What's The Connector That You Push Over The Tab of a Speaker

[Matt Berg]

I want to buy a premade cable either 1/4 inch or better yet, Speakon. This is the cable that you'd find connecting the actual speaker to the speaker out jack on a blackface Fender amp. But I don't know what the durned things are called--Rat Shack lists them as "Disconnectors", but that ain't right! http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=3060975

I need the female variety.

Anyone knows a good source for these, better yet!

Matt

[Roger Kelly]

They're called Push-on Terminals....male/female type.
Here is a link to a company that sells them. You may have to make up your own cable to get what you want.

http://www.jajcorp.com/jajcorp/pg20.html

[Jerry Erickson]

You should probably be able to find them at Lowe's, Home Depot, True Value etc. Lowe's was calling them terminal connectors. I've also seen them in Auto Zone.

[Matt Berg]

Anyone know a source for premade cables?

I'd rather spend the cash than risk a cold solder joint at a gig.

I suppose I could buy a Speakon to Speakon and cannibalize one end or cut it in half and make a spare.

[Dominic Macrone]

http://www.monstercable.com/pro_audio/u ... &type2=165

Matt - I just bought the Monster 1/4" to faston (they are the speaker connections) for my fender amp. I don't see a speakon end choice, but they do have other variants. Yes, they are a bit pricey but longer, more durable, and much better looking than stock Fender.

[Matt Berg]

Thanks, Dominic.

$20 is expensive, but still affordable, and I like the right angle on the 1/4 inch connector.

I don't know if I buy all the goobledygook about time advance windings, but I am sure it will suffice if I don't find the SpeakOn (Never actually used one of these before...).

M

[Matt Berg]

Found this from mojotone who calls them speaker crimps:

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/Wirin ... e-1-4-Plug

They have lots of variations on the 1/4 inch plug (AKA phone plug) with the original Fender vibe.

Or I could man up and get the soldering gun out, but that's an hour I could do smething else, like play!

[John Gould]

We always called them SPADE lugs. I guess that is no longer the proper term.

[Matt Berg]

I thought they were spades too, until I found that spades are really the lugs that you use a screw to fasten.

[Ray Riley]

Any electrical whole sale house or hardware has them. I have used them for 48 years. Sta-kons. different sizes for different size wire. Ray

[Matt Berg]

The guys at http://procablesnsound.com added "female crimp ons" to their website for me as an alternative to the phone plug, no upcharge. I think I'll buy the SpeakOn hype and go with it instead of the 1/4 inch.

Just to recap, in just a couple of days, this connector has been referred to as:

crimp on
spade
disconnector
faston
terminal connector
push-on
sta-kon


Kinda weird this $0.50 piece doesn't rate a standard name!

Matt

[Ken Fox]

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts?search=harness

[Matt Berg]

Yeah man, their stuff looks right and is priced fair too. I'm not sure if the speakons make a real difference for power handling. Since it's for a bass amp, if it makes a difference at all, it's more likely to make a difference for bass than a guitar amp.

[Dominic Macrone]

Matt - yeah, I never bought the high end cables with the thought that they have changed the sound, the nature of electrons, etc... I just wanted the toughest cable possible as I have been known to pinch a cable, drop a cable, step on a cable, close a trunk on a cable, etc...

I do use speakons for my PA and bass amp connections and really like the way they lock in on the connection.

[David Mason]

I never bought into the cryogenically-realigned, blessed-by-a-nun hype cable either, but I do like Speakons for the mechanical properties - when a drunk trips over it, the drunk falls over instead of your speaker cutting out.

[Ken Fox]

After years of working as a NICEET Certified Fire Systems Designer and also designing other low voltage systems including pro audio, intercom, paging, nurse call systems, RF systems and more, I learned a lot about voltage drop calculations, wire gauge and it current capability. There is a lot of hype out there!

[Jack Stoner]

I agree with Ken. I've been in electronics and computers in some sort since I went into the Air Force in 1955, including having a General Class Ham Radio License and a 2nd Class FCC Radiotelephone license and working as an amp tech.

One thing I find "interesting" is that at least one of the "high end" (high priced) companies that sells cables does not list the actual electronics specs for their guitar cables - and that is very critical. A cable can look nice, look rugged, even have a "lifetime" warranty but if the electronics specs are crap it's a poor cable.

[Matt Berg]

Yeah, I am not one to buy the hype usually, and agree that the bulk of the appeal of the speakon is it's sturdiness. Since I am really just using it to swap heads on a combo amp, it really shouldn't make a difference, but one never knows....

At the risk of major topic drift, what's the deal with these new instrument cables that aren't bidirectional? I know someone who bought one (life time guarantee, etc.) and already had to replace a failed unit. Seems like extra hassle, making sure it's connected the right way. Supposed to be lower noise, blahdeblahblah....

[Scott Appleton]

crimp on . . male and female spade connectors .. thats what we called Em
in auto shop .. 1964 .. spade or blade or circle or bayonet or split forked ..
that flat one that pushes onto the speaker + and - .. has a kind of curled edge.