[gregmav]

Getting ready to order an Insight 440H power amp.  What types of speaker cable terminations will the speaker connectors accept?  Thanks in advance.

Greg

[boycephoto]

Greg

I have an AVA OmeagaStar EX 440H (same chassis as an Insight).  I can use bare wire, spades or banana's and found banana's to be the most convenient due to the location of the jacks, especially if the wire has any stiffness to it.  Good luck with your new amp.

Dave

[gregmav]

Greg

I have an AVA OmeagaStar EX 440H (same chassis as an Insight).  I can use bare wire, spades or banana's and found banana's to be the most convenient due to the location of the jacks, especially if the wire has any stiffness to it.  Good luck with your new amp.

Dave

So, the amp speaker terminals will accept bananas?  I was going to use banana's at the speaker binding posts as well.  I am also ordering an Insight EC pre amp.  Thanks for the info.  I appreciate it.

Greg

P.S.  Aren't the inputs and outputs of the power amp below the heat sink area?

[oneinthepipe]

Yes, the inputs are on the left side, and the speaker terminals are in the center, both below the heat sinks. 

I believe that Frank and Wayner both recommend the Pomona Double banana plugs.  I liked the locking banana plugs that were used in the AVA/Salk room at RMAF.  My single banana plugs will slip out of the speaker terminals on my amps if the wires are jostled.

BTW, when you order the 440H, why not "make it a double"?

[gregmav]

Yes, the inputs are on the left side, and the speaker terminals are in the center, both below the heat sinks. 

I believe that Frank and Wayner both recommend the Pomona Double banana plugs.  I liked the locking banana plugs that were used in the AVA/Salk room at RMAF.  My single banana plugs will slip out of the speaker terminals on my amps if the wires are jostled.

BTW, when you order the 440H, why not "make it a double"?

Funny you should ask about "making it a double".  I am toying with the idea and was reading about it on the home page.  Wondering what improvement it would provide?

Greg

[oneinthepipe]

Yes, the inputs are on the left side, and the speaker terminals are in the center, both below the heat sinks. 

I believe that Frank and Wayner both recommend the Pomona Double banana plugs.  I liked the locking banana plugs that were used in the AVA/Salk room at RMAF.  My single banana plugs will slip out of the speaker terminals on my amps if the wires are jostled.

BTW, when you order the 440H, why not "make it a double"?

Funny you should ask about "making it a double".  I am toying with the idea and was reading about it on the home page.  Wondering what improvement it would provide?

Greg

I suppose that your speakers' power requirements would be the most important factor in determining the benefit, although Frank previously reported that the Double 440H was the best solid state amplifier that he has ever built and in a very brief comparison with an Ultra 550 (or Ultra Double 550; I can't remember which), there was only the slightest of differences. 

Regardless, it can't hurt, and the double die option is not a costly upgrade, IMO.

[Wayner]

Certainly, a double will have lots of dynamic headroom.

Yes, double bananas are great. They won't vibrate or slip out.

Wayner 

[turkey]

I've had good luck with the Pomona clones from PE. They have them in black and red.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=090-467

[turkey]

The locking banana plugs used by Blue Jeans Cables are terrific, probably the best I've ever used.

I don't really like banana plugs or binding posts like those because they're not insulated. That's just asking for trouble.

[martyo]

BTW, when you order the 440H, why not "make it a double"?

My Ultra Double sounds better than it did as a stock 550 and as Wayner posted, how can you have too much headroom. IMO it's way worth the couple of hundred bucks.

I've never tried the locking bananas, but I bi-wire and have piggy-backed double bananas and haven't experienced any problems.......

[Wayner]

I think the double plugs from Pomona, PE and even Monoprice are all made by the same dudes, dudes.

Wayner 

[oneinthepipe]

The locking banana plugs used by Blue Jeans Cables are terrific, probably the best I've ever used.

I don't really like banana plugs or binding posts like those because they're not insulated. That's just asking for trouble.

I cover the otherwise exposed portion of any un-insulated banana plugs with shrink wrap to prevent them from shorting if there was an contact between the plugs while the amp was turned on.  I haven't tried the BJC plugs.

