[Rhythm Willie]

Lost81.

I have found the best connectors(eyelets) are the plated,solid copper ones you can get for automotive electrical work. They come in all sizes & are cheap & effective. I have found no sound difference in soldering them to the earth tracks,speaker output tracks etc.  This way it will be quick & easy to upgrade the power supply etc to 100n+.

I actually use large ones on my speaker cables(triwired). Picked this trick up when I noticed them used on some high end ($800 per pair) commercial cables. I will never buy another cheap brass gold plated connector again - these are much better(solid copper).

[Lost81]

That's an awesome tip!
Thanks!

Yep, tons of automotive shops around here.
Even more car stereo shops (Rice Boys, et al.), so it will not be a problem locating these automotive copper spades & eyelets.

This rocks!  


-Lost81

[AKSA]

Hi Benny,

Take a look at the spade connectors used on the AKSA power amplifiers.

These are solid copper, tin plated, designed for pcb use but developed originally as spade connectors for the automotive industry.  The 6.3mm (1/4") spade connector remains one of the most reliable connectors for auto use;  this is an environment of huge contrasts in temperature, dust, vibration and mechanical stress.  They are so good they are still used on many ignition coils for passing current to the primary.  In this application, they HAVE to be reliable.  They have high contact area, and a unique construction which drives the metal into the tin plating, guaranteeing very low electrical resistance and good protection against oxidation at elevated temperatures.

Thanks Dennis, I agree 100% with your choice!

Cheers,

Hugh

[Lost81]

Hi Benny,

Take a look at the spade connectors used on the AKSA power amplifiers.

These are solid copper, tin plated, designed for pcb use but developed originally as spade connectors for the automotive industry.  The 6.3mm (1/4") spade connector remains one of the most reliable connectors for auto use;  this is an environment of huge contrasts in temperature, dust, vibration and mechanical stress.  They are so good they are still used on many ignition coils for passing current to the primary.  In this ...

Those are really nice male spade connectors, Hugh.
I guess I can search for the female versions of your spade connectors.
(So that I can connector wires to them and plug into the the male spade connectors).

Any leads / brands on that?

Thanks!


Cheers,
-Lost81

[AKSA]

Benny,

Just about any brand is fine;  I've never been able to discern any difference in sonics on these connectors.

In Australia there's a company called Utilux who make good ones, but visit an auto elec and ask them.  Go for pure copper ones, tin plate.  Some are made of thin steel plate.

Cheers,

Hugh

[kyrill]

i
Nothing wrong with solid copper automotive  spade connectors. But persist in seeing things in perspective.

A spade connector of copper or aluninium is unvalid (?) in a very extremely short path. I do not take into account the long term effect of oxydation
Given that the local force to put connectors in place is equal than the difference in connectors is the material over (in my modest amateurism experience) a much too short lenght to be relevant.
For instance I rather prefer an aluminum wire of 1 inch over the most expensive exclusive AFC copper wire of 1 meter

[Lost81]

i
Nothing wrong with solid copper automotive  spade connectors. But persist in seeing things in perspective.

A spade connector of copper or aluninium is unvalid (?) in a very extremely short path. I do not take into account the long term effect of oxydation
Given that the local force to put connectors in place is equal than the difference in connectors is the material over (in my modest amateurism experience) a much too short lenght to be relevant.
For instance I rather prefer an aluminum wire of 1 inch over the most expensive exclusive AFC copper wire of 1 meter

Thanks for putting things in perspective, kyrill!  

I just thought that since I am going to the trouble of getting some real nice wire for the output, I might as well make the rest of the chain as strong as practically possible.  


Cheers,
-Lost81

[Lost81]

I hooked up the transformer to check voltage and made the mistake of shorting the secondary windings (i.e. Black and Orange got together. I mistaken it for Ground, while connecting Red and Yellow to DVM).

The entire house went dark.  

I heard a lot of crinkling sound from the transformer.
I actually thought it was going to burst into flames...

Man, I know I made a couple of mistakes wiring up the mains to a transformer & blew the apartment's electrical system, but this is getting ridiculous: Now, everytime the lights in their rooms flicker, my housemates knock on my door (loudly, because I attached 1/2 inch of foam paneling, and 4 inches of acoustic wedge foam, behind the air-tight, dual weather-sealed, door) yelling, "Benny? Are you all right? Was that you? My lights flickered."


     
-Lost81

[kyrill]

Yeah,  we are a crazy bunch..