126mhz Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Okay guys I have no pride because once and for all I'm going to ask a question I've been too dumb to ask before. It all started when I wanted to get a new pair of speaker cables made for my La Scalas. I thought I read somewhere on this site that the spade size that would fit the screws in original type La Scala crossovers, (I have AA in mine) is a "Number eight" size. When I told a prospective maker he seemed stumped in that he only wanted to know the measurement of the spade. Bottom line "Number eight" spade meant nothing to him....I let it go not wanting to order something that might end up not fitting. Now a new thread starts about someone who wants to get a new set of speaker cables made. SEB labs was recommended and I went to ebay just as the thread said and sent SEB an email telling him I wanted to have a set of cables made for my La Scalas. He wrote back that he "Thought" the La Scala "Barrier strips use a number eight screw, please vefify." Jeeze I feel dumb! I've been expecting someone who would make me a new set of speaker cables to KNOW what size spade or what size screw the La Scala barrier strip uses! PLEASE once and for all let me know what size the screws are in a stock La Scala barrier stip are and what size spade I will need to request to get the cables I want. Thanks all,... Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 The largest SPADE that will fit in the stock terminal strip is 1/4". I forget the screw size, I think it's #8. Most modern cable spades are wider than 1/4 and won't fit in the Heritage terminal strips, so make sure you get that across to him. Even one set I got that were supposed to be 1/4 I had to touch up the edges with a file a little to get them to sit in the block right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Ok this is going to be easy..order parts express #095-663 then go to westlake hardware and get stainless steel allen head bolts #8 i think.. and some small brass washers.This will be better set up than those little screws.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 The nominclature is a bit confusing. The screws that connect the speaker wire to the crossover are called "machine screws", as opposed to sheet metal screws, wood screws or cap screws. "Machine Screws" are simply a type of screw that has parallel (not tapered) sides with threads extending all the way to the head. Machine screws are identified by four characteristics: diameter, thread pitch (number of threads per inch), length and head style. The #8 you've heard refers to the diameter. Smaller screws are labeled by numbers (#4, #6, #8 and on up to #14) while larger screws are labelled by their diameter in inches (1/4, 5/16, 1/2, etc.) The screws that connect the cables to the La Scala's crossover appear to me to be 8-32 X 1/2 round head machine screws. That is, a number 8 size screw with 32 threads per inch with a length of a half an inch and a rounded, non-countersunk head with a flat underside. All of which is completely useless information when trying to find spade lugs that will fit. The only question here is, how far apart are the little plastic ridges on the thingie ("barrier strip") that the wires connect to? As stated above, about a quarter of an inch. Radio Shack carries little spade lugs that will fit. Remember, when these speakers were designed, everyone was using lamp cord for speaker wire. Big hulking garden hoses of cables with diameters over an inch were not in anybody's wildest imagination. You will find you cannot crimp these little bitty spade lugs directly to big speaker cables - they just won't fit. So, couple choices. 1, use small speaker cable, like 16 gauge, and crimp small spades directly to the ends. Or, 2, use whatever cable you want, terminate the ends with big spade lugs, take a small piece of 16 gauge wire, bolt it to the spade lug terminating the big cable, and crimp a small spade to the end of the short piece of wire. Or just wrap the small wire around the screw, though that leaves open the chance for a short if the braided wire frays a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 The part number above will allow you to put big wire onto the small terminal its so i big i had to fold over 12GA wire to solder it in. But it will fit the little screw barrier strip...and looks cool with a stainless steel allen head bolt.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Klappenberger Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Bill, The barrier blocks used by Klipsch (and me) use #6 screws. FOr big cables, get biger spades and just bend them down smaller. It's not a critical thing at all. Al K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 I thought they were #6 but lastnight was to tired to go look,,,lol,,sorry.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=095-663 these will fit.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardhead Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Parts Express has several sizes of spade lugs that will fit the Heritage terminal barrier strips and will hold wire up to 8 ga. If you'll post the size of the wire you intend to use, I can tell you the exact spade lugs to order. They're gold plated, yet inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 2, 2005 Author Share Posted March 2, 2005 Man, I love you guys! You guys have been a big help, now if I could only get the poor overworked bloke who runs SEB to get back with me on constructing a pair of cables to go between either my Dynaco ST70 or my Scott 299D. (both the same spade size on the amp. side as my La Scalas) Any Takers? Seriously, the information I've received from this site is the kind of real world audio I want to be involved in. Once again much thanks guys, Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch Employees Trey Cannon Posted March 3, 2005 Klipsch Employees Share Posted March 3, 2005 The opening is 8 mm the screw is 3.4mm I dont know what parts express has but that is the size of the 8 pt. barrer strip. To make your life easy, (hit the red button) or add binding post to your LS. Then you can use most any connector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 3, 2005 Author Share Posted March 3, 2005 Very cool that you guys should be such a wealth of information, I really appreciate this site. Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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