• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Speaker Cables At March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
We will soon have on the website speaker cables to compliment the interconnects.

Using Canare 4S11 any custom length can be made, single or biwire.

http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDisplay.aspx?productItemID=65

Locking Banana termination shown here

cable1.jpg
 

ex audiophile

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
635
Likes
805
Good news, thanks. How are you connecting the terminals to the wire? BJC uses ultrasonic welding for mechanical security and high conductivity.
 
OP
March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
Good news, thanks. How are you connecting the terminals to the wire? BJC uses ultrasonic welding for mechanical security and high conductivity.

Screw connections.

I like the ultrasonic welding and I have used BJC cabling myself. However you need to put this into context.

Just think about the typical chain of connections from the amplifier circuit board to the speaker driver.

Amp Pcb - solder, pressure connector or screw
Speaker post internal - solder, crimp connector or screw
Speaker post external - pressure contact
Cable termination amp end - scew, solder, ultrasonic weld
Cable termination speaker end - screw, solder, ultrasonic weld
Speaker post external - pressure contact
Speaker post internal - solder, crimp connector or screw
Crossover in - solder or push on crimp
Crossover out - solder or push on crimp
Speaker driver - solder or push on crimp

So, the reality is the very small difference that us welding one connection may make just becomes insignificant in the rather imperfect scheme of things.
 

pma

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
4,591
Likes
10,728
Location
Prague
I use the same/similar connectors. They secure mechanical position and electrical contact.

reprobanan.jpg
 

ex audiophile

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
635
Likes
805
I understand that there are dozens/hundreds of links in these various connection chains, but I don't see that as justification for making any one of them less secure, on the contrary. I remember Amir's comments re the AHB2;

"For speaker terminals there are two sets: classic heavy duty banana jacks and SpeakOn. The SpeakOn are locking and provide the best performance. I lost about 3 dB of performance using the banana jacks due to less secure connect there. So the measurements you see are with SpeakOn jacks."

So clearly there are measurable differences between methods, and for professional applications connections like the SpeakOn are preferred. Does any of this impact discernible SQ in our home systems? I would think not, but whenever we have some control over the connection I think it makes sense to choose the most secure.
 
OP
March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
I understand that there are dozens/hundreds of links in these various connection chains, but I don't see that as justification for making any one of them less secure, on the contrary. I remember Amir's comments re the AHB2;

"For speaker terminals there are two sets: classic heavy duty banana jacks and SpeakOn. The SpeakOn are locking and provide the best performance. I lost about 3 dB of performance using the banana jacks due to less secure connect there. So the measurements you see are with SpeakOn jacks."

So clearly there are measurable differences between methods, and for professional applications connections like the SpeakOn are preferred. Does any of this impact discernible SQ in our home systems? I would think not, but whenever we have some control over the connection I think it makes sense to choose the most secure.

It's perfectly adequately secure :)

The point was specifically that you won't be saving the day with US welded wires inside the banana plug.

My recollection is that Amir was not using locking bananas. This is where the weakest point will be and not the cable termination inside the plug. Without locking the contact pressure may be insufficient.
 
Last edited:

ex audiophile

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
635
Likes
805
It's perfectly adequately secure.

The point was that you won't be saving the day with US welded wires inside the banana plug.

I don't think Amir was using locking Bananas.

Definitely not saving the day, lol. I think Amir was using conventional non locking banana plugs. I had conversations with Benchmark about this issue and they rank connections as 1-SpeakOn, 2- locking banana, 3- conventional banana. There was a measurable difference between each type. I think you are correct in that using a locking type connector (rather than a simple plug in) is the take home message.
 
OP
March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
Definitely not saving the day, lol. I think Amir was using conventional non locking banana plugs. I had conversations with Benchmark about this issue and they rank connections as 1-SpeakOn, 2- locking banana, 3- conventional banana. There was a measurable difference between each type. I think you are correct in that using a locking type connector (rather than a simple plug in) is the take home message.
Yes I agree with Benchmarks conclusions. Problem is that their choice of speakon does make life more difficult for the domestic end user, probably for no appreciable benefit.
 

digicidal

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 6, 2019
Messages
1,981
Likes
4,838
Location
Sin City, NV
Nice. Looks almost identical to the ones I made myself right down to the same style (but different finish) locking bananas... well, I "splurged" on some pretty nylon sleeving and full heat shrink "pants" for mine. Can't be "audiophile approved" without those after all. ;)
 

dshreter

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
794
Likes
1,226
These look good, and I definitely like using the locking bananas. I agree welding isn’t the only way, but it would be great to share how these are terminated since the approach to mechanical coupling or soldering has a big impact on long term stability of the joint.
 

