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Using non-terminated speaker wire?

From all that I have read here on A'gon, my speaker cables should be several feet shorter; but that's not my question.  If I was to shorten my speaker cables and then simply wrap the bare wire around the posts of my speakers, wouldn't that make a better connection than either bananas or spades?  I did read the "bent banana thread" going on here on this forum, and i did a search on the AQ banana terminals, and I could definitely go that way, but just wondering about the wisdom(?) of using bare wire versus terminals.

immatthewj
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,927 posts
 

Bare wire 

Mike

oberoniaomnia
150 posts
 

OP: you are absolutely right. Bare wire makes best connection by removing an unnecessary piece, aka connector. If you are not constantly changing speakers/amps, bare wire is the way to go. That's what I do. Just be sure to get all the litz threads in the binding posts to avoid shorts. 

gdaddy1
192 posts
 

Bare wire, Straight strand not twisted in a good tight compressed lug.

 

immatthewj OP
2,654 posts
 

Thanks, guys; if I remember correctly (I bought these cables nearly 30 years ago) the ones I want to shorten are Kimber 8TC with what looks like 4 individual and insulated blue wires/and 4 black wires on each negative run and the same on each positive run.

panzrwagn's avatar
panzrwagn
595 posts
 

Bare wire is fine, but I would tin the ends with silver solder to eliminate stray 'whiskers' that can short amplifier outputs. Not good. 

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