Speakon plug connectors were invented by the Neutrik company in 1987 and have become the professional audio industry's standard for speaker and amplifier connection. There are several types of Speakon plugs, but the simplest to wire is the 2-pole NL2 connector. The NL2 uses one pole for connection of the positive wire (1+) and one for the negative wire (1-). The plug is marked internally with the pole number and requires basic wiring skills. The Neutrik Speakon is comprised of four parts: housing, insert, chuck and bushing.
Things You'll Need:
Things You Will Need
Unscrew the bushing from the Speakon connector by turning it counterclockwise, and pull the chuck and insert from the housing.
Strip about 3/4 inch of outside insulation from the cable to expose the two inner wires. The black wire is the negative (-) and the white wire is the positive (+).
Strip about 3/8 inch of insulation from the inner wires to expose the bare wire.
Insert the bushing onto the wire with the threaded side facing the bare wire-ends, and insert the chuck onto the wire with the rounded end facing the interior of the bushing.
Twist the end of the positive (white) wire slightly, and insert into the Speakon terminal on the insert marked "1+." Tighten securely with the hex wrench or screwdriver.
Twist the end of the negative (-) wire slightly, and insert it into the Speakon terminal on the insert marked "1-." Tighten securely with the hex wrench or screwdriver.
Place the housing over the insert, slide the chuck into the housing, and hand-tighten the bushing. Don't use pliers or other hand tools to tighten the bushing because the plastic may crack.
Warnings:
- Using shielded audio wire in place of unshielded speaker wire may result in poor sound quality and potentially dangerous voltage and impedance conditions for your equipment. Make sure that the chassis-mounted Speakon connectors on your speakers and amplifiers are similarly wired and compatible with the Speakon plug you are wiring. Mismatched wiring will cause loss of sound and can damage equipment.