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Speakon Cables


James901
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Hi

Is it possible to run a GK 4 pin Speakon Cable between a GK Neo Cabinet and a non GK amplifier? The manual for the new amp, an Orange Terror 500, states that a 2 pin Speakon is required where as the Neo cab states that a 4 pin GK Speakon should be used. Help!

Thanks : )

Edited by jimi_1985
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[quote name='rk7' timestamp='1415871475' post='2604606']
I suspect that a 4 pin Speakon plug won't go into a 2 pin socket, but a 2 pin plug fits a 4 pin socket.

Or something like that......

RK
[/quote]

That's correct. 2-pole Speakon plugs are compatible with 4-pole Speakon sockets.

4-pole Speakon plugs are NOT compatible with 2-pole Speakon sockets.

Your options are:

Change one end of your 4-pole Speakon cable to 2-pole - a straightforward task.

Buy a new 2-pole Speakon to 2-pole Speakon cable.

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4-pole Speakons were designed mainly for bi-amp PA cabs. Bass amps produce, in the main, full bandwidth signals and only need 2 terminals. For many years there were only 4-pole panel mounting sockets so these were all that manufacturers could use, but they only ever used 2 of the terminals.

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[quote name='jimi_1985' timestamp='1415878275' post='2604716']
Ah, cool. What would be the potential hazards of running a 4 pole Speakon between a 2 pole amp socket and a 4 pole cab socket? Could it damage the amp?
[/quote]

What do you mean by running a 4-pole Speakon?

4-pole Speakon plugs will not fit the amp. You need to change the plug at the amp end to a 2-pole. Also cable iteslf only needs to have 2 conductors.

Edited by obbm
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  • 2 weeks later...

It's not unusual to see NL4 connectors used in places where only a two pole connection is needed so you may find it will fit. As I recall, the use of NL4 with the GK amps and cabs is because some of the GK heads have a seperate small power amp just to drive the tweeters in the matching cabs. When a 2 pole cable is used, you may find no signal is sent to the tweeter of your GK cab, unless there's a switch on the back to bring in an internal crossover.

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Worth noting that a two pole cable end plug will fit and connect into a 4 pole chassis socket, but not the other way round, using 4 pole chassis sockets means a bit more flexibility on what you can plug in. An lot of speker cables have 4 pole connectors, but only use two core cable, and only the first pair of connections.

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