Speaker Cable Plugs.

[icehockeyboy]

What with all the talk about how the plugs on interconnects can make huge differences, I thought I'd throw this into the pot and ask how the plugs on speaker cables could make a difference.

A while ago Effem had some TQ Blue cable, and found that using it 'naked' was better than with a set of Z plugs.

Anyone experimented, or have you just 'plugged and played'?

[Jimbo]

Only problem using speaker cable naked is oxidation with bare cable at the terminal. It is a good connection but probably needs deoxit every month?

I am more concerned at the moment with the internal wiring inside my speakers as the drivers are all connected with spade plugs!

[awkwardbydesign]

I would always prefer to use bare wires, but it is seldom practical. However I am rewiring my speakers as directly as possible, removing as many joins as I can. Every connection is another opportunity for oxidation and dissimilar metals to cause a bottleneck. I DO solder, rather than crimp, but only because I can't rely on my crimping abilities.
As Jimbo says, many drivers are connected using spades; I will be soldering all mine, and using some kind of strain relief, as the bass wiring will be stiff. And unless I am using silver wire, I use ordinary solder, to keep the temperature down.
As to the question of how the connectors can make a diffeence, apart from oxidation and metal to metal changes, some connectors don't actually connect very well. For example, Z plugs are good if they stay straight; I have used them on stiff cables, and they drooped in the sockets, meaning they only touched at 2 points! I had to remove them and use some expanding plugs.

[choirboy]

I've only used standard bare wire vs standard bananas (in a demo set of QED Genesis Silver Spiral and my old Van Den Hul CS122) and bare wire was noticeably better in terms of sound quality but as it oxidises it means re-stripping it every year or so to get the very best from the signal.

My TQ Ultra Black use Z Plugs which make a great fit and seem to have a higher copper content than regular brass bananas.

Not sure about silver plugs or any more expensive makes/types :confused:

[icehockeyboy]

Whilst were on the subject , does tinning the cable with solder make a sonic difference?

[walpurgis]

I am more concerned at the moment with the internal wiring inside my speakers as the drivers are all connected with spade plugs!

I know people like to avoid spade connectors, I do myself, but has it actually been proved that they are 'a bad thing'?

[Yomanze]

Whilst were on the subject , does tinning the cable with solder make a sonic difference?

Just tinning the exposed bits am not sure, but definitely audible if the whole wire is tin-plated.

[Yomanze]

I know people like to avoid spade connectors, I do myself, but has it actually been proved that they are 'a bad thing'?

A lot of people think they're better because you get some good tension by screwing the connectors down. They're a bit more fiddly, which is why I avoid them. I use z-plugs. One thing about z plugs is if you plug and unplug them all the time they lose their grip somewhat, so you might need to re-adjust them to get the ultra-tight fit back, which is the main benefit of such plugs compared to bananas.

[Reffc]

A lot of people think they're better because you get some good tension by screwing the connectors down. They're a bit more fiddly, which is why I avoid them. I use z-plugs. One thing about z plugs is if you plug and unplug them all the time they lose their grip somewhat, so you might need to re-adjust them to get the ultra-tight fit back, which is the main benefit of such plugs compared to bananas.

This.

Z plugs are possibly the least fiddly and provide a great contact area. They can be prised out every so often to ensure a good firm fit. They don't cost the earth unlike some of the fancier spades/Banana plugs.

OFC cable won't oxidise like non-ofc, neither will tinned cable, so if using tinned or OFC, bare connections are fine

[anthonyTD]

+1 :)
This.

Z plugs are possibly the least fiddly and provide a great contact area. They can be prised out every so often to ensure a good firm fit. They don't cost the earth unlike some of the fancier spades/Banana plugs.

[Jimbo]

I know people like to avoid spade connectors, I do myself, but has it actually been proved that they are 'a bad thing'?

My concern is the spade connectors have been on for many years and may of oxidised.
Yes I know I need to take the drive units out and disconnect, clean then reconnect. Will do this when I replace the gaskets hopefully soon!

[walpurgis]

OFC cable won't oxidise like non-ofc, neither will tinned cable, so if using tinned or OFC, bare connections are fine

On the rare occasion I've used tinned copper cable, the sound has been poor.

[Yomanze]

On the rare occasion I've used tinned copper cable, the sound has been poor.

Agree. It's why my lovely looking (tinned) Black Rhodium cables added an artificial edge and sheen at the top end! Paul is just talking about acceptable means to bare wire though.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Hard wire direct to the XO is possible.

