Cables for external crossover with Amigas

[TheManFromDenver]

Building the Amigas with the crossovers in external boxes (aesthetic preference) and need to determine if basic XLR cables would work well and without any effect on signal or sound. Cables will be 4 pole to support the separate driver signals of the two way design, and also only need to be about 3ft.

A single cable look is also a visual preference, otherwise I would just use separate speaker wire. Is XLR a hifi-ready choice, or is there a better cable-type option?

[Steve Lee]

Are you expecting to drive the speakers with thin gauge XLR cable or just using the connectors with thicker cable?

[JonathanPenner]

I wondered something similar. The response was to use Speakon instead of XLR since it's designed for this kind of thing.

https://techtalk.parts-express.com/f...utput-over-xlr

[TheManFromDenver]

Thanks for the link to the other thread. I am aware of the speakon cable but am unsure of whether it’s actually anything special given the snake oil out there when it comes to Hifi cables. My idea was just to use 4 pin xlr style connectors with the same gauge cable as would otherwise be present.

[billfitzmaurice]

Speakon isn't a cable, it's a connector, specifically designed for use with speakers. For the most part the power used in home systems isn't high enough for Speakons to be of much advantage. In pro-sound applications Speakon has been the gold standard for the last 20 years.

[fpitas]

First time I've heard Speakons called snake oil. It's a rugged connector that accepts large gauge wire. I doubt audiophiles are hooking their Litz wire speaker cables up with them

They're pretty cheap for what you get, too:

https://www.parts-express.com/search...relevance:desc

[TheManFromDenver]

I meant that there’s a lot of snake oil among the hifi accessories you see being sold, but don’t know enough about the speakon products to understand their quality.

I just don’t want to undercut the full potential of the amigas because of the cables or connectors.

[fpitas]

Like Bill said, Speakons are primarily a no-nonsense connector for pro sound. If anything they're overkill for your application, but they're so cheap it's not worth arguing about.

[Wolf]

XLR are not meant for the kind of current SpeakOns can supply.
AND, you don't want to mistake an XLR cable with speaker voltage, for one with low-signal voltage. Something might fry.
Use the connectors made for your application, and don't sub in something that was not intended to create a less than ideal situation.
Wolf

[Paul Carmody]

*crowd chants louder* "SPEA-KON! SPEA-KON! SPEA-KON!"

But seriously, they're fantastic connectors and are built for exactly what you're trying to do.

[djg]

Your biggest problem will be having to buy minimum 25' of four conductor cable for 6 feet used. I sliced up my excess four conductor cable and used the wire for various projects.

[fpitas]

I'd think a pair of good old 12AWG zip cords would work fine here. Or even 14AWG.