[Quiet Earth]

I need to buy a set of (4) speaker binding posts to finish a DIY speaker project. Can anyone recommend a set of binding posts that have good metal content but are not too expensive? They don't have to be the best of the best,,,, I'm just looking for a good value. I will be plugging cables with BFA bananas into them when they are finished.

Thanks!

Q.E.

[S Clark]

These are not terribly expensive, and are a clear step up from standard binding post.
http://electracable.com/tubeconnector.htm

[rpf]

I second the Electras. I replaced the stock binding posts in my speakers with them and am very pleased with the sound upgrade.

I bought them from Danny Richie of GR Research here on AC.

[Æ]

Here is a link to some that are decent and affordable. Scroll down.

http://www.apexjr.com/Jacks.htm

[Photon46]

I've researched this in the past and the CMC brand seems to beat every other inexpensive offering I've found. All the other cheap brands use brass, CMC uses high grade copper. Here's a link to one of their offerings on Ebay. A little Ebay searching will find several sellers in Hong Kong or Taiwan that sell the various iterations. I've ordered from several Hong Kong and Taiwan sellers without any problems at all, other than an increase in shipping time. Takes maybe two weeks in my experience. I ordered Cardas unplated binding posts and have found them a huge improvement over the standard binding posts that came on my ACI speakers. Yeah, they do oxidize and need occasional cleaning. Sonic-Craft had the best prices on them, shipped fast too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220566678511?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1190wt_814

http://www.soniccraft.com/products/connections/bindingpost/cardas_ccbp.htm

[planet10]

Here is a link to some that are decent and affordable. Scroll down.

http://www.apexjr.com/Jacks.htm

Scroll down a little further, the $1.99 each ones are better.

You have to be careful with binding posts, as it is often the case that cheaper ones are better because they have less metal. Look for plastic nuts, for example, one of our locals has the big chunky Cardas posts on his speakers (the same ones as Photon mentions -- too much metal IMO) ... he was able to make them sound better by spinning the nuts off completely.

I am very interested in trying the ones S Clark linked to, the concept is very good, i wonder how well they work with 24g solid wire?

dave

[rklein]

I also was in the market for some quality binding posts as I am in the process of re-wiring my DIY speakers with Chris Ven Haus' UniCrystal TM OCC Copper Hookup Wire with AirLok TM foamed/cellular Teflon Insulation.

However, after having a conversation with Ric Shultz, I have decided to bring my hook-up wire outside my cabinets and use my current binding posts as a clamp for my hook-up wire and my speaker cables.  I also am going to bring my crossovers outside my cabinet as well and put them in a separate enclosure.

If you go to Ric's site he has pictures that describe this process.  Doing this saved me $$$ as I was looking at Cardas and I bi-wire to boot.

Regards,

Randy

[Æ]

Scroll down a little further, the $1.99 each ones are better.

You have to be careful with binding posts, as it is often the case that cheaper ones are better because they have less metal. Look for plastic nuts, for example, one of our locals has the big chunky Cardas posts on his speakers (the same ones as Photon mentions -- too much metal IMO) ... he was able to make them sound better by spinning the nuts off completely.

I am very interested in trying the ones S Clark linked to, the concept is very good, i wonder how well they work with 24g solid wire?

dave

They may (or may not) be better, but the hole in the post is smaller and will not accept rather large gauge speaker wire.
I have it from another source that the ones I linked, shown in the picture, are worthy contenders. I plan on buying some myself, both the short and the long version.

[planet10]

I have decided to bring my hook-up wire outside my cabinets and use my current binding posts as a clamp for my hook-up wire and my speaker cables.

That is a technique that works very well.

dave

[planet10]

They may (or may not) be better, but the hole in the post is smaller and will not accept rather large gauge speaker wire.

Given that i have moved from fat cable to 24g solid i find the holes on almost all of these too big. Far too many think bigger is better when it comes to speaker cable and all too often this is not the case.

dave

[Æ]

Given that i have moved from fat cable to 24g solid i find the holes on almost all of these too big. Far too many think bigger is better when it comes to speaker cable and all too often this is not the case.

dave

24 gauge? Hmmm, interesting. But, the resistance per foot is higher.

[planet10]

24 gauge? Hmmm, interesting. But, the resistance per foot is higher.

Not significantly. And it sounds better. And certainly is a value for the dollar leader.

dave

[Æ]

Not significantly. And it sounds better. And certainly is a value for the dollar leader.

dave

Sounds better is relative and subjective.
Regardless, many people would prefer to use a larger gauge wire, or at least have the option.

[mhconley]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220566678511?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1190wt_814

http://www.soniccraft.com/products/connections/bindingpost/cardas_ccbp.htm

+1 on both the CMC and Cardas.  I use CMC when I want very good quality (they make really nice RCA, too) and Cardas when I want the best.

Martin

[Big Red Machine]

Here are my favs, not cheap though:



http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/propeller-post-binding-posts/propeller-post-35mm-tc-binding-post-pair/

Edison-Price binding posts - hard to find as out of prod'n, they pop up once in a while.  Solid copper through and through.

Somebody needs to try these at $146   per pair:   
http://www.vhaudio.com/images/furutech-ft-809.jpg

[shooter]

+1 for thin solid core wire for high efficiency speakers.

[planet10]

Sounds better is relative and subjective.
Regardless, many people would prefer to use a larger gauge wire, or at least have the option.

Cabling is system dependent. But in this case it is something that is VERY easy (and cheap -- peel a pair of strands out of a solid core CAT5 cable (use 2 lengths the same colour)) to just try if one can get around the prejudice that say bigger is better.

dave

[Æ]

Cabling is system dependent. But in this case it is something that is VERY easy (and cheap -- peel a pair of strands out of a solid core CAT5 cable (use 2 lengths the same colour)) to just try if one can get around the preduices that say bigger is better.

dave

This thread is about binding posts, not wire/cable.

[planet10]

This thread is about binding posts, not wire/cable.

My original reference to wire was wrt the critical interface with the binding posts.

Why would anyone consider your recommendation? You don't even know how to spell prejudice.

Thanx for the spell check, my spelling can be poor at times (my typing usually), but that has no impact on my ability to hear, test, or recommend. 40 years in the industry, well over the 10k hrs of intensive listening training, lots of experience on the frontiers, and feedback from others willing to stretch themselves speak to the recommendation.

It won't work in everyone's system, but it is easy to try.

dave

[Quiet Earth]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I appreciate all of the comments too, relevant or not. But thanks for trying to keep things on track AE. 

I'm still not sure which way I'll go, but I'm leaning towards the cmc style to get the copper (or silver) content up and the price down. I think Pomona makes a copper binding post (3770?) for around nine bucks a piece, so I might go that route too. More plastic and less metal.

Obviously I'm in no big hurry to get this done . . . .