Speaker cable termination choice
 

Hi,

Looking to replace my bi-wired speaker cable terminations. My local hi-fi
dealer is selling banana plugs at £1.50 which are the ones which don't need
soldering.

Does anyone know where I purchase these online cheaper?

Are they as easy to fit as the dealer says?

Also, what are the best type of terminations ... spade or banana?

Many thanks,

Ronnie.

Speaker cable termination choice
 

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:11:43 +0000, Ronnie Davis
wrote:

Hi,

Looking to replace my bi-wired speaker cable terminations. My local hi-fi
dealer is selling banana plugs at £1.50 which are the ones which don't need
soldering.

Does anyone know where I purchase these online cheaper?

Are they as easy to fit as the dealer says?

Also, what are the best type of terminations ... spade or banana?

Many thanks,

Ronnie.

Maplin have them t 49p. Spades are possibly very slightly better when
they are really tight, but because of their geometry, they do tend to
loosen when cables move - particularly heavy cables such as you use
for speakers.

I use banana plugs very successfully.

You can always tighten the binding post down on to the bare end of the
cable. This works well, but beware of loose strands shorting. Don't
twist the strands together when you do this - let them flatten out
under the pressure.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Speaker cable termination choice
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:11:43 +0000, Ronnie Davis
wrote:

Hi,

Looking to replace my bi-wired speaker cable terminations. My local hi-fi
dealer is selling banana plugs at £1.50 which are the ones which don't
need
soldering.

Does anyone know where I purchase these online cheaper?

Are they as easy to fit as the dealer says?

Also, what are the best type of terminations ... spade or banana?

Many thanks,

Ronnie.

Maplin have them t 49p. Spades are possibly very slightly better when
they are really tight, but because of their geometry, they do tend to
loosen when cables move - particularly heavy cables such as you use
for speakers.

I use banana plugs very successfully.

You can always tighten the binding post down on to the bare end of the
cable. This works well, but beware of loose strands shorting. Don't
twist the strands together when you do this - let them flatten out
under the pressure.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com


When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few hours
then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power without
overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc bloc' terminal
strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then tighten again. (The clamped
cable does relax over a short time).
Being involved in marine installations over many years where constant cycles
of heat/cold and constant vibration are the norm then such procedure is
necessary for long term connection reliability Hopefully your hifi doesn't
endure quite those environmental conditions :-)

Mike

Speaker cable termination choice
 

In article ,
Mike Gilmour wrote:
When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few
hours then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power
without overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc bloc'
terminal strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then tighten again.
(The clamped cable does relax over a short time).

Good grief. Considering the number of such terminals in the average house
carrying a great deal more current, I'm surprised there's not fires
everywhere. ;-)

--
*Born free - taxed to death *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Speaker cable termination choice
 

"Mike Gilmour" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:11:43 +0000, Ronnie Davis
wrote:

Hi,

Looking to replace my bi-wired speaker cable terminations. My local
hi-fi
dealer is selling banana plugs at £1.50 which are the ones which don't
need
soldering.

Does anyone know where I purchase these online cheaper?

Are they as easy to fit as the dealer says?

Also, what are the best type of terminations ... spade or banana?

Many thanks,

Ronnie.

Maplin have them t 49p. Spades are possibly very slightly better when
they are really tight, but because of their geometry, they do tend to
loosen when cables move - particularly heavy cables such as you use
for speakers.

I use banana plugs very successfully.

You can always tighten the binding post down on to the bare end of the
cable. This works well, but beware of loose strands shorting. Don't
twist the strands together when you do this - let them flatten out
under the pressure.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com


When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few hours
then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power without
overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc bloc' terminal
strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then tighten again. (The
clamped
cable does relax over a short time).
Being involved in marine installations over many years where constant
cycles
of heat/cold and constant vibration are the norm then such procedure is
necessary for long term connection reliability Hopefully your hifi
doesn't
endure quite those environmental conditions :-)

Mike

HI-FIs FROM HELL - true stories of hifi in the harshest environments known
to Man - 8 x 60mins, ITV4, from February 2005.

