Members TKnapp Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Is it difficut to remove my 1/4" plug and turn it into to a NL4 Speakon connector? It's a 16 ga. cable. Can I get parts to do this at Guitar Center for example?Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 If you have soldering skills, then you can easily do the change you want. The speakon can be connected by screw terminals. I do solder them, but that's me. Be sure to check the speaker's connector for where the wires will go on the speakon you install. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Not difficult, but measure carefully to be sure you strip back the various jackets the right lengths so the strain reliefs work correctly. Also you will most likely use the 1+/1+ connections but verify with the cabinet/amp manufacturer first. Do NOT solder the Speak-Ons... you can cause all kinds of damage by deforming the housings with the heat and then the contact comes loose and destroys the mating connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twostone Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Very easy just strip back the wires then screw them into the speakon wire terminals just remember to follow the factory specs. on the wiring diagram from your speaker manufacturer specs mine were pos.>1+ and neg.>1- and that was it. Depending on the cabs usually that the standard diagram just check to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TKnapp Posted January 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Sounds easy enough. Would most music stores carry the Speakon connectors you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Here is a description of how I assemble Speakon cables (with pictures): http://www.audiopile.net/Technical_Library/Speakon_cable_assembly_method.doc Some of the description is specific to the EWI cable stock I usually use, but I believe the information could generally apply to other cable stock that might be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TKnapp Posted January 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Wow, that's a great link Hellinger! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 As always, Mark, you have a great flair for getting it right, and this simple description of cable termination should be stickyed in a new thread called "Technical details for Sound Reinforcement dummies". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members servojohn Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Sources abound. Local retail may be pricey. EWI of course. http://www.audiopile.net/products/Adaptors_Connectors/Neutrik/Speakon_Products_page.asp Parts Express. www.partsexpress.com BTX. http://www.btx.com/default.aspx Remember to check your cables out a few times a year to tighten loose connections and double check polarity. Best regards, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 tighten loose connections and double check polarity That made me laugh. The idea that a cable would change it's polarity during the year. I suppose, if it came out of the closet..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 That made me laugh. The idea that a cable would change it's polarity during the year. I suppose, if it came out of the closet..... Uh... I've found some of my rig's Speakon cables that all of a sudden one day weren't function properly... and after quick investigation I discovered that they were converted to a typical bridge/mono configuration. I didn't change the pin-out. I didn't see anybody change the pin-out. Nobody asked me if they could change the pin-out. I don't have children. I can't imagine the what, where, how of why they were changed...but, somehow the pin-out got changed. Funny how that happens. (BTW: I really hate "bridge/mono".) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Do not tin the wires either, that's the chief cause of loosening ofthe screw terminations. I have maybe 50 cables and have never had a wire become loose at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Is it difficut to remove my 1/4" plug and turn it into to a NL4 Speakon connector? It's a 16 ga. cable. Can I get parts to do this at Guitar Center for example?Thanks. Its very easy. I would but them from PE or maybe Mark here if he carries them. GC probably hoses the customer on them. Just cut the cable, strip the ends, insert the wires in the correct terminals and tighten the holding screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyP Posted January 6, 2008 Members Share Posted January 6, 2008 Do NOT solder the Speak-Ons... you can cause all kinds of damage by deforming the housings with the heat and then the contact comes loose and destroys the mating connector. If one's soldering skills are not so good, I agree. However if you a good at it, go ahead. I've soldered every Speakon and PowerCon I've used, and have not had a single failure of the contacts or the soldered connection. Ones other folks (and wiring manufacturers) have made using the set screws - I've had to fix a few of those connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 IIRC, Neutrik will not warranty any setscrew connector that has been soldered. Timmy you have just been very lucky. Also, you void any UL/CSA listing on the PowerCon connectors and violate the National Electrical Code too. There are important reasons for this rule (covering binding pressure connectors), the resistance of solder is quite high compared to a binding contact... maybe 10x worse. This may cause heating and without a mechanical connection may cause melting of the solder and connector insulation body. Also be sure to use the correct strain relief chuck for the cable's OD. This is probably