BeepPeep_61

Active Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Messages
217
Likes
406
Location
Northern Italy near Garda Lake
I use as a connection between my McIntosh MC601 and the B&W 802D2, this type of tulip expansion connectors and I agree with March Audio which represent a significant increase in contact and its long-term stability. The cable is tightened inside the connector by a pair of 4MA grains with Torx imprint, and I assure you that the contact does not induce (measured with a digital multimeter) any ohmic variation compared to the bare strands over a length of 2.5 meters.

20200202_165731[1].jpg
20200202_165226[1].jpg
 

jhaider

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
2,823
Likes
4,518
Problem is that their choice of speakon does make life more difficult for the domestic end user, probably for no appreciable benefit.

I don't see how. Speakon is no harder to terminate than anything else, as long as you have the right (PZ1) screwdriver tip/bit. Compared to an audioquest or wbt banana, for example, Speakon has half the screws to turn because its strain relief is better engineered. And obviously Speakons are more practical generally if you have the choice. Nobody's going to disconnect a Speakon and accidentally rewire the speaker or amp in opposite polarity! Also, in a complicated multichannel system with in-wall wiring, nobody's going to want to deal with this kind of panel writ in banana plugs.

figure 6 – wall plate behind media cabinet.jpeg


(Yes, that picture of the wallplate behind our media cabinet is lifted from an upcoming think piece on Speakon.)

Still, I assume at this point rational people are buying bulk wire and cutting to length as opposed to buying prefabricated wires that may result in unsightly coils of excess to stick somewhere. Interconnects are different, because they generally require soldering.
 

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,526
Location
Seattle Area
I think Amir was using conventional non locking banana plugs.
I don't remember if I had them for benchmark test but since then I have been using locking solid brass banana connectors for my test load. They are made by parts express.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,524
Likes
37,057
Speaking for myself, I hate banana plugs for speakers. I prefer spade lugs or wire pins. SpeakOns would be fine if they were more common. A cart and horse problem in domestic hifi. I know some EU regs made the use of spades less convenient. I still prefer them to bananas. Maybe in another decade we'll have more speakons. I feel like XLR and speakon connectors are the right way for modern hifi.
 
OP
March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
I don't see how. Speakon is no harder to terminate than anything else, as long as you have the right (PZ1) screwdriver tip/bit. Compared to an audioquest or wbt banana, for example, Speakon has half the screws to turn because its strain relief is better engineered. And obviously Speakons are more practical generally if you have the choice. Nobody's going to disconnect a Speakon and accidentally rewire the speaker or amp in opposite polarity! Also, in a complicated multichannel system with in-wall wiring, nobody's going to want to deal with this kind of panel writ in banana plugs.

View attachment 48398

(Yes, that picture of the wallplate behind our media cabinet is lifted from an upcoming think piece on Speakon.)

Still, I assume at this point rational people are buying bulk wire and cutting to length as opposed to buying prefabricated wires that may result in unsightly coils of excess to stick somewhere. Interconnects are different, because they generally require soldering.
Where does your average non technical user buy speakon on the high street?

How many cable vendors offer speakon as a fitted option?

I'm sure you will now come up with some examples, but that would be missing the point.
 
OP
March Audio

March Audio

Master Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
6,378
Likes
9,317
Location
Albany Western Australia
Speaking for myself, I hate banana plugs for speakers. I prefer spade lugs or wire pins. SpeakOns would be fine if they were more common. A cart and horse problem in domestic hifi. I know some EU regs made the use of spades less convenient. I still prefer them to bananas. Maybe in another decade we'll have more speakons. I feel like XLR and speakon connectors are the right way for modern hifi.
Quite. You have to remove those stupid plastic plugs out the holes on the posts. A Pita with an AV amp that has dozens of the things. Thanks EU.

Out of the 2 I think the RCA is the bigger problem.
 
Top Bottom