[Reffc]

Agree. It's why my lovely looking (tinned) Black Rhodium cables added an artificial edge and sheen at the top end! Paul is just talking about acceptable means to bare wire though.

Correct Neil.

Personally, I usually recommend Z plugs to my customers and it's what I use myself.

[The Barbarian]

O i just use these, they look pretty, nice & reliable finish.. what more do you need? ;)

http://hollandlink.nl/index.php?action=article&aid=23&lang=EN

[Ninanina]

I can't really add anything about sound difference by using different speaker plugs but I can say that I've used three types in my time, as well as bare wire

The first picture shows the 'type' that had the very poorest fitting, they always go loose and if you breath on them they fall out; you forever have to keep teasing the little cage open to try to get a good fit

The second picture shows the best 'type' I have used, they seem to have a very good grip indeed

I use the word 'type' as mine were probably different makes, but exactly the same plug. Don't know if that helps at all ;)

[Marco]

I prefer (large) spades, simply because with the correct matching speaker terminals, the overall contact area achieved is much greater than that with banana plugs.

I often find that the latter make poor contact with the holes inside speaker terminals, usually because the aperture is slightly too wide. Z-plugs address that problem, as a result of their design, and are amongst the best bananas available.

I use these solid-copper spades and solid-copper Cardas speaker terminals on the back of my amp, both available from HFC:


http://imageshack.com/a/img849/1956/vxdk.gif


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/819/l5dh.jpg


Once the spades are locked into place, finger-tight, you can gently nip-up the terminals with a ring spanner, providing a truly secure, high-integrity metal-to-metal contact, and thus superb connection :)

Marco.

[Jimbo]

I prefer (large) spades, simply because with the correct matching speaker terminals, the overall contact area achieved is much better than that with banana plugs.

I often find that the latter make poor contact with the holes inside speaker terminals, usually because the aperture is slightly too wide. Z-plugs address that problem, as a result of their design, and are amongst the best bananas available.

I use these solid-copper spades and solid-copper Cardas speaker terminals on the back of my amp, both available from HFC:


http://imageshack.com/a/img849/1956/vxdk.gif


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/819/l5dh.jpg


Once the spades are locked into place, finger-tight, you can gently nip-up the terminals with a ring spanner, providing a truly secure, high-integrity metal-to-metal contact, and thus superb connection :)

Marco.
Very nice Marco, might look into these myself!

[walpurgis]

The second picture shows the best 'type' I have used, they seem to have a very good grip indeed

Your second picture shows the type Nordost generally use Bev. I like these as they provide a large contact area and I use them myself on some of my 'made up' speaker cables. Never found any shortcomings with them.

[The Barbarian]

Sorry but no way on earth would i entertain a bare copper recepticle.

[Marco]

Soz, dude, wotcher mean by dat? :scratch:

Marco.

[Marco]

Very nice Marco, might look into these myself!

Highly recommended, Jim, as the integrity of the connection achieved is superb! :)

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Highly recommended, Jim, as the integrity of the connection achieved is superb! :)

Marco.

I have 16 spade connectors already inside my SP2,s connecting the drive units to the crossover board and as the speakers are ported they have been exposed to potential oxidation for the last 28 years.

I think under the tarnished exterior these are copper spade connectors and i do intend to dismantle and clean all the terminals and spade plugs when I change the gaskets on the main drive units. However I am not expecting the speakers to suddenly take a quantum leap in sound quality as a result of cleaning these up:lol:

My point in mentioning this is that I cannot see the terminals and connectors you have proposed to be any worse regarding speaker plug connectors than any other as they will give a good cross sectional area for connection.

[YNWaN]

I wouldn't waste time cleaning all the push fit terminals to your drive units and crossover. Just cut them off and solder them directly.

[awkwardbydesign]

I can't really add anything about sound difference by using different speaker plugs but I can say that I've used three types in my time, as well as bare wire

The first picture shows the 'type' that had the very poorest fitting, they always go loose and if you breath on them they fall out; you forever have to keep teasing the little cage open to try to get a good fit

The second picture shows the best 'type' I have used, they seem to have a very good grip indeed

I use the word 'type' as mine were probably different makes, but exactly the same plug. Don't know if that helps at all ;)
The first type are less than 20p each, so no surprise there. I do use them, as temporary fittings, or for the loft speakers, but I don't expect miracles. The Z plugs are good unless the cable is too stiff or heavy, then I use these- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230876952255?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii123/petern2010/largecableentry500.jpg