# Preferred Method to Extend a Speaker Cable?



## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

I have a combo that I would like to connect to an attentuator but the speaker cable is too short to reach comfortably. 

My two current options are:

A 1/4" mono barrel connector.

A junction box I put together last night using stuff from my parts bin (also, is the wiring correct?)

Is there another/better option that I don't have yet?


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

a longer single cable would be ideal IF your amp has a 1/4" out jack and the current cable is not hardwired inside the amp.

Heavier guage is always encouraged(guitar cables are a no-no) which you probably already know


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

Alan Small said:


> a longer single cable would be ideal IF your amp has a 1/4" out jack and the current cable is not hardwired inside the amp.
> 
> Heavier guage is always encouraged(guitar cables are a no-no) which you probably already know


It's a Vox AC30. The cable is hard wired to the speakers but plugs into the output jack inside the combo. I have a bunch of speaker cables so that isn't an issue. 

Can the mono barrel connector be trusted for speaker cable?

Did I wire the junction box correctly? I did short tab to short tab and long tab to long tab on the jacks.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Short reply is yes you wired correctly and yes a female-female mono 1/4" connector will work.

If you appreciate your attenuator results perhaps you would unsolder the "too short" cable from the speakers and make a longer one without using the connector you have


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Sounds like a great excuse to hit a music store but thats me haha.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

MetalTele79 said:


> It's a Vox AC30. The cable is hard wired to the speakers but plugs into the output jack inside the combo. I have a bunch of speaker cables so that isn't an issue.
> 
> Can the mono barrel connector be trusted for speaker cable?
> 
> Did I wire the junction box correctly? I did short tab to short tab and long tab to long tab on the jacks.


Both options should work flawlessly. A speaker cable is only to simple wires in one sleeve.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

MetalTele79 said:


> It's a Vox AC30. The cable is hard wired to the speakers but plugs into the output jack inside the combo.


You said “but plugs”...


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Speaker cables of sufficient girth are something worth having and not a place to save money IMO.

Yes I said girth.


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

2manyGuitars said:


> You said “but plugs”...


Lol. I'm just going to leave it there.


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

BlueRocker said:


> Speaker cables of sufficient girth are something worth having and not a place to save money IMO.
> 
> Yes I said girth.


The hook up wire in the pedal enclosure is 16awg. 

I would be adding a 3ft speaker cable so it will be going from 1ft to 4ft total length. I feel like the attenuator will have much more effect on the tone than the additional cable connection?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

A 30Wrms amp at full load will draw near 2Arms current, 16AWG is sufficient at those lengths of wire.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I like the juction box, but is it going to sit on the amp or will it hang?

I have some metal female-female couplers I've used for that. Mine are old and were cheap, but Switchcraft has one people seem to like [SW361A]. Neutrik has a locking coupler [NA3JJ].

In the US, Pro Co has some female-male speaker cables.

If I was going to do that semi-permanently, I would see if Digiflex would make me a speaker cable with a locking Neutrik inline jack [NJ3FC6], or I would buy a speaker cable and modify it with that jack.

Shipping costs are horrible.








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## jellodog (Jul 18, 2021)

I use these 1/4 inch TS connectors from Amazon:









Ancable Premium 2-Pack 1/4" Guitar Cord Extenders - Heavy Duty 1/4-Inch 6.35mm TS Mono Coupler Adapter Female to Female for Extending Instrument Guitar PA Speaker Cable : Amazon.ca: Musical Instruments, Stage & Studio


Ancable Premium 2-Pack 1/4" Guitar Cord Extenders - Heavy Duty 1/4-Inch 6.35mm TS Mono Coupler Adapter Female to Female for Extending Instrument Guitar PA Speaker Cable : Amazon.ca: Musical Instruments, Stage & Studio



www.amazon.ca





Works fine!

The junction box looks like a lot of extra bulk for no significant gain, to me.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Just splice that extra three feet of cable to it?


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)




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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)




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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

laristotle said:


> Just splice that extra three feet of cable to it?
> View attachment 435008


This is the way:









Do that, cover with heat shrink, done.


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

Hammerhands said:


> I like the juction box, but is it going to sit on the amp or will it hang?
> 
> I have some metal female-female couplers I've used for that. Mine are old and were cheap, but Switchcraft has one people seem to like [SW361A]. Neutrik has a locking coupler [NA3JJ].
> 
> ...


I've seen those male/female connectors with the locking jack. Looks like a good solution but like you said, the shipping sucks.



jellodog said:


> I use these 1/4 inch TS connectors from Amazon:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sort of like the black one in the first picture. 

I have a house full of amps. A pedal enclosure is not very bulky at all. I was thinking of velcroing it to the inside of the cab. 



laristotle said:


> Just splice that extra three feet of cable to it?
> View attachment 435008


I don't have an extra 3' lying around unless I want to cannibalize one of my good cables. 

I will probably just wind up installing a longer cable next time I make a parts order


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

MetalTele79 said:


> I will probably just wind up installing a longer cable next time I make a parts order


+1


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

MetalTele79 said:


> I don't have an extra 3' lying around


Used to have an 80lb Fender combo bass amp.
It was a bitch loading/unloading from my truck.
I separated the head from the cab. The head alone was 20lbs.
Extended the cable using thick stereo speaker wire.
Worked out fine.
One could also use lamp cord.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

@MetalTele79 This might interest you...

Maximum cable lengths based on wire gauge and speaker impedance.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

greco said:


> @MetalTele79 This might interest you...
> 
> Maximum cable lengths based on wire gauge and speaker impedance.
> View attachment 435099


accounting for the safety factor, you could at least double it 🤣


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Mark Brown said:


> accounting for the safety factor, you could at least double it 🤣


Could you please explain what you mean by this? I'm a bit slow on this end. Thanks


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Well, it was mostly a joke rooted in the truth..

The gauge/length is typically calculated against heat. That chart looks to account mostly for impedance and current drop. But any chart that is safety oriented always has safety factors built in. That is all


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

I'd like to thank everyone for the replies. 

I eventually decided to go with the junction box because I wasn't super confident in the build of the Monoprice 1/4" female/female connector. I'll eventually just lengthen the cable but this worked well for being able to crank up the amp in a house. 










Here is the mess from the back...










I made a little velcro hanger for the box using found stuff around the house


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

ingenuity for the win!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

WELL DONE! Congrats!

Beware the ancient enemy of bare feet...


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