Cab Speaker Wiring........

[amp boy]

Hello all,

I would like to ask if anyone has some thoughts to share on this issue.
I have a new cab, and i've never wired a cab before, and am looking to learn what i can. The issue is :

2 x 16 ohm speakers
3 x separate inputs ( one for each speaker, and one for both )

I don't know how to go about wiring this since i cannot find a diagram on this, and this idea of having your cab setup like this makes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to much sense to me.

I would also like to ask if any of you have some advice on speaker wire.
I am going to have to go out and get some this week, and i don't want to buy crap nor waste money on bull. I will probably have to get some mounting hardware as well come to think of it, and two amp to cab cables, since there will be two cabs from time to time.
So your thoughts on that would also be appreciated.

Thank you kindly for your time and thought.

- Amp boy vs disco boy (zappa track)............Amp boy better win !!!!!!!

[Chuck H]

There's no good way to wire that I know of. You would be better off with two jacks and a switch.

Speaker cable is a no brainer. Use well insulated stranded copper cable 18ga or bigger. I often use plain ol' household extention cord cable. The kind with two side by side insulated pvc jackets, one ribbed. Cheap and effective. I don't use "monster" cable anymore. The clear insulated stuff. It has oxidized badly in many cabs I've used it on. A clear case of marketing hype over quality IMHO.

As far as buying phone end speaker cables, just buy whatever is cheapest and gets the job done. The only way to get better quality in ordinary manufactured cables is to intentionally seek out the most expensive one you can buy. And it will be overkill for your application (gold plating, yada). Well, Don't buy those crappy molded Radio Shack turds. Thats not what I mean. But get regular soldered plug end rubber jacket cables.

Chuck

[gbono]

These are worth the money - especially if you are rough on gear.
http://www.neutrik.com/us/en/audio/productline.aspx

[cbarrow7625]

You don't need 3 jacks. A pair of switching jacks should get the job done (you know, the good old type used on any old Fender amp). Wire the Hot from one jack to the switch contact from the second jack (each hot going to a separate speaker). When you plug into the jack where the hot is wired to the other jacks switch, both speakers are connected. When you plug into both jacks the switch no longer makes contact with the hot of the second input and both jacks work independently. Simple.

Radio shack used to sell a plastic jack that included two independent switches on it, youcan do all kinds of cool stuff with that. It was intended for PCB use but it can be soldered to as well, the pins are big enough. I just don't know if they still stock it.

[Chuck H]

Gbono, Those are really great. I saw those at NAMM this year for the first time. When I think of all the accidents that just I have seen that could have been avoided...Kudos to them.

Cbarrow, I thought about that and had it drawn up last night. The only trouble I saw was that if your using two different amps (one into each speaker) they share the - speaker lead, creating a second path to ground for each amp, and that could mean ground loop hum.

Chuck

[cbarrow7625]

Good Point. It could cause ground loop hum, but not always. it's probably worth a try. The jacks with a pair of switches that I mentioned would solve that.