Tech: Spade lugs to speakon

Subject: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Herge
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 06:04 AM

Hi
I'm looking to use my Yamaha CP2000 amplifier in bridge mode and the manual suggests attaching the speaker to the binding posts. Is there any easy way of doing this? Can I buy a spade lug - speakon converter?

Herge

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: treewind
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 06:21 AM

Poor show if the amp doesn't have a bridge mode speakon connector!

A reasonably neat way would be to get a speakon-speakon inline coupler and a single short speakon-speakon cable, cut the cable and put spade lugs on the loose wire ends.

Or if it's a permanent change, just cut the speakon off one end and use the wires!
I wouldn't recommend that though. Speakons are well engineered connectors, and binding posts are horrid!

Anahata

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Herge
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 06:29 AM

Hi the newer yamaha has the speakon out for the bridge. I may go for the first suggestion and then it would be easy to connect and disconnect at gigs.

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 07:00 AM

The worry with binding posts is that a stray bit of wire may short the amp. You CAN buy female inline speakons. I suggest solder-tag not screw-tag, but you can get both. Get one, and use a bit of 70 amp housing cable (cooker cable) (if you are in the UK) to connect to the binding posts. Keep the ends neat, and do NOT repeatedly flex housing cable it will fatigue and break - so carry a spare in case you do just that to it!

The amps for my subs are in flight cases and I have the bridge output for the subs permanently connected (to the binding posts) and just coil up the speaker cable and put the back of the flight case on when going home.

One sub amp is an Alto Macro 2400 (2.4 K into 4 ohms bridged) and the other is a giant Audiohead 3000 - rated 3K into 8 ohms bridged but I am running it into 4 and the amp seems fine, I can't hear any oscillation or intermodulation, but god knows what the output is at that level - probably about 5k - because it tends to knock kilomaxes off thier end stops!

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 07:31 AM

Another option (assuming the amp has speakons for left and right) is to use a speakon connector in each of the outputs, and connect a wire from a third speakon to the +1 contact of each of the speakons.

Maybe they suggest the use of the bi

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 07:32 AM

OOPS!

Maybe they suggest the use of the binding posts because the internal wiring to the speakons is too light to handle the extra current.

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Herge
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 07:33 AM

I think I;ll connect part of a speakon lead premantley and roll up in the case - I'll then use a connector to connect to another lead for length

Thanks for the tips

Herge

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 07:36 AM

Alternatively, 'banana plugs' in the middle of the binding posts would do it - ITT/Pomona do a dual banana plug the correct spacing for standard binding posts. You may have to remove plastic blanking plugs.

In bridge mode you ONLY connect the positive terminal of each output, and there should be a switch to invert the phase of one of the input channels. Only one of the two volume controls should then work.

Subject: RE: Tech: Spade lugs to speakon
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 03:34 AM

Some binding posts do not have holes for bananas - and the sideways holes no longer seem to be 4mm to take bananas.