which is not a good thing for power amps. What type of 4 pole connectors do you have?
The SpeakON NL4 is so standard these days so it tends to be a wise choice. 1+ and 1- contacts are used for single way systems. 2+ and 2- are used for high end if bi-amped.
SpeakON connectors are available up to 8 pins (4 pair)

 

[derekleffew]

... I assume I want to use 12 gauge bulk cable, but what type do we like for movable speaker cable? SJT? ... 12/4 is ridiculously more expensive? ...

You can use 12/4 SJ_x, but you'll pay dearly. Better to use "speaker cable." Horizon, Rapco, Whirlwind, etc.

... Can I use 12/3 and run two speaker channels off of that? ...

No! Must have one pair (needn't be twisted) for each channel. No neutral sharing or other schemes.

... Black? Orange? Green? ...

What, are you new? BLACK ONLY!, if for stage use.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

What, are you new? BLACK ONLY!, if for stage use.

Or you're Christie Lites.


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[JD]

No! Must have one pair (needn't be twisted) for each channel. No neutral sharing or other schemes.

Derek is right, on many modern power amps this would be real bad news (common ground.) But, it's worth a little history lesson here because back in the 1980's it was common practice! Older power amps (think Crown DC300 or Phase Liner 400/700) basically had the black terminals tied directly to the chassis. Many of these rigs used 12/3 for L/G/R output feed. But things changed in the 80s as power amps grew. QSC, for one, would tie the red AND the output transistors to the frame and your output would come from the junction of the power supply caps on the black terminal! This design made the power amp DC proof as an output failure would still leave the speakers capacitor isolated. In addition, several manufacturers came out with quasi-complementary amplifiers, where the black and red were both outputs but driven out-of-phase. The advantage here was a lower voltage supply could be used. As you can see, these designs would not work if you ran a common ground. These days, running a common ground are pretty much unheard of due to these reasons and many more.
</end history>

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Yes, Derek. I am. Sorta.

But I thought "mobile" sorta suggested "not stage", really...

Will check those mfrs. Got vendors you like?

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[Lburners]

Plenty of selection and quality products here.
EWI Bulk Cable

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Not the first place that I've noticed the odd number AWG sizes. Why do they do that?

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[derekleffew]

Metric to American conversion.
2.5 mm^2 = 13 AWG
4.0 mm^2 = 11 AWG



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[Jay Ashworth]

Aha!

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[JD]

Metric to American conversion.
2.5 mm^2 = 13 AWG
4.0 mm^2 = 11 AWG



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Metric! What a pain!
That stuff's only for logical people that make sense.
Here in America, we prefer to make up arbitrary numbers as we go and give them all sorts of cute names!

 

[Jay Ashworth]

This. They look like this.

That nose is a bit over half an inch. 2 contacts on the pin, 2 more on the inside of the outer ring.

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[JD]

Looks like a NL4 (or NL2) SpeakON is a brand name (Neutrik) but others make them as well. That's the one you want!

speakON Loudspeaker Connectors - Neutrik

 

[Jay Ashworth]

4 pole, yes, on purpose.

Good they are what I need cause I have a whole bagful.

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[Jay Ashworth]

Those will take the 11AWG stranded?

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[JD]

Those will take the 11AWG stranded?

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If they are the Neutrik with the screw/clamp lugs, 11 should fit. Many of the knock-offs have small solder lugs that don't work too well.
See if they look like these inside: http://www.neutrik.com/zoolu-website/media/download/149/Assembly+Instruction+-+speakON+SPX+Series