Can I use 1/4" jacks for speaker connectors?

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I'm always moving my speakers around, and I'm fed up with using binding posts.

I was wondering if was possible to use 1/4" jacks instead?

I can't find the specs on them tho, like maximum voltage and current ratings... I guess it varies from plug to plug... tho. My speakers don't have mega high power ratings tho... Around 200W or so.

I was simply going to wire + to the tip and - to the sleeve... so I guess it should be best to get 1/4 jack plug with insulated sleeves...

Or should it be worth using 1 plug for + and another for - ?
 
1/4 inch jacks are used in P.A. and guitar/bass stuff, so yes you can. The jacks I have seen inside equipment look the same as what you can buy at radio shack, but there may be some thicker ones, I don't know. The connecting cable is definetely a thicker cable. You could go down to any guitar shop and pick up a speaker connecting cable with 1/4 inch jacks. Lots thicker than a normal guitar cable connecting to the input.
 
davidallancole said:
1/4 inch jacks are used in P.A. and guitar/bass stuff, so yes you can. The jacks I have seen inside equipment look the same as what you can buy at radio shack, but there may be some thicker ones, I don't know. The connecting cable is definetely a thicker cable. You could go down to any guitar shop and pick up a speaker connecting cable with 1/4 inch jacks. Lots thicker than a normal guitar cable connecting to the input.
Nice. I'm going to be making my own cables anyway, so I'm going to order in a load of connectors, and get soldering...

I'll be sure to use thick cable tho... the last thing I want is power being wasted in the cables due to resistance...
 
That's common (standard?) with guitar amps and such, so no problem. I like 5-way binding posts, but I never use them in 4 out of the 5 ways. Can't ever remember what all 5 ways are! I always get dual banana plugs (Pomona) so I can quickly plug and unplug wires. The plugs have a ridge so you can tell (and quickly reverse, if necessary) the polarity. They can also accept huge wires if you solder them in the cups, otherwise I use a less known trick to get good reliability- Never tin wires and fasten them down with a screw. The joint will lose compression. Instead, take a heavy piece of solid copper wire (I steal it from a piece of house wire) and solder the stranded wire to one end of the heavy copper wire. Cut it to about 1/2" long. Now, stick that in the connector and tighten the screw down on it. You get a gas tight seal, lower resistance, long term reliability, and the wire is now at the 90 degree angle you needed to begin with. :D
 
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Conrad Hoffman said:
dual banana plugs

Solid advice. The pro audio company I used to work for used banana plugs on all of their standard speaker wiring. They're hard to beat if you want a good connection that is easily swappable and is pretty low cost.


Conrad Hoffman said:
Instead, take a heavy piece of solid copper wire (I steal it from a piece of house wire) and solder the stranded wire to one end of the heavy copper wire. Cut it to about 1/2" long. Now, stick that in the connector and tighten the screw down on it. You get a gas tight seal, lower resistance, long term reliability, and the wire is now at the 90 degree angle you needed to begin with. :D

Nice tip!
 
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There must be millions of mid level pro speakers out there with 1/4" jacks. Not the greatest connector, but it works. Guitar amps, too, as mentioned above.

There are 1/4" jacks and plugs made for speaker level use. They tend to be fatter than the line level stuff. Lets you get a thicker cable in.
 

AKN

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AndrewT said:
Hi,
does a 1/4inch TS jack short the amp outlet as the jack is pushed/pulled?

Hi,

Yes it will short for a brief moment.

Speakon is specifically made for speaker connections, a much better solution.
It has lower contact resistance and can take higher power. Plug is safer and also takes larger diameter/area speaker cable. And of course, no shorting…..
 
When I'm not working with computers, I work in the pro audio field....

Alot of older style speaker connnectors no longer meet electrical safety regulations and although rather common, I've never been particularly happy with 1/4" jacks as speaker level connections. They inevitably fail and I've taken to replacing them with 4-pole speakon as is now the standard (for good reason) for speaker level connections in pro audio as they are far better suited to the job, handle much higher current, provide a gas tight connection, do not short, are fully insulated, are field servicable, and are generally much more reliable in the long term.
 
Ok, I haven't ordered the jacks, which is just as well, as I think I'll go for the speakons as they seem ideal. I didn't really know about them until now... :eek:

I like the idea of 4 pole also.... Would this mean I could use 1 connector for a cabinet which has 2 speakers in?
 
If banning 1/4", even for low level signals, RCA plugs should be banned as well....

Gee, did I hit a nerve?

RCA plugs do not have the intermittent problems that 1/4" plugs do. Granted the world would be a better place if we all purchased $50 a piece connectors but until then RCA will do just fine.

If you had run as many service calls due to dirty and or faulty 1/4" connectors you would hate them also.
 

AKN

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burnedfingers said:


Gee, did I hit a nerve?

RCA plugs do not have the intermittent problems that 1/4" plugs do. Granted the world would be a better place if we all purchased $50 a piece connectors but until then RCA will do just fine.

If you had run as many service calls due to dirty and or faulty 1/4" connectors you would hate them also.

Don't take me wrong :)

Ok, let me put it this way:
If RCA plugs had been common in the pro sound field we would have even more problems than with ¼” plugs.
 
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