Re: Cable and wall sockets

["Harrison, Mark (Alliance)" <Mark.Harrison@xxxxxxx>]

Nigel,

Thanks for that. The water-proof connection is a good point. I may well
replace the banana terminals on the speakers with XLR ones for the same
reason.

Oh yes, I must have them in the bathroom. I also have a high wcf
(wife-compliance factor) to take into account. She's happy for speaker
terminals to go into the ceiling, and for small speakers to be mounted on
brackets, but not happy about knocking great speaker-sized holes into the
walls.

Regards,

Mark Harrison
European IT Manager, BP/Bovis Alliance
Tel: +44 181 869 1439
Fax: +44 181 423 7711
SMTP: Mark.Harrison@xxxxxxx


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Nigel Orr [SMTP:nigel.orr@xxxxxxx]
> Sent:	12 November 1998 15:54
> To:	ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject:	[ukha_d] Re: Cable and wall sockets
>
> At 15:34 12/11/98 -0000, you wrote:
> >I'd be interested to hear some more on why banana sockets aren't a
good
> way
> >to go? (Since I was about to go this way in an en-suite bathroom!)
>
> They don't look very nice at all, they aren't touch-proof (shouldn't
be a
> problem with shocks with a 100W amplifier (about 20Vrms, 50V peak to
> peak),
> but might be a problem if your inquisitive child decides to short them
> with
> a screwdriver...
>
> >Maybe I'm missing something, but the advantage of XLR is that you
can
> carry
> >a balanced signal down it, which isn't an option if we're just
talking
> about
> >plugging a pair of speakers into an amp in the next room....
>
> You're missing something ;-)
>
> XLR is just a 3-pin connector, which can carry a few Amps of current
with
> no difficulty- they're often used for pro audio mic connections, as
the 3
> connections give you a balanced pair and screen, but they've often
been
> used for speaker connections too (until Speakon came along, and
suddenly
> XLRs aren't touchproof enough either).
>
> They are available in various sizes (usually up to about 7 pins,
depending
> on manufacturer), are fairly rugged, fairly water-resistant when mated
> (important if you must have them in the bathroom!), easily available,
not
> _too_ ugly (there's even some in the public rooms of the palace of
> Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (I know, cos I made the panels ;-) ) etc
etc.
>
> AXR is a similar connector, which has been used for mains in
industrial
> settings (now powercon is trying to replace that application).  The
ideal
> for home use would probably be Speakon connectors, the sockets look
nicest
> (just anonymous black!), have 4 pins, 20A current capability (3.2kW
into 8
> ohms!) and are fairly easily available.  They're also not commonly
used
> for
> anything else, which should avoid confusion.  The sockets can all be
made
> up with crimp terminals, and the plugs using an allen key, so if you
can't
> solder, they're ideal.
>
> Nigel
> --
> Nigel Orr                  Research Associate   O   ______
>         Underwater Acoustics Group,              o / o    \_/(
> Dept of Electrical and Electronic Engineering     (_   <   _ (
>      University of Newcastle Upon Tyne             \______/ \(
>
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