PA monitor cables - guitar leads or "proper" speaker leads?

[Lozz196]

Looking to get some new cables for our monitors, and have been told to use guitar leads. Sure this isn`t right, but can someone confirm this please?

[obbm]

Depends if you need balanced or not.
Guitar cable is fine for unbalanced.
Mic cable is fine for balanced.
Neither are good for speakers.

[Lozz196]

Ah, now we`re going a bit beyond me Dave, our monitors are powered, not sure what the difference between balanced and unbalanced is.

[BigRedX]

If the monitors are powered then they need to be connected using screened signal cable. If there are jack sockets on the monitors you can use guitar leads. If there are XLR sockets it would be better to use those. What type of sockets are on the desk that the monitors connect to?

[Lozz196]

1/4 inch jack-plugs. And the connections on the monitors are 1/4s too.

[icastle]

If you're using powered speakers then you'll need to be using guitar leads (or something shielded).

If you use speaker cable then it'll buzz like crazy.

[JapanAxe]

If the cable is just carrying signal from mixer out to powered monitor in, then a guitar or instrument cable is fine. If you are running a second (passive) monitor from the extension speaker output of a powered monitor, use a speaker cable.

[Lozz196]

Great thanks guys, so I`m now going to be looking at guitar lead from PA to powered monitor, then speaker lead from powered monitor to passive monitor.

All makes sense once explained.

[icastle]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1374078651' post='2145082']
Great thanks guys, so I`m now going to be looking at guitar lead from PA to powered monitor, then speaker lead from powered monitor to passive monitor.
[/quote]

Spot on