Speaker Leads

They use latching SPK connectors, the locking speaker connector found on many PA cabinets and power amplifiers. The straight Classic and Essential leads have an SPK plug at both ends, while the 190.182UK splitter has one SPK plug and two SPK sockets. The plug latches into the socket, so a tug on the cable will not pull it out mid-performance.

Citronic Classic lead lengths include 1.5m, 3.0m, 6.0m, 12m and 20m, and QTX Essential lead lengths include 1.5m, 3.0m, 6.0m and 12.0m. The Citronic 190.182UK splitter lead is 0.3m. Measure the route between amplifier and speaker, add slack for stands and movement, and choose the next length up rather than stretching a short lead.

The main difference is conductor size and build. Citronic Classic leads such as the 190.191UK have 2 x 1.5mm² pure copper conductors with a cotton-reinforced rubberised jacket, while QTX Essential leads such as the 190.178UK have 2 x 0.75mm² conductors in a soft-grip, anti-tangle jacket. The heavier Classic conductors suit longer runs and higher-power cabinets.

Use a splitter lead such as the Citronic 190.182UK: its SPK plug goes into the amplifier output, and a speaker lead from each of its two SPK sockets runs to a cabinet. It is 0.3m long, wired in parallel and rated 6A per output. Two speakers in parallel lower the load the amplifier sees, so check the amplifier channel is rated for the combined impedance before connecting them.

Yes, on long runs and at high power. A thicker conductor has less resistance, so less amplifier power is lost as heat before it reaches the speaker. For a short link to a nearby cabinet, 0.75mm² leads such as the QTX 190.178UK are adequate; for longer runs, 1.5mm² leads such as the Citronic 190.194UK are the safer choice.

Buy a ready-made lead for a portable system and bulk speaker cable for a fixed installation. A lead is ready to plug in, with machine-assembled connections, so there is nothing to solder or crimp. Bulk cable is cut to the exact length of the run and terminated on site, which suits long runs hidden in walls or ceilings.

No. Instrument and microphone cables are thin, shielded cables made for low-level signals, not for the current an amplifier sends to a speaker, and they can overheat or lose power. Use a proper speaker lead with heavier conductors, such as a Citronic Classic or QTX Essential lead, between the amplifier output and the speaker input.

Yes. Citronic Classic leads have a cotton-reinforced, soft-grip, anti-tangle rubberised jacket with machine-assembled connections, and QTX Essential leads have a soft-grip, anti-tangle jacket. An anti-tangle jacket coils and uncoils without kinking, which makes leads quicker to lay out before a show and to pack away afterwards.