• 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!

Tube connectors. Wtf

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
I ran across this “tube connector” from “GR Research” those dudes who make $300 crossover mods for $200 speakers. Their claims regarding the tube connectors are snake oil and the prices ludicrous for what they are. They are little more than a female banana plug (copper gold plated ones available on Amazon for pennies each, not $50/pair+) or a male to male adapter (a 4mm tube of plated copper, a pack of 8 for a few bucks on amazon) with the internal wire soldered to one end end the other end stuck in a hole drilled through the speaker do the same?

However i do have a question regarding the premise that “low mass” connectors are somehow better. Presuming the connectors are decent conductive material abs area of contact equal wouldn’t more mass generally mean less resistance (within reason)

I ask because speakon connectors seem to be “low mass” as well. And I have been thinking about using them for a refurb. Not sure it’s worth the hassle however. So was just curious if there is some basis for the low mass idea.

Anyway, if one hates binding posts so much, there is already a professional standard developed…Speakon. one could even go 4 pole for biamping if that’s ones sort of thing. One hole in the cabinet gives 2-4 connections. Think of how much space could be saved!

Have the dudes at GR never heard of those? They could offer cyro frozen ones with carbon fiber housing gs if they really want to bilk some consumer.

Sorry it was just the most bananas, relatively overpriced, and misleading, snake oil tweak I have seen since audioquest put unconnected batteries on cables.
 
Last edited:

Raindog123

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Messages
1,599
Likes
3,554
Location
Melbourne, FL, USA
There is no relation between metal density and connectivity (or resistivity). Eg, from the internet:

D58235CE-8D4A-42C4-896A-307339DBB65C.png
 
OP
M

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
I think by mass they just mean less stuff. Fir example 5g of copper between contact end of speaker wire and that of internal wire instead of 10g of copper. Not different materials and densities.

I know it’s not worth thinking about. Lol
 

Wolf

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
557
Likes
589
Location
Indiana
If you are en route to buy Tube Connectors, just say NO, and purchase the CMC 878 posts instead.
You can tighten the jacks on your nanner plugs, or use massive spades or bare wire in the base if you choose.

These make the Dayton Premium posts both look and feel cheap. ~$62/set of 4 on ebay.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4748.JPG
    IMG_4748.JPG
    61.3 KB · Views: 848

617

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 18, 2019
Messages
2,404
Likes
5,296
Location
Somerville, MA
If you are en route to buy Tube Connectors, just say NO, and purchase the CMC 878 posts instead.
You can tighten the jacks on your nanner plugs, or use massive spades or bare wire in the base if you choose.

These make the Dayton Premium posts both look and feel cheap. ~$62/set of 4 on ebay.

Ben this is off topic I'm working on a design with the Rival 176p-8 that you used for the Fenrir. Any advice for using this woofer?
 

Wolf

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
557
Likes
589
Location
Indiana
In modelling it, it really held better composure in 18 ltrs than anything larger, despite the manufacturer's recommendation of using a 20 ltr box. That said, they are great midbasses and clean into the mids, but they can fall short of deep bass extension. 40-45Hz is fine for them. I also recommend a 3rd order electrical network on them, as it was much easier to get a good blend with adjacent tweeters.

Great drivers, limited availability.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gab

Feyire

Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Messages
272
Likes
314
Location
Netherlands
If you are en route to buy Tube Connectors, just say NO, and purchase the CMC 878 posts instead.
You can tighten the jacks on your nanner plugs, or use massive spades or bare wire in the base if you choose.

These make the Dayton Premium posts both look and feel cheap. ~$62/set of 4 on ebay.
Why do you prefer to have a high-mass thick gold plated ferromagnetic chunk of brass (i.e. CMC 878) in your audio signal path? Apart from the differences in price of the products of course.
 

kchap

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
579
Likes
566
Location
Melbourne, Oz
I ran across this “tube connector” from “GR Research” those dudes who make $300 crossover mods for $200 speakers. Their claims regarding the tube connectors are snake oil and the prices ludicrous for what they are. They are little more than a female banana plug (copper gold plated ones available on Amazon for pennies each, not $50/pair+) or a male to male adapter (a 4mm tube of plated copper, a pack of 8 for a few bucks on amazon) with the internal wire soldered to one end end the other end stuck in a hole drilled through the speaker do the same?

However i do have a question regarding the premise that “low mass” connectors are somehow better. Presuming the connectors are decent conductive material abs area of contact equal wouldn’t more mass generally mean less resistance (within reason)

I ask because speakon connectors seem to be “low mass” as well. And I have been thinking about using them for a refurb. Not sure it’s worth the hassle however. So was just curious if there is some basis for the low mass idea.

