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Adding Jacks to a speaker cabinet |
You want to add more speakers, or you need to alter the way that your cabinet is wired up to allow for some effects. These are some common ways to alter your cabinets to provide that compatability.
Many Pro-Audio amplifiers are designed for an 8 ohm load. Some can handle 4 ohm loads. A few can handle 2 ohm loads (usually only high end PA amplifiers). Check your possible loads using the Speaker Wiring Impedance Calculator to verify that your Power Amplifier can handle the load that you are planning on trying. Also see Ohms Law, as it pertains to the Musician to understand how your change might affect the power that your amplifier puts out. Adding speakers does not always make things louder.
NOTE: Speaker wires are not sheilded cables - these need to be 18 gauge or heavier wire - these are driving a lot of current to your speaker systems.
Using an Attenuator/Speaker simulator
If you bought a 'Power Soak', or 'Hotplate', these connect between your power amp and the speakers in the follwing manner:
These tend to give you a more full tone (allowing you to turn the volume levels way up, but not ending up too loud),
Amplifier with built in Speakers using an Attenuator/Speaker simulator>
Inserting something between the Amplifier and Speakers
If you have a self contained amplifier, then you need to find an way to easily insert this effect into the system.
When your cabinet is wired in Series
When your cabinet is wired in Parallel
Adding an additional Speaker Jack for Series connections
This increases the impedance. Use when your Amplifier cannot add speakers in parallel (because you are already at your lowest possible impedance setting with the installed speakers).
Seperate Cabinet (PA, Guitar, Floor Monitor, etc.)
Adding a parallel connection
This lowers the impedanace. Do not use unless your Power amplifier can handle the lower impedance.
Adding a series connection
This increases the impedance. Use when your Amplifier cannot add speakers in parallel (because you are already at your lowest possible impedance setting with the installed speakers).
Adding a connection that disables your existing speaker
Use only the new cabinet, and disable the internal speaker(s).
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For 1/4 inch (and 1/8 inch) phone jacks, you need to verify which
solder tabs go to the + and - connections,
1/4 (and 1/8) inch phone jacks have no standard for which of the solder tabs goes to what.
Open cased Jacks are easy to verify - just look at it.
In an enclosed Jack, you may need to use a VOM/Digital Multimeter to check which connection
goes to what. The + and - relate to how the speakers are connected. The speaker should have a colored dot on it to indicate + or it will be marked with a +. |
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Speakons are relatively new to the Audio scene. They were designed to provide
a safe and easy to use High Power Speaker/Power Amp connection system. Some models also
allow you to connect more than one set of speakers (the most commonly found model,
the NL4 series, has 2 sets of connections in it).
The main speakers are typically wired to the 1 connections, and the secondary (if used at all) are connected to the 2 connections. Each set has a + and a -. The + corresponds to the Center Tap (which should be the + connections of the speakers), and the - corresponds to the Signal Ground/Case. Other models of the Speakons exist that have more or fewer connections than the NL4 series. |
NOTE: We do not work on Home or Car Audio. We work only with Pro-Audio applications. We cannot help you with Home or Car Audio questions.
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