[Kevin Haskins]

Hey... I'm designing a new little beefy monoblock amplifier, aimed mainly at high-end audio use.   I love Speakon connectors but you don't see them much in anything but Pro-audio gear.    How many people would use them if I put them on the back of a high-end audio product? 

[TomS]

I love them and use them on my plate amp to sub cabinet connections now.  If I was multi-amping I would definitely use them on the speaker end, just to make sure it never gets screwed up.

As far as the high end amp end, it obviously limits the fancy cables people might want to use that already have spades or bananas, so you'd have to be ready to provide a Speakon to binding post adapter of some sort.

I've used Cardas Patented Binding Posts (CPBP) on my amps and like those a lot too.  I learned that from living with the Merlin VSM-MX's for a long time.  The CPBP's limit you to using spades, but have definitely spoiled me rotten with their ease of use and durability, as opposed to ones like soft copper Edison Price posts and low mass Eichmann posts.

[smk]

Would I have a choice?

[Kevin Haskins]

Would I have a choice?

Right now I have one of the Cardas binding post on board.   This is all mounted on a PCB so the mechanical spacing for the rear panel becomes problematic the more connectors you mount on the PCB.   

I think I'll leave it with just the binding post.  There are probably a couple stray people who would use the Speakon but the Cardas post is nice and I don't think anyone will cry if they are forced to use a Cardas part.

[Bob Wilcox]

I used to own an amp with speakon connectors. I had them changed to the plastic shielded WBTs that accept spades. The speakons are hard to install on speaker cables and are only intended to accept a narrow range of gauges. Tiny parts inside are intended to crimp on to the limited gauge conductors. It is easy to damage them during termination.

They do provide a secure connection but I found them impractical overall. The patented Cardas mentioned are very nice but any Cardas (except the nickle plated) are adequate.

[Kevin Haskins]

I used to own an amp with speakon connectors. I had them changed to the plastic shielded WBTs that accept spades. The speakons are hard to install on speaker cables and are only intended to accept a narrow range of gauges. Tiny parts inside are intended to crimp on to the limited gauge conductors. It is easy to damage them during termination.

They do provide a secure connection but I found them impractical overall. The patented Cardas mentioned are very nice but any Cardas (except the nickle plated) are adequate.

I like the patented ones too but they don't have a PCB mount version.    I'm going with the CCGR PC which is all copper, rhodium over silver. 

[cujobob]

Not popular enough to consider IMHO.

[JimJ]

I'd use them, but then again, I see them at work all the time

For high-end audio, you'd have to find rhodium-plated ones, though 

[Russtafarian]

I love speakon connectors and use them on the amps I put together for my own use. 

A few years ago I asked Steve McCormack why they aren't used in high end audio.  He agreed that it's great connector but said cable manufacturers have too much invested in marketing and selling garden hose sized cables and jewelry connectors.

Russ

[Sonny]

I love speakon connectors and use them on the amps I put together for my own use. 

A few years ago I asked Steve McCormack why they aren't used in high end audio.  He agreed that it's great connector but said cable manufacturers have too much invested in marketing and selling garden hose sized cables and jewelry connectors.

Russ

I love them too, they are simple and connections never go loose...
I've been thinking of upgrading my DIY XO boxt to use them!
T

[Bill Baker]

 I too love and use Speak-On connectors. I think the Power-Con connectors for power cords is the way to go but as others mentioned, it would take away from the versitility of rolling cables.

The Power-Cons provide what I beleive to be the best contact without the worry of your 10 lb power cord falling out of the IEC.

 I don't think Speak-Ons will ever become main stream in the high end audio industry. Too bad.

[mjosef]

Probably wouldn't buy the amp if it was so. 

[Kevin Haskins]

So the consensus is.... no consensus!     

I'll make them an option.   That solves the problem and if you want one, you can have one.   I agree the Powercon units are a better connector than an IEC.   But.... it isn't the standard and I'm using a PCB mount IEC with an RFI filter built into it so that unit isn't going to change.