[Latest for 2025!] Easy Beginner Speaker Cable Selection Guide + Recommended Popular Products!

What is a speaker cable!?

Is it a cable for speakers? There are so many types of connectors—where do you even use them? What’s a Speakon? What does it mean to connect after a power amp? It’s all so confusing!

• You’re left wondering which one to choose.
• Which cable connects this speaker to the mixer?
• What should I look at when choosing a speaker cable?

Honestly, if you don’t have any gear knowledge, you won’t know the difference between a mic cable, a guitar cable, or a speaker cable.

This article is for those of you with these kinds of concern, and for those of you who already have some knowledge!
Let’s unravel how to choose a speaker cable together! By the way, from here on out, I’ll be abbreviating the speaker cable as “SP cable”!

So, along with how to choose an SP cable, I’ll also introduce some popular and recommended cables at the end!

First, let’s check in what situations SP cables are needed, and then we’ll look into how to choose the right one!

Here are the key points to keep in mind!

1. Situations Where SP Cables Are Used
   • Power Amp → Passive Speaker
   • Powered Mixer → Passive Speaker
   • Guitar Amp → Cabinet
2. Situations Where SP Cables Are Not Used
   • Mixer → Powered Speaker
   • Guitar → Guitar Amp
3. Types of Connectors
   • Speakon
   • Phone
   • Banana
   • Bare Wire
   • Binding Post

1. Situations Where Speaker Cables Are Used

First, let’s look at when speaker cables are used.
To put it simply, they are connected after the signal has been amplified by a power amp.

Example 1: Mixer → Power Amp → Passive Speaker

A power amp is a piece of equipment that amplifies weak signals, such as mic signals from microphones or line signals from mixers and other devices.
To briefly explain the reason for amplification: remember that mic signals and line signals are too weak to produce loud sound through a speaker.

Now, let’s take a look at the wiring diagram!

As I explained earlier, you connect the SP cable to the signal (red) coming from the power amp.
The key point here is to not use an SP cable between the mixer and the power amp. More accurately, you must not use one.
The signal (blue) coming from the mixer is a line signal, which is a “pre-amplified signal”, and therefore SP cables cannot be used.

Example 2: Powered Mixer → Passive Speaker

This time I have a powered mixer.
A powered mixer is a mixer with a built-in power amp.

Since the main out from the powered mixer has already passed through the power amp, the SP cable is used.

What you need to be careful about here is: “Is the signal coming from that output terminal pre-amplification or post-amplification?”

In the case of the PM08, the MAIN OUT in the red frame goes through the power amp, but the MONITOR OUT in the blue frame does not.
In other words, if you want to connect a speaker to the output terminal in the blue frame, you either need to pass it through a power amp, or connect it to a powered speaker.
Be sure to check the specifications of your equipment carefully so you don’t use the wrong cable!

Example 3: Guitar Amp (Head) → Cabinet

As the name might suggest, guitar amps also have a built-in power amp.
The role of a guitar amp is to amplify the signal output from the guitar so it can produce a loud sound from the cabinet.

2. Situations Where Speaker Cables Are Not Used

Example 1: Mixer → Powered Speaker

You may have already noticed, but a powered speaker is a “speaker with a built-in power amp.” In other words, it’s a speaker that can amplify and output signals internally.

Since the signal from the mixer is not amplified, an SP cable cannot be used. Use a mic cable or a line (instrument) cable!
A point to note here: when a powered speaker has an output terminal to connect to another powered speaker, the signal output from that terminal is usually a line-level signal.

Example 2: Guitar → Guitar Amp

As I mentioned earlier, since the role of amplifying the guitar’s signal is handled by the guitar amp, SP cables are not used when connecting a guitar to a guitar amp.

3. Types of Connectors

Speakon (speakON)

One of the most commonly used connectors.
Because it has a locking mechanism, it won’t come out even if pulled after being inserted.

