0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 47621 times.
Wayner,Would it not sound even better if you just used bare wire to connect to the speaker binding posts?
With that in mind, IMHO the only really tight connection is made with a hydraulic crimping tool. Nothing like 8-10 tons of pressure cold welding a wire to a connector to make a gas tight, permanent link.
It is important for me that the speaker wires be easily removed and that the critical positioning of the speakers is not changed. The speakers are set (and calibrated) to be exactly mirror image to each other in regards to toe-in angle and position from rear wall. I also find that the single nut of the 5-way binding posts of the speakers tend to vibrate loose, and require periodic checks. These bananas (IMHO) secure the wire to the speaker much better then even bare stranded wire, because of that reason alone.Wayner
Well, a couple of points... one is that not too many people have one of those tools lying about at home Second, soldering can't be that bad as after all that is most likely how the connection is made on the inside of the equipment being connected.
That's interesting to know. I bought mine direct.There's nothing really wrong with them, considering the price, they work fine. I'd like to find something similar that is designed to be soldered.
That's true about the tool not lying about in most folk's workbox. But a nice 8 ton portable with a decent set of dies can be had for $60 US, not too much for someone who makes speaker cables and interconnects for themselves and friends on even a casual frequency. I'm no expert on the sound of solder vs compression, but Sean Casey at Zu is and he likes both the durability and sound quality of high pressure connections. And purely on common sense, which holds little water in argument, physically bonding the metallic lattice seems superior to melting some tin over the connection. How much bonding is there at 8 tons, and how gas tight it is, please ask someone who knows, I said it was common sense and I have precious little of it to spread around. Of course solder is used throughout components where crimping is impractical and expensive compared to a solder bath. And is a common practice in audio cabling as well, even if just make a mechanical connection gas tight. So for your question, yes, one of the IMHO personal preference things, but it makes sense to me.
The inside of the barrel is 5mm or .196". The material is a brass family alloy, with a fairly high copper content, so it should crimp. However, I'd stay very far way from the banana element. I'm not sure how that is held in there, but I'm pretty sure its cold formed onto the connector body. I do feel that the set screws are adequate with 14gauge (doubled up), but if you want, crimp away. Audio Advisor does have some BFAs that are made for crimping that might work better, kind of expensive: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ANGBWayner
John, What wire are using in the photo?Larry
The best type for crimping are those like the ones Steve linked to: [Multi-Contact LS4]
The best type for crimping are those like the ones Steve linked to:Or those with a sleeve insert made for crimping. (Your idea of a sleeve of soft copper is just the thing they use, can't find a pic of them right off) I wouldn't think the Naks and the other types made for solder or screw down connection would be the best application.About the 240 ton crimper, since yesterday I've perused a few articles on mechanical bonding of noble metals and it seems like too much force is as bad as too little force. I'm far, far away from any kind expert on this, but it seems the metals flow away from the bonding lattice when too much pressure is applied. I'd take a wild guess that the crimper for the truck starters prolly applies the correct force needed to get a gas tight bond.
