[Stefan_DR3]

These plastic housings are driving me mad because I cannot insert my spades all the way.

http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=25655

As you can see in this picture the plastic lip on the top is causing the interference, even with large flat (not angled) spades.   You can imagine with angled Cardas spades it is much worse.

Can the binding posts easily be changed, or does the cutout on the chassis require these exact posts?

If not I may have to cut off that lip. 

[SHV]

I use bare wire for my speaker connections...

Steve

[won ton on]

i was using cardas spades at first on my 4bsst2 but found they were not making a solid connection. so i went with cardas bananas on the amp side and they seem to be working good. also i'm using the spades on my Salk ht2-tl's as you can tighten them with a wrench (just don't over do it)

[brucek]

I use bare wire for my speaker connections...

Steve

Bare wire does make a good connection, but to carry it out properly, you should cut off a couple inches of the existing wire and ensure to strip back the insulation and expose clean shiny copper wire. This is important as it removes the oxidized copper (cupric oxide) on the old exposed end.

Then when the wire is inserted and clamped down, it essentially creates an air tight crimp at the point of contact between the wire and binding post that will last indefinitely.

This crimped area will remain a good joint even if all the wire around it oxidizes. It's only the joint that is important, the oxidation on the rest of the cable is of no concern other than it may be unsightly.

But, if you ever unscrew the binding post, you have to repeat the procedure. That's the problem. With spades this isn't necessary.

brucek

[robb]

The posts need to be redesigned. Whoever heard of designing a post that doesn't accept all spades. Spades have the largest contact area so if they fit, as they should, make the best connection.  My big spades on my Transparent Reference speaker cable barely fit. and then it is extra difficult to tighten the posts with a quarter (recommended by Bryston)

Rob

[Fernando]

These plastic housings are driving me mad because I cannot insert my spades all the way.

Are these housings different from those in the discontinued ST series?

I can insert VDH SB-10 angled spades all the way in my 4B ST - would be most grateful if anyone here will let me know is some form-factor change has been done to the housings in the SST2 series. The ST housings have lips too.

I don't think bare wire does make a good connection, 'though we might argue this forever.
IMHO, its main disadvantage is that from time to time one would find them a little loose, and need to tighten them a little bit.
In fact, for my woofer I have spades at the amp's end, and bare wire at the speakers' end. And I try to remember to tighten the latter.

So, aside of its translucent look, are the housings in the SST2 different from those in the ST series?

 

[rob80b]

Are these housings different from those in the discontinued ST series?...........


...........So, aside of its translucent look, are the housings in the SST2 different from those in the ST series?

 

Depends on which ST, the earlier models had no shroud around the post, the newer ones were introduced in 1999.


prior to 1999


late ST




The SST/SST2 may have clear or colored (black & red) and are very similar to the later STs, neither will accommodate my WBT spades, on my previous Audioquest cables I had installed Brystons original large spades and they fit like a glove now I'm using bare wire also at the amp end.



I have not tried their newer spades but I'm sure there just as good.




Robert

[drummermitchell]

I use Bryston's larger spades on the amp side with my sst's and 28's and they fit perfectly.
They have the shroud or lip on  there also.
Use to use Cardas GRC's but they didn't fit well at all and I don't even miss them.

[Fernando]

Depends on which ST, the earlier models had no shroud around the post, the newer ones were introduced in 1999.

The SST/SST2 may have clear or colored (black & red) and are very similar to the later STs,

I have not tried their newer spades but I'm sure there just as good.

Thanks, Robert.
Mine is the later ST, bought just in 1999.
The VDH SB-10 spades (angled !) "fit as a glove" into the late ST housing design, despite the shroud.
Sorry about your WBT spades, I chose the VDH blindfolded - didn't know if they would fit, I was just lucky enough.
Neither did I know of the pre - '99 design.

Bryston newer spades look gorgeous. Their contact surface look like the SB-10s, but overall design is much much much better than the VDH.

One thing 'though: spades are not quite suitable if you own PMC MB2i - I wrote them telling about this small issue.
Please don't ask me to describe in detail why do I think spades don't fit as I wish onto PMCs binding posts. My English will fall short for such a description.

Thanks again, you've been most helpful, instructing and tranquilizing ...

Fernando.

[rob80b]

These plastic housings are driving me mad because ...........

For safety reasons the plastic shrouds have been required by law for quite a few years now for products sold in Europe, and most importantly the spacing of the binding posts which once accommodated the dual banana plugs



also had to be changed so that they do not accommodate these.

[Fernando]

also had to be changed so that they do not accommodate these.

Robert,
The img posted above shows a Schuko which does not have earth contacts.

My 4B ST came with one of these:



I expect my new SST2 will come with the same earthed Schuko.
I'm somehow biased towards these German / French plugs, I think they're better than those used in North America, but I may be wrong.
Obviously, for 220 - 240 line voltage, up to 125 A.

Fernando.

[rob80b]

Well if you do not have any older speaker cables with these connectors,

your chances of plugging your speakers directly into the wall socket should be remote, but you could still inadvertently plug your new SST2 into the binding posts of an older amp.

[Fernando]

your chances of plugging your speakers directly into the wall socket should be remote, but you could still inadvertently plug your new SST2 into the binding posts of an older amp.

Oops _ Now I understand your point ... 

[rob80b]

Sorry too many pictures, so to summarize; the EU banned the traditional dual banana plugs/sockets that were widely used on many amps and speakers because they fit some of the 230 volt wall sockets and the shrouds were also required by law to reduce shorting speaker connections.Thus if a manufacturer wants to distribute their equipment in the EU they need to abide by the law, unfortunately a lot of  spades/sockets especially from north America never followed suite or manufactures designed their own and are sometimes incompatible when mixed with other designs, like my WBTs for example.



 

[Stefan_DR3]

My big spades on my Transparent Reference speaker cable barely fit. and then it is extra difficult to tighten the posts with a quarter (recommended by Bryston)
Rob

With my fancy Cardas cables cast aside, I decided to make my own short cables to hold me over and I used the Transparent spades available in bulk.  They fit properly only after flattening them in a vice. 

Now the only thing I don't like about those (aside from having to crush them) and the new Bryston spades is they are universal size (1/4" & 5/16") so the don't go in as far as if they were only 5/16" size.

[Stefan_DR3]

The SST/SST2 may have clear or colored (black & red) and are very similar to the later STs, neither will accommodate my WBT spades, on my previous Audioquest cables I had installed Brystons original large spades and they fit like a glove now I'm using bare wire also at the amp end.



I have not tried their newer spades but I'm sure there just as good.

Robert

Are those old Bryston spades still available somewhere?  I mean the longer one on the left - no way the one on the right will seat fully.

The new ones look too generic to be made by Bryston.

[James Tanner]

Are those old Bryston spades still available somewhere?  I mean the longer one on the left - no way the one on the right will fit.

The new ones look too generic to be made by Bryston.

No I am sorry the older ones are no longer available.

james

[1oldguy]

HI James..........Question for you if you will?

Want to be sure
With the new spades on the speaker wire......will they or will they not make complete contact as have been said here?
If not then I am sure this would be something up for a redesign.......


 

[Stefan_DR3]

I did not mean to imply that the new spades would not make contact.  Every spade I have tried so far has made contact, just some more than others.  I'm sure the new generic "dual radius" ones work but a straight 5/16" would be optimal.  If you are considering other spades just make sure they are long enough that the barrel of the connector doesn't bottom out on the plastic shroud before the spade bottoms out on the terminal as it should.