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Topic:
Query using banana plug couplers instead of an audio patch panel
This thread has 9 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Sunday August 25, 2019 at 05:57
james_aa
Long Time Member
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January 2018
227
Ive got an install where we are putting in 2x racks.

1) 6u patch / network rack
2) 24u main AV rack

The main AV rack will be built off site and contain a multi zone amp, there is no room in the patch rack for a speaker terminal patch panel, could i put banana plug couplers on the speaker cables to join the speaker cables coming out of the main AV rack to the speaker cables coming out of the wall to the speakers ?

Would this cause any issues / audio degradation ?
Post 2 made on Sunday August 25, 2019 at 06:39
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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This could be done, but it might cause some signal degradation.

Using banana jacks on the wall to connect to amps in a rack was discussed recently and the answers and comments stopped coming when some brilliant person said "speaker wires should be connected directly to the amplifier. Anything else is just busy work." (James, actually I thought you were the one who wrote that.)

Going back to your question, why would there EVER be a speaker terminal patch panel? Because the center speaker will have to have the left channel signal for a few minutes, or your dining room left speaker will need to be connected to the patio right amp output for an hour or so? This change would be done using 14 gauge wire, with banana plugs, into a panel of banana jacks, moving from one jack to another?

There may be a bit of signal degradation. Just do the best thing: leave enough slack coming out of the wall to be able to connect directly to the amp(s).

I suppose part of your rack issue is that you might not be able to stand behind the rack and bring the wires right up to the amp terminals. If that's the case, you can do what pros used to do in situations like this: create a harness of nicely labeled wires with spade lugs on the end, with the wire lengths worked out so the harness feeds nicely to a set of barrier terminals.



The spade lugs go under 6-32 screws which are tightened securely. The terminals in the picture are (at least, used to be called) a Y barrier strip. It's built so there's a piece of metal that pokes through the bottom of the connector. This is for chassis-mounted strips. If you just had wire coming in from both sides, you'd use spade lugs on each side.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 3 made on Monday August 26, 2019 at 09:11
lippavisual
Senior Member
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1,458
Why not just wire the speaker cables coming out the wall directly to the amps? Why do you need to patch them? Cables too short??
Post 4 made on Monday August 26, 2019 at 09:41
Mission Systems
Long Time Member
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March 2011
76
In the past I have used some DIN rail connectors for this exact application. I will take the speaker cabling in the house and land them on a DIN rail near the racking and then finish it off with patch cords between the equipment and the DIN rail connector. This allows me to replace the shorter cords if equipment location changes and the connection is rock solid.
"Hope is for suckers and fools"
Post 5 made on Monday August 26, 2019 at 18:56
buzz
Super Member
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4,366
I'm not a fan of banana's for stationary connections. By "stationary" I mean connections that will not be regularly broken down. Banana's are not "gas tight" and there will eventually be some corrosion. Yes, you could use gold plugs and jacks, but the gold wipes off easily. If the rig will move at least a few times a year and the banana connections will be broken down with the moves, bananas will work OK and allow quick and easy movement of the rig.

In our retail store I had a banana based speaker demo patch panel. I used gold plated plugs, but this was all for show because the jacks were not plated and the gold wore off the plugs after the first few days. This was not a major issue because the plugs and jacks were naturally cleaned multiple times a day during routine use.

And, I won't argue with anyone who points out that any connection will degrade the signal. With the banana's on the job you'll have speaker wire to jack, banana to banana, wire to banana plug, and wire to equipment. That's a lot of connections compared to speaker wire direct to equipment.
Post 6 made on Tuesday August 27, 2019 at 09:28
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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On August 26, 2019 at 09:41, Mission Systems said...
In the past I have used some DIN rail connectors for this exact application. I will take the speaker cabling in the house and land them on a DIN rail near the racking and then finish it off with patch cords between the equipment and the DIN rail connector. This allows me to replace the shorter cords if equipment location changes and the connection is rock solid.

I've used very few DIN rail things, so...
When you "land" the speaker cabling, do bare wires go into a binding post? Tinned multi-strand wire go into a spring-type clamp? Or?

The fact of it being DIN or not doesn't matter as much as the metal to metal contact and how good it is.

What do you mean by "patch cords" with, I take it, speaker wire? I once built a demo system that used dual 1/4" phone plugs. These never sounded bad, probably because, as buzz pointed out, they got wiped regularly by plugging and unplugging.

And what is it about the patch cord connection that is rock solid? I'd say "rock solid" for spade lugs under terminal strip screws, for instance.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 7 made on Tuesday August 27, 2019 at 09:38
Rob Grabon
Founding Member
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Sample Dinrail
[Link: amazon.com]

You can reorder so alternate red/black, buy spacers to separate etc.
Technology is cheap, Time is expensive.
Post 8 made on Tuesday August 27, 2019 at 10:48
Nick-ISI
Long Time Member
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September 2004
490
We use Neutrik Speakon connectors for this.

Allows us to professionally terminate the drop cables (and test) before the main rack gets delivered (often some months later).
What do you mean you wanted it on the other wall - couldn't you have mentioned this when we prewired?
Post 9 made on Tuesday August 27, 2019 at 15:16
Mac Burks (39)
Elite Member
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May 2007
17,515
I terminate wire directly to the amps. It will be the one bundle you dont have a disconnect for but its also the the one device you wont have to touch in 10 years.

I have done a few clean up projects where the existing speaker cable wont reach the new amp location. For this scenario i put a can in the wall and bring the existing speaker cable into it...then i use dinrail or terminal blocks...i even used wagos once...to splice to the "whip" coming off the rack.
Avid Stamp Collector - I really love 39 Cent Stamps
Post 10 made on Tuesday August 27, 2019 at 17:04
davidcasemore
Super Member
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On August 27, 2019 at 10:48, Nick-ISI said...
We use Neutrik Speakon connectors for this.

Allows us to professionally terminate the drop cables (and test) before the main rack gets delivered (often some months later).

Agreed:

[Link: remotecentral.com]
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