If the input jack has the shape shown in the image, choose a cable that uses this speakON connector!

Phone Connector

This is also one of the frequently used connectors.
Phone plugs are also used for guitar/instrument cables, so it's easy to get them confused. Be careful—there are differences in the cable itself, so SP cables and guitar/instrument cables are not interchangeable.

If the SP cable input jack is shaped like the red-framed example, use a phone plug.
For example, if the power amp side uses a speakON and the speaker side uses a phone jack, you can connect them using an SP cable with speakON on one side and phone plug on the other side!

Banana

This connector is called a banana plug because its tip resembles a banana. It can be used with equipment fitted with binding posts or banana sockets, which will be introduced later.

In most cases, it’s used when the receiving side is a binding post, but actually, you can connect the cable without using banana plugs.
The benefits of using banana plugs include:
- Prevents cable wear and tear
- Easier cable attachment and removal
If you frequently connect and disconnect the SP cable between speakers and amps, or if you want a more stable connection, banana plugs are a good option to consider.

Bare Wire

Also referred to as "stripped ends", "bare wire", or "stranded wire", this simply refers to SP cables without any connectors attached.

On the Sound House website, you can find them by going to [Speaker Cables] → [Speaker Cable (Sold by the Meter)] in the category search.
There are types like 4-core and 2-core cables that are commonly used for connections such as high-impedance speakers/power amps or studio monitor speakers.

With terminals like the one shown in the image above, insert the conductor wire from + to the opposite +, and from – to the opposite –.
With 2-core cables, insert one core each; with 4-core cables, it’s common to twist two cores together for the connection.

Receiving Side: Binding Post

This is about the binding post, which was also mentioned with banana plugs.

The black and red terminals in the center of the image are exactly binding posts, and there are various types.
The most convenient terminal is called the 5-way binding post terminal, which allows connection with bare wire, Y-lug terminals, and banana plugs.
If it is labeled simply as a binding post without the 5-way designation, it may support:
- Bare wire or banana plugs
- Bare wire only
- Banana plugs only
So be sure to check the specifications carefully.

[Enlarged image of binding post]

Other Connectors

There are also others like Y-lugs, but choose ones that match your equipment after checking carefully. If you’ve read this far, you should definitely know what to choose!!

5. Recommended / Popular Speaker Cables

Finally, I will introduce some popular and recommended SP cables at Sound House. From more affordable options to high-end ones, please use this article as a reference!
Now then, everyone! Enjoy getting to know your cable!

CLASSIC PRO / SLL10B

CLASSIC PRO boasts overwhelming cost performance. With a 12mm diameter specification, this speaker cable offers durability, flexibility, and a clear, straight sound.

CANARE / SC10A-NL BLACK

This is an industry-standard speaker cable that combines CANARE’s 4S11 with NEUTRIK’s speakON plug “NL4FXX-W-L”. It is a staple speaker cable widely used in various scenes in Japan.

CLASSIC PRO / SPP10B

CLASSIC PRO boasts high performance at an overwhelmingly low price. With an 8mm diameter specification, this speaker cable offers durability, flexibility, as well as a clear and straight sound.

NEUTRIK / NL4MMX

Not a cable, but a convenient adapter that connects speakON connectors to extend length. Perfect for long wiring runs or when you have cables but need more length!!!

BELDEN / BELDEN #9497 2SS

This speaker cable has long been very popular for connecting guitar amps and cabinets. It seems especially popular among those using MARSHALL stack amps!

CANARE / 4S6 — Standard Speaker Cable Sold by the Meter

A super standard 4-core speaker cable. By using four cores, the magnetic fields cancel each other out evenly, creating a structure that prevents radiated noise. It has an outer diameter of 6.4mm and is flexible, making wiring easy.

■ Search by Category

• All Speaker Cables
• Speakon to Speakon List
• Phone to Phone (SP) List
• Speaker Cable (Sold by the Meter) List

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