Linking Power Amps

[Dave5000]

When linking power amps, is there a loss of quality when using jack - jack Plugs to link them?

 

I am planning to Link 4x amps, one will have XLR from the cross over to the amp and then link to the next one via jack - jack.

 

the same applies for the low fequency output from the crossover.

 

is this a good way of doing this? the event is tommorrow and I was going to arrange a spitter XLR cabe to be made up, the cost of this is very high though and this way is cheaper.

 

What do you think?

[bruce]

If you mean unbalanced jacks versus a balanced connection, then you'll lose some gain compared to using balanced. But quality shouldn't be affected for short cables.

 

Splitter XLRs? Cost very high????? Cheap XLRs are about 70p each, neutriks a couple of quid. Cable costs pennies.

 

so 1x female XLR, 2x males, and a couple of feet of cable. Cost less than 3 quid, plus about 15 minutes with a soldering iron. Ten pounds if you use Neutriks and decent cable. Or buy them ready made on ebay for about 7.

[Mr.Si]

I'd second that point, that "quality" won't really be affected by short lengths with unbalanced jacks. tends to make a difference over lengths of around 3-4 mtrs.

[david.elsbury]

Yup, we do that a lot. Just use a balanced (i.e. TRS) jack cable though, and make sure that the amp doesn't 'switch off' the XLR input when the jack is connected.

David