the second mols common cause of a wire coming loose. The first is tinning the wire ends before using the setscrew. The assembly instructions are pretty clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 7, 2008 CMS Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 There's no reason whatsoever to solder a Speakon connector. The binding post design and execution is excellent, and it's possibly the easiest connector to assemble. The only problem I've ever had is due to my shortcomings....46 year-old eyes that can't read the pinout numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 The only problem I've ever had is due to my shortcomings....46 year-old eyes that can't read the pinout numbers. I don't attempt to read the pin-out numbers anymore. It's served me well to just know that on the NL4FC ends 1+ is above and slightly to the right of the larger of the two insertion alignment square lumps on the barrel. 2+ is directly across from 1+. The positive termination are "to the inside", the negative terminations are "to the outside". 1- is ccw of 1+. 2- is cw of 1+ looking at the connector body from the termination end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 Neutrik does make solder termination speakon cord ends, which are the NLT4FX-BAG (female version) and is the end to use if you want to solder your connections:http://www.audiopile.net/products/Adaptors_Connectors/Neutrik/NL4_Speakon/NLT4FX-BAG/NLT4FX-BAG_cutsheet.asp Exactly, and they are agency listed for soldered connections. I suspect the material or housing receiver relief area is constructed differently to prevent the deformation of the material. I do not think the PowerCons are available in solder-term. due to the code issues both in Europe as well as here in the US/Canada. I certainly haven't seen them available as such. If you choose to use the PowerCons panel-mount products in a manufactured, you may be able to get a solder-tab version for PCB use, but it will probably have a much lower current rating than a standard female PowerCon connector, which is ok if the product is designed/tested/approved with that limitation in mind. This is true of a lot of this kind of component. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 7, 2008 CMS Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 One reason I'm aware of is the difficulty with inserting large gauge fine stranded wire into the termination sockets and getting all the filaments inserted without fuzzing up the conductor... particurally with the NL4FX and NL2FC ends... which is part of the reason I prefer NL4FC ends. Tinning the stripped conductors can make it a lot easier to keep the conductor strands bundled, but then the termination needs to be soldered as well. Hmm, I dunno....if you tin the ends, as you wrote, you're commited to soldering. And the possibility of damaging the connector as Andy wrote, which is possible even with good soldering skills. Tinning and then using the clamps isn't acceptable at all...the solder cold flows constantly, causing the connection to loosen. But mostly I question why tinning would actually help with large conductors into the ends...it increases the diameter, so even though you eliminate the 'strays' problem, you've replaced it with a fitment problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members servojohn Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 That made me laugh. The idea that a cable would change it's polarity during the year. I suppose, if it came out of the closet..... I made most of my cables, I am not perfect. I have accidently "exchanged" cables at venues I've dragged out my system to, only to find the venue had a system, but messy cable management. There are shop gnomes, venue elves, and load out trolls-where are you livin', under a rock? :poke: In other words, Murphy's Law dominates: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Agreed with Aged Horse, if you use the screw terminals, don't tin the wire, and 97% of the time they never loosen up, but it doesn't hurt to inspect your cables 2-3 times a year. Part of this is ritual, just going over the cable and checking for damage, but it's cheap insurance. Best regards, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 Agreed, inspecting all your gear helps keep Murphy at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hmm, I dunno....if you tin the ends, as you wrote, you're commited to soldering. And the possibility of damaging the connector as Andy wrote, which is possible even with good soldering skills. Tinning and then using the clamps isn't acceptable at all...the solder cold flows constantly, causing the connection to loosen. But mostly I question why tinning would actually help with large conductors into the ends...it increases the diameter, so even though you eliminate the 'strays' problem, you've replaced it with a fitment problem. Yes, of-course. But *that* is one reason for soldering. Admittedly it's an arguably lame reason, but it is a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 7, 2008 CMS Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 7, 2008 Members Share Posted January 7, 2008 Some of us here have a fair bit of experience assembling cables, here's a job we are working on right now: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TKnapp Posted January 9, 2008 Author Members Share Posted January 9, 2008 Well I looked at the cable I have and it only has two wires not four. Now what? The speaker cable I'm using has Speakon at one end and a 1/4" at the other. Sorry if the answer should be obvious but I've never done this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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