Anyway, if one hates binding posts so much, there is already a professional standard developed…Speakon. one could even go 4 pole for biamping if that’s ones sort of thing. One hole in the cabinet gives 2-4 connections. Think of how much space could be saved!

Have the dudes at GR never heard of those? They could offer cyro frozen ones with carbon fiber housing gs if they really want to bilk some consumer.

Sorry it was just the most bananas, relatively overpriced, and misleading, snake oil tweak I have seen since audioquest put unconnected batteries on cables.
Another chance to use my old fart joke - Copyright kchap:

An audiophile and his money are soon parted.
 
OP
M

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
Why do you prefer to have a high-mass thick gold plated ferromagnetic chunk of brass

Yeah man! I bet you also like to use high mass cables! The ones that are 12-10awg for example and have audible skin effect!
Why do you want so much extra mass between your amp and speaker?

I use the lowest mass wire possible to keep the material from changing the muons flowing down the wire and prevent quark jumping.

I can’t imagine the distortion a hollow 1/2 inch long of a 3/8” dia gold plated brass post would do! Treble would become blurred and all that metal would be to slow for the electrons to move quickly enough for fast transients.

Plus, brass is so magnetic it will create a distortion of the speaker drivers magnetic field, creating an induction loop that will decrease damping while trapping electrons within with a tachyon eddy at the crossover instead of flowing from the positive lead through the crossover onto the driver and back down the negative lead as they are supposed to flow.

biggest difference for sound I have ever heard was when I removed the binding posts and soldered 32awg 24 carate solid gold wire directly to the crossover and to the amp’s pcb. It was like I had a different set of speakers! My wife sent a text from work 10 miles away to ask why the stero sounded so amazing all of a sudden. My dog started humping my subwoofer and small song birds alighted upon my amps while chipmunks boogied down in my living room. Amazing! Not really. Just science.
 

Wolf

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
557
Likes
589
Location
Indiana
Why do you prefer to have a high-mass thick gold plated ferromagnetic chunk of brass (i.e. CMC 878) in your audio signal path? Apart from the differences in price of the products of course.
Try again, the 878 pictured are rhodium plated copper posts, and they are cheaper than the poopy tube connectors to boot.

To me, in general, higher mass is less resonant, and copper is very conductive.
 
OP
M

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
To me, in general, higher mass is less resonant, and copper is very conductive.

I think you meant “To me…” and the rest of the universe…

If only Speakon was standard in home audio….

Of course then Audioquest would come out with solid gold body plug cases and put batteries on them.
 
OP
M

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
rhodium plated copper posts

In any case, even if brass (or stainless steel) the difference in relevant properties (like conductivity) are inconsequential to signal loss at the amount and lengths we are talking about. And increased resistance can be compensated by size/ thickness relative to wire gauge. So so-called “high mass”, by which I think audiophiles mistakenly mean simply “lots of material”, is good. Not that it matters very much.

Relevant:
A0292D0D-99F6-405A-9F60-E3A76A8F1DD0.jpeg
 
Last edited:

kchap

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
579
Likes
566
Location
Melbourne, Oz
Forget the choice materials, it's a weird design. The conduction points are probably going to be the crimp points and where the stud meets the socket; highlighted in indigo. The first time the stud is push into the socket it will deform the copper wire in the socket. After a short period of time the tip of the wire will, in all likelihood, not be touching the tip of the stud at all.
 

Attachments

  • tubeconnector.png
    tubeconnector.png
    201.1 KB · Views: 1,853
OP
M

musicforcities

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
400
Likes
448
it's a weird design

Ugh. That looks bad. And like they don’t understand how electricity works (the note about the tiny gap between wire ends for example…line it matters at all considering the only sure contact is the two crimps points. Lol. And no crimps on the insulator? The wire will break due to strain.

You’d be better off getting a couple female bullet connectors soldered or crimped to the internal wire, poking through the cabinet and use bfa plugs on the wire. Or as I said before, speakon…which is tested and engineered properly for heavy use. Or the posts it came with. There is no way it makes a difference if they are at all decent.

And hey, wouldn’t the old style spring clip connectors be just as good IF they could take large gauge wire and were strong enough to make gas tight connection points. Like the WAGU style connectors for household AC? Those things are fantastic. Gas tight removable crimps on solid or stranded wire up to 10awg. Bring back bare wire dudes! Go all the way

On the other hand the tube connector does have “ELECTRASTUDS”. Great male stripper bar name.
 
Last edited:

TLEDDY

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
631
Likes
858
Location
Central Florida
Here is a video… I smell a bit of oil…


Thoughts, please…
 
  • Like
Reactions: 617
Top Bottom