Discussion:
Best XLRs ?
(too old to reply)
geoff
2018-06-03 00:53:50 UTC
Permalink
Having a spate of XLRs with their rubber or plastic 'boot'
strain-reliefs getting either simply pulled out of the shell, or worse
ripped, split, whatever , but mostly irreparably damaged.

Short of dumping my clumsy client-base, any suggestions of the best (and
hopefully affordable) brand/model XLRs that can survive stage-use ?

I think the worst use is on stage monitors where monitors get moved or
cables tripped on...

geoff
cameronproaudio
2019-02-01 19:13:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Having a spate of XLRs with their rubber or plastic 'boot'
strain-reliefs getting either simply pulled out of the shell, or worse
ripped, split, whatever , but mostly irreparably damaged.
Short of dumping my clumsy client-base, any suggestions of the best (and
hopefully affordable) brand/model XLRs that can survive stage-use ?
I think the worst use is on stage monitors where monitors get moved or
cables tripped on...
geoff
What are you using currently? Industry standard is Neutrik, and for good reason. They're solid and easy to assemble. The biggest issue I've had with them is occasionally with the male ends, the metal bridge that creates the hole for the locking tab to click into can get ripped out. However, it's easy to replace that sleeve when needed.
t***@gmail.com
2019-02-01 23:20:46 UTC
Permalink
cameronproaudio:

Perhaps that's sort of what happened to
a Speak-on connector of theirs when I
was attempting to disconnect it from a
PA speaker during striking after a campus
gig.

Thing just disintegrated into multiple pieces
in my hands!
cameronproaudio
2019-02-01 23:31:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
Perhaps that's sort of what happened to
a Speak-on connector of theirs when I
was attempting to disconnect it from a
PA speaker during striking after a campus
gig.
Thing just disintegrated into multiple pieces
in my hands!
The original Speakons weren't all that robust. The newer basic ones are better now, but the more expensive STX series is pretty solid. https://www.neutrik.com/en/neutrik/products/speakon-loudspeaker-connectors/speakon-cable-connectors/stx-series
geoff
2019-02-02 00:13:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by cameronproaudio
Post by geoff
Having a spate of XLRs with their rubber or plastic 'boot'
strain-reliefs getting either simply pulled out of the shell, or worse
ripped, split, whatever , but mostly irreparably damaged.
Short of dumping my clumsy client-base, any suggestions of the best (and
hopefully affordable) brand/model XLRs that can survive stage-use ?
I think the worst use is on stage monitors where monitors get moved or
cables tripped on...
geoff
What are you using currently? Industry standard is Neutrik, and for good reason. They're solid and easy to assemble. The biggest issue I've had with them is occasionally with the male ends, the metal bridge that creates the hole for the locking tab to click into can get ripped out. However, it's easy to replace that sleeve when needed.
Neutriks have suffered the torn/broken/popped-out out strain-relief
syndrome just like others ....

geoff
t***@gmail.com
2019-02-05 11:12:54 UTC
Permalink
geoff: Posts like this - and there's a lot! - make me wonder
why the speakon was ever developed:

https://www.reddit.com/r/livesound/comments/84oxp8/speakon_stuck_into_speaker_incorrectly_tips_for/

Seems like it needlessly over-complicates the process of
hooking up speakers, even for pro-live.
cameronproaudio
2019-02-05 17:20:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
geoff: Posts like this - and there's a lot! - make me wonder
https://www.reddit.com/r/livesound/comments/84oxp8/speakon_stuck_into_speaker_incorrectly_tips_for/
Seems like it needlessly over-complicates the process of
hooking up speakers, even for pro-live.
What else would you suggest? The precursor for multi-way speaker systems was the Amphenol/Cannon EP/AP series connectors which have a lot more problems. I know, because I still have to use EP-8s and EP-4s for my speakers. Pain in the ass to solder, the shells bend easily, and the strain relief clamps fall apart all the time. They also can get intermittent with age. The Neutrik STX series is pretty bullet proof in comparison. The pin contact system is superior to any other speaker connector I can recall in recent history as well.
t***@gmail.com
2019-02-05 17:24:29 UTC
Permalink
cameronproaudio wrote: "What else would you suggest?"

Good ol' quarter inch? Or XLR, but I don't think that
carries speaker loads - yet.
cameronproaudio
2019-02-05 17:38:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
cameronproaudio wrote: "What else would you suggest?"
Good ol' quarter inch? Or XLR, but I don't think that
carries speaker loads - yet.
1/4" "phone" plugs are 2nd only to RCA connectors in terrible reliability. They are wholly unsuitable for professional applications for good reason. Also, if a 1/4" plug gets pulled out part way (which does happen easily), you've now just shorted out your amp outputs. Also, with either of those connectors, how do you propose to power a multi-way speaker system like a 2-way, 3-way, or 4-way box? You would need a separate connection for each bandpass. I'd have to have FOUR 1/4" jacks for every box instead of one. And you also exponentially increase the change for error when plugging in, e.g. you plug the in the jack for the woofers into the horns by accident. Power up and play something, and poof! -there goes your high frequency drivers. And like I said before, those 1/4" plugs would probably be falling out all the time and they wear out pretty fast too. They're also not great for higher current signals since they use only a tiny fraction of their surface area for contact between plug and jack. In higher current applications, they get warm pretty fast.

XLRs are a more reliable connector and have been used in the 70s and 80s to power speakers. But they're not made for larger gauge wire and suffer from the same issue for multi-way systems - you need more than 1 per box for anything but full range.

