2. amps-preamps
  3. 153808-63554

Can I cheat and not get caught?

I bought a nice Accuphase P-450 power amp recently and was surprised to find the speaker connectors accept only bare wire or VERY large spades. Since my speakers are Vandersteen 3As, I had HCM Audio make a set of double bi-wired cables to the tune of over $300 (I know, that's cheap in the big scheme of things) and was shocked when the 5/16
spades would not fit over the posts. I was finally able to force the spade(s) barely onto the post and tighten the connector enough to secure it, but I'm wondering if it would be better to insert one prong of each spade into the hole for bare speaker wire, then tighten the connector. Or should I try to widen the gap in each spade slightly/carefully to get a better conventional connection? 
discnik
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,443 posts
 
I am using WBT spades (speaker wire) and banana’s (REL subs) connectors, both hooked up simultaneously to my Accuphase Integrated dual binding posts, no issues at all. I simply love the oversized binding posts.
wturkey's avatar
wturkey
768 posts
 
+1 for the rat tail file suggestion.
skipskip
42 posts
 
shielded bare wire or dremel.  the fewer contact point in a chain the better.  10 awg copper is very nice but dremel is easier considering your investment.  keep in mind if the spades are 'coated' in gold, you'll be drilling that off as part of your contact surface so maybe bare wire again is better...or send the wire back and say then need to make it fit your equipment, not their tooling presses.  the afficianados will say all the electrons will get cramped struggling to find the gold surfaces for jumping off....and well, it's not like its Rhodium.
discnik OP
160 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses/ideas....I'll go with the Dremel tool and test my patience in taking things slowly. In fairness to Accuphase, I should have stipulated I bought an older model amp (P-450) from another Audiogoner, but the newer amps may well have the same speaker-post design. The amp is flat-out beautiful and a joy to use...getting the spade issue solved will lessen my anal-retentive audiophile idiosyncrasies.
celtic66
1,654 posts
 
What’s wrong with bare wire?  Had some LAT International banana terminated wire.  Banana broke, so I clipped and stripped all ends.  Wire sounded way better bare.
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