Benchmark Speaker Cable - NL2 to Banana - 2 pole

These 2-pole cables connect to the +1 and -1 pins in an NL2 or NL4 jack. The +1 pin connects to the red locking banana plug. The -1 pin connects to the black locking banana plug.

The plug used on this cable is a two conductor Neutrik NL2 SpeakON™ connector. It is compatible with the four-conductor NL4 jacks on the back of the AHB2 power amplifier. The NL4 jacks provide two additional contacts (+2 and -2) but these extra contacts are only needed for some bi-amp applications. Use this 2-pole cable for stereo and bridged mono applications.

In our lab tests we have found that heavy-duty SpeakON™ connectors consistently outperform spade lugs, pins, and banana plugs. The SpeakON™ connectors provide a reliable low-impedance connection that can withstand high-currents. Of the more traditional speaker connectors, we have found that locking banana plugs provide the next best connections. In contrast, spade lugs and pins often provide poor connections. Spring-type (non-locking) banana plugs almost always provide poor connections and should be avoided.

The Benchmark AHB2 power amplifier is so clean that poor speaker connections can easily create more distortion than the entire power amplifier. We have seen this many times in the lab. The effects of poor speaker connections can easily be measured when testing the AHB2 power amplifier. We have learned that we cannot accurately measure the AHB2 unless we use SpeakON™ connectors or high-quality locking banana connectors.

SpeakON™ connectors also provide convenience and safety. No speaker connector is easier to use, they cannot short out, and they cannot give you a shock.

This top-quality Benchmark cable features Canare Star-Quad Speaker Cable. Four heavy-duty 14 AWG stranded conductors are combined into two pairs arranged in a star-quad configuration. The combined conductors are equivalent to 11 AWG, but the star-quad configuration reduces magnetic radiation and interference by about 20 dB, making this cable superior to 2-conductor cables.

Use this cable for connecting an AHB2 power amplifier to a non-Benchmark speaker. Or use this cable to connect a non-Benchmark power amplifier to a Benchmark SMS1 speaker.

• Use this cable for stereo or bridged-mono applications.
• Use our 4-pole cables for bi-amp applications.
• Use our 2-pole NL2 to NL2 cables when connecting a Benchmark AHB2 to Benchmark SMS1 speakers.