Breaking and Remaking Speaker connections

[laurie]

This is something I've just done today because to me the sound of my speakers were not as sharp the last few days, I can usually tell when they are not at their best, the last time I did it was in April, I do it every six months. I unplug the banana plugs from my speakers and power amplifier, cut the end bits and strip fresh wire, reapply the banana plugs and then stick them back into the speakers and power amplifier.

I started doing this in 1998 when I emailed What Hifi? Magazine in England and they printed my email with a reply towards the end of 1998. At that stage I'd never done such a thing, but what I did was to change round the speakers wires which made the sound brighter and that prompted me to email What HiFi? Letters page. I changed round the speaker wires for the first time since I bought the wires (QED Strand 79) 9 years previously.

I replaced my QED strand 79 with QED Qudos silver anniversary in November1998 and have had that speaker cable since, and have being remaking and breaking the connections every 6 months since then.

Just wonder how many other guys here also do this ritual and do you think it makes a difference to the sound? and perhaps saved you from buying new speaker wires or even new pairs of speakers?

[rlsound]

Only thing I can think of that would cause that is oxidation of the wire, but that shouldn't happen within 6 months. It usually takes years.

[spkrman57]

I always use more wire from the amp to the crossovers/spkrs than needed so that I may cut and restrip a new connection. This is for stranded wire that I use only for solid state.

For my main tube system I use single-strand copper wire (18 guage) with pvc jacket and I end up changing my crossovers at least 3 time a year so those wires don't have enough time to oxidize.

For for my multi-stranded wire I have seen the oxidation take place after a year or so.

Ron

[4313B]

I'd just go wireless. Wires suck.

[spkrman57]

I'd just go wireless. Wires suck.

Why did I not think of that!

Ron

[rlsound]

Until your Iphone starts sending/receiving information during a movie then all you can hear is TICK TICK TICK TICK.

[Hooster]

Try bare wire instead of bananas. Sounds much better in my system.