Speaker connect: Speakon or banana

[Serge66]

My Fellow tube Designers,

What is your experience with Neutrik Speakons to connect your OP transformers to your beloved speakers?

I have been quite tempted to use them, instead of these straight bananas. Which if I am not mistaken is now prohibited on commercial audio systems in Europe.

The Speakon contacts are solid silver rated at 30A.
It would certainly look more professional.

Unless I find a fitter-turner who can make me solid-silver 4mm bananas.

Care to comment? Thank you.

Serge

[arnoldc]

Originally posted by Serge66
<snip>
... instead of these straight bananas. Which if I am not mistaken is now prohibited on commercial audio systems in Europe.

I have the 2008 catalog of Tangent and Dali (both Danish), and their speakers have two-way binding posts for accepting banana and spade. The Tangent amps and integrateds also have binding posts for their amplifiers.

[Serge66]

OK.
It seems that I am mistaken.
Serge

[pinkmouse]

Originally posted by Serge66
The Speakon contacts are solid silver rated at 30A.

I have never seen a solid silver Speakon, though the 30A part sounds about right.

[sharpi31]

I don't know the legal situation, but neither Dali nor Tangent produce 'commercial' equipment - both these companies make residential kit.

I work in pro AV and most manufacturers (speaker and amp) now use speakon.

I use speakons on all diy amps and speakers. The connection is 100% reliable, doesn't reduce sound quality in any perceivable way, has strain relief for the cable and uses the same size cut-out as a neutrik chassis XLR.

I'll never go back to old-school binding posts ;-)

[Serge66]

Thanks Guys,

I agree with you sharpi31, I will be using them in my next projects.

I had a quick look on the website: the contact material is not mentioned.

[dhaen]

Speakons are great. I wouldn't go back.

[Zero Cool]

I use Speakons for my PA rig where they are constantly being removed and replugged night after night and i have never had a failure! They are on just about every pro amp these days but I have not seen them used on High end audio gear.


The Biggest problem i have had with them is finding the dang .187 width crimp lugs to fit the chassis connectors. They can be found in the blue 16-14ga but not the Yellow 12-10ga connectors and it seems most companies have stopped making them. Molex still has them listed as 19017-0051 but i cant find anyone that stocks or sells them.
the .250 size being the more popular. but the .250 crimps will not fit the chassis connectors properly.


However, Neutrik now has a 40amp rated chassis version with .250 tabs on the back of the chassis connectors! now any standard .250 quick release lug/tabs will work! AMEN!

[atarashi]

I vote for Speakons, never had a problem with them!

Go for it, you will not regret it.

Michael

[philpoole]

I use speakon connectors for a PSU I have for experimenting simple circuits with. They're great.

I hope to build a power amp soon, probably a four channel chipamp to start and I'll be using speakons without a doubt.
Also, if you're biamping (or triamping - I think Neutrik do a 6 way don't they?) it makes plugging in the speakers foolproof.