Questions on bare wire connection

[Siper2]

Hello all. I recently picked up, on clearance, some Boston Acoustics CR95 tower speakers from Tweeter, Etc. I do not yet have a receiver--will be saving up for that and hopefully can buy within a couple of months. While I love surround, I think I'll be sticking with stereo. Mostly because I can't afford it, and also, my particular living room isn't laid out in any way to be conducive to 5.1 or 6.1, even close to "properly."
(I was looking at the Onkyo HT-S760 HTiB but got the towers instead, for that reason.)

A few days ago I picked up 16' of speaker cable from Home Depot, in 12-gauge. $4.50, got to love that. As I had good rapport with one of Boston's representatives via Email a few months ago, I wrote to him about connectors.

"Bare wire will yield the best signal," was essentially the answer. "Not pretty," but best.
Makes sense, I suppose, but I want to ask a few things about hookup.

Now, granted, the instructions may help me through all of this, but since the towers are still boxed up, and a receiver's still a pipe dream, I thought I'd lay out my game plan with you fine people. Is there a certain length of cable that should be exposed? For example, 1/2" or 1" or....? Do you just wrap it around the post, then screw it down?
I guess I'm just looking for the most professional method to hook all this up.

For those curious, I got 16' of cable as I'd read--somewhere on this or another forum--that you need 8' of cable for nominal performance. True or not, that's fine, it gives me spare if I ever need it. Thanks for the help!! Oh, and I'm open to suggestions on $300ish stereo receivers. Currently looking at Denon and Yamaha models at Tweeter, but I'm also being swayed sometimes towards amps. (Problem there is no AM/FM....)

=S2=

[markw]

Did you ever look at the back of a HT receiver? Good luck wrapping bare wires around those terminals! Heck, good luck even using spade lugs there.

Since there's no difference in sound between bare, spade and banana plugs, I would go for at least spade lugs. Cheap and easy to install and they alleviate the possiblity of a stray wire or two shorting out. Just use a good, solid crimp tool.

If you are determined to use bare wires instead of spades, expose just enough to wrap once around the binding post and then tighten it down really, really good and be very sure there are no "strays" exposed. There should be no exposed wires showinfg once everything is tightened.

[Mash]

Many, perhaps most, receivers and amps feature "5-Way Binding Posts" for connecting loudspeakers.

These have tubular ends and are spaced so that bananna plugs may be directly inserted. Also the posts have transverse thru-holes thru which the bared wire may be inserted, or the wire can be wrapped around the post, and then the nut is tightened down. Also spade lugs can be used. The bananna plugs are clearly the most convenient. Tin 1/2 inch of bared speaker wire with rosen-core electronics solder prior to assembly for best electrical performance.

To Cable-Purists who Object to the recommendation to Tin 1/2 inch of bare wire with rosen-core electronics solder prior to assembly:
You will note that the components on the amp's or receiver's circuit boards are soldered on with rosen-core electronics solder rather than being simply crimped on. There are very sound reasons for this practice.........

8' of 12 AWG zip amounts to "nothing" in the amp-loudspeaker circuit. The ideal length of speaker wire is the length that will reach from the amp or receiver to the speaker following a convenient path and also allow for loudspeaker repositioning to obtain the best sound.

[Siper2]

Alright, so forget the length... I've got enough, anyway, if I ever have to space my towers further from the TV.

So essentially, perhaps I ought to have some connectors put at the ends of the cables?
If there's no sonic difference, and it's easier to install, I might as well have a connector put on there. (Banana plugs I suppose.)

How about for the speaker end of the cable.... what's good to use for that?


If I brought the cables to Radio Shack, are they proficient enough to properly connect the speaker to whatever plug I decide on? I do have a crimper (not a very good one), but no soldering ability.

[Mash]

There is a first time for everybody, so you might as well start soldering now.

1. Get a wire stripper. These usually also crimp. You have time, so look for deals. I have bought really nice and really strong, substantial, well-made, wire stripper/crimpers for less than $20. The Rat Shack website and Sears will have closeout deals from time to time. Try to beat Wal-Mart's price.

