View Full Version : Reterminating speaker cables...best quality Z-Plugs for the job?
Need to reterminate my braided Cat5 cables to fit the 8 ohm taps of my power amp, so looking for some reccy's for best quality z-plugs.
My cable is pretty thick and heavy, so looking for something can take a beefy cable and hold some weight.
ta. :)
brian2957
22-09-2015, 08:06
These are very good mate http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-GOLD-4mm-BANANA-PLUGS-6mm-Large-Cable-Entry-Speaker-Cable-Bi-wire-Heatshrink-/291432390256?hash=item43dab95e70
The plugs i used on mine can take big cable Gary. Seem good although not z's.
Firebottle
22-09-2015, 08:12
I bought a set of these Gaz and am impressed with them, also quite economical :)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-Gold-Plated-BFA-Plugs-High-Quality-Z-Type-Speaker-Banana-Connectors-BFAPLU02-/161649275565?hash=item25a30c32ad
brian2957
22-09-2015, 08:36
The plugs i used on mine can take big cable Gary. Seem good although not z's.
Same as the plugs I've recommended to Gary Grant .
awkwardbydesign
22-09-2015, 09:07
I have used Z plugs with heavy cables, and found that they pulled the plugs downwards, so they only contacted the socket at the top of the tip and the bottom near the shoulder of the plug. If you can't support the weight of the cable, then good quality Deltron style plugs, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Solder-Screw-Speaker-Banana-Plugs-Gold-Plated-4mm-Connectors-BANPLU03-/161398915925 or even the locking type might be better. I use all three, depending on the cable.
EDIT: Those recommended by Brian2957 would be better. I also have some of them.
Same as the plugs I've recommended to Gary Grant .
Ive picked a good un then Brian [emoji3]
These are very good mate http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-GOLD-4mm-BANANA-PLUGS-6mm-Large-Cable-Entry-Speaker-Cable-Bi-wire-Heatshrink-/291432390256?hash=item43dab95e70
Just bought a set, cheers Brian.
Just bought a set, cheers Brian.
:popcorn:
Wee update..
Stripped and reterminated my speaker cable yesterday and fitted the new plugs.
First part of my big cable tidy I suppose, cut the cable down to the exact length I needed.
Nightmare of a job mind, 192 individual Cat5e cable strands needing individually separated, stripped back and twisted together in the right configuration.
Top tip on stripping insulation from very fine cable...
Didnt have a wire strippper and cable strands were less than a mm so easily broken.
Took an old soldering iron tip and melted a dot of the insulation and I was able to scrape it back with a thumbnail.
Easier than using yer teeth!
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Mobile%20Uploads/20151005_112312_HDR2.jpg
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Mobile%20Uploads/20151005_162909_HDR.jpg
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Mobile%20Uploads/20151006_151857_HDR2.jpg
Truly, a real pain in the hoop to do, but well worth it.
Old plugs had tarnished as cable had been sitting in garage or a long time unused.
Fresh copper always good.
brian2957
06-10-2015, 14:28
Any difference then :) :popcorn:
Plugs are more shiny. :)
A fair fair jump in overall sound quality Brian, but Im using the 8 ohm speaker outputs now on the power amp, so that's gonna be different.
Fresh copper always good, solid connection important too.
Cable soldered in solid with WBT silver solder, could tow yer car with them now.
Speaker cables....done.
awkwardbydesign
06-10-2015, 15:03
Plugs are more shiny. :)
A fair fair jump in overall sound quality Brian, but Im using the 8 ohm speaker outputs now on the power amp, so that's gonna be different.
Fresh copper always good, solid connection important too.
Cable soldered in solid with WBT silver solder, could tow yer car with them now.
Speaker cables....done.
Reinforced air hose (paint spraying) makes fantastic tow rope. It has enough give to stop the jerk you usually get with a rope or chain. I found out by accident one day.
OK, as you were!
brian2957
06-10-2015, 15:08
Plugs are more shiny. :)
A fair fair jump in overall sound quality Brian, but Im using the 8 ohm speaker outputs now on the power amp, so that's gonna be different.
Fresh copper always good, solid connection important too.
