1/4" Jacks in wall for Speakers

[rex]

WAF driving me nuts. Front speakers in wall, surrounds in ceiling, subwoofer in cabinet. Back surrounds will be tucked up between some beams (I know that sucks also). WAF says the speakers must plug into an invisible outlet, but the best I can come up with is 1/4" jacks. I don't suppose that would create another problem would it, or is there some reason why separation is better as in typical termination posts?

[nathan]

You not want to use 1/4" jacks for speaker connections. If your amplifier is on when you insert the connector, you can ground the output of the amplifier. This is bad! If you must use 1/4" jacks, make sure everything is plugged up before you turn on the amplifiers.

> WAF driving me nuts. Front speakers in wall,
> surrounds in ceiling, subwoofer in cabinet.
> Back surrounds will be tucked up between
> some beams (I know that sucks also). WAF
> says the speakers must plug into an
> invisible outlet, but the best I can come up
> with is 1/4" jacks. I don't suppose
> that would create another problem would it,
> or is there some reason why separation is
> better as in typical termination posts?

[rex]

Thanks Nathan! I always kne it was a big NO NO to plug, or unplug, connect, or disconnect, any speaker with the amp on. However, I never knew how serious it could get. Nevertheless, 1/4" plug, or any other terminator, it's the same issue. Your point is very well taken if activity in and about the speaker could cause an "unplug" which would be much more possible with 1/4" plug. But these are going up high near the ceiling.

[Paul O]

> Nevertheless, 1/4" plug, or any other terminator, it's the same issue.

Not entirely. With 1/4 connectors you have to slide the tip thru the sleave, so there's a high short potential. If you use an XLR connector for example, there's no short potential because the pins are seperated and the whole connector is keyed so you can't put it in wrong. You can plug and unplug live all day long and not harm anything. And believe it or not, the XLR can probably sustain a higher power level because the contact area on the pins is greater that that of a 1/4 connector.. assuming correct wire size is used.

[trevorg]

Whats WAF? Thanks

[jeffman]

[rex]

Ahhhh! Thanks. I'll look into that. Maybe not for the application mentioned (nearly permanent - little need for in/out of plug), but more likely for the outside array.

[adamgeron]

> You not want to use 1/4" jacks for
> speaker connections. If your amplifier is on
> when you insert the connector, you can
> ground the output of the amplifier. This is
> bad! If you must use 1/4" jacks, make
> sure everything is plugged up before you
> turn on the amplifiers.

I hate the burst the bubble here, but 1/4" is THE most common speaker connector (due to the Pro Sound industry). They can be hot plugged. You just want to unplug at the amp end first. If it's wired in wall to a jack near the speaker, then you're fine as long as you unplug at the wall first. If you are trying to stealth the connection while still maintaining a disconnect, then I would use standard binding posts, as they are the lowest profile. I have seen those home theater plates with the little holes that you just slide the bare wire in, but I wouldn't trust that kind of connection.

[Paul O]

> I hate the burst the bubble here, but 1/4" is THE most common speaker connector (due to the Pro Sound industry). They can be hot plugged.

Well it's more like they used-to-be the most common speaker connector, you'll find Speakon <A HREF="http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber=092-050&DID=7&raid=32&rak=092-050">http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber=092-050&DID=7&raid=32&rak=092-050</A> connectors on anything worth buying these days. And yes, the 1/4 can be unplugged hot, but you're relying on the amplifiers protection circuits to prevent disaster, and pro amps have good protection circuits. The same cannot be said for all home audio amps, though!!

[rex]

WOW! Great debate! Very good points. Since the inside speakers will hardly ever get unplugged (just for cleaning or OMG - a repair), I'll go with 1/4". Outside though, they'll be a coming and a going. This is So. Fla. and they will not do well flapping along the side of my house in a hurricane wind. To lessen chances of dissaster, speak-on sounds the way to go. It's a small price to pay for a bit more safety that could protect the costly receiver (it's really not that costly, but I'm still a newbie).

[Bruce]

Hey Trevor, enjoy your life now without having to consider SAF/WAF. Sounds like, at this stage in your life, you only have PAF to be concerned about.

Speaker technology and construction seem to be a "guy thing". What speakers look like, where they are placed and how they visually relate to everything else in the room often requires a high SAF.

Most men dream of meeting the ideal woman; many women dream of "making" the man "ideal". ;) I'm not saying that's necessarily bad, but "how it looks", to many women, can become far more important than "how it sounds".

In our open-plan house, the right surround speaker has to be moved to the "middle of the room" during movies to function properly. Leaving it there permanently, once the movie's over, would be a huge mistake! (extremely low SAF)

Today I installed Bass Shakers under the couch. My wife doesn't know...yet....heh heh.

But which movie with great LFE, can I play that will garner her approval (after all, I didn't get permission)?

Let's see: Saving Private Ryan, Matrix or any other "heavy duty action" movie won't do it. (Don't even mention The Haunting...great LFE, but verrrry low SAF - I even got chilled watching it).

Maybe something like Serenity, with a great script, lotsa interstellar rumble and a half-decent plot, may cut the mustard here.

Whaddya think? Any recommendations?

[unknownuser]

my vote is still for speakon connectors. WAY better connection than 1/4" and super cool too.


(Originally posted by: seanmcd)

[adamgeron]

> Well it's more like they used-to-be the most
> common speaker connector, you'll find
> Speakon
> <A HREF="http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber=092-050&DID=7&raid=32&rak=092-050">http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber=092-050&DID=7&raid=32&rak=092-050</A>
> connectors on anything worth buying these
> days. And yes, the 1/4 can be unplugged hot,
> but you're relying on the amplifiers
> protection circuits to prevent disaster, and
> pro amps have good protection circuits. The
> same cannot be said for all home audio amps,
> though!!

Trust me when I say I know all about Speakon, I love them things. Most affordable pro equipment and the older stuff that those of us without large budgets deal with still uses 1/4". And I am not relying on the amp protection circuits. When a 1/4" is unplugged the first contact to break is the hot. You still get that nasty thump though. The only point of caution comes when plugging in a cable that is already hot to a jack that has an earth ground. Of course you could also have a problem blindly wielding a hot cable should the tip happen to hit something grounded. Anyway, a right angle 1/4" would be incredibly low profile as well. For an outside connector, you'll want something weatherproof or you'll want the point of connection in a weather shielded location. Those speakons are truly wonderful connectors though, especially those 8-pole ones for tri-amped plus sub systems. Through a couple K2's behind it and you have an awesome system, if you've got the money.