[MikeDavis]

How do you connect your salks?  Bare wire, spades, banana plugs.....  Let's hear it!

Me? Furutech spades at speaker end, bare at amplifier.

[PSB Guy]

10awg Blue Jeans Cable with bananas at both ends.

Cornelis

[coke]

blue jeans 10awg with locking bananas

[Saturn94]

Bare at both ends.

[advanced101]

Audioquest bananas at both ends

[rlee8394]

10awg Blue Jeans Cable with bananas at both ends.

Ron

[MikeDavis]

Bare at both ends.

I've thought about going this direction.  Any issues with going bare on the speaker end?

[srb]

I've thought about going this direction.  Any issues with going bare on the speaker end?

The bare wire can oxidize and some like to cut them back every few years to expose new unoxidized wire.  When I've used bare connections, I liked to tin just the end ~1/8" with solder to keep any strands from unravelling while still having bare wire to clamp down against.

Steve

[MikeDavis]

The bare wire can oxidize and some like to cut them back every few years to expose new unoxidized wire.  When I've used bare connections, I liked to tin just the end ~1/8" with solder to keep any strands from unravelling while still having bare wire to clamp down against.

Steve

Did you loop the bare wire around the post before tightening?  I like the thought of a bare wire connection, but worry that the binding post wouldn't hold the bare wire securely like it would a spade or banana. 

[sfox7076]

No, you can get it to catch going directly into the back of the binding post so that it compresses down.  Alternatively, you can back the binding post back until you see a hole that will allow you to put the wire through and then tighten down.  I find this to be more secure than any other type of connection.  I use Belden 5000 for the speaker cable.  I bought a lot of it when I was moving into my apartment because it is rated for in wall use.  It works great.  No need for the smoke and mirrors or fancy wire or spades.   And no, it isn't quite as cheap as lamp cord, but that isn't in wall rated.  Only advantage I see to spades or banana plugs is that if the kid yanks on the wire, the spade/banana plug may pull out before the speaker falls on him.

Shawn

[Big Red Machine]

[funkmonkey]

bare on both ends..   less connections = lower chance of connection issues

[srb]

Did you loop the bare wire around the post before tightening?  I like the thought of a bare wire connection, but worry that the binding post wouldn't hold the bare wire securely like it would a spade or banana.

Alternatively, you can back the binding post back until you see a hole that will allow you to put the wire through and then tighten down.

I insert the wire through the hole that is cross drilled through the binding post shaft which seems more secure than wrapping a wire around the post, but you should have the correct length of wire stripped so there is no more than ~1/8" extending through the post.

All of my binding posts have a hole drilled through the post shaft, but there are some posts that don't.

Steve

[Saturn94]

I've thought about going this direction.  Any issues with going bare on the speaker end?

I've used bare wire at both ends for over 30 years without issues.  You do have to be careful that no stray strands cause a short.

My only "issue" with the binding posts on my HT2-TLs is that they do not have a hole in them to put the wire through.  Having the hole makes for a more secure connection, IMO.  I twist the wire, wrap it around the binding post (clockwise direction), then tighten, again making sure there are no stray strands.  This works with my 12 gauge wire, bit if the wire were any bigger I don't think it would work too well.  I do check the connections periodically and so far I've not had any issues with them coming loose on the HT2-TLs. 

I have thought about contacting Jim about the possibility of replacing the binding posts.  If I were to do it over again, I would have requested different binding posts that were more bare wire friendly.

[mark funk]

I use Belden 5T00UP 10awg and double bananas on both ends.





                                                                                       

[Richard in Idaho]

blue jeans 10awg with locking bananas

Same here. 6 foot long.

[rick_reynolds40]

Morrow Audio Sp3's.  6 foot, Banana both ends. 

Great match for ST-RT's

[DMurphy]

16 Ga Radio Shack, bare at both ends.  It's got this great red stripe down the positive side.  Fantastic. 

[lonewolfny42]

16 Ga Radio Shack, bare at both ends.  It's got this great red stripe down the positive side.  Fantastic.

Then you need to try....this Red Stripe...     

[Nuance]

I used these, bananas and all.