Cable soldered in solid with WBT silver solder, could tow yer car with them now.
Speaker cables....done.
I take it the little Antex soldering iron did the business then :)
Reinforced air hose (paint spraying) makes fantastic tow rope. It has enough give to stop the jerk you usually get with a rope or chain. I found out by accident one day.
OK, as you were!
What about knicker elastic?
had an accident with that..
Ali Tait
06-10-2015, 15:26
Aye that stuff is a pain to strip and terminate. Worth it though.
I take it the little Antex soldering iron did the business then :)
Great wee iron Brian, ta for the reccy..
brian2957
06-10-2015, 15:56
Cracking little soldering iron :)
BilliumB
06-10-2015, 16:15
Hi Gaz
Interested in your cat 5 speaker cable.
I use 5.5m length speaker cables and am thinking of experimenting, considering something Cat 5 based or possibly cross connected pairs of coax (Belden 89259 seems to be recommended by a chap called Jon Risch) - low inductance without too high capacitance (and of course resistance) seems to be the target. Currently using some 2nd hand Van Damme 6mm UP-LCOFC Hi-Fi cable.
What made you opt for the cat 5 and what do you think of them? My amp (Conrad Johnson CA200) isn't supposed to be too sensitive to high capacitance loads - but I've not done any tests!
Interested to hear your and others' experience.
Cheers. Bill
walpurgis
06-10-2015, 16:16
Reinforced air hose (paint spraying) makes fantastic tow rope.
Seems an expensive means of fabricating a tow rope.
Hi Gaz
Interested in your cat 5 speaker cable.
I use 5.5m length speaker cables and am thinking of experimenting, considering something Cat 5 based or possibly cross connected pairs of coax (Belden 89259 seems to be recommended by a chap called Jon Risch) - low inductance without too high capacitance (and of course resistance) seems to be the target. Currently using some 2nd hand Van Damme 6mm UP-LCOFC Hi-Fi cable.
What made you opt for the cat 5 and what do you think of them? My amp (Conrad Johnson CA200) isn't supposed to be too sensitive to high capacitance loads - but I've not done any tests!
Interested to hear your and others' experience.
Cheers. Bill
Hiya Bill. :)
Have a read here:
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/triple_t_e.html
I was using Tellerium Q Black (£40 odd/m) with my previous Rega RS3 speakers and they were a good match.
Got my current Eddingdale floorstanders and sound was dull dull dull.
These are not "voiced" like many commercial speakers, but designed to be open, neutral, transparent and very easy to drive at 94dB or so.
Luckily I had been speaking to one of the speakers Designers at a hifi meet and he said to get rid of the TQ as it was "strangling the sound" of the Eddingdales.
Both him and a fellow owner down there suggested twisted pair cat 5, or even better the "Triple T" braided cable...
Looked into it and found the above link on TNT audio.
As luck would have it a mate had a set unused which saved me making them up.
Thats what Ive just reterminated to great effect.
You mention amps/high impedance loads...thats the only gotcha with the cable, but if your amp is ok with that you might find like me its the best speaker cable Ive heard in my system by a mile.
No tone control cable here, neutral, transparent and tells it like it is.
BilliumB
06-10-2015, 18:16
Interesting, so you didn't have to do all the work! I'd looked at the TNT stuff before, in fact their UBYTE-2 Speaker Cable is an enhancement of the cross connected coax I mentioned.
Have you done any comparisons with other cables?
Cheers. Bill
awkwardbydesign
06-10-2015, 18:22
Just be careful with this Cat5 design. I made a 2 metre pair, and the high capacitance made my amp oscillate. Your amp may be OK, but it is a known risk.
BilliumB
06-10-2015, 19:11
Hi Richard
Have you tried the cross connected coax idea? Supposed to give very low inductance, with fairly low capacitance?
Cheers. Bill
Can someone tell us why a Z plug will sound better than a regular Banana plug?:)
Firebottle
06-10-2015, 19:46
Should have better contact area, so lower contact resistance due to the Z plug surface 'moulding' itself to the inner contact area of the socket.
A standard banana plug, depending on design, will have only partial contact areas.
