Choosing a speaker jack

[Pixel]

I am putting a Bogen PH10 PA amp into a cabinet to use as a head. What kind of speaker jack should I put on it? I see there are some high power options like the Switchcraft Z15J but is something like this overkill and I should just use a Switchcraft 11? Or something else entirely like a Speakon?

Thanks, Jeff

[xtian]

Standard 1/4" phono jacks have done fine in a billion builds. That said, I like these jacks--they have twice the contact surface: https://www.tubesandmore.com/product...o-open-circuit

[Enzo]

It is just a little amp, and plain old vanilla Switchcraft #11 or similar have worked flawlessly for decades on zillions of old Fender amps, so I'd have to say they would work fine for you too.

I might choose a Cliff-type jack for convenience if I wanted it insulated from the chassis.

[Leo_Gnardo]

I'm with Enzo, the old tried & true Switchcraft #11 and its mates serve well and at a fair price.

Though... I did notice the fancy schmantzy Pure Tone jacks when Stu Mac started carrying them a few years back. Might have to score a couple just to check 'em out. Somehow I don't expect to be convinced they're worth the price difference.

[g1]

Standard 1/4" phono jacks have done fine in a billion builds. That said, I like these jacks--they have twice the contact surface:

These are nice for big power applications. I think Peavey used to use a Neutrik that had double tip contacts in some of their high power PA gear.

[Enzo]

Peavey may still do, but I think they came from Switchcraft...I could be wrong. They are special made, not catalog. Standard connector housing, but a second tip contact inserted where the ring contact would have gone.

[jack briggs]

Standard 1/4" phono jacks have done fine in a billion builds. That said, I like these jacks--they have twice the contact surface: https://www.tubesandmore.com/product...o-open-circuit

That's what I use in my guitars.

[jack briggs]

I'm with Enzo, the old tried & true Switchcraft #11 and its mates serve well and at a fair price.

Though... I did notice the fancy schmantzy Pure Tone jacks when Stu Mac started carrying them a few years back. Might have to score a couple just to check 'em out. Somehow I don't expect to be convinced they're worth the price difference.

Not that much more that SC

[Leo_Gnardo]

These are nice for big power applications. I think Peavey used to use a Neutrik that had double tip contacts in some of their high power PA gear.

I remember seeing those dual-tip jacks occasionally in Peavey products. Got me thinking... Somewhere (WHERE???) I recall reading that the standard #11 jack is rated for 5 amps of current, not much when you're connecting big amps to big speakers. Consider the tip connection - there's not enough metal to metal connection to carry much current. To illustrate what can go wrong: one time I found a JBL subwoofer where the Switchcraft jack was charred, the phenolic insulators turned into mostly carbon and conductive, presenting a 1 ohm shunt to the suffering amp trying to drive the box. 5 amps might do for an 8 ohm speaker at 200 watts, or 4 ohms at 100 watts, beyond that you're asking for trouble. Presumably that's why high-power speaker connections have mostly gone to those big nobbly Neutrik connectors, but I'm not too thrilled with them either.

I notice on the Pure-tone photo there's an extra set of sleeve contacts besides the double tip contact. One would expect "oh boy extra current handling!" so with that in mind I'll take jack briggs' hint "not that much more" $$ and score some from CE where I'm soon to file an order. I'm sure they're all that and a bag of chips for guitar jacks - not much current handling needed there - but a solid connection without crackles is surefire advantage anywhere.

[J M Fahey]

Double tip contacts are well worth paying for, no pixie dust on that feature.

[Pixel]

Thanks for the help, going to go with the Switchcraft #11. Those double tip jacks are really cool though and I'll try to add some to an order sometime if the supplier has them.