Themes include:
Vibration damping on the San Andreas fault
Stereo imaging in the Pacific
Class A amps in a metal bunker in the Sahara
Calibrating Eroica tracking force on Jupiter
Setting LP12 suspension in zero gravity
Reducing jitter on The Sun
Open-back headphones in a Hurricane
Subwoofers on a snowy Spring slope, in the Alps
Rhythm and timing at a "Busted" concert

Speaker cable termination choice
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Mike Gilmour wrote:
When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few
hours then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power
without overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc
bloc' terminal strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then
tighten again. (The clamped cable does relax over a short time).

Good grief. Considering the number of such terminals in the average
house carrying a great deal more current, I'm surprised there's not
fires everywhere. ;-)

The number of mains plugs I've removed that are very very loose is amazing.

--
"Get a paper bag"

Speaker cable termination choice
 

JustMe wrote:

Rhythm and timing at a "Busted" concert

Oh please... don't.... my son is being taken to see them on Saturday - I
refused to go.

--
"Get a paper bag"

Speaker cable termination choice
 

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Mike Gilmour wrote:
When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few
hours then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power
without overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc bloc'
terminal strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then tighten again.
(The clamped cable does relax over a short time).

Good grief. Considering the number of such terminals in the average house
carrying a great deal more current, I'm surprised there's not fires
everywhere. ;-)

--
*Born free - taxed to death *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.


Its just informing HiFi folk (who are generally fussy) that they can tighten
down connections some more - no harm in that. Considering houses are not
subject to constant vibration this hardly applies to domestic ring mains,
cookers etc. Actually there are quite a few incidents of arcing and
localised heating due to loose 13A socket terminal connections but because
the area being metal clad and grounded it generally goes no further (ask any
leccy)

Mike

Speaker cable termination choice
 

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 11:44:28 -0000, "Tim S Kemp"
wrote:

JustMe wrote:

Rhythm and timing at a "Busted" concert

Oh please... don't.... my son is being taken to see them on Saturday - I
refused to go.

Your SON? Busted are strictly for pre-pubertal girls. He is going to
feel very intimidated there.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Speaker cable termination choice
 

"JustMe" wrote in message
...
"Mike Gilmour" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:11:43 +0000, Ronnie Davis
wrote:

Hi,

Looking to replace my bi-wired speaker cable terminations. My local
hi-fi
dealer is selling banana plugs at £1.50 which are the ones which don't
need
soldering.

Does anyone know where I purchase these online cheaper?

Are they as easy to fit as the dealer says?

Also, what are the best type of terminations ... spade or banana?

Many thanks,

Ronnie.

Maplin have them t 49p. Spades are possibly very slightly better when
they are really tight, but because of their geometry, they do tend to
loosen when cables move - particularly heavy cables such as you use
for speakers.

I use banana plugs very successfully.

You can always tighten the binding post down on to the bare end of the
cable. This works well, but beware of loose strands shorting. Don't
twist the strands together when you do this - let them flatten out
under the pressure.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com


When you've tightened down a bare cable to a binding post wait a few
hours
then retighten - you'll always get a bit more clamping power without
overtightening the connection. The same applies to 'choc bloc' terminal
strips - when they are fully tight, wait - then tighten again. (The
clamped
cable does relax over a short time).
Being involved in marine installations over many years where constant
cycles
of heat/cold and constant vibration are the norm then such procedure is
necessary for long term connection reliability Hopefully your hifi
doesn't
endure quite those environmental conditions :-)

Mike

HI-FIs FROM HELL - true stories of hifi in the harshest environments known
to Man - 8 x 60mins, ITV4, from February 2005.

Themes include:
Vibration damping on the San Andreas fault
Stereo imaging in the Pacific
Class A amps in a metal bunker in the Sahara
Calibrating Eroica tracking force on Jupiter
Setting LP12 suspension in zero gravity
Reducing jitter on The Sun
Open-back headphones in a Hurricane
Subwoofers on a snowy Spring slope, in the Alps
Rhythm and timing at a "Busted" concert


Hey nice one...

EXTREME HI-FI

Using vinyl on the San Andreas fault :-)
Imaging problems inside tanks (Iraq)
Class A heating problems in the Red Sea
Tone arm bearing viscosity problems at the north pole
Reducing Swiss alps echo smearing
Sun spots and your tuner
Subwoofer & chaos theory
War and peace in UKRA