Electrics for AV/audio - sockets or strips?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article , John Williamson wrote:

I never said that amplifiers use speakons. Binding posts are far more common and fine. Speakons are ideal for an outlet on say the skirting board. As is pretty well anything other than bloody jacks.

Let me get this straight. You think because someone sells a package as pro

- and some may be foolish enough to use it as such - it automatically becomes that?

If a chippy used a B&Q own brand power tool does that immediately make it pro quality?

[Clive George]

Just to add to the fun, I was idly skipping over the adverts when I noticed the current Lucozade one has somebody setting up a system for an outdoor party of some kind, and the connector which plugs into the speaker appears to involve a twist.

Googling gave me

about 5 seconds in.

Would that be a speakon type? :-)

[tony sayer]

In article , Arfa Daily scribeth thus

Nay lad .. my comment was re connects on home fixed equipment/s where binding posts are a very good idea, and on the road equipment where decent heavy duty connectors like the Speakon series are much better for that application...

I think that if anyone was designing on the road Pro equipment from scratch these days then Jacks would not be the connectors of choice.

OK for Line level applications and perhaps err, Telephones;?....

We have used Speakon's in some power units we've made for high power battery backup systems and very good they were for that regarding power handling...

[David.WE.Roberts]

Have a version on my Atari STe from {cough} years back.

Haven't used one since as the hassle of attaching replacement plugs to an ever changing mix of hardware seemed too much like hard work.

Anyway, fortunately I think that I have enough room (if there is such a thing).

Cheers

Dave R

[David.WE.Roberts]

All fascinating stuff but how does this relate to the banana plugs which fit into the centre of HiFi binding posts on amps and speakers?

Cheers

Dave R

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I never said or even implied that. Perhaps you'd quote the bit where you think I did?

What I did say is that I don't know of any *decent* amp fitted with 1/4" jacks as speaker connectors. And that for the purpose intended - a speaker outlet on say a skirting board in the house, Speakons are an ideal connector. They will accept a wide range of cables, are very strong so Hoover proof and reasonably priced.

The fact that some budget end PA amps use 1/4" jacks is neither here nor there - decent ones have used XLRs for ages. However as regards speaker outputs in that application the Speakon has largely replaced the XLR as a speaker connector.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Are you really saying the PA power amps as used on tour use 1/4" jacks as speaker connectors?

Guitar etc amp inputs are a different matter. The 1/4" jack is the defacto standard for those - despite it being less than ideal for the purpose. Lots of unbalanced leads mixing it on stage with lighting etc cables is a recipe for hum etc pickup.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Has anyone said here they are not satisfactory for a permanent amplifier connection? Or are you just reading that in somehow?

However, I'd find them rather untidy looking for a skirting board connector.

[tony sayer]

In article , Clive George scribeth thus

Yes it is..

[tony sayer]

Well for domestic use there're OK as long as their springy enough and aren't loose in da socket but for road going and Pro use not a lot of cop. Wouldn't want them loose and shorting out would you?, no matter how good the amp protection is or was;!...

[SteveW]

Indeed, both my amp and my speakers use banana plug connections, but I then have cabling under the floor from the amplifier position to the speaker positions and for those I use speakons. So banana, speakon, speakon, banana. Makes for ease of movement when cleaning or decorating, while being neat enough to satisfy my wife if the hi-fi is removed at any time.

SteveW

[David.WE.Roberts]

As the OP I can reassure you that I have no intention of going on the road with my Virgin Tivo box nor my Sony AV amp.

The most I want is the ability to hide the cabling under the floor and disconnect the amp easily to move it out of the rack, and disconnect the floor standing speakers easily if they need to be lifted every few months/ years.

So I don't need a 'roadie' solution.

Just something neat for the average living room.

Which is why, despite you all obviously having loads of innocent fun, I don't see that most of the thread contents is in any way relevant to my requirements :-)

Cheers

Dave R

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've told you what I used for skirting board speaker outlets. Speakons mounted on blank plates to match the sockets, etc. Not only are they a good connector but strong and easy to fit to a blank plate.

Of course you can use jacks for this. It will give your pals who know anything about it a good laugh.

[Adam Aglionby]

Advantage of Speakon, in even a domestic situation is locking.

Also a 4 pole variant for multiway/bi wire/ surround connections, Speakon compatibles are available at even less money.

Floor boxes aren`t expensive and can typically get modular plates with appropriate cutouts.

[David.WE.Roberts]

At the moment I am looking at Speakon male and female plugs which are looking as though they are designed for circular flexible cable (as you would for pro mobile amps and speakers) and trying to work out if I could cram four strands of flat cable into the shroud.

The stated benefits are all about high powered amps and avoiding confusion with microphone leads etc.

Not really relevant for my needs.

I am also wondering if bi-wiring is really necessary - at the time I set this up it was supposed to give better results from good quality speakers but I wonder if the difference is large enough to justify all the faffing about.

Alternatives to flat ribbon cables for connecting amp to speaker would be interesting.

Cheers

Dave R

[David.WE.Roberts]

In fact

single-wire/

" So for a given budget, we believe that a single wire cable will always out-perform the equivalent bi-wire cable, so much so that we no longer produce dedicated bi-wire cables."

Although I already have the bi-wire cables.

Cheers

Dave R

[Dave Plowman (News)]

And you decided to interpret that as Speakons being the only alternative?

I neither said or implied that.

My statement is 1/4" jacks are not a decent connector for speakers - regardless of some musical instrument amps using them. To cut costs to a minimum and possibly appeal to non technical musos who would get confused with more than one type of cable.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Binding posts would not be considered safe with 100 volt line. But yet again you seem to think I'm classifying them with 1/4" jack. I'm not. Binding posts are of course a perfectly satisfactory connector for speakers.

Sigh. Because that's what a 1/4" jack was designed as. Hadn't you noticed? Although luckily it's fallen out of favour. Any jack connector has a tiny contact area. There are much better ways of doing things.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They have a cable grip which compresses as you tighten and will accept a wide range of cable sizes. Genuine Neutrik ones often come with two inserts to cover an even wider range of diameters. They would have no problem with two sets of any of the common speaker cables.

[tony sayer]

Ever heard of thread drift Dave;)?...

Suppose you could use Speakon's or 3 or 4 pin XLR's, low contact resistance and inexpensive. Even Banana plugs!.....