:)
Sounds better than anything else ive treid in my system, including TQ Black, NVA LS3/5, Cable Talk 3, Chord Signature, DNM Reson and a few others I cant remember.
Its seriously good cable...
Of course system synergy and all the other stuff comes into play.
Interesting, so you didn't have to do all the work! I'd looked at the TNT stuff before, in fact their UBYTE-2 Speaker Cable is an enhancement of the cross connected coax I mentioned.
Have you done any comparisons with other cables?
Cheers. Bill
Ali Tait
06-10-2015, 19:47
Interesting, so you didn't have to do all the work! I'd looked at the TNT stuff before, in fact their UBYTE-2 Speaker Cable is an enhancement of the cross connected coax I mentioned.
Have you done any comparisons with other cables?
Cheers. Bill
No, it was me did all the work. :-)
Can someone tell us why a Z plug will sound better than a regular Banana plug?:)
Btw have a Gert Pederson armboard coming for my Gyro...finally took your advice!
Felt im not getting the best from my Dynavector cart with the Technoarm.
Thinking the better arm/cart isolation will be a benefit.
Gave Brian your CD's Gary.... better late than never, and sorry I've had them so long mate. Alas I dont get out much now. I tried his Electric beach feet in my system, and I think you'll be in for a surprise:eyebrows: hope you enjoy your bake off
Gave Brian your CD's Gary.... better late than never, and sorry I've had them so long mate. Alas I dont get out much now. I tried his Electric beach feet in my system, and I think you'll be in for a surprise:eyebrows: hope you enjoy your bake off
Aye,
Brian had said he'd been over.
|He brought over the Electric Beach feet to mine for a listen-see, and very good they were too
You alright mate?
Mibbay need to take a break from hunfin' all those heavy speaker cabinets up n down the stairs!! :)
Aye,
Brian had said he'd been over.
|He brought over the Electric Beach feet to mine for a listen-see, and very good they were too
You alright mate?
Mibbay need to take a break from hunfin' all those heavy speaker cabinets up n down the stairs!! :)
I'm buggered physically and mentally Gary... slept all evening which is not like me. getting an integrated to listen to that I can just sit and use a remote...thus the giving up of hifi. Dunno whats worse , the pain or the after effects of the tablets lol.
Yes I liked the feet. thought they were some kind of polystyrene at first, but they are wood.:doh:
Btw have a Gert Pederson armboard coming for my Gyro...finally took your advice!
Felt im not getting the best from my Dynavector cart with the Technoarm.
Thinking the better arm/cart isolation will be a benefit.
Do report back Gaz, l believe you will like the GP Armboard.;)
Should have better contact area, so lower contact resistance due to the Z plug surface 'moulding' itself to the inner contact area of the socket.
A standard banana plug, depending on design, will have only partial contact areas.
:)
Thanks Alan.:)
brian2957
07-10-2015, 09:02
I'm buggered physically and mentally Gary... slept all evening which is not like me. getting an integrated to listen to that I can just sit and use a remote...thus the giving up of hifi. Dunno whats worse , the pain or the after effects of the tablets lol.
Yes I liked the feet. thought they were some kind of polystyrene at first, but they are wood.:doh:
Yup , you need to calm down and enjoy the music for a while Grant . After all that's what hifi is really all about , the music .
Yes the Electric Beach feet are pretty good , aren't they . We'll see how good they are on Saturday when we compare them to some other offerings .
awkwardbydesign
07-10-2015, 09:13
Hi Richard
Have you tried the cross connected coax idea? Supposed to give very low inductance, with fairly low capacitance?
Cheers. Bill
No, but I have made their XLO type ICS. A bit of hard work, but I (and some others) think they sound good.
BilliumB
07-10-2015, 12:25
Any thoughts on the cross connected coax idea folks?
Cheers. Bill
BilliumB
07-10-2015, 12:26
No, it was me did all the work. :-)
And what did you move on to Ali?
Cheers. Bill
Ali Tait
07-10-2015, 12:41
Had to change when I went to active OB's as I needed four runs per speaker.
BilliumB
07-10-2015, 13:50
And you couldn't face making up more of the cat 5!?
Ali Tait
07-10-2015, 13:53
Not at all, just fancied trying something different.
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