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[Taylor Holden]

So I have a small pa setup for small gigs back at home. I was trying to rebuild it and would like to run socapex with a NL4 setup. Im using 4  (2 per side) JBL MRX 525 and 4 JBL MRX 528S. I will be running crown xti amplifiers to power this (mostly because I'm still running off wall power for this setup.) Now my question is I would like to put a panel mount connection for the socapex and so on this way I get to the venue roll in my amp rack and connect the two socapex runs and fan outs and plug in and go. 1 would there be any issues with this? 2 does the socapex cable/ connector ground to the connector itself or is it isolated?

I did search but came up with no information.

Thanks ahead of time!!!

[Ricky Lighthall]

It does not ground to the connector.  Make sure you do not get Socapex meant for lighting which has a shorting ring connecting all the ground pins.  You obviously want a 1 to 1 connection on all pins.

[RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS]

Why not just use NL8.  That would give you what you need.  I assume you are running the tops passive (not biamped) so you would get a separate feed to each box with the right conductors and it us a lot less weight than Soco.  You can make a short squid that is NL8 to four NL4s and use a coupler to connect them so that you won't lose the versatility of the NL8 cable.

[Steven Barnes]

If you aren't dead set on buying all new cable, why not just build looms out of the current NL4 you have now? It will still essentially be one cable per side, but it is much cheaper and more flexible for future applications.

[Tom Bourke]

Don't use SOCA for speakers!  I just now got home from a gig where a helpful stage hand or audio guy connected to a random "extra" SOCA on the truss.  Fortunately we caught it before powering up the 208V moving light distro and 120V dimmers.  We were very close to frying some speakers. 

[Justice C. Bigler]

I see socapex runs for speakers on touring Broadway shows all the time.

[Tim McCulloch]

So I have a small pa setup for small gigs back at home. I was trying to rebuild it and would like to run socapex with a NL4 setup. Im using 4  (2 per side) JBL MRX 525 and 4 JBL MRX 528S. I will be running crown xti amplifiers to power this (mostly because I'm still running off wall power for this setup.) Now my question is I would like to put a panel mount connection for the socapex and so on this way I get to the venue roll in my amp rack and connect the two socapex runs and fan outs and plug in and go. 1 would there be any issues with this? 2 does the socapex cable/ connector ground to the connector itself or is it isolated?

I did search but came up with no information.

Thanks ahead of time!!!

As a stage hand, I've put up, taken down and packed away just about every cable configuration you can think of (and a couple that were one of a kind).  Back when guys were using Twist Lock connectors for speakers, the Socapex gave you a higher connector density.  Today with Cannon EP series or Neutrik speakercon you can use a pair of 8 cond. cables and break it out as you see fit.

Pulling a pair of bundled speaker cables is not fundamentally different from pulling a single run of 19/12.

[Tim McCulloch]

I see socapex runs for speakers on touring Broadway shows all the time.

Yep, because the sound dept can always borrow a "cup of cable" from the LX dept if they need a longer run to the box seats or because amp land is further off stage than usual.

[Ivan Beaver]

Don't use SOCA for speakers!  I just now got home from a gig where a helpful stage hand or audio guy connected to a random "extra" SOCA on the truss.  Fortunately we caught it before powering up the 208V moving light distro and 120V dimmers.  We were very close to frying some speakers.

It is pretty standard.

You just need to be aware of what cables are going where. 

With any cable you should not be "randomly" plugging it in.  Know what it is and where it goes.

[Mac Kerr]

Yep, because the sound dept can always borrow a "cup of cable" from the LX dept if they need a longer run to the box seats or because amp land is further off stage than usual.

In my experience you can't really do that. Lighting cable usually has all the grounds shorted together with a ring in the connector. Cables with the shorting ring won't work for speakers.

Mac

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