[DaveC113]

This was the most radical change I've ever heard connectors and cable make in my system, on the level of an upgraded component.

I have Omega Super 3 XRS speakers I bought around 6 years ago. They had decent gold plated brass binding posts and 14g thhn stranded copper wire connected with push-on type connectors to the tabs on the drivers and the binding posts.

I used Pomona 3770 binding posts, they are gold plated copper and less than $9 each.

http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/pdf/d3750-3760-3770_101.pdf

The only issue is they don't make a model long enough for mounting through the cabinet material. This was solved with some effort, I fabricated 1/8" aluminum plates and mounted the binding posts to the plates at the same spacing used on the speakers, then mounted the plate to the speaker using a 1/4" thick felt pad between the cabinet and the plate, this should make a good seal around the plate, while also providing some vibration isolation from the cabinet.

For hook-uo wire, I use Neotech's new 20g cotton covered wire, it uses very fine enamel insulated strands of upocc copper wound around a flat core. I soldered it directly to the binding posts and driver tabs.

http://www.partsconnexion.com/NEOTECH-76111.html

The differences you can expect are an improvement in detail, clarity and imaging. The speakers image more convincingly and it is harder to locate them in the room, which it already did pretty well... now it is up there with the best systems I've ever heard as far as imaging. There is a reduction in audio "crud" throughout the frequency band, allowing a level of clarity and detail well beyond what I've heard in my system before. Bass levels seem a bit lower, I did go from 14 to 20 g wire, but I think it is more accurate and has better texture. I may try doubling up on the runs or adding a solid core 20g upocc wire to supplement.

For those who don't want to deal with panel-mount binding posts, Cardas sells copper binding posts for $75 for a set of 4. A little more than 2x the price of the Pomonas but they look nicer and I think they make a model long enough to directly replace the stock binding posts, but don't quote me on that, you'd need to double check. I'd avoid the raw copper posts unless you don't mind cleaning them often.

IMO, the Pomona posts are worth looking into as OEM for the Omega line... they are only $7.42/ea if you buy 100 at Mouser. The difference in sound might be worth it.

[planet10]

As i would expect from the changes. Posts with less metal, thinner wire, and solder connections.

These posts from PC are also very good

http://www.partsconnexion.com/product7483.html

The solid copper Cardas ones i am not a big fan off. They are hard to solder and way too chunky, even taking the nuts all the way off improves them.

We have to swap speakers a lot, and use the Pomona dual banana jacks.

dave

[Quiet Earth]

Nice job DaveC113.

I'm interested in reading about your experience when you double up on the Neotec wire. Did you need a solder pot to get rid of the varnish or did it just scrape off easily?

Thanks for the links.

[DaveC113]

I'm far too cheap for the Cardas posts anyway...    The only issue I see with the Pomona posts is the looks, most cheap brass posts look nicer, but I'd guess the Performance of the Pomonas are as good as anything. Luckily they are on the back of my speakers so I don't have to look at them.

Getting rid of the coating on the wire isn't too bad... I don't have a solder pot but I think that would be the best way. I sanded some of the enamel off, then twisted up the ends, coated it with Cardas paste flux, and tinned the ends. The hot solder and flux will burn off the rest of the enamel and tin the wire. I tried burning off the enamel, this is the way to go if you aren't going to solder the ends, but if you're soldering the ash from the burn contaminates the wire. When you burn it off with solder and flux the enamel is replaced by solder and it come out clean.

I'm thinking of adding a solid core 20g upocc copper wire to the Neotech wire, that will give it 2 different gauges of wire and will probably fill out the bass a little better. I ordered 50' of the 20g Neotech wire so I have enough of it to try it out as speaker wire too, and there I can experiment with adding the 20g solid core wire to it, which I already have. There will be a longer length of wire so the differences will probably be more pronounced. But as I play music I think the wire is breaking in and the bass is coming back a bit... or I'm just getting used to it.     

[JLM]

Try eliminating the binding posts altogether.  I did a couple of years ago.  The speaker cables run directly from the binding posts on my monoblocks to the drivers (Fostex F200A have spring loaded push posts so I had my favorite cable guy, Scott Endler, fabricate pin terminations.  Obviously would have preferred twist termination, but this provides the most direct connection possible.  Rope caulk around the cabinet penetrations "sealed the deal".

[DaveC113]

I have experimented with the Neotech wire as speaker cable, as well as the 20g UPOCC gold plated magnet wire, and both in combination. I also used my current star-quad of 18g mil spec wire for comparison.

I tried out Speltz's Anti-Cables one time and the 20g solid core reminded me of that stuff a little bit... not great. It does some things well but it is not as tonally correct as it could be. It also did not add bass... the Neotech cable's bass presentation just needs a while to break in. Not much difference in bass vs. the 18g star quad which probably has 4x the metal vs a single run of 20g wire. The star quad did quite well and was definitely better than the 20g solid core, but lost out to the Neotech wire in the upper mid to high freqs. The star quad costs about 1/4 the price of the Neotech wire if you get a good deal on mil spec wire from ebay, so it is a great value.

So... IMO this Neotech wire is very impressive. It is similar to litz wire with the very fine strands of individually insulated wire. It will probably remain in my system as speaker cable, and I don't feel the need to double up on it for the internal speaker wiring either.

@JLM, I was considering hard-wiring and would have if I didn't find the Pomona binding posts. The Pomona posts are very minimalistic compared to typical audio jewelery type connectors and I don't think I'd notice them vs. a hardwired setup, and if I ever wanted to sell the speakers it would be an improvement, where a lot of people might not like a hardwired speaker they can't change cables on.

[mjock3]

Hey DaveC113,

Nice review, this is the type of thing I like about this hobby. You can make little tweaks here and there and reap the rewards.

How is that preamp sounding? Should be pretty well broke in by now.

Mark

[doctorcilantro]

My Hoyt 1.5 have Cryonova wire inside. It's anti-cable that has been cryo'd. So far so good.