[Tone Depth]

Hi Greg,

I have an Insight Double 440H and am completely satisfied with it.  To my ears it gains a certain increased clarity as compared with the 440H, and also additional headroom as previously mentioned.

Yes, the inputs are on the left side, and the speaker terminals are in the center, both below the heat sinks. 

I believe that Frank and Wayner both recommend the Pomona Double banana plugs.  I liked the locking banana plugs that were used in the AVA/Salk room at RMAF.  My single banana plugs will slip out of the speaker terminals on my amps if the wires are jostled.

BTW, when you order the 440H, why not "make it a double"?

Funny you should ask about "making it a double".  I am toying with the idea and was reading about it on the home page.  Wondering what improvement it would provide?

Greg

[Wayner]

You can get these doubles for $2.40 @ www.monoprice.com.

Direct link: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2944&seq=1&format=2



Wayner  aa

[turkey]

I cover the otherwise exposed portion of any un-insulated banana plugs with shrink wrap to prevent them from shorting if there was an contact between the plugs while the amp was turned on.  I haven't tried the BJC plugs.

Well... considering that the large masses of brass in many "impressive-looking" banana plugs don't actually make for a better connection or pass more current, I'd wonder if it's worth making special provision for them when properly insulated plugs are available inexpensively?

I was just listening to a Shostakovich Symphony #10 with Yoel Levi and the Atlantic Symphony. It's one of the Telarc closeouts I got recently from oldies.com. I'd have to say it was a better use of my money than fancy banana plugs.

[oneinthepipe]

I cover the otherwise exposed portion of any un-insulated banana plugs with shrink wrap to prevent them from shorting if there was an contact between the plugs while the amp was turned on.  I haven't tried the BJC plugs.

Well... considering that the large masses of brass in many "impressive-looking" banana plugs don't actually make for a better connection or pass more current, I'd wonder if it's worth making special provision for them when properly insulated plugs are available inexpensively?

I was just listening to a Shostakovich Symphony #10 with Yoel Levi and the Atlantic Symphony. It's one of the Telarc closeouts I got recently from oldies.com. I'd have to say it was a better use of my money than fancy banana plugs.

turkey:

Good point, and I agree wholeheartedly.  My banana plugs were $2.17 per pair, and I took borrowed the shrink wrap from my father's shop more than twenty-five years ago.  My cost was $4.34 (plus shipping divided between other items, since I was already ordering from monoprice, and I thought that including a few banana plugs in the order would save on shipping costs).  There was another plug that was a few cents cheaper, but I was uncertain about the method of attaching the 12 gauge speaker wire.  I find banana plugs convenient because I swap the speaker wires between two amps.  Regardless, I didn't mind spending a few extra pennies for the more expensive plug. 

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2943&seq=1&format=2


Now Playing  Tiny Dancer from Elton John's Madman Across the Water  (my two younger daughters are dancing around the room like ballerinas) 

[stereocilia]

For my FetValve Ultra 550 I used LKG Industries No. 45-812G single banana plugs which I bought locally.  I shrink wrapped the outer metal housing.  I like these because they take 10 ga. blue jeans (Belden) cable like a ...well, nevermind... it fits.  I haven't found a double plug that secures 10 ga. cable as well as these (I'm less fond the thumb screws of the aforementioned monoprice dual banana offering).

Okay, 10 ga. is overkill some of you may be muttering to yourselves.  But, then again, how many Watts does that bad-a$$ amp throw down?

[oneinthepipe]

I'm less fond the thumb screws of the aforementioned monoprice dual banana offering.

I used a vise and a pair of vise-grips to get the thumb screws tight enough on the monoprice bananas.  I shrink-wrapped them afterward.  I have the type that you use, too, but I wasn't too sure about the contact with the big wire.

[stereocilia]

Vice-grips?     I can't believe I didn't go straight for the vice grips first thing.  I tried that just now and it works brilliantly.  At first, I was worried that I'd cut right through the wire with that much pressure, but it didn't.  Now I'm inspired to going to go find other stuff that needs vice gripping!   

[avahifi]

Just don't use the vice grips on the speaker jacks on the amplifier!

Frank