barriojunk Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Hi I have a quad 520f power amplifier with xlr outputs. How do I connect these to my NS10 speakers? Can I strip a standard XLR microphone cable down to the positive and negative wires and shield the ground with electrical tape? thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sclg Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Are you sure? The last 520f I saw (admittedly some time back) had standard Speakon connectors for the speaker outputs?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 I believe that before the versions with Speakon connections, Quad used 3 pin male XLRs for speaker output. This was in keeping with most other manufacturers at the time.http://www.meridian-audio.info/public/520rear%5B2161%5D.jpg Depending upon the age of the NS10 (and if there's been any repairs made) it will have either spring loaded terminals, 4mm sockets or binding posts. Unless you want to remove the male xlr connectors, enlarge the hole to 24mm and drill two fixing holes at the edge to fit a Speakon chassis, you need to make an XLR to bare wire lead. I'd suggest you use speaker cable (two core flexible mains cable is fine, from 6A upwards). Solder the cable to pin 2 and 3 of the XLR, then strip back and twist the bare ends at the other end and connect to the relevant speaker terminals (XLR pin 2 goes to red [+ve]). Mic cable will work electrically, but you should have a lower resistance cable than mic lead in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sclg Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 You live and learn - I'd never come across those! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 You live and learn - I'd never come across those! Male XLR3 speaker outputs were standard on power amps for quite a while. It was a terribly bad idea for all sorts of reasons but that was how it was. You didn't go feeling about for a connector on the back of an amp rack, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Doubly dangerous, in that, looking at the way that's labelled, I'd assume that the output was simply a 'loop' connector, and would expect the speaker connectors to be underneath the removable cover in the centre of the panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barriojunk Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Thanks Simon! That's really helpful - the NS10s have binding posts. Argh - I'm not much of an electrician so maybe I might just put the amp back on ebay. however, this should work? http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/XLR-F-Speakon-M-adapter/B1U Am I then able to strip a speakon cable into speaker wire for the binding posts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.spoons Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Don't do that, it's a brilliant amp, I have one http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif and I believe the XLR speaker outs (which mine, an ex BBC one, has) were a BBC requirement. Yes, generally a bad idea and I have considered modding mine with speakons but I'm not sure they will fit (the chassis holes would certainly need to be bigger at least. Since it never goes anywhere anymore, just sits in the studio driving my Kef 104AB monitors........... Those adapters would work but you'd need a couple of Speakon doublers too so I'd suggest you get somebody (Orchid Electronics)? to make you a couple of suitable cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.k.roberts Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 For the price of all of the various adapters and bits and pieces, you could buy yourself a cheap soldering iron and a few basic tools and make up the cables you need (see Simons previous post) - even if as you say you're 'not much of an electrician', it's not that hard, there are plenty of videos on Youtube showing you how to do it and it would be a really useful skill to have. Have a go - you might surprise yourself :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Certainly a good idea to learn soldering - however, my first few attempts weren't too successful, and I would understand if the OP didn't want to run the risk of melting the XLR.Why not work out the total length of cable needed and ask StudioSpares / Canford / VDC / cable maker of choice to make up a female to female XLR in speaker cable, then cut it to give you the two required lengths and strip the ends...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.spoons Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Learning soldering is a great idea, I'm not good but I've been soldering since I was a teenager and can make cables and do some basic repairs to my gear. I did go one step further and make an 'ampmaker.com' 'PP-18' valve amp a few years ago (disclaimer :- voltages in valve amps can kill you) hugely satisfying and it has been my main guitar amp ever since. As I mentioned above, if you don't want to get into that side of things John Godsland at Orchid Electronics is happy to make custom cables for very reasonable prices but any local tech (you do have a local tech don't you? mine is currently servicing and re-capping my Quad 522) should be able to make them for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barriojunk Posted July 12, 2016 Author Share Posted July 12, 2016 Thanks so much all of you - what a great forum. I can solder a bit but always burn myself and I don't want to damage any of the equipment - as the speakon adapters would only cost me £8 for both - I've sent Orchid Electronics an email so hopefully they'll get back soon. However, if I get the adapters I should be able to just make my own speakon cable to raw speaker wire but cutting off one of the ends? like in the pictures below? https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=speakon+to+speaker+wire&rlz=1C1CHFX_enGB622GB622&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=935&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjwj-KW0e3NAhWDIcAKHW_TDR0QsAQIXQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 That adaptor is the wrong gender on the speakon side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.spoons Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 Yeah, you'd need doublers as well which doubles the cost too ;) Plus all that lot hanging off the back of the amp would be somewhat dodgy, possibly leading to damage to the chassis XLRs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandall Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Solder the cable to pin 2 and 3 of the XLR.....BEWARE - the BBC standard (also used by many others) was a Female XLR-3, Pin 1 cold, Pin 2 hot, Pin 3 n/c, though some speaker manufacturers (e.g. Bose) linked Pins 1 & 3. Quad obviously didn't want females for In & Out, so took the unusual step of using Males for speakers. I remember a similar problem with Nagra tape-recorders, which had Male XLRs for their mic inputs - it caught me out when I hired some broadcast gun-mics & found they came with female connectors, because they were mostly hired for film-shoots with Nagras. The amp must be quite old, as the earliest manual I can find, dated 1990, shows the then-new Speakon connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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