Best type of Speaker Wire termination w/Klipsch

[Randu]

I currently have bare wire pushed thru the hole in the lugs on my KG series speakers.

I'm shopping for get new wire but can't decide on which way to terminate them.

Any opinions on pins vs banans vs spades?

[marksdad]

ultimatly bare wire is best. as 1 wise klipscher put it, the less parts the less chance for failure

[lovemyhorns]

I use Kimber Cable (currently and have also used Original Monster), both with terminal lugs that have been crimped and soldered on the speaker end and bare wire on the amplifier end.

[Randu]

http://www.ixos.co.uk/interconnects/

I'm looking at these folks. They have some interesting speaker wire designs, and I've heard good stuff about them on other fourms.

Anyone have any experience with IXOS?

Probably use the locking bananas on both ends

[dougdrake]

I have some IXOS interconnects and speaker wire. I confess that I'm not one to be able to hear difference in wire, but I bought them because they looked cool and found a good price at www.accessories4less.com. I like the porcelain jackets on the RCA plugs, though, for close-quarters connections. How's that for a scientific response!

DD

[sunnysal]

I bought some IXOS ICs and was not happy with them compared to others I had (audioquest, MIT, monster) they seemd somewhat "dark" sounding and not as transparent. but YMMV, etc. they are nice looking, nicely made and relatviely inexpensive. tony

[arthurs]

Try cobaltcable.com

Ask for John, he's really cool and can work you through with no pressure to buy from them. (Although, they have inicredible cable for reasonable dollars)

[Randu]

Thanks SunnySal for sharing.

I have heard elsewhere that they are "not bright" which is one of the things that made me look at them. As you I'm sure have heard before, Klipsch has a certain reputation for brightness, as does Yamaha (my receiver).

Arthur, I'll check out the Cobalt

[minn_male42]

here is a great part from parts express...it is a knockoff of a phoenix gold part

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&User_ID=13700818&St=4583&St2=38507161&St3=57895666&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=2478&DID=7

just $3.50 each....

and they eliminate the chance of crossing the speaker wires... they will accept 9 to 14 gauge speaker wire....

[Malcolm]

In order of preference:

spades

bananas

pins

[Randu]

Thanks Malcom,

Can you explain why you prefer the spades?

In looking at it, it seems to me that you would get more/better contact with banans?

[TEAM]

If your speakers are klipsch you should not need any thing bigger the 16 gauge wire.

[Malcolm]

Spades typically provide the best contact. You are literally screwing them down to the connector on the speaker. You have the most surface area in contact and the largest force holding that area in contact. Most bananas provide tenuous contact at best, essentially a single small point on each finger, without much force keeping it in contact, just the spring tension of the banana. Some of the locking bananas are better and might rival spades.

FWIW I use spade lugs on the ends of speaker cables that connect to speakers with barrier strips, but for everything else I simply tin the ends of the wires. I have 5-way binding posts on the walls and some of my speakers. The tinned ends go in the holes and the nuts get screwed down. I would use bare ends on the speakers with barrier strips except the spades give a better connection.

Other reasons I prefer spades: KISS; they cost me $.06 a piece at the local electronics store; they are very easy to install (solder, crimp or both).

Be aware that some folks consider tinning speaker wire a bad thing. Also, some folks prefer crimped over solder connections, and vice versa. IMHO, properly done, either works just fine.

[jt1stcav]

I like spade lugs, pins, and bananas (as far as I'm concerned, they all make good cantact, as long as the solder or crimp is sealed tight), but for my present use with my Cornwalls and Mac barrier strips, bare naked wire works best for me!

[artto]

Monster Cable makes termination 'pins' that were made for that kind of connector on your speaker. You might also want to try Caig Pro Gold. Its a cleaner & conductivity enhancer. It may do more than spending $$ on gold or silver connectors. If you like banana connectors, the only ones I can recommend are Xterminators by Mosnter Cable. Banana connectors can lose their "expansion" qualities over time. And not all female banana connectors have the same inside diameter which can cause the male banana plug to not fit tightly. The Xterminator banana can manually be expanded to produce a very tight fit in any female banana connector.