Instrument Cable or Speaker Cable?

rugby1970

rugby1970

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When connecting an amp head to a speaker cabinet, or a line out from a combo amp to a second cabinet, what is the best type of cable to use?

 
Dave Scepter said:
Are you asking for a specific "Brand" of wire/cable or?
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I'm not looking for a brand of cable. I just don't know which is correct to use. A local music store owner said that I should use an instrument cable when connecting my 70s Fender Champ to my Tech21 PE60. The Champ was modified by an amp tech to replace the hard-wired connection from the amp to the integral speaker with a 1/4" plug. I can remove the 1/4" connection from the integral speaker to a bigger, more robust independent cabinet.

I use speaker cables when connecting from my small PA head to the system speakers, I believe that this is correct.

I use a speaker cable when connecting from my amp head to a cab, I don't know if this is correct.

 
In the same vein - how do you tell a speaker cable from an instrument cable without removing the jack cover?

 
gtrdaddy said:
If it’s a non-serviceable plug, then you can cut the cable and look, then replace the plug with a serviceable plug.
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If you do this, slide some red (or your preferred color) heat shrink over the cable and never have to ask again.  Alternatively, it's easy to place a couple red zip-ties near the jack on newly purchased speaker cables so there's never a question.

 
I wrapped silver tape around the store-bought speaker cables so I could tell at a glance, but I have a couple old ones that I can't get the ends off to tell for sure, so they'll lay in the bottom of the drawer for eternity.

Otherwise I've been making my own out of regular 16 gauge wire (lamp cord) with shrink tube reinforcement on the ends. They don't look as cool as 1/2-inch thick Monster cable but they sound the same, and you can tell what they are just by looking at them.

 
hamerhead said:
but I have a couple old ones that I can't get the ends off to tell for sure, so they'll lay in the bottom of the drawer for eternity
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I'm sure you've tried looking closely for writing on actual cable insulation itself... you might want to try plugging it in as a instrument cable and compare if it's noisier than you're "known" instrument cables

 
gtrdaddy said:
I have a bulk roll of 12ga OFC. If you want, I’ll cut a length of it and send it to you. Solder  on a couple of plugs and crank your amp. You’ll hear a difference with the heavy gauge, especially when pushing the amp hard, it will deliver power more efficiently and you’ll be able to run louder and with higher headroom.
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Definitely go 12 gauge.

 
hamerhead said:
...I've been making my own out of regular 16 gauge wire (lamp cord) with shrink tube reinforcement on the ends. They don't look as cool as 1/2-inch thick Monster cable but they sound the same, and you can tell what they are just by looking at them.
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IIRC, I think that's what Fender used in the early '60's, when they first came out with their 'piggyback' head and cabinet amps.

 
Yeah .......I was going for that vintage thing.........yeah.... that's it...... B)

15 watts into a single 12. I'm probably OK.

 
Hold it everybody. He is asking for a line out off his Champ to go into the input of a Tech21 Power Engine AMPLIFIER. I used to have one and did this very thing and that amp is looking for an instrument level signal. You want to use an instrument cable. If you were running straight to an otherwise unamplified  speaker you’d want speaker cable.

But you are using a tapped line out into an amp...in this case a PE. You want instrument cable. Keep the volume low and ramp it up slowly on the PE cause a line out tapped right off the speaker will happily be a very strong signal.

 
gtrdaddy said:
Mark, Dave didn't have a "Line Out Converter" tapped into his speaker line. His @rugby1970  terminology was just off a bit. If I read his question correctly, he's referring to a "Speaker Out" jack that was installed on the rear of his Champ so he can plug the internal speaker in and unplug it to drive an extension cab at will. Plugging an instrument cable into that will toast his amp eventually if not immediately.

I was under the impression he wants to drive the PE's internal speakers. He shouldn't run speaker voltage from the Champ into the instrument input on the PE, if he does, then he will more than likely fry both the PE and the Champ.
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Jamie,

Your assessment of the situation is correct.

 
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