Speaker Cable Spade Lug to Pin Adapters. Or?

[markd51]

You may want to read this article. It is the most informed and snake oil free article on speaker cable that I have found.

https://www.audioholics.com/audio-vi...ker-wire-gauge

If you read it, you will have answers to your termination questions as well as direction on speaker cable choices.


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This is basically the path and apparent common sense knowledge I usually went by, and/or was taught.

And towards the end of the article I can see the choices he recommends have mirrored what I have done.
10ga from Blue Jeans Cable, and the 14/4 Monoprice seems to mimic Canare 4S11.

He also says he likes Kimber 8TC, and again a Cable I've had some interest in. Yes, more money per foot-meter.

I am aware playing the cable rolling game can get expensive, and a gamble with a variety of outcomes. Kimber 8TC might be better, no better, or possibly even worse than what I now use. Such could be a personal finding. What one person might like and swear by, another person could possibly have different, or opposite end results.

Finding some cheapo adapters, and cable rolling, provided if one gets no joy, there's many dealers who will loan cables to try, and if not liked can be returned with probably just the expenses of shipping.

[markd51]

This morning, I watched a u-tube vid, and it was discussing some of the same cabling I've discussed here.

I'm sorry I sometimes appear to be a hard nut to crack, And I deeply appreciate all of your comments and input, thank you all.

Some common sense of what separates the expensive esoteric speaker cables are construction, quality connectors, quality of the wire itself, and besides such, probably a good dose of marketing hype also.

Well, quality connectors are not hard to acquire. And on simpler cable designs, again let's say Belden, or Canare which I've spoken of, again, one can usually do a quite acceptable, and sound job of termination. I believe, and probably all will agree that very good quality connectors where they can be applied wouldn't necessarily be a waste of one's money.

Such brands as Cardas, WBT are commonly some of the very best available, and again such Cables I mention would not be difficult to terminate with such quality connectors-terminations.

My Bryston Amps have provision for either Bananas, Spade Lugs, Bare Wire, whatever one chooses.

As for the speaker end, at the 4430. If I recall correctly, the holes in the Stock Push Pins were just large enough to accept bare 10ga Belden single strand. At least a bit better than what existed on my L-65s, and others like the vintage L-100's etc. Perhaps just simply tinning the Cable ends with a good quality Solder, let's again say WBT, might actually be better than the use of any connector no matter the quality and price?

My 4430 speakers perform just fine, and feel it wise not to fix what isn't broke.

After sleeping on many thoughts, might be best to leave well enough alone, and again, don't fix what isn't broken?

Money, if spent could be perhaps be better spent in other areas, source components, or ICs, and the free tweaks, speaker positioning, isolation, those sort of things.

Again, thanks all for your inputs.

[JeffW]

If your speaker cables have spades and you need pins, why not just crimp/solder a pin or piece of wire into a spade and then just connect it to the existing spade on the cable with a short bolt? Cover the whole thing with a piece of heat shrink and go on down the road.

[grumpy]

I see.

I’m starting to like this guy.

[grumpy]

I’ll just add with the 4430, getting the L-pads set to closely matching L-R responses was quite worth the effort in setting up test gear to do so. Using the 5235 was even tweakier re level matching. Good luck with your cable/termination investigations.

[markd51]

If your speaker cables have spades and you need pins, why not just crimp/solder a pin or piece of wire into a spade and then just connect it to the existing spade on the cable with a short bolt? Cover the whole thing with a piece of heat shrink and go on down the road.

You kind of lost me, perhaps with a repetition of words that I'm a little confused, but I think I basically do get what you're saying in that one could probably do a number of DIY Adapters to accomplish a conversion to whatever termination that might exist, and need changing to.

That if nothing exists, then design and make something, or have someone make such. I once had a friend who was a very accomplished machinist. (RIP) He (Andy) passed away about 6 years ago at age 74. He was also into the audio hobby, Amateur Astronomy, Firearms, we had many common interests.

He told me once that he once many years ago was doing consultation for the government on some black projects at $600/hr. I believe it, It seemed there was nothing this man couldn't build-make when he put his mind to it.

He did make some custom parts for my one VPI Turntable, built some custom visual adapters for one of my refractor Telescopes. He once made himself a miniature table top Gattling Gun that worked, and was a work of art, fired .22's.
And a custom made, all machined Equatorial Telescope Mount in is own roll off roof Observatory that could handle up to 250 lbs worth of Telescope.

At present, I'm fine, and for now I'm OK with my system. Most of what I inquired about were some things that I did not have any idea if they even existed, and called upon some of you folks who I figured might have more expertise, and wisdom than I do, particularly all pertaining to JBL.

I've been a JBL man and fan since 1973-1974, I'm 66 now. My first foray into JBL was four L-26 Decade Speakers, then onto the four L-65 Jubals, which I still also have, and look like brand new, original Grills, Drivers, Glass Tops, everything.

[JeffW]

Like this

[Riley Casey]

Jeez , I thought I was the only one who did stuff like this .

Like this

[markd51]

Jeez , I thought I was the only one who did stuff like this .

Don't know if you folks can see such, but here's one little honey of an upgrade component I wouldn't mind having in my system.

