Forums - Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections

sfw Verified Member Posts: 4	Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections 05/13/21 at 23:03:44 I’m about to order some speaker cables for my future SE84UFO. What is the collective forum wisdom about speaker wire termination at the SE84UFO? It seems like banana plugs may be unwieldy, sending the cables skyward… maybe screwing down spades would be better? Thanks for any thoughts.
Back to top	IP Logged

Geno

Seasoned Member

Without music, life
would be a mistake.

Posts: 2000

Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections
Reply #1 - 05/15/21 at 17:40:22

Some folks like the look of them coming straight up. Spades would work, but a lot of folks (me included) prefer the sound of bare wire. It really depends on what gauge wire you use though for that to be practical. I use the funky mapleshade speaker wire and it is small enough and designed to be connected bare wire.

Back to top

(2)SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) OR Sansui AU-222
Crown sub amp
Cambridge Audio CXN(ModWright) • ZBIT
SL-1210MK5(KAB Mods) Soundsmith Aida MKll cart • Darlington Labs MP-7
Otari MX5050-Bll2 R2R
ZLC Power Cond.
Lii Audio PT-10/W-15 in open baffles

IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23460

Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections
Reply #2 - 05/15/21 at 17:58:28

Banana cables are hard to deal with on the HR-1--at least for me so in one system I use bare wire (Mapleshade Audio as Geno uses) and in the main system I use spades on both ends with my PS Audio xStream PCOCC speaker cables.

I've always found banana connectors to be problematic wiht my amp and speaker connectors--mainly because of their input diameter or in the earlier days their flimsy plastic construction. I would use then now if I didn't have two pairs of HR-1 that aren't well suited for them on the cables I tried.

Back to top

HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

duaneh Verified Member Posts: 26	Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections Reply #3 - 05/15/21 at 20:07:03 Mapleshade reommends bare ends, but they'll sell you spades or bananas. Their Double Helix V.2+ sound great.
Back to top	Decware SE84UFO25, ZROCK2, Cambridge Audio CXN V2 (with Modwright modifications), Klipsch Heresy IIIs, Forte IVs, Mapleshade Double Helix 2 speaker wire, Decware DSR I/Cs, Brickwall surge protector, DHC-1 and Audiocrast power cords, Qobuz/Roon IP Logged

sfw Verified Member Posts: 4	Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections Reply #4 - 05/15/21 at 21:02:23 Thanks all for your thoughts. Would you say it is correct that the binding posts accept bare wire of 12 gauge and higher (smaller)? As for spades, what size should clear the posts? Do the posts have flats that could be used with smaller spades to prevent rotation?
Back to top	IP Logged

Donnie

Seasoned Member

Why does it hurt
when I pee?

Posts: 2193

Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections
Reply #5 - 05/15/21 at 23:27:29

I ran my Mapleshade's as bare wire for years.
But as I started building more and more speakers I bought some "bolt on" banana plugs so it would be a little easier switching speakers and amps.
I didn't hear any sonic differences. But I may be deaf.

I think that it is interesting that so many of us use the Mapleshade products.

Back to top

Owner of the infamous RED TORII and Dan the Redheaded Amp

IP Logged

Geno

Seasoned Member

Without music, life
would be a mistake.

Posts: 2000

Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections
Reply #6 - 05/15/21 at 23:47:34

Donnie, not too surprising because I used yours and Lon’s advice 4 years ago for the Mapleshade when I was looking for a speaker wire upgrade ;)

And while we are talking about advice on good speaker wire, HK recommended the Duelund 12awg wire when I was looking for an upgrade from my sub amp to my bass drivers. Good stuff, and very reasonable. The fact that the mapleshade stuff is so weird to run, I’m still considering changing to the Duelund for my full rangers too.

By the way, I noticed that the new Western Electric audio manufacturers are selling hookup wire on their website. I wonder how it compares to the classic wire???

Back to top

(2)SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) OR Sansui AU-222
Crown sub amp
Cambridge Audio CXN(ModWright) • ZBIT
SL-1210MK5(KAB Mods) Soundsmith Aida MKll cart • Darlington Labs MP-7
Otari MX5050-Bll2 R2R
ZLC Power Cond.
Lii Audio PT-10/W-15 in open baffles

IP Logged

HockessinKid Seasoned Member Posts: 1089	Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections Reply #7 - 05/16/21 at 01:15:49 Geno, While I have not heard the Western Electric wire myself, several friends have told me it has similar tonality to the Duelund tinned copper cables. Perhaps not as much detail. The 12g wire works well with both my Omega XRS SAHO speakers and the Caintuck Lii15 baffles. HK
Back to top	Nottingham Interspace TT w/ Audio Technica AT-OC9XML cart + Modwright PH 9.0XT phono OR Modwright modded Cambridge CNX V2 > CSP3-25th Ann. preamp > ZMA-25th Ann. amp > PI Audio UberBUSS > Caintuck Audio Lii15 Magnum speakers > Snake River Audio & ZenWave cables IP Logged

Geno Seasoned Member Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2000	Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections Reply #8 - 05/16/21 at 03:12:28 Roger, How is your wire terminated on each end?
Back to top	(2)SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) OR Sansui AU-222 Crown sub amp Cambridge Audio CXN(ModWright) • ZBIT SL-1210MK5(KAB Mods) Soundsmith Aida MKll cart • Darlington Labs MP-7 Otari MX5050-Bll2 R2R ZLC Power Cond. Lii Audio PT-10/W-15 in open baffles IP Logged

HockessinKid Seasoned Member Posts: 1089	Re: Thoughts on tidy speaker wire connections Reply #9 - 05/16/21 at 11:55:28 Hello Geno, I just do bare wire connections to speaker terminals when I use the Deulund 12g wire. Just a twist to keep all the strands together. Easy peasey. HK
Back to top	Nottingham Interspace TT w/ Audio Technica AT-OC9XML cart + Modwright PH 9.0XT phono OR Modwright modded Cambridge CNX V2 > CSP3-25th Ann. preamp > ZMA-25th Ann. amp > PI Audio UberBUSS > Caintuck Audio Lii15 Magnum speakers > Snake River Audio & ZenWave cables IP Logged