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Speaker Leads

A speaker lead is a ready-made cable used to link a speaker to a speaker output. This page has leads from Citronic and QTX, in lengths including 1.5m, 3m, 6m and 12m, plus a Citronic splitter with one SPK plug and two SPK sockets.

Choosing Speaker Leads

Pick a speaker lead by the length of the run, the conductor size, and whether one amplifier output has to drive two cabinets.

Length

Measure the route between amplifier and cabinet, allow for stands and cable ramps, then take the next length up. Citronic Classic leads run from 1.5m to 20m, and QTX Essential leads from 1.5m to 12.0m.

Conductor size

Thicker conductors waste less amplifier power as heat over a long run. The Classic 190.191UK, 190.193UK and 190.194UK have 2 x 1.5mm² pure copper conductors. The Essential 190.178UK and 190.180UK have 2 x 0.75mm², and the 190.180UK has a 5.8mm cable diameter. For a long run to a high-power cabinet, the heavier conductor is the safer pick.

One output, two cabinets

The Citronic 190.182UK splitter lead has one SPK plug for the amplifier output and two SPK sockets for the cabinet leads, on a 0.3m cable wired in parallel and rated 6A per output. Two 8 ohm cabinets in parallel present 4 ohms to the amplifier, so check the amplifier channel is rated for that load.

LeadExamplesLengthConductors or rating
Classic speaker leadCitronic 190.191UK1.5m2 x 1.5mm² pure copper
Classic speaker leadCitronic 190.194UK12m2 x 1.5mm² pure copper
Classic speaker leadCitronic 190.242UK20mPure copper
Essential speaker leadQTX 190.178UK1.5m2 x 0.75mm²
Essential speaker leadQTX 190.181UK12.0mAnti-tangle jacket
Splitter leadCitronic 190.182UK0.3mOne SPK plug, two SPK sockets, 6A per output

Ready-made lead or bulk cable

A ready-made lead suits portable PA and DJ rigs that are set up and packed away after a show. For a fixed installation with long or hidden runs, bulk speaker cable cut to length and terminated on site is usually neater.

Brands we stock in Speaker Leads

Citronic and QTX.

Citronic makes the Classic leads and the splitter lead, and QTX makes the Essential leads.

Related categories

Connect the leads to speakers and amplifiers, cut your own runs from speaker cable, or browse the wider audio visual range.

Frequently asked questions

Can XLR cables be used as speaker leads?

No, not between a power amplifier and a passive speaker. Those cables are built for low-level signals, often feeding powered speakers, and their thin shielded cores are not made for the current an amplifier sends to a passive cabinet. For that link, use a proper speaker lead with heavier conductors. The range here includes SPK and jack-plug speaker leads.

How do you extend a speaker lead?

The simplest way to extend a speaker lead is to swap it for a longer one, which avoids an extra joint in the run. Where that is not practical, an in-line coupler can join two leads with matching plugs. Keep the run as short as you can and choose thicker conductors for long distances, because resistance rises with length. The range here includes leads in several lengths.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
  • UK-only supply

Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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