Reterminating Kimber 12TC Speaker cable: possible?
Why do you need bi-wire? Are you planning to bi-amp? If you make your speaker bi-wire and not going to biamp, than it's a perfect example of going from point A back to point A so that 'job is done, but progress none'. Moreover there's a draw-back with jeopardising resale value of your cable after surgery. If it's just not to use jumpers than the game isn't worth time and effort seriously. |
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There are few ways 1. Soldering 2. Crimping Both require certain tools. For soldering you'll need or gun just like this one http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=372-070 or even butane torch to heat up the large surfaces before applying a solder; For crimping you'll need crimping tool capable to connect large gauges http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=360-644. You'll also need strong hands to crimp high gauges and that is of a high importance not to let gaps in the crimped terminals. You'll also need for your convenience shrinking tubes to secure your crimped connection(s). You can also go unterminated(at least you'll try how it sounds before connecting terminals). All needed to be done is to cut out existing terminals strip the wire enough to reach through both of the binding posts and done. Method 1 -- Soldering. 1. Strip enough length of wire so that part of wire goes into the vise grip or small vise without touching an isolation. 2. Dress the shrinking tube of a desired color and pull it down. 3. Secure wire with vise-grip or vise as mentioned in first para. Your objective is to secure an isolation by deflecting high heat with vise. 4. Heat the sticking out portion of the wire so that the solder is applied with no heat resistance and 'fill up' the strands. 3. Have something similar to surgeon's blood tube clamp to merry the terminal to the wire and start heating them up with highest possible temperature setting. 4. When you will see the applied solder on the wire is melting through the strands, apply another solder to merry terminal to the wire. 6. Pull up the shrinking tube and shrink it with sigarette lighter or the butane torch. Securing the remaining bare wire with isolation tape is great, but optional as long as you make sure that your tube is applied air-tight and wraps both terminal and wire. As you proceed with project make sure your wires are not loose and stick together tight. Method2 -- Crimping Good quality terminals are usually not easy to bend and require an extra strength to be applied to secure them properly and nice. Crimping is usually of a higher performance vs. soldering if done correct. Improper and incomplete crimping may as an example may cause an automobile alternator go bad due to improper connection to the B+ battery cable. In audio it may cause an improper load to the amp that may cause an upredictable actions. 1. Make sure that terminals and wire are of compatible sizes and gauges. 2. Strip wires just enough to get inside the crimping holes. 3. Prepare ahd dress shrinking tube of desired color 4. Apply pressure gradually to the portions of the crimping tubes untill the wires are completely straight and locked. Make sure to leave no gaps and make sure that wires are dead-on to terminals. 5. Shrink the tubes to secure connection. I would pull up the tube all the way to the tip of connecting terminal to secure bare wires completely. |
You couldn't find an easier cable to terminate. True, there are a lot of conductors to deal with, but, there is nothing high tech about the wire itself. Just traditional med. guage solid core. I have had to re terminate cables with a gazillion smaller than human hair conductors and believe me, that is a pain. Especially with my primitive tools and skill. |
