I admit I am rather clueless when it comes to SpeakOn cables (and I have consumer level equipment.. sadly), but I inherited an under-floor run of cable where the previous owner went all out and ran SpeakOn cables to all points of the setup. None of my devices have SpeakOn, though (I am lame and have regular coax cables), so I am reflecting on what I should do. I am not certain I can re-run the coax wires under the floor, so I am looking to see if there's anything I can do with the SpeakOn wires.
If my eyes serve me right, I have the 4-wire SpeakOns. Is it feasible (besides being anathema, I suppose) to undo the connector and pillage 2x2 wires to build my own RCA connectors? The other problem also is that the previous owner had his amp in a different place, so the cables converge there - where I want my amp right now, there are only 2 SpeakOn cables going there, so that doesn't help me very much.
Any thoughts welcome, thanks very much!
If my eyes serve me right, I have the 4-wire SpeakOns. Is it feasible (besides being anathema, I suppose) to undo the connector and pillage 2x2 wires to build my own RCA connectors? The other problem also is that the previous owner had his amp in a different place, so the cables converge there - where I want my amp right now, there are only 2 SpeakOn cables going there, so that doesn't help me very much.
Any thoughts welcome, thanks very much!
SpeakOn is a connector product for amp-to-speaker connections. If you possess a SpeakOn terminated cable, it has no place in any situation where there is a RCA in or outlet.
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Sorry, I re-read my question and realised I didn’t actually specify what I’m trying to connect - I’m trying to connect 7.1 speakers to my amp. It’s just that neither device has SpeakOn connectors, only coax.
Go to the Neutrik NL8Fc webpage and download "speakon-wiring-suggestion.pdf"
https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/nl8fc
Like TNT says, Speakon is used for high level audio, not RCA low level audio.
https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/nl8fc
Like TNT says, Speakon is used for high level audio, not RCA low level audio.
Yes, this is one of the reasons why I also don't have any cable terminated with speakOn connectors. 😉
AFAIK Those connectors can have 2, 4 or 8 poles, and as has already been said, they are designed to connect power amps (or integrated amps) with loudspeakers.
In the professional field and by DIYers they are very appreciated.
Since your cables are terminated with speakOn connectors I guess they are speaker cables, and for this reason I don't think you can use them as signal cables.
Of course, you can always remove the speakOn connectors from your cables and you can use your cables by terminating them in another way, even twisting them in pairs, with the terminations suitable for your amplifier and your loudspeakers.
Thanks. I realise they’re highly regarded in the high end circles, but seeing as I don’t have any equipment for them … hehe. Wondering if I can literally just strip the physical connectors and use the physical wires and run my lame connectors on them. Blasphemy aside. 🙂
It's totally legit.
Moreover it's better! You eliminate one passage to electrons! Just think of the solder blob barrier...plus the non-copper piece for insertion
Moreover it's better! You eliminate one passage to electrons! Just think of the solder blob barrier...plus the non-copper piece for insertion
Is your system, by-chance, a Bose system that uses "RCA" connectors for some speaker-level connections?
Either way... the SpeakOn terminations are simple to disassemble without any cutting. I've attached an example manual. Note - there's a reason they say don't use a Phillips-head. Get the proper head.
Then, once you've sorted all the wire, you could possibly use something like these to change them over to RCA connectors if you don't want to solder them.
https://www.amazon.com/Sewell-Deadb...olderless/dp/B01LW2LF53/ref=asc_df_B01LW2LF53
Either way... the SpeakOn terminations are simple to disassemble without any cutting. I've attached an example manual. Note - there's a reason they say don't use a Phillips-head. Get the proper head.
Then, once you've sorted all the wire, you could possibly use something like these to change them over to RCA connectors if you don't want to solder them.
https://www.amazon.com/Sewell-Deadb...olderless/dp/B01LW2LF53/ref=asc_df_B01LW2LF53
Maybe you can use RCA Male Plug to Banana Female Jack Adapter and Banana Plug to Speakon Speaker Cable for connections.
No problem.
Please post a photo of both your devices and speakers connection-type.
As you had already been asked...
Now, is it line level signals you are trying to pass?
If it is a question about feeding a passive speaker, i.e. power, then RCA is a very bad choice of a connector for this duty.
Its all very confusing... but hey, you already declared "rather clueless" but we will soon get to a proper solution ;-D
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If it is a question about feeding a passive speaker, i.e. power, then RCA is a very bad choice of a connector for this duty.
Its all very confusing... but hey, you already declared "rather clueless" but we will soon get to a proper solution ;-D
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Lol, this is the kind of posts one comes back to years later for public shaming. I shouldn’t have started posting on the evening of moving day and should’ve waited a day to get my question together properly. Only one cable is actually “RCA”, the rest are speaker cables, so it was dumb of me to even title the thread this. Ok, here we go again, and thanks y’all for not being too condescending. 🙂
The equipment is: 4x Pioneer SP-FS52s, a Pioneer center and an B&W ASW-3000 sub. Amp is a VSX-933. The wiring diagram is as follows:
Red X is where the last amp was, so the SpeakOn wires converge there. Green is where I need it. I’ve looked into the speakOn connectors sitting at S1 (there are two cables there) and they both have 4 wires each. The amp needs an RCA connection.
If my understanding is right, I might be able to disassemble 2x SpeakOns sitting at S1, and use it to create 4 speaker channels. I would cover S2, S3 and S4 (I can’t do amp->S4 because of a passageway), and use the remaining 2 wires in the SpeakOn to convert it to RCA using an adapter that I would use for the sub. S1 and center would be handled directly to the amp.
The equipment is: 4x Pioneer SP-FS52s, a Pioneer center and an B&W ASW-3000 sub. Amp is a VSX-933. The wiring diagram is as follows:
Red X is where the last amp was, so the SpeakOn wires converge there. Green is where I need it. I’ve looked into the speakOn connectors sitting at S1 (there are two cables there) and they both have 4 wires each. The amp needs an RCA connection.
If my understanding is right, I might be able to disassemble 2x SpeakOns sitting at S1, and use it to create 4 speaker channels. I would cover S2, S3 and S4 (I can’t do amp->S4 because of a passageway), and use the remaining 2 wires in the SpeakOn to convert it to RCA using an adapter that I would use for the sub. S1 and center would be handled directly to the amp.
Not sure if using speaker cables to send a line level signal to the subwoofer is a good idea.
+1 for the adapters. SpeakON is good stuff. Don't wreck something good. I use speakON connectors on everything I build.
Tom
Tom