Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270 |
There was a time in the early 1970s when the only banana plugs I could find in the Toronto area were the solderable type (I still have some speaker cables with those plugs attached.)
It certainly isn't necessary, given the significant voltage/amperage of high-level audio signals from a power amplifier. If you were talking about the tiny output from a moving-magnet or moving-coil phono cartridge (a few millivolts--thousandths of a volt), then losses might be significant.
I haven't bothered soldering banana plugs for years. You could take this to ludicrous extremes, the way some tweaks are prone to do--and solder the entire signal path from the amplifier output terminals to the crossover board inside the speaker, but there's no significant--or audible--loss with high-level signals and typical speaker posts and banana plugs so don't worry about it.
- Alan
Alan Lofft, Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,021 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,021 Likes: 1 |
Should you add solder to bare wire before inserting them?
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 13 |
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350 AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,021 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,021 Likes: 1 |
I wondered. I hadn't heard of anyone doing it before until about two months ago when out of the blue two different people told me they had done it and both said they noticed better SQ.
one was my mom.....I'll never live this post down...
Last edited by brwsaw; 11/08/12 10:03 PM.
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458 |
I would caution that if your preference is a heavier duty thicker speaker cable, because of the cables extra weight and stiffness, it can actually break off the connection quite easily in which case it would be better to go to a direct wire or spade connection. These Radio Shack banana plugs let the wire hang down to reduce that problem. I also like that I know that when the wire exits the bottom, they are oriented with the proper polarity, so I don't have to squint to try to determine "red or black". The knurled knob in the back of them tightens down on the wire. They also accept the 12 gauge wire I'm using.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7
Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
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Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7 |
I also like that I know that when the wire exits the bottom [...] I love banana plug discussions.
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270 |
Nice plugs, Mark! And I agree that it's always important to let your wire hang down. . .
--Alan
Alan Lofft, Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955 |
At least in public. What makes your wire point up is no one else's business.
With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270 |
Ha, ha! My first LOL of the day. . .
-Alan
Alan Lofft, Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)
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Re: Banana Plug Adapter Help
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,291
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,291 |
all this reminds me of the song i hear on Galaxie sometimes: The Big Bamboo, by Mighty Sparrow.
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