Even the annoying EP series connectors are far superior to either of those suggestions. If you're not familiar with them, they're basically giant XLR connectors with up to 8 large pins. Speakon STX is better.
cameronproaudio
2019-02-05 17:59:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by cameronproaudio
Post by t***@gmail.com
cameronproaudio wrote: "What else would you suggest?"
Good ol' quarter inch? Or XLR, but I don't think that
carries speaker loads - yet.
1/4" "phone" plugs are 2nd only to RCA connectors in terrible reliability. They are wholly unsuitable for professional applications for good reason. Also, if a 1/4" plug gets pulled out part way (which does happen easily), you've now just shorted out your amp outputs. Also, with either of those connectors, how do you propose to power a multi-way speaker system like a 2-way, 3-way, or 4-way box? You would need a separate connection for each bandpass. I'd have to have FOUR 1/4" jacks for every box instead of one. And you also exponentially increase the change for error when plugging in, e.g. you plug the in the jack for the woofers into the horns by accident. Power up and play something, and poof! -there goes your high frequency drivers. And like I said before, those 1/4" plugs would probably be falling out all the time and they wear out pretty fast too. They're also not great for higher current signals since they use only a tiny fraction of their surface area for contact between plug and jack. In higher current applications, they get warm pretty fast.
XLRs are a more reliable connector and have been used in the 70s and 80s to power speakers. But they're not made for larger gauge wire and suffer from the same issue for multi-way systems - you need more than 1 per box for anything but full range.
Even the annoying EP series connectors are far superior to either of those suggestions. If you're not familiar with them, they're basically giant XLR connectors with up to 8 large pins. Speakon STX is better.
PA-Con connectors that L'Acoustics uses on their newest line array boxes like the K2 would really be the way to go though. Very robust. But very expensive and the cables would be cost prohibitive for average small time sound folks: https://www.vdctrading.com/shop/connectors/professional-speaker-pa-connectors/van-damme-pa-con/8-pole-pa-con/ .

The issue with these is that the surface mount connectors stick out quite a bit requiring the speaker box to be designed with a well recessed port area. Something cheap speaker makers won't do.
geoff
2019-02-06 00:46:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
cameronproaudio wrote: "What else would you suggest?"
Good ol' quarter inch? Or XLR, but I don't think that
carries speaker loads - yet.
They both used to, and still plenty of older speakers around sporting
them both.

Jack being the worst - fragile and sticky-outy - even the 'heavy-duty'
versions.

geoff
geoff
2019-02-06 00:44:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
geoff: Posts like this - and there's a lot! - make me wonder
https://www.reddit.com/r/livesound/comments/84oxp8/speakon_stuck_into_speaker_incorrectly_tips_for/
Seems like it needlessly over-complicates the process of
hooking up speakers, even for pro-live.
No. Speakon simplify the process, and are more robust and foolproof than
the popular older alternatives of jack or XLR, each of which had
potentially dire problems of their own.

The strain-relief problem I have been referring to relates to mic and
line purpose cables.

geoff
cameronproaudio
2019-02-05 17:12:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Post by cameronproaudio
Post by geoff
Having a spate of XLRs with their rubber or plastic 'boot'
strain-reliefs getting either simply pulled out of the shell, or worse
ripped, split, whatever , but mostly irreparably damaged.
Short of dumping my clumsy client-base, any suggestions of the best (and
hopefully affordable) brand/model XLRs that can survive stage-use ?
I think the worst use is on stage monitors where monitors get moved or
cables tripped on...
geoff
What are you using currently? Industry standard is Neutrik, and for good reason. They're solid and easy to assemble. The biggest issue I've had with them is occasionally with the male ends, the metal bridge that creates the hole for the locking tab to click into can get ripped out. However, it's easy to replace that sleeve when needed.
Neutriks have suffered the torn/broken/popped-out out strain-relief
syndrome just like others ....
geoff
Interesting. I've got mic cables going on 20+ years with the original Neutrik XLR connectors with hardly any failures. Most of the failures I've encounter have been cold solder joints (not the fault of the connector) and a couple where a female pin had bad contact due to widening. But I can't recall the last time I had a strain relief failure. You must be hard on your cords ;-)
geoff
2019-02-06 00:48:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by cameronproaudio
Post by geoff
Post by cameronproaudio
Post by geoff
Having a spate of XLRs with their rubber or plastic 'boot'
strain-reliefs getting either simply pulled out of the shell, or worse
ripped, split, whatever , but mostly irreparably damaged.
Short of dumping my clumsy client-base, any suggestions of the best (and
hopefully affordable) brand/model XLRs that can survive stage-use ?
I think the worst use is on stage monitors where monitors get moved or
cables tripped on...
geoff
What are you using currently? Industry standard is Neutrik, and for good reason. They're solid and easy to assemble. The biggest issue I've had with them is occasionally with the male ends, the metal bridge that creates the hole for the locking tab to click into can get ripped out. However, it's easy to replace that sleeve when needed.
Neutriks have suffered the torn/broken/popped-out out strain-relief
syndrome just like others ....
geoff
Interesting. I've got mic cables going on 20+ years with the original Neutrik XLR connectors with hardly any failures. Most of the failures I've encounter have been cold solder joints (not the fault of the connector) and a couple where a female pin had bad contact due to widening. But I can't recall the last time I had a strain relief failure. You must be hard on your cords ;-)
Not me. It's always the other people who f-up your gear, eh !

geoff

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