Today there might be better and for less money. And of course worse too for more money. I lusted for one like this for some years now. Maybe one day? LOL

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/li...d-sacd-players

[Mr. Widget]

Don't know if you folks can see such, but here's one little honey of an upgrade component I wouldn't mind having in my system.

Today there might be better and for less money. And of course worse too for more money. I lusted for one like this for some years now. Maybe one day? LOL

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/li...d-sacd-players

I was thinking that if I had your system I would consider spending my money on my digital front end instead of "nice" speaker cables.

If this Wadia is really working up to spec it is probably a very nice sounding unit, but it doesn't offer any streaming capability. Having bitten the bullet and bought a high quality streaming DAC/Disc Spinner, I have found it such an upgrade I would not buy a digital front end without that capability.


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[edgewound]

I see.

If you need to replace the HH Smith spring loaded terminals...which you really don't...with 5 way binding posts, get the generic posts from Madisound that will take a 10 gauge wire. The post studs will thread through the existing holes with no problems.

You DO NOT need uber-expensive wire to drive your speakers. The high end cable market is filled with sheisters and charlatans that cannot and will not prove their claims, because they cannot prove subjective psychological differences in spending/justifying large amounts of cash for good quality copper. OHM's LAW says that electrons follow the path of least resistance. Electrons don't know what frequency they are a part of...nor do they care, because I have asked them...lol...so don't fall for the flowery claims of skin effect, cable time time alignment, or other such BS, because it does not exist at audio frequencies according to actual rocket scientists at Cal Tech and JPL. I have actually asked those that have done work on the space program. Those guys are pretty smart, and our own Grumpy, here, is one of them.

[markd51]

I was thinking that if I had your system I would consider spending my money on my digital front end instead of "nice" speaker cables.

If this Wadia is really working up to spec it is probably a very nice sounding unit, but it doesn't offer any streaming capability. Having bitten the bullet and bought a high quality streaming DAC/Disc Spinner, I have found it such an upgrade I would not buy a digital front end without that capability.


Widget

That Wadia Player I linked to probably sounds better than what I own, but as some tell me, is that saying much?
I've been told that there's new stuff out there, that brand new, costs less than what this Wadia Player cost used, and will best the Wadia in sonic performance.

What I'm using is ancient CAL Audio gear, two Transports-DACs, a stock Delta Transport with a stock Sigma II Dac, and a modded Delta Transport by Great Northern Sound with all Blackgate Caps, Bybee Purifiers, and high speed rectification, and an Alpha (non 24/96) DAC. Both DACS use vintage 12AX7/5751 NOS Tubes.

They both sound good, but sure, today there is much better to be had.

[markd51]

If you need to replace the HH Smith spring loaded terminals...which you really don't...with 5 way binding posts, get the generic posts from Madisound that will take a 10 gauge wire. The post studs will thread through the existing holes with no problems.

You DO NOT need uber-expensive wire to drive your speakers. The high end cable market is filled with sheisters and charlatans that cannot and will not prove their claims, because they cannot prove subjective psychological differences in spending/justifying large amounts of cash for good quality copper. OHM's LAW says that electrons follow the path of least resistance. Electrons don't know what frequency they are a part of...nor do they care, because I have asked them...lol...so don't fall for the flowery claims of skin effect, cable time time alignment, or other such BS, because it does not exist at audio frequencies according to actual rocket scientists at Cal Tech and JPL. I have actually asked those that have done work on the space program. Those guys are pretty smart, and our own Grumpy, here, is one of them.

Yes, I understand what you say. Many of these uber expensive speaker cables sound good on paper, look beautiful, etc., but I understand some don't do all that well when it comes to capacitance and inductance specs.

Sure, I've heard the comments like, "wow, the improvements were as huge as a component upgrade", bla bla bla.
Well, maybe yes, and maybe no.

I do believe good interconnects are often worth the money spent within reason, especially a cable such as a Phono Cable that handles such a low voltage signal and is very prone to RFI-EMI.

[edgewound]

Yes, I understand what you say. Many of these uber expensive speaker cables sound good on paper, look beautiful, etc., but I understand some don't do all that well when it comes to capacitance and inductance specs.

Sure, I've heard the comments like, "wow, the improvements were as huge as a component upgrade", bla bla bla.
Well, maybe yes, and maybe no.

I do believe good interconnects are often worth the money spent within reason, especially a cable such as a Phono Cable that handles such a low voltage signal and is very prone to RFI-EMI.

If you don't need extreme flexibility like that of a guitar cable or microphone cable to play live, my preference for unbalanced interconnects is RG-6 Quadshield co-ax. Compression fit RCA connectors are available, and the cable is pennies per foot. 18 ga center conductor and excellent shielding.

[Mr. Widget]

RG6 quadshield is 75 ohm cable so it will work well for both analog and digital connections, but it is pretty darned stiff. I much prefer more flexible cable. That said, if you have the compression tool and correct ends, these cables are super quick to build and work well.

Circling back to the original topic, I think JeffW's suggestion of using a bolt (copper or brass would be best) to connect an adapter is likely the best option if one MUST use these cables. I'd find an alternative cable myself, but there are many reasons to choose a specific cable.


Widget