2. Rat Shack sells nice 25W/30W pencil soldering irons for maybe $12. Do NOT buy a soldering gun.

3. You can also buy the electronic solder at Rat Shack.

4. Practice.
plug in the pencil iron so that it gets hot.
Strip the wire and then twist it so that it is a tight 'bundle'.
Hold the tip of the hot iron to the stripped wire.
Touch the end of the uncoiled solder to the end of the hot wire.
The wire is tinned.

5. The bananna plugs have wire-insertion holes with lock-screws.

[Siper2]

I'll give it a shot.

My tool has crimper and stripper on it, so that's taken care of. I mean, it's not a Facom tool, but it works.

Thanks for the instructions. Now, as for connectors... I've found a bunch of different types.
I guess banana is one of the more convenient for the receiver end, but as for the speakers, still lost.

[markw]

Bananas are just as convenient on the speaker as well. FWIW, it's not necessary to tin the wire when putting it in a screw down banana plug.

[Siper2]

Thanks. I'm reading up on connectors as we speak, here. Seems a screw-down might save me some money overall, since I won't need the soldering instruments.

Guess it's off to the 'Shack. Now, here's a question I just want to verify....
The speaker wire has one side copper-colored, one side silver. Naturally one must be careful to not cross them to the wrong posts (pos/neg), but does it matter which side is which? My acquaintance at BA said no, and it wouldn't seem so, to me. Thought I'd ask, however.

For simplicity's sake I'd probably go with copper on the positive side (since "red = pos" in everyone's mind), if it doesn't matter.


Oh... So I'll need two pair of banana plugs, right? (Two pos and two neg.)

Wow. I guess I really AM new at this. Stick me on my car community forum where I have over 6,000 posts and I do pretty well. In here, though, it's a different story! I used to read a lot of the cable arguments back in 2001, but I guess that's how long it's been....

EDIT: Okay, found a bunch of banana connectors on RadioShack's site.
http://www.radioshack.com/search.asp...p=search&SRC=1

Last I heard, gold plating was another "just for the image" kind of thing, but would the $2.59 regular, solderless plugs be okay, or should I cough up another few bucks for gold?

[markw]

I like the separate plugs as opposed to the 2 in i joined pairs 'cause maybe, just maybe you'll wind up with some euro gear some day that might not go by the standard 3/4" spacing.

I have 12 gauge cable with pre-installed bananas on my fronts. I'm using 16 gauge wire on my center and rears and do just fine with the 2.59 278?-721 models. simply stripped off about 3/8" and pushed it thru the tops and tightened the set screw. ...last did this about two years ago and had no need to revisit 'em since. ...and these are reusable, not to mention that you can adjust your cable lengths as needed and reinstall 'em.

If I were to rewire with t2 gauge, I'd probably opt for the $4.59 crimp on BANANAS*.

As far as the colors go, you're on the right track. As long as the red (or +) omn the amp winds on the red (or +) on the speaker, you're set. I use the copper as the positive myself. ...keeps things simple.

[Siper2]

Okay great, thank you!

Guess I'll stick with the less expensive plugs. That is, unless I get the urge to buy something pretty-looking when I'm in Radio Shack.

[Beckman]

There is a first time for everybody, so you might as well start soldering now.

1. Get a wire stripper. These usually also crimp. You have time, so look for deals. I have bought really nice and really strong, substantial, well-made, wire stripper/crimpers for less than $20. The Rat Shack website and Sears will have closeout deals from time to time. Try to beat Wal-Mart's price.

2. Rat Shack sells nice 25W/30W pencil soldering irons for maybe $12. Do NOT buy a soldering gun.

3. You can also buy the electronic solder at Rat Shack.

4. Practice.
plug in the pencil iron so that it gets hot.
Strip the wire and then twist it so that it is a tight 'bundle'.
Hold the tip of the hot iron to the stripped wire.
Touch the end of the uncoiled solder to the end of the hot wire.
The wire is tinned.

5. The bananna plugs have wire-insertion holes with lock-screws.

Safety glasses? Wires can/have/will fling solder at your face.

[Siper2]

Well, honestly I guess that's just good sense. I have some.

(Safety glasses, I mean. Though I suppose I have some good sense, too. )