The Speakon is a type of cable

Cable

A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...

 connector

Electrical connector

An electrical connector is an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as an interface using a mechanical assembly. The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two wires or...

, originally manufactured by Neutrik

Neutrik

Neutrik is a Liechtenstein company which manufactures connectors which are used in audio and video recording studios and concert sound systems. Their product range includes XLR-type connectors, speakON connectors, powerCON connectors, patch bays, BNC connectors and special connectors for industrial...

, mostly used in professional audio

Professional audio

Professional audio, also 'pro audio', refers to both an activity and a type of audio equipment. Typically it encompasses the production or reproduction of sound for an audience, by individuals who do such work as an occupation like live event support, using sound reinforcement systems designed for...

 systems for connecting loudspeaker

Loudspeaker

A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...

s to amplifier

Amplifier

Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...

s. The same manufacturer produces another connector dubbed PowerCon

PowerCon

The PowerCon is an electrical connector manufactured by Neutrik for connecting mains power to equipment in a small space. It looks and works similar to the Speakon with the line connector inserted in the chassis connector and twisted to make contact and lock...

, which is designed to carry mains power rather than audio signal. The audio and power designs cannot connect to each other.

A Speakon connector is designed with a locking system that may be designed for soldered or screw-type connections. Line connectors (female) mate with (male) panel connectors and typically a cable will have identical connectors at both ends. If it is needed to join cables, a coupler can be used (which essentially consists of two panel connectors mounted on the ends of a plastic tube). Recently the manufacturer has introduced a new series called STX which includes also male line connectors and female panel connectors (in the four-pole and eight-pole version only).

Speakon connectors are a higher current carrying alternative to TS connectors

TRS connector

A TRS connector is a common family of connector typically used for analog signals including audio. It is cylindrical in shape, typically with three contacts, although sometimes with two or four . It is also called an audio jack, phone jack, phone plug, and jack plug...

 (1/4-inch phone jacks), two-pole twist lock, and XLR connector

XLR connector

The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...

s for loudspeakers. Speakon connectors lock into their sockets with a twisting motion, making them significantly less prone to disconnection than standard TRS plugs.

Speakon connectors are fully shielded from human touch, preventing electrical shock risks associated with high power audio amplifiers and unshielded connections. Speakon contacts do not short out

Short circuit

A short circuit in an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered....

 upon connection or disconnection, which can happen to the 1/4-inch plug as it is being plugged in. This can be a benefit when working with sound equipment that is in operation.

Speakon connectors are designed to be unambiguous in their use in speaker cables. With jack and XLR connections, it is possible to use low-current shielded microphone or instrument cables in a high-current speaker application. Speakon cables are intended solely for use in high current audio applications.

The name Speakon is a registered trademark. Other manufacturers make similar connectors of various levels of quality and compatibility, intended as replacements for Speakon. Some Speakon connectors are counterfeited, and Neutrik warned its customers in May 2007 to avoid such knockoffs due to lower-grade materials and improper fit.

Speakon connectors are made in two, four and eight-pole configurations. The two-pole line connector will mate with the four-pole panel connector, connecting to +1 and −1; but the reverse combination will not work. The eight-pole connector is physically larger to accommodate the extra poles. The four-pole connector is the most common at least from the availability of ready-made leads, as it allows for things like Bi-amping

Bi-amping

Bi-amping is the practice of using two audio amplifier channels to power a loudspeaker with multiple drivers.-Description:Bi-amping is the act of using a single loud-speaker system, that is one channel of a speaker pair, with one channel handling only low frequency information and the other channel...

 (two of the four connections for the higher-frequency signal, with the other two for the lower-frequency signal) without two separate cables. Similarly, the eight-pole connector could be used for Tri-amping

Tri-amping

Tri-amping is the practice of connecting three audio amplifiers to a loudspeaker unit: one to power the bass driver , one to power the mid-range and the third to power the treble driver . A single amplifier can usually power a woofer, mid and tweeter only through a crossover filter, which protects...

(two poles each for low, mid and high frequencies with two unused), or quad-amping (two poles